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I breezed through this twisty family thriller and definitely didn't guess the final plot twist. Bravo!

Catherine Steadman has done it again with a thriller set around the dangerous games that an influential family plays and what it reveals about each of the players. Harriet is in love with her fiance Edward, the heir to his rich family's fortune. She's alone in the world - increasingly enamored by this family who would do anything for each other. However, bit by bit she starts to realize there is more going on below the surface.

For those who love thrillers of any sort but especially the cat and mouse persuasion, this book is a sure bet. Full of twists and turns, I kept turning pages to know what was happening next. There are a few heavy themes that twist throughout but that were handled delicately by the writer. The ending was chef's kiss and lingered for a few days as I kept mulling over it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Family Game was a fun and twisted ride that I wasn't quite expecting. This was brilliantly written, however the first half of the book moves incredibly slow for my liking. I love how very similar to the movie Ready or Not. There wasn't a lot of thought put into the building of all characters that were in active play, which I wish there had been.

All-in-all I'd recommend this book if you want something that is full of unexpected twists and secrets.

Thank you Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Catherine Steadman for granting my wish for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book is incredibly slow paced. Nothing really happens until 85% into the book.

ARC received via NetGalley.

This started off a little slow for me at first, but man, once she turned the jets on, I couldn't put it down. Harriet is thrilled to be engaged to Edward, but the thought of meeting his prestigious family is daunting. Having money is one thing, but being overly wealthy and powerful is another.
Once she meets them and is given a "gift" by Edward's father that turns out to be a confession, she's unsure of what her next move should be and why he entrusted her with this.
In a prominent family full of games and mystery, will she be able to make the right decision or is she in way over her head?

Catherine Steadman's books just keep getting better and this one is no exception. In this suspenseful page-turner, Harry needs to figure out if her fiance's family game is just a simple family tradition or if she is in serious danger.

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman is when family game night turns deadly!

THE RULES
1. Listen carefully
2. Do your research
3. Trust no one
4. Run for your life

Some parts of the book were a bit slow, and I found myself skimming some pages, but most of the story kept my interest and had some good twists and creepy parts. This book really defines "dysfunctional family."

For a creepy, twisty novel, I would recommend this book. I would rate this a 3.5/4 out of 5 stars.

#TheFamilyGame #NetGalley @atrandom

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the digital ARC of this book.

It’s rare for a mystery/thriller to surprise me. I typically see the culprit, the ending, the twist. Or at the very least I have a list of theories and the truth is somewhere in my list. But I truly didn’t figure this one out!

Our main character, Harriet, is a successful thriller author who is marrying a wonderful, wealthy man named Edward with a powerful family. Everything seems to be going perfectly until she actually meets her future in-laws. Edward’s father gives her a cassette tape whose contents are criminal and she suddenly does not know what to do or who to trust.

I thought I could outline this book’s plot before I ever even began reading. I expected it to go a very certain way and it simply did not. There were lots of twists and turns, and some truly tense scenes scattered throughout. The mind games alone were enough to make my stomach do cartwheels! This is a book I would recommend to fans of domestic and psychological thrillers any day.

I am a fan of Catherine Steadman's books, and while a couple of them haven't been as good to me, her latest, The Family Game, was difficult for me to put down! I finished the last half of it in one sitting!

Harry Smith, a renowned author of a best-selling thriller, thinks she has hit the jackpot when her handsome and successful boyfriend Edward pops the question in an over-the-top proposal. She knows, however, that this means she will have to get to know Edward's estranged family, a family so wealthy and privileged that even Edward has distanced himself from them. When Edward's father, a man with a hushed-up shady past, reveals a secret about the family while also threatening to reveal a dark secret about her past, Harry has to decide how to make this potential future work for her...and her unborn baby.

I loved Harry and how tough she was. She definitely would be someone I would want to have as a friend. Edward's family was very well-described, and if you are married, you are reminded of how true the adage of marrying your partner's family can be as well. I truly think this slow-burn is worth the read as long as you know going into it that there is not a ton of action until the last third of the book.

Harry, a novelist, just got engaged to the love of her life, Edward. As an orphan she's very excited to join his large and loving family. Little does she know this family is not what it seems.

