Synopsis: Imagine you’re engaged to the perfect man who is apart of a very elite family. He warns you that they’re a lot to handle and kinda crazy. You don’t realize how crazy they actually are until you’re in the middle of one of their family “games” that quickly turns deadly.

My Thoughts: This was phenomenal!!! First of all, I totally felt like I knew all the characters - the character development was so good. The MC was relatable and likable considering she had a big secret she was hiding. The TWISTS and TURNS were soooo good OMG! And everything was tied together so nicely at the end. Needless to say, I loved this one! It’s a BOTM selection for October and I highly suggest choosing it!!
Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Games take us as close as is acceptable to the strategies we use in life. Games reveal our most base instinct: the instinct to survive."

- Brief Synopsis -
The Family Game follows Harriet (Harry)--a British writer of thriller novels on the brink of huge success--who is engaged to be married into one of the wealthiest families in America. Even though her fiancee, Edward, has cut ties with his family, it was only a matter of time before being drawn back in, especially after the news of their recent engagement. After meeting his family, Harry is gifted by Edward's father a cassette tape that holds a shocking and disturbing confession. Upon listening to the tape, Harry learns that this tape was made specifically for her. Can Harry trust what she hears on this tape? In her search for answers, Harry is caught up in a game of cat-and-mouse, one that could be deadly.

- My thoughts -
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced copy of The Family Game in exchange for my honest review!

From the very start of this book, I was drawn in. It begins with a scene from the ending and our MC is caught in a dangerous predicament that I couldn't help but be eager to discover how we wound up there. I was also intrigued by many of the characters. Every person is so questionable on whether they have pure intentions or ulterior motives. No one is completely trustworthy.

The recordings of the tape were bone chilling. After each section of the tape, I was mentally yelling at Harry to cut her losses and get the heck out of that family! I don't know how she could have listened to the tape and ever looked at Robert Holbeck in the eye again. With that being said, even though the confession on the tape was disturbing, Harry's relationship towards Robert, her soon-to-be Father In Law, was even more disturbing to me. I did not like it. I did not want it.

I thought this story had a strong start but mostly throughout the middle, I was a bit bored and didn't really care what was happening. The ending also escalated way too abruptly, in my opinion. There were also some things that just seemed way too unbelievable. Like the tape, for example. I don't understand why Harriet only listened to it in pieces rather than the whole thing and then dug for the truth. I understand from the perspective of using the tapes as a plot device, but from the perspective of a character who is listening to them, it just didn't add up.

Harry also has her own secrets she wants to keep hidden. I didn't like that she kept hinting at this "secret" but never saying what it was, and then by the time you learned her secret, it was slightly underwhelming.

I did think the clues leading to the truth behind the tape were subtly dropped and easy to overlook. However, if you do pick up on them, you'll probably figure out the ending pretty quickly.

Overall, I thought this was fairly enjoyable. If you enjoy thriller/mystery movies similar to Ready or Not or Knives Out, then this psychological thriller might be the book for you!

3.5/5 Stars

Ooh this was such a fun thriller!! I haven’t read one that I couldn’t put down in quite a while and this one I couldn’t get enough of.⁣
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I loved the movie « ready or not » and this certainly gave off those vibes!⁣
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Harriet is a British thriller author, an orphan, living in the US and completely adores her boyfriend Edward, who comes from an insanely wealthy family. Harriet has yet to meet the family, until now. ⁣
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Everyone in the family is itching to get to know Harriet and the family loves playing games- mind games especially. They’re wealthy, manipulative and have a lot of people in their sockets and a lot of secrets to keep.⁣
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Soon we find out, Harriet also has a secret she’s keeping. As her life becomes a real life thriller novel, we learn more about Harriet’s past and her future husbands family and past and are taken on a wild ride. ⁣
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This was a gripping, cat and mouse game, fast paced, exciting, and definitely a group of some ruthless soon to be in laws. ⁣
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This book reminded me a lot of a movie commercial I saw years ago. I really enjoyed it, and it had me questioning every single character. I really liked the main character, Harry. I really loved Edward and was disappointed in him. I know that’s what made the book more interesting, but I wanted Harry and the baby to have their perfect ending. Which they kind of did, just without Edward.

