5/5
I had been in a bit of a reading slump and couldn't find something I could connect with until THE FAMILY GAME by Catherine Steadman came along.

The story follows Harriet Reed on the bring of literary stardom, newly engaged to Edward Holbeck a man that comes from a long line of generational wealth and a family with its own sordid history. As Harriet dives into the family a bit further she learns that the family is full of secrets that she learns from a tape recorder her future father-in-law gives her upon meeting her for the first time. Harriet however, is no angel, she has a secret of her own that is threatened to be exposed if she doesn't engage in playing the family fame that Christmas. a game where winner gets to keep their prize (secret) and expose the air the rest of the families dirty laundry.

On Christmas eve they embark on their game looking for clues in the mansion grounds where things take a turn and Harriet realizes just how far some people will go to win the prize.. Harriet however is a survivor and will do whatever it takes to protect herself and the future of her family.

Told in first person POV this book was fast paced, fresh and engaging. I really enjoyed the short chapters that made this seem like a quick read and the smaller paragraphs that kept the page dynamic (yes I'm a book nerd that enjoys the way the layout to a page looks lol) If you liked GOOD RICH PEOPLE, you'll also very much enjoy this. It's also set around Thanksgiving, Krumpus and Christmas it also felt very right now which was an added bonus.
OUT NOW!
Thank you Penguim Randomhouse for the galley/hardcover book

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman is a psychological thriller about an extremely wealthy, powerful family, The Holbecks, who have family secrets hidden. When Harriet, Harry, gets engaged to Edward, the eldest son and heir to the Holbeck fortune, she enters the fabulous and secretive world of the elite rich. When her fiancés powerful father gives her a tape of a book he has written, which discusses a crime that was committed, Harry is unsure whether this is true. Is the family trying to see if they can trust her? Or is this a sick game?

4 1/2 stars!

I very much enjoyed the premise of this book. I was immediately drawn to the family and curious about the secrets that they have kept hidden. I am always intrigued by families that are super rich and that dives into the secret world of the elite. I liked that you never knew who you should believe. I also really liked all the “games” that the family played in this book. They seemed innocuous but were much more sinister underneath. It was extremely fun to read and follow the clues. It gave me “Ready or Not” the movie vibes. I could not wait to find out the ending of this book. I needed to know what all the secrets the family was hiding were. No one in this family was innocent.

I also liked the holiday aspect of the book. Both Thanksgiving and Christmas are in this book and the Krampus part of Christmas was very interesting (and quite terrifying) to read about. It’s weird to say but this would be a good thriller to read around the holiday season, especially since, in my reading, it’s hard to find a thriller that takes place during the holiday season.

Another one of the aspects of this book that I enjoyed even though it is small was chapter titles. Books I read normally don’t have chapter titles and it was a nice touch when reading this book. I also loved that this book has short chapters. It makes for easy stopping points and a quick, fast-paced read.

There were a few small things that didn’t totally add up in this story, but I still enjoyed every second of it. I also kind of started to figure out one of the twists as the story was going along although there were parts that still surprised me. It was a wild ride that I enjoyed being a part of. I would definitely recommend this book!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Horrifying, absurd, and an absolute good time. The Family Game is Catherine Steadman's fictional take on rich in-laws and the games they play. We've all heard of the in-laws who don't welcome in new partners very easily and believe in good family names, but the Holbecks take it a step further. They seem to love their son and brother, Edward's, new fiancee, Harry, but lurking behind their closed doors are a series of tests. Presented as games, Harry must use her thriller writing skills and adept survival techniques to survive the Holbeck's games that teeter on the edge of life or death.

You've got to suspend your reality a bit, but once you do, The Family Game is a darn good, addictive read. It feels wordy at first, with full descriptions that don't seem to jive with the story at first, but after completing the read I feel like Steadman was giving us time to breathe before the novel took off at lightspeed. With complex characters, a well-developed plot, and twists you cannot possibly see coming, The Family Game is an over-the-top fictional thriller that is impossible to put down. Steadman pulled out all the stops for this novel, capturing all your usual character tropes and plot points that drive a thriller, while blending in a horror storyline that seeps in slowly and then takes over. Unpredictable and as wild as a circus, The Family Game took me by surprise and is totally worth the read.