I expected more of a horror story...similar to Ready or Not...and while there were plenty of creepy secrets within the Holbeck family this book fell a bit flat. The first half of the book did a lot of set up and then when the action exploded it was like it was being crammed in. I found myself growing bored and skimming towards the end...an end that was very unsatisfying.

I was given this book in exhchange for my honest opinion. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine Books- and NetGalley for this ARC.

I loved Catherine Steadman's previous book The Disappearing Act. so I was very happy to get an arc of The Family Game. Harry (Harriet) is engaged to Edward of the generational wealthy, powerful Holbeck family. Harriet is an orphan. Her parents died when she was very young. So now that she is pregnant with Edward's child, all she wants is a family of her own. But Harry has a secret that could make her lose everything.. Upon meeting the Holbeck family, Robert, the patriarch, slips Harry a tape. The tape contains surprising family secrets. Also Robert may know Harry's secret. Robert warns that the family has eyes and ears everywhere. No one can be trusted. If Harry plays the Holbeck wicked family Christmas games and wins her secrets could be covered up forever, and she can find out more dangerous secrets that the Holbecks have been hiding. Because everyone has secrets in this family.
I really enjoyed this fast-paced, thriller and was surprised with the twist at the end. Harry is a likable, smart, sharp, and crafty main character that I rooted for.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Have you seen the movie Ready or Not? because that is what made me request this book!
It was such a spooky and thrilling read - not knowing if you can trust people who are suppose to be your family.
This makes such a dark room, read when its raining read.
I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

The Family Game had me on the edge of my seat for the entire book! This is a fast-moving thriller about an author, Harriett, who is joining an extremely wealthy family by dating one of the family's sons. This is not your typical family. The family is known for playing games - and not the fun kind. The kind where you might feel like you're running for your life! I totally didn't guess the twist at the end. I really loved this book and can't wait for another book by Catherine Steadman.

This book was a let down for me. I felt like there was way to many characters to connect with, which made it hard to really know who was doing what and where. The plot was good, it just seemed to take forever to get there.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc copy!

Thank you to the publisher for free Netgalley.

This one was fun. Loved Harry and the crazy large family. Love that there were secrets and twists. The tape Harry receives made the story intriguing to read because I needed to know what was going to happen!

But I really enjoyed the ending as well! Definitely recommend!

Harry has everything going for her - she's recently written a massively popular book and she's engaged to be married to Edward, who's from an old money, American-royalty type family. When the The Family Game begins, Edward is estranged from his family after some kind of incident that happened the year before. The couple begins seeing the family, and all is going well except for the mind games and meddling. The patriarch of the family pulls Harry aside and gives her a confessional recording of himself that he says is his attempt at a book - this sets Harry off on a quest to discover all the families' secrets. The other problem with Edward's family is they have strange traditions that verge on dangerous. It's a perfect storm of extreme wealth, untrustworthy family members, and wild, risky games. A fun, fast-paced read!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

This book is so seriously messed up, I love it! Catherine Steadman never fails to come through with something that will keep me engaged, turning pages, and guessing until the very end. Well played!

This is a Must Read if you love thrillers!!
We open with an author (Harriet) who is engaged to a man (Edward) that comes from a prestigious family. Harriet is a successful novelist and Edward is a businessman. The book opens with Harriet finding her way in New York City after moving
from London. The couple finds themselves expecting and from there his family interjects themselves.


This family likes to play games both literally and figuratively. The players are not always what they appear to be and the game is for keeps!
This book is filled with twists and turns and the ending that I certainly didn't see.
Thank-you to Catherine Steadman, Net Galley, and Random House for an Advanced Reader Copy.

✨Book Review - The Family Game by Catherine Steadman✨

If you haven’t seen the movie ‘Ready or Not’, go watch it because it will instantly remind you of this book. Here’s the premise: Harriet is set to marry Edward but had never met his family. Edward is from a very old money type family and has an estranged relationship with them. But now, the family wants back in Edwards life and Harriet is willing to help do that. But at what cost? Lots of secrets, lots of lies, lots of drama.

I was very engaged with this book and wanted to know what was going to happen. The beginning was a little slow moving but the ending was where it shined. There were a few things about the main character, Harry, that I was like ‘come on girl’ but I was rooting for her the whole time. It’s a dark, twisted, family drama and I enjoyed it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️STARS

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