“We’re going to survive this, you and I. They say you can’t choose your family but they’re wrong. You can. It just takes way more effort than most people are willing to put in.”

“Every family is crazy, though, right? In their own way. Money just highlights what’s already there.”

This was a multifaceted thriller that really pulled me in from the very first chapter! I was a little disinterested in these family “games” that were played, though, and that hindered my ability to get fully engrossed in the story. But I loved the mystery aspect and that kept me going!

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Publishing, Ballantine Books, and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thrillers are not in my usual repertoire but occasionally there is one that will catch my eye. That is exactly what happened with The Family Game by Catherine Steadman. Harriet (Harry) recently became engaged to businessman Edward Holbeck. He is a member of the high society and his family comes form old money. Prior to their engagement, she had never been introduced to his family and now post engagement she finds herself being thrown into the mix. This is a pretty eccentric family with traditions that are very unique to them. n the surface all seem t be welcoming Harry with open arms but not everything is exactly what it seems.

This book is a rollercoaster with a super gravitation pull. The Holbeck family really are in a world f their own. Edward had previously kept his family at a distance trying to make his own way in the world but, as the eldest son, he still had some responsibilities to the family name. Harry provides a new bridge between old and new for all the Holbeck's. She is very attracted to their image of power and control as that is something that has been lacking in her life. She lost her parents tragically at a young age and in some ways has been alone ever since.

Secrets play a huge role in the plotline. All of the characters are withholding some sort of information that complicates everything. Some of these secrets are simple but most of them are life changing. For some they may even turn out to be deadly. This thriller is so well written and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. For most of the book things are put together is look one way when in actuality it may all be the complete opposite of that. Again everyone is not exactly who they seem or what they seem to project.

One of the most unique parts of the Holbeck family is their holiday traditions. Now these aren't just get a tree and decorate it while drinking hot chocolate and singing carols types of traditions. These traditions are dark and a bit twisted and were created with the intention of finding the strongest ones of the group. It was definitely a winner takes all type of scenario and Harry is caught right in the middle. As a reader I was so invested in these games waiting to see what the outcome would be.

As far as thrillers goes The Family Game has all the components that I enjoy: psychological drama, mystery, and a good pacing for the storyline. I felt like this was done very well and put me in the right mindset. The different characters also pulled me in with their actions. Catherine Steadman's writing really did have me on the edge of my seat the entire time with this crazy family and their wild antics. This is a very dark family but they are are also so fascinating I could see why Harry was do desperate to be a part of them!

LOVED THIS WILD RIDE OF A BOOK. Families, secrets and lies OH MY! Get ready for a rollercoaster of a read!

Thank you to the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Family Game is a gripping thriller that had me on the edge of my seat. I feel like not knowing much about this book is the way to go in.
Harriet is engaged to Edward but has not met his family before. But the family doesn't accept just anyone. It's a cat and mouse game going into this family. Also you have to be their kind of crazy and have a dark sense of humor to understand them.
The ending twist was like a slap in the face to me because I honestly didn't see it coming. I was like what in the world is going on here. But all good and I definitely recommend.

For the first time Harriet's life is finally going well and in ways she did not expect. She is a best selling author, she has an amazing husband, and she is truly happy. Her husband Edward is truly the love of her life and someone she can full heart trust. But there is the matter of his family. Edward is rich beyond belief, think Rockefeller rich, but is estranged from his family. In simple terms he doesn't associate with his family because they are a lot to handle and he has put distance especially from his father. Harriet on the other hand has no family due to them dying in a car accident. Harriet or Harry as called in the book is not used to having a major interference of family in her life. When Harry and Edward got married they both agreed she was be introduced and pulled into the family very slowly since it can be extremely overwhelming. But with the holidays coming up she is about to be full throttle into the family. One evening at a family gathering Harriet is pulled aside by Edwards father and give a tape to listen to and says her response will dictate her position in the family. As she starts to listen to them she realizes that this a horrific confession and she is being asked something to do something unimaginable that could involve blackmail. Harriet has to decide what to do and how much she is willing to risk. This could mean a risk to her husbands and her relationship and the relationship of the family. The game is beginning.

This was a good book and I enjoyed it. I did feel like it was kind of like the other mystery thrill books and the characters were to me one dimensional. I was interested but it wasn't like I was going to sit down and stay reading for long periods of time. There were certain aspects of this book that seemed out of reality and far fetched. This made it hard to get a open mind about it. Another thing about it was that at the end I was not 100% sure of some of the familys motivations. There was un answered questions and it left me wondering. But all in all I do believe this book was good. The suspense of the what is next was enough to keep me captured. I would recommend this book!

Thank you St. Martin's Press ​and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.
The first half was slow but then the storyline picked up and I couldn't put it down. Really enjoyed the setting (especially the large mansion/property at the end). I will say the last few chapters were more gore-y than I'd prefer for a thriller. That said, I enjoyed the twists at the end.

Overall this was a twisty and disturbing story. I enjoyed it but it wasn't my favorite thriller. The pacing felt like there was a lot of build up to an inevitable ending but when it got there it felt very rushed to tie things up. Fun and for certain people I'd definitely recommend if I know they like this genre.