"The Family Game" was unlike any family games that I have ever played. This book was a quick read that kept me wanting to know what would happen next. The twists surprised me, which always makes for a good thriller.

Harry, a successful British author, falls in love with Edward of the rich and powerful American Holbeck family empire. They quickly become engaged and expecting. In an attempt to fit in and be accepted by her soon-to-be new family, Harry must begrudgingly partake in the Holbecks’ silly and surprisingly dangerous family games and traditions. Robert Holbeck, the head of the family, is trying to send her an important message about the family through recorded cassette tapes he slips her in private — but is he a friend or a foe?

I enjoyed this one, even though I pretty much anticipated the “twist” and it didn’t have the same shock value with me as others have been raving about. It was a very slow burn and it took me a while to get into but the pedal was to the metal in the last 25% or so and that is where the thrill and action was.

A big thank you to NetGalley, Random House Ballantine, and Catherine for an advance reader’s copy of this title! I was so excited to see it was a Book of the Month pick.

While noted in other reviews, THE FAMILY GAME comes across as something akin to the movie Ready or Not. And... yes... but also no. But that in no way means this is not an enjoyable thriller full of some good twists. I also love reading about the trials and tribulations of narcissistic rich people in these family suspense thrillers. Something about the over the top, luxurious drama of it all! This book will definitely score more ambiance points if read on a cold December night, maybe even closer to the holidays. It creeps up on you and is a pretty good time. It is an entertaining ride!

Although I found this novel difficult to get into, I ended up really enjoying it! I was enthralled by the characters and their world. Highly recommend!

decent read with an interesting concept. The action scenes were very descriptive which made them slightly hard to follow. I would recommend overall

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman

Harry is a novelist who is in the process of finishing her second book. Her first book did really well for her. She meets Edward and he is wealthy from American old money. She moves to New york with Edward. Everything seems so perfect for this couple. Harry then gets to meet the family which they like to play strange holiday games. Some of them scared the hell out of me especially the one for Halloween. Anyways Harry is drawn Edward's father Robert Holbecks. Edward is estrange from the family he is making his own way in life and he is the eldest son of Robert Holbeck and is set to inherit it all this is how the inheritance works. At first Harry is welcomed with open arms by the family. The games they play are so strange but there is a reason for the games.

This was fast paced so much family dynamics and how money plays into wealthy families was interesting. I liked the character of Harry and her trying to figure out what was on the tape and get to the bottom of the mystery in this family. Why did Robert give Harry the tape? What is the deal with the games for the holidays? You need to read this complex family drama with a mystery to be solved.

I enjoyed this one I liked the twists in the games and the ending of the story. I like the dynamics between everyone in the family and I like how Harry has strength that helps her persevere over everything. I recommend this book to people who like family drama books with a mystery. The games this family plays is well worth the read. I cannot wait for the next book from Catherine Steadman. This is the first time I believe I haven't read something of Mrs. Steadman and l am looking forward to future books.

Thank you to NettGalley and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine books for a free copy of this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

4.5 stars rounded up. I think this is my favorite Catherine Steadman book yet. I’ve enjoyed all of her novels but this one went in a completely different direction than her previous books and I’m here for it. This was all about rich people behaving badly. Harry is engaged to the very wealthy Edward and the holidays are coming up, Harry gets swept up in the whirlwind of Edwards family and the games they like to play. If you like knives out you will love this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random house for an early copy.

I thought this book was very different in terms of the typical thriller we see as of late. In terms of writing, this book kept my attention, but they writing was a bit redundant at times. Almost felt like it was meant to hit a word count, which was not needed. Not sure I’d recommend this to friends / family - a 2.5 read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this Novel.
This was my first Catherine Steadman and I was impressed! This book follows a british woman who gets engaged to a rich American with a strained family dynamic. The main character joins her fiance's family for some holiday games on Thanksgiving and Christmas and learns that the strained relationships and dynamics run very deep, and could involve murder and missing college students.
I enjoyed the large family scavenger hunt element, I enjoyed the mixed media element including recordings on cassette tapes, and I felt like the ending was messy in the best way.
I am giving this book 4 stars because of the "Knives Out" vibes and the rich family drama, as well as the atmosphere and the chills it gave me. I just felt like there was a section in the middle that dragged on a bit, and I felt like there were some things that were never resolved or mentioned, and it almost felt like the author forgot about them.