This book is too much like a horror movie I have seen. It was fast paced and kept me turning the pages, but overall I didn’t like it.

this one was SO much fun, definitely my favorite from this author so far! I do feel like it’s a bit disjointed and I think this will be an issue for a lot of readers. we experience a few different ‘family games’ at different gatherings, and we get a mystery element in between her visits to these family events. I personally would’ve preferred if it revolved around a single game or there was one longer game at the end, but i still had a really good time with this and finished it in a day. it was never boring and had some good surprises in there.
the games take place over Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday gatherings so this would be a great holiday thriller read!

I really enjoyed The Family Game by Catherine Steadman.

The Family Game is a fast paced thriller about Harriet Reed, an author marrying into the famously wealthy Holbeck family. Harriet, and orphan, absolutely adores her fiance. Though he is astranged from his family, Harriet encourages him to get back in touch so she can get to know them and create a family of her own. However, as she meets them, Edward's family and their traditions seem incredibly strange. Furthermore, his father, Robert, is both incredibly terrifying and attractive to Harriet. As the Christmas holidays approach, Harriet and Edward are invited to spend time at the Holbeck's remote manor house and Harriet is unsure if she will literally survive her time there.

This book hooked me from the start. What is more intriguing than a main character with a sketchy past who has a rich family that is equally sketchy? The plot is fast moving with twists and turns throughout. Harriet is relateable and the Holbeck's are rich and entitled, but some of their antics also made me laugh. The plot was jusssst creepy enough that I could comfortably read it at night without getting super spooked, but it also makes you want to question your family! It was a great thriller and reminded me of the likes of Ruth Ware of Jennifer HIllier. An easy quick read for those of us who want a bit spooky excitement in our lives!

This book is awesome! The Holbeck family is incredibly twisted, and that's what makes this book so much fun to read. Harry (Harriet Reed) is a great character - full of strength and contradictions. I am not going to say much more for fear of ruining the plot. This is a MUST read for mystery/thriller lovers!

"Harry is a novelist on the brink of stardom; Edward, her husband-to-be, is seemingly perfect. In love and freshly engaged, their bliss is interrupted by the reemergence of the Holbecks, Edward's eminent family and the embodiment of American old money. For years, they've dominated headlines and pulled society's strings, and Edward left them all behind to forge his own path. But there are eyes and ears everywhere. It was only a matter of time before they were pulled back in . . .

After all, even though he's long severed ties with his family, Edward is set to inherit it all. Harriet is drawn to the glamour and sophistication of the Holbecks, who seem to welcome her with open arms, but everything changes when she meets Robert, the inescapably magnetic head of the family. At their first meeting, Robert slips Harry a cassette tape, revealing a shocking confession which sets the inevitable game in motion.

What is it about Harry that made him give her that tape? A thing that has the power to destroy everything? As she ramps up her quest for the truth, she must endure the Holbecks' savage Christmas traditions all the while knowing that losing this game could be deadly."

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine/Random House for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

From the start of this book, I knew this book was made for me. It was full of mystery and twists and if you know me, that's what I love in a book and the more twists, the better. When you can guess from the start what, what the ending can be, what's the point and I believe that's what keeps many people from fully reading and loving a book. Let me just say, I didn't figure this one out until right before the big reveal.

Harry is a writer from England who grew up an orphan after a tragic accident. Harry has recently moved to New York to be with her boyfriend Edward, who has little to no relationship with his family. When they become engaged and his family would like to get to know their future daughter-in-law, Harry is faced with the reality that every family has secrets and that's no different for her either. Harry must play the family game to keep her secret a secret, but when the truth comes to light, there is no telling who will win the game.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the free advanded readers copy of The Family Game in exchange for my honest opinion.

This one started off slow but picked up quickly. I found it compelling and exciting though a little rushed. I'd guessed the big twist long before, but the family "games" kept the reading interesting and moving forward. I read this in one sitting on an airplane and I was grateful to have the block of time to do so because I wouldn't have wanted to put it down. Definitely worth the read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC!

A bit slow moving at first but then took off and kept my interest throughout. Will keep you changing your mind as who is the scoundrel. Excellent disturbing story.

I was hooked from the beginning. Great opener. No idea what was really afoot until the end. It was disturbing, but I get that was the idea.

