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

I enjoyed this book, however it was not my favorite by the author. I was expecting the twist to be different. As it was, it felt a little predictable.

It's one fiance against a powerful family and you are guessing the entire way through. This was on the edge of my seat/I totally thought I had it figured out (I didn't!) that is a reflection of the brilliant mind of Catherine Steadman. A fan of her previous work she did not let us down with this one. Nothing is as it seems and you will be guessing until the end. Fun, fast thriller! Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was so nervous going into this book, as I haven’t loved her last books. But, that all changed with The Family Game. I love a fast-paced narration. The ending wasn’t great, but overall I liked this one.

Really enjoyed this one! Reminded me a lot of the movie Ready or Not (which I loved). Fast-paced, suspenseful, packed with some solid twists. Would recommend.

This book was so much fun! I was thoroughly intrigued by the family's mysterious past. The plot moved quickly, and kept m on the edge of my seat. Would definitely recommend for fans of authors like Ruth Ware.

The Family Game was a suspenseful thriller that kept me up way too late at night. I really enjoyed this one from start to finish. Highly recommend adding this one to your reading list.

I will be reviewing a physical copy of this book on my social media platforms but thank you agin to Random House for the digital arc

An enjoyable thriller. I felt that some parts dragged a bit (Krampus) but for the most part it was a page turner that I would recommend.

While this book did hook me from the beginning, there were parts so obviously over the top that I wanted to shout at our protagonist. With that said, I still enjoyed this novel and would recommend.

I don't even think I can articulate why I enjoyed this so much. There was twistiness. There was Vanderbilt-level riches. There was a mysterious tape. It all flowed nicely and I was hooked right from the start!

Good, not great. Fast paced. Original story. A little different, kinda weird, but good. I was able to guess the twist but that is normal for me.

This was a fascinating thriller with an outstanding ending. I loved the cat mouse plot.
I was gifted a copy of this galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

It had been a while since I'd read a thriller that is actually thrilling. I had the best time from start to finish with this one. I love that it takes place during the holidays, because it makes for a very fun, holiday read. I enjoyed following this main character, and exploring this mystery through her eyes. I think the tapes added an interesting element to this story, and the twisted games this family plays made for an original and unique angle that I'd never read in a thriller before.