Catherine Steadman just does not miss. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors, and The Family Game is a deeply satisfying thriller. There’s the glamour and mystery of old money, the secrets of a woman with a past that she doesn’t want to re-live, and the constant questioning of alliances and who’s actually the villain. I devoured this book and highly recommend for fans of psychological thrillers and authors like Kat St. John and Megan Abbott.

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for an advance reader’s copy.

I got this book from #NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.This was a fun , fast paced book.Although most of the decisions made by some of the characters did not make alot of sense.

Another DNF from me. I just couldn't sit through it. I will try and pick it up again at some point when I have the right mindset.

The Family Game
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Thriller
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 10/18/22
Author: Catherine Steadman
Publisher: Random House Publishing
Pages: 336
GR: 3.99

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Random House Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

My Thoughts: WOW. This book hooks you from the first page and keeps you guessing until the end. The story is narrated by Harry, in her POV. This is a unique premise, one that keep me captivated and finished in under 24 hours. I absolutely LOVED the chapter headings, they were just captivating. Harry is a strong, independent woman, who is not afraid to speak her mind. This book screams cat-and-mouse game and the author does it so well. The Holbeck family is very dark and very disturbing, I do not want to give to much away as not spoil for other readers. To be a part of the family, you have to be just as ruthless as they as are and play by their rules, or the consequences could be dire. The story has secrets, upon secrets, betrayal, a multilayered plot, and a I did not see that coming ending. The characters were well developed with depth, multilayered, disturbing, and so creatively done, just brilliant really. The author’s writing style was complex, multifaceted, suspenseful, twisty, dark, and absolutely engaging. This thriller is one of the best thrillers I have read in awhile, I had been shying away from them as I was tired of the redundancy, but this one has pulled me back into the thriller world. It was disturbing, fast paced, gripping, and kept me on my toes guessing who was behind it all. I highly recommend picking up this book today.

If you're looking to get out of a reading slump, let me tell you that this is the book to do it. I haven't finished a book in about a month and a half and I managed to finish this in just a couple days. It was so good! So fast-paced and fun (as far as thrillers are concerned) and with characters that I equally hated but also found so compelling. The main character is someone you definitely want to root for throughout the whole book. And the twists and turns keep you reading basically from page 1. Of course, as with any thriller, you do have to suspend your disbelief a bit to really buy into the story. But overall, I loved this and I'm so glad that I read it. Also, right now is the perfect time to read it because it takes place during Thanksgiving and Christmas.

WOW this book was a wild ride. It was a little bit of a slow burn at first, but second half was a total page turner, and especially the last 20% or so of the book had me staying up all night to see how it would end. I did not see the ending and how everything came together coming AT ALL. It was a little far fetched as I’ve seen other reviewers say (although I guess who really knows what actually happens in the homes of the ultra wealthy..) but that’s part of the fun of fiction after all IMO! This book kept me thoroughly entertained, and on the edge of my seat to see what on earth was going on. It also is a great book right now as it takes place around the holidays- so if you’re looking for a twisty story that takes place during Christmastime- this book is PERFECT for you. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the advanced reader copy of this book!

After reading and enjoying Something In The Water by this author, I was really excited to be approved for this one. The cover is gorgeous--I love the dark blue with the pink neon lettering; it's super eye catching.

Steadman is great at writing somewhat unlikable characters who make awful decisions, with this one being no exception. Our MC, Harry, is constantly making awful choices that get her into precarious situations.

While I found this one to certainly be an entertaining read, I felt like the pacing was super slow--it picked up towards the end but took so long to get there. Much of the story seemed far-fetched, and I was left with so many unanswered questions by the end. I'm one to suspend my disbelief pretty easy, but I needed more explanation here. Overall, this one was meh for me. Though I will say, I'm sure the audio is great, as the author is an excellent narrator.

Many thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I could NOT put this one down! Was so refreshing reading a new idea, seems that a lot of books these days follow the same general storyline. Not The Family Game!