Harry (Harriet) Redd is a novelist and engaged to Edward Holbeck, the heir of a very wealthy and powerful family. The Holbeck family is very welcoming to Harry and when Edward’s father hands her a tape of a book he is working on she listens. But the tape isn’t just a novel, it’s a confession. Knowing what she knows, Harry must join in the family’s games hoping she’ll make it out alive.

I’m struggling with writing this review because there were parts I loved and there were parts I didn’t. At times it was really slow moving and others that had me on the edge of my seat. I was intrigued by the storyline and wanted to keep going because I just wanted to know what was going to happen. It was filled with odd family dynamics and twisted family games, but the ending was very far fetched and unrealistic.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Harriet (Harry) Reed has penned a bestselling novel and is engaged to, and living with, Edward Holbeck in New York. What she thought was the flu has turned out to be a pregnancy and they are thrilled.

Edward has his own business which has been very successful. Harry soon learns that he is the oldest son and heir to the Holbeck family fortune. Their money dates back to the Gilded Age tycoon, John L. Holbeck, who built the dynasty.

The Holbeck family is eager to meet Harry and welcome her to the family. They are a large group and their homes are magnificent. When Harry and Edward agree to visit them for dinner, she is surprised when Robert, Edward’s father and head of the family, asks Harry to join him for a private talk. He then gives her a cassette tape and tells her to listen to it in private as it might be fodder for another book. Intrigued, she agrees. But listening to the tape, she becomes terrified by what she learns and by what he could expose about her.

Harry also learns that the Holbeck family likes to play games - yet they are not the usual scrabble, oh no, these are dangerous and scary games that terrify her. Will she be able to be a part of this strange family or should she run?

This book is so compelling and surprising that it grabs the reader and does not let go until the last page when you find yourself gasping. Whew. What a ride this was. Don’t miss this one.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This one got better and better as it progressed. It was a very twisted family which made it terrifying and fun to read. The "games" were so scary and tense to read. The family members were interesting and unique in their own ways. I didn't guess the end and found it satisfying.

The Family Game really tries to grip you from the very beginning and doesn't let you catch your breath for one moment! This one is for the people who love mind games and twisted family dynamics.

This is your typical "comes from nothing" girl that falls in love with the son of the richest family in America. Casual. Being an orphan and not having much of a support system her whole life, Edward has really shown Harry (Harriet) the love she has always wanted. That's why she's so persistent on meeting his family even with the warnings and cautions that Edward has given her. She's drawn to that elegant and glamorous life they have, curious and eager to be a part of something she has always been missing.

As she starts to make herself into the family (or them pulling her in) she starts to build relationships with her in-laws, mainly her father-in-law, that opens up the pandora's box of secrets in the family for her. There's some tension between them that some times feels out of place, but very on theme with the whole twisted games mentality. This is definitely for the lovers of thrillers, mind games and complicated family dynamics.

Having loved Catherine Steadman’s book, Something in the Water, I was eager to read The Family Game. It definitely kept my interest, although the family seemed a little too contrived. Loved Harry and the glimpses into her mind as she puzzled through her relationship with Edward and then his exceedingly wealthy but very eccentric family. The games the family plays are very twisted and I found myself cringing and thankful I was not in Harry’s shoes.
Parts of the book moved slowly while others raced along. I remain a fan of Catherine Steadman’s writing.
Many many thanks to Catherine Steadman, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this book, to be published on November 8th.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free advance e-reader copy of The Family Game in exchange for an honest review.

I found The Family Game, thriller writer Catherine Steadman’s latest, to be entertaining and it kept me guessing until nearly the end, but it was extremely far fetched, more so as the book went on, even for the fictional world the author creates.

Protagonist and narrator Harriet “Harry” Reed is a novelist with writer’s block, engaged to a dashing gazillionaire named Edward Holbeck. Harry has a huge secret she is hiding, and is terrified that her new husband to be and his family, with all the resources in the world, will uncover it.

The Family Game refers to a series of events played out over the holiday season, and without giving too much away, they are not your typical family fun. Why doesn’t Harry research the family like she researches her novels? This is one of the many questions left unanswered as the story speeds along to its unforeseen (and highly improbable) conclusion.

Three stars because I kept with it and did not guess the whodunnit, and because the audio is terrifically voiced.

**4.5-stars**

With the The Family Game, Steadman has created her most intriguing plot yet. I was truly captivated!!

We follow UK-born novelist, Harry, who currently lives in NYC with her beau, Edward. Things are going so well for Harry. Her first novel was well-received and she is currently writing her second. And there's Edward. She can hardly believe their relationship. It's almost too good to be true.

He's as handsome as a movie star and as wealthy as an Astor; old money, family money. He's also kind, supportive and seems so into her it hurts. The thing is, their relationship is progressing rapidly and Harry has yet to be introduced to his family. Edward has warned her they can be a bit much.

Now that they are engaged, the Holbeck family suddenly emerges as a huge force in their lives. Edward was right, they are a bit overwhelming. That American old-money vibe is just poring from every orifice. Harry grins and tries her best to take it in stride, but her future-father-in-law, Robert Holbeck really gets under her skin. She's drawn to him in a way that frankly makes her uncomfortable. Then, of course, there is the Dictaphone cassette he slips her upon their initial meeting.