I recommend this book to people who also liked the underrated movie Ready or Not. This was a fun quick read.

The ending twist and the cat-mouse game were fascinating! This is gripping, heart throbbing, smart thriller absolutely keeps you in your toes and at the edge of your seat! I loved it! I highly recommend it!

This book was very different from other thriller books I have read. It was definitely not at all what I expected and the twist at the end was not expected at all.

What a twisted story! The Holbeck family has so many secrets and likes to play psycho family games. Harriet, a writer with her own secret, falls for Edward, the new older son who seems like the perfect man. He’s relived himself from his family and wants to start a life with Harriet. They both slowly get pulled back into his family and then let the games begin! What a fun story and 4 stars!

Thank you Netgalley & Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine for an eARC of The Family Game by Catherine Steadman.

WOW! Why did I wait so long to pick this up? What a wish to be granted by the publisher and Netgalley. This book was so much more than I anticipated and I have added Steadman’s entire backlist to my TBR.

Harriet Reed is a novelist from England on the brink of stardom and newly engaged to Edward Holbeck, the heir of his extremely powerful and wealthy family. Harriet quickly becomes drawn into their world. They seem welcoming enough, right? But Edward’s father hands Harriet a tape of a book he’s been working on, and everything changes. Is this a novel, or is this a confession?

Just then, the family game truly begins.
THE RULES
1. Listen carefully
2. Do your research
3. Trust no one
4. Run for your life

There are so many layers to this story, and everything is more than it appears. I felt like I was peeling the onion back with each chapter of this book. The chilling atmosphere that Steadman builds throughout the plot is very impressive. I can’t wait to read anything and everything this author comes up with next!

Unfortunately The Family Game was a miss for me. I found the introductory chapters to be agonizingly slow and generic. The writing did not grab me, nor did the mystery. I skipped to the final chapter about halfway through when the plot did not pick up and found that the ultimate twist and resolution were predictable from what I gathered early on in the story. I found Ms. Steadman to be a competent writer but the mystery was not fast paced or thrilling, in my opinion. I was looking forward to the novel as the description reminded me of two outstanding films with similar plot devices - You're Next and Ready or Not.

Harriet has met the love of her life— the wealthy Edward. Money is no object, but every one has their secrets… even Harry. Readers are taken on a wild ride with dysfunctional family dynamics, some twists, and an ending that leaves no loose ends. Overall, 4 stars.

I had a few issues with this one. First, it took way too long to get interesting. It dragged for a long time and I struggled to into it. Second, I had it figured out by 40% in. It was predictable and I was disappointed that I was not more interesting.

Why was Harriet so freaked out by this family’s Christmas tradition? Krampus is well-known and her reaction to hearing about their party was bizarre.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and Catherine Steadman for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

It's been a few years since I've read a thriller by Catherine Steadman after not fully enjoying Something in the Water. But after seeing positive reviews popping up after its release, I'm happy I gave The Family Game a chance because this was a great thriller to kick the new year off with.

The plot felt very original to me: a woman who finds herself entering into a wealthy family with secrets, in the midst of having secrets of her own. This was everything I was hoping for from the YA title The Inheritance Games so to have found it in this thriller made up for it. There were puzzles and clues the MC had to uncover, leading to a very thrilling conclusion. This story centers around the holidays so the winter is a good time to pick this one up. I'll never look at Krumpus the same way after this book!

Looking back I feel so silly for not picking up what the author was laying out for the reader to decipher and crack the case. This whole story played out like a movie in my head so I would love to see this become adapted for the screen! However, I did feel like a few plot points were given to us throughout the story... and then just never showed up again. A few secondary characters were left hanging that I feel like could have made for an even more compelling thriller. Regardless, I'm happy to say I enjoyed this thriller and hope to see this trend continue in future publications by this author!

Whew wee, this book was a wild ride and I absolutely loved it! The Family Game is based on Harry and Edwards newfound engagement and what meeting Edward's family looks like for Harry. The Holbecks come from old money and want to make sure they are not bringing "just anyone" in to the family.

The beginning of this book started off a little slow for me and if it does for you too, please hang on as the ride does get wild.

I loved Harry and thought she was such a smart character and was able to hold her own. I also found myself loving the ridiculously crazy Holbeck family too.

My suggestion would be to research Krampus traditions prior to going in to this book so you do not have to stop your reading to try to deep dive in to the topic.

And also note that this is a perfect Christmas/Thanksgiving thriller.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine Books for allowing me the opportunity to read and review an early copy of this book.

A thriller that will hook you from the beginning. Old family money, a handsome Prince Charming, quirky family with deeply held family secrets. All traits of a good thriller and while I haven’t been reading as many thrillers lately, this was a good one to get me back into them.

Holy buckets! This was such a fascinating book! I had a side-eye on the actual bad guy in this book but I truly didn't know how this was going to shake out. Absolutely a joy to read!

I swear Steadman can do no wrong. Everything she writes turns to gold and this is no different.
I LOVE the premise of this book., almost like a twisted "Welcome to the family" game.

She has this amazing gift of bringing her characters to life and I was here for every minute of it!!

Thank you so much to #Netgalley