This one is mind blowing… in its simple complexity.. yes it is a true contradiction. Simply a brilliant psychological thriller that speaks to hopes and dreams all while battling the demons inside. Harry meets Edward and they fall in love. She will now have the family she lost as a child. Edward’s family can be a lot to handle however, and she must decide what is truly important to her. Thanks to NetGalley for this brilliant read. Put it on your to read list….. and move it to the top!

They say art imitates life, and Harriet, the main character of The Family Game by Catherine Steadman, is about to see that for herself. Harriet has found herself marrying into the wealthy and powerful Holbeck family.

The family is shrouded in mystery and intrigue, and Harriet is pulled into several "games" played by the family.

Though it started out slow, the action really picked up in the last quarter of the book. As I was reading, it felt a bit like a reread of Good Rich People, but I liked this story a lot more. It's a fun read if you're able to suspend belief for a few hours and let yourself get pulled into the story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital advances reader's copy.

This was a fun, entertaining thriller! I found the beginning half a bit slow but there was a lot of ground to lay for the mystery that I understand the pacing. Harriet meets the incredibly rich family of her new boyfriend only to discover that they have a wealth of secrets to protect. There are twists that were a bit surprising and others that I saw coming. Overall this was a fact read and it definitely held my attention throughout.

Thanks to Catherine Steadman, Random House Publishing Group- Ballentine Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved Catherine Steadman's previous book The Disappearing Act and couldn't wait to dive into her latest offering!
This one started as more of a slow burn, but the suspense and intrigue keeps the reader turning the pages.
The cassette tape is a huge part of the story, as we wait to hear some secrets around the Holbeck family, and this thread proves huge in the second half of the book.
The characters are written well, I had so many emotions around the Holbeck family because of how well the characters are depicted. I hated them as people but loved them in a novel!
The ending was quite the crescendo and it made my head spin!

This was a really well written thriller. I had a feeling there would be a twist to what I thought was going to happen but I didn't see the final outcome coming. The last 15-20% I didn't want to put it down. I wanted to know how this would turn out. I just wish the Prologue made more sense with the ending but it could make sense thinking about it another way. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book

Catherine Steadman’s latest, The Family Game, is a thrilling game of cat and mouse. Harry meets the handsome, wealthy Edward and gets drawn into his family. The book starts out strong with the mystery of Edward’s family and the creepy undertones of Harry’s interactions with them. But the book lags in the middle and I didn’t become invested in any of the characters besides Harry. The pace picked up at the end but the ending was predictable and I didn’t really care what happened to any of the characters. I expected more family drama and juicy scenes but the book had none of that. Overall it was a good read that could have been so much more.

I loved this book. Everything came full circle and there was a son lost but a daughter gained. The surprise twist wasn't too surprising but I enjoyed it nonetheless. This was my first book by Catherine Steadman but it won't be my last.

I really wanted to love this one. The premise is fascinating: a soon to be member of a very wealthy family is brought into their sick, twisted holiday game. I enjoyed the twists and turns in this one and the story had a lot of potential. The game in question does not come until the tail end of the story, but even that is not a deal breaker. I am just fine with building a good back story.

What I struggled with most was the lack of depth in so many of the characters, even really important ones. In fact, the ones that had some of the most importance to the story I had the least attachment to because of their lack of "page time" and their lack of any real dimension.

Even with Harriet, I found myself having trouble rooting for her when she time and again overlooked so many obvious pieces of information and made stupid choices. I found myself towards the end rolling my eyes at how some things were bumbled because I had come to suspect it.

There was an interesting commentary I feel was trying to be made about whether it is okay to do the wrong thing for the right reason, but it was quickly and shallowly explored, and ultimately, fell flat for me. I would have liked to have seen this arc explored earlier on and with more nuance. Yes, to keep a secret hidden heightens a desire to keep reading to find answers, but it also makes me care less about the morality of it when I do get there.

The plot in and of itself had real potential, but I failed to connect with the characters enough to care where the plot went. In the end, I finished reading to find out if I was right about the twist (I was), but got no real satisfaction. All of that sad, if Catherine Steadman writes another book, I'll probably read it too. I like her plots well enough to overlook that I don't love her characters.