Harry is confused. What is this? Some sort of test?

Firstly, she will need to find a device to play the ancient form of technology, but once she does, it takes even longer for her to actually listen to it. Frankly, I would have had that baby listened to in full by the end of brunch the next day, but that's just me.

Harry is shocked by the contents of the tape. It seems to be a confession of a very dark family secret. Something that, if true, could be the downfall of them all. Is it real? Why would Robert have given it to her? With this potentially shocking information in mind, Harry must endure more family events, each one more dangerous than the last. It's the holiday season, after all.

In between festive activities, Harry puts her natural research skills to the test as she tries to figure out whether or not Robert's tape is based in fact or fiction. She's not sure who she can trust, but the wrong decision could cost her everything.

The Family Game is fun, crazy, dangerous and dramatic, just how I like 'em. The twist was a bit obvious in my opinion, but the writing made it wildly-entertaining anyway.

Harry was in a tough spot. Having no family of her own, I could see why she would be attracted to the Holbecks. Even though they were a bit scary in their forwardness, there was also something attractive about their closeness and traditions. I can certainly see why she would get caught up a bit in their opulent lifestyle.

I really enjoyed Harry's investigations into the tape. Because of her work as an author, she was used to researching things and brought all of her experience to the table when looking into Robert's confession. I also loved the use of the contents of the tape as a narrative device for learning more about the Holbeck family and Edward's backstory. We don't get Edward's perspective at all, so I found that useful for actually getting a read on him and his life.

I had a lot of fun reading this. It was paced so well and I loved the different family events that Harry got to attend with the Holbecks, each one more startling than the last. By the end, this was well and truly wild, as over-the-top as they come, but still super fun with a satisfying conclusion. It's the sort of story where you'll need to suspend belief for a bit, but for me, that didn't impact my enjoyment level at all.

Thank you to the publisher, Ballantine Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from Steadman!

File this under, wow I didn't see that ending coming! This book is like Succession, but way darker. It was part family drama, part thriller but not enough to scare me off. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Highly recommend this one!

I will preface my review by saying I really wasn't a fan of the author's first book, to the point where I skipped her consequent work, so I didn't come into this one with very high expectations. I'm happy to say I was pleasantly surprised by this one, and found myself immediately engaged with the story and fast pace. It follows Harriet "Harry" Reed, a successful thriller novelist, who is recently engaged to Edward Holbeck, estranged son of the extremely wealthy Holbeck family, who were captains of industry in the 1800s alongside the Rockefellers and Carnegies. Edward is hesitant to have Harry meet his family, who he is not on great terms with, because they are overbearing and have scared off all of his previous relationships. She also has just found out she is pregnant, which complicates matters even further. The family conspires to get them to attend Thanksgiving, and upon meeting his father, Robert, Harry feels an immediate attraction, which let's face it, is definitely gross. Robert takes Harry aside and gives her an old fashioned micro cassette tape, upon which Harry finds what she believes to be confessions to terrible things Robert may have done related to the death of his eldest son, Bobby. Harry is effectively blackmailed, because she too has a dark past. With no choice but to play the mind games and physical games Robert has planned for her, Harry embarks on trying to dig into the past and find out the truth about Bobby's supposed suicide. She is tormented during a creepy Krampusnacht chase, and the story culminates in a Christmas Eve scavenger hunt, where each family member is supposed to find the one gift they truly need in life, but only the first one to find it gets to keep the gift, and all the others have to live with the knowledge that the winner now knows their darkest secret. At this point of the story is where it started to get over the top, and I was disappointed in the obvious turn it took. Just once, I would like for it to not ALWAYS BE THE...for that reason, what I thought may have been a 4.5 star went down to a 4. The ending was all just a little too neatly and quickly wrapped up, with earlier plot points conveniently forgotten.

Catherine Steadman ups her game with each and every novel she writes. With The Family Game I was hooked from page one. Two dynamic characters and the marriage of the century- what could possibly go wrong? Each of the Holbeck family members is described in complete detail; I feel like I could picture each and every one of them. I love that the female protagonist is an author and can stand on her own. Her torrid past and family heartbreak make her a likable character who you root for from page one. Each of the Holbeck's also comes with their own dirty laundry... something I loved watching unravel throughout the plot. From Thanksgiving to Krampus (something totally new to me!) to the horrors of Christmas night, this might be one of the top contenders for my top 5 list of 2022!

Thank you for the opportunity to preview The Family Game. Streadman is a great novelist and she writes with such authority that you are hooked immediately
The family game is one of the top books this year and readers will not be disappointed with this endeavor by Streadman

The Family Game initially intrigued me. I loved the synopsis and it reminded me of one of my favorite horror movies. I was excited to read this one but that wore off quickly. I saw the entire plot pretty quickly into reading. I didn’t enjoy any of the twist because I saw them coming miles away. I know people will enjoy this one but it wasn’t for me sadly. 2 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This one started a bit slow for me, however, it picked up and was one twist after another. The characters were mostly unlikable. It didn’t make me want to stop reading, in fact a lot of the dislike was what made the story work so well. I really enjoyed this book and plan to red the Authors other ovens soon.

Catherine Steadman just keeps getting better and better! I thought for sure I’d like this book but that there was no way she could top The Disappearing Act, but I could not have been more wrong. The buildup… the secrets… the misdirection… plus this reminded me so much of one of my favorite movies Ready or Not (a criminally underrated dark comedy/thriller movie) and J.T. Ellison’s Her Dark Lies.

Harriet Reed is a new bestselling author. She has recently become engaged to Edward Holbeck, who comes from an extremely wealthy family. She has never met his family as they have been somewhat estranged. Edward, as the eldest son, was slated to become the head of the family empire. He refused and began his own path with a startup. Harriet has no family and a serious secret in her past. After the engagement, Ed wants her to meet the family. Harriet is quite intimidated, but the family seems to be very welcoming. They are hoping she will be able to bring Ed back to a good relationship with his family. All is not as it seems on the surface. There are many twists and turns with the family dynamics. The author leads you down a path to a shocking ending. I was engrossed in this story and stayed up half the night to finish it. This is a must read!

Also reviewed on B&N under 1IrishEyes430 and Kobo under IrishEyes430

I liked this book, it seemed to be a pretty generic thriller but it had enough changes that I still was a little surprised by the ending. I liked the main character Harriet but I still got a little frustrated with her character because it seemed like at times she was a little too dumb as to what was going on.

As I read this book, I was reminded of the movie Ready or Not and the ending line:
Police Officer: What happened to you?
Grace: In-Laws

This was my favorite Catherine Steadman book so far. It's wild, quite over the top, but still pretty enjoyable and a fun read. So glad I'm not a member of this family.

Harriet, or Harry as she is called, is a writer, and she meets wealthy business tycoon Edward and they eventually get engaged. He has kept his extended family at bay, but the engagement has brought them to the forefront and they want to meet Harry and bring the two into their fold. And what a fold it is, these people are steeped in old money privilege. And this family is not what you'd call normal--they operate under their own rules and the games they play are more than a bit unusual. Does Harry have what it takes to become one of them--even if their lives are darker than she first imagines?

It took me a while to get into the story, I thought some of Harry's decisions were odd and slowed down the pacing, and some of the details slowed things down too (like how many details did we really need to have about Harry trying to find a way to listen to the tape, almost losing the tape, etc.) However once things got going (starting with the Krampusnacht game) it was full speed ahead with the unbelievable, yet engrossing events that speed toward an explosive conclusion.

I did enjoy the tension and suspense of finding out just what was going on. It's not really a mystery, but it's definitely a suspenseful thriller that will keep you turning pages. I was rooting for Harry's success against this weird family.

If you liked Ready or Not, you will likely enjoy The Family Game. It's definitely not the same story, but the vibes are similar, especially with those in-laws.

The Family Game was one of my recent BOTM choices, and I jumped on it because, well, I'm a sucker for thriller novels. Written by Catherine Steadman, this novel promises an eccentric family, traditions, and twisted games. What more could you ask for?

Harry is an up-and-coming author, with one book turning into an instant bestseller. With the second book in progress (sort of), it seemed like everything in Harry's life couldn't be more perfect. Then she met Edward, the love of her life.

Now the two are engaged to be married, and that means finally meeting his eccentric (and infamously rich) family. That would be intimidating enough on its own, if the family didn't have a love of twisted games...

"A game is only a game if you do not fully understand it."

So I went into The Family Game with pretty high expectations. I was hoping for a mix of domestic thriller and Most Dangerous Game. And that is what I got – yet I struggled to get into this one for some reason. Might it have been the mood I was in?

We have all heard of horrible in-law stories, but I'm pretty sure any story Harry tells will take the cake. This familiar setting is the perfect foundation, as Catherine Steadman stretches it to horrifying new limits.

I enjoyed two parts of this story: the mystery and the games. One could say that the two go hand-in-hand, but they feel distinct from one another. On the one hand, we have the mystery that Harry has been thrown into. On the other hand, we have family games, which serve as a dark reminder of what is at risk.

At the end of the day, I think The Family Game focused too much on family details (who is related to who & what their backstory is) and not enough on the more compelling parts of the story. I think a slightly tighter version of the novel would have been haunting! But still, I respect the potential The Family Game had, and I can't wait to see what Catherine Steadman writes next.

What a fun time! I was so worried that this would be a regurgitation of the film Ready of Not and I was so pleasantly surprised when it wasn't. I really loved this one -it made for such a fun time. I did listen to a chunk of it on audio and the narration was so well done regarding phone calls and tape transcripts.

There are games in this book for sure, but it's not always what you expect - in a good way, but I can see how some readers might not like what the games end of being.

This book is perfect for the holiday season as it takes place from Thanksgiving to Christmas!

I throughly enjoyed this novel. In fact, it’s one of the few lately that has held my attention throughout the entire story. While I could see a few things coming, I never felt like rushing though it. I would definitely recommend it to friends.