Harriet/Harry has just gotten engaged to Edward. He’s been fairly estranged from his family so Harry hasn’t met them yet but the engagement seems like a time to possibly mend some fences. Edward’s family isn’t just rich - they are rich rich. Harry is a little nervous to meet them but also excited to get to know her future in-laws.

However - quickly after meeting them - things start to get strange. Edward’s father gives Harry a cassette tape to listen to - and when she does, she’s drawn into a strange game.

This one took a little bit for me to get into it but once I got to that point, it was impossible to stop until the end. I really enjoyed this - a mix of family drama, the power of the extremely wealthy, and some mystery. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

I absolutely loved this one. It was such a fun family thriller/drama. It reminded me of Knives Out and the Westing Game, both of which I loved.

What a great book! I love everything by this author and this book was no different! I couldn't put this down and was up all night waiting to see how it ended!

Wowowowow WOW this was such a fun ride! While a lot of this was kind of predictable, I'm obsessed with mystery/thrillers centered around super rich, old money families and those who have just had their first taste of the craziness that is their world. Harriett is such a fun protagonist to follow, even if she is a bit morally grey. My main critique is that I wish we had learned more backstories on the Holbeck family members just so I could feel even more invested, but I'm okay with the amount of information that we DID learn.

This feels very much like the movie Ready or Not, and I love it. Even though the end of the book is the tiniest bit of a letdown, overall I really enjoyed this and would definitely recommend it to someone else.

3.5 stars

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

Maybe because I don't read a lot of thrillers, my standards for them aren't too high?

I think this one has low ratings, but I was into it! The weird background of this family and the absolutely bizarre games they play had me freaked out.

Did I think they were a little (ok, a lot) outlandish? Yes.

Did I figure out the big twist before the reveal? Also, yes.

But this was the perfect distraction - and the Christmas time setting was the icing on the cake!

✨Book Review✨
The Family Game by Catherine Steadman
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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A low four. This book took me a little to get into, but it really picked up the pace about 25 percent in. It was an intriguing thriller and I flew through the second half. I switched to audio at about 25 percent and I think that helped a lot, too. I definitely recommend the audiobook. It's not the most memorable of books, but I would recommend it to anyone who wants a quick entertaining read.

One of the best thrillers I've read in a while! Unpredictable and fast-paced. I really enjoyed the characters, the surprises, and learning what really happens in Steadman's newest release.

Harriet visits her fiance's rich family for the holidays. But their traditions seen so... odd. They don't sit around and play silly board games, oh no.. their idea of fun is dangerous and deadly. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, turning pages as fast as i could.

Wow! This was an absolute roller coaster of craziness and I enjoyed it. Thanks to the publisher kindly granting my wish for this book I had it in my TBR pile for months before it was published, but am glad I finally read it this month since it takes place between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Harriet is a novelist who is pregnant and marrying into a wealthy family with a lot of secrets, one of which may or may not include the fact that one of them has killed several women. It sounds bad, but Harriet has her own horrible secret that's she's been keeping for decades, so she's not quite sure how awful these folks really are in comparison to her. The snotty rich people like to play family games, hence the title, that include a bizarre Krampus-themed tradition that scares the crap out of their kids and Harriet. But Krampusnacht shenanigans are nothing compared with their Christmas game, and that's where all hell breaks loose. I've read previous books by Steadman and this one was fast-paced like those, which I like, but it also had a few too many family members who didn't add much to the story. Overall, highly recommended as a fun, Christmas-y thriller. Thanks to Netgalley, and especially the publisher, who saw my wish for this book and granted it.

I’ve read everything by Catherine Steadman and this was by far my favorite. I highly recommend this book. I even gifted a copy to my bookworm friends.

I absolutely loved everything about this book! The hype is real. I wanted to read it immediately after I heard it was being compared to the movie Ready or Not. There were some lulls in the book, like there is for most of them, but the action made up for it. Brava!

Solid thriller if you can suspend your disbelief. Read it in one sitting and super entertaining. Recommend for around the holidays as well!

Such an engaging read! Interesting characters and solid intrigue. I really liked reading this one and can't wait to read more by this author. Unpredictable and captivating. One of my favorites from NetGalley!

Meeting your significant other’s family is never easy, but what if the family enjoys playing games? Harriet, a novelist, agrees to meet her fiancé's family. Every family has their quirks, but something is off. Her father-in-law gives her a tape of a book he’s working on. She has to decide if it’s just another game or a confession.

This is the first book I have read by this author and I found it interesting enough. The story was a fast read and kept me guessing, but it felt like there were too many twists and turns. I had to suspend reality and just go with the story.

All the characters weren’t likable and the main character, Harry, was too naïve, but it was easy to overlook. The book was very atmospheric, and the visuals were perfect for the story and what I liked best. I would read another story by this author.

This book takes place between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so was the perfect timely read for me! The premise is interesting and the setting at the family's old manor was very atmospheric. I really enjoyed it and found it to be a fast and propulsive read.

What would you do if you heard a confession of a serious crime, a deadly crime? It involves your new fiance's family too.....I wasn't sure what to think of this book at first but it quickly drew me in. Her writing style kept me engaged and I found myself putting off things at home to read and finish this! Definitely a good one for thriller fans!

This was a good adult thriller/mystery, that I would definitely recommend trying!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Catherine Steadman, and Ballantine Books for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I enjoyed this overall! I love a good domestic thriller, and The Family Game had some genuinely creepy moments. I thought the pacing and reveals of the story were good, and I enjoyed many of the extended family's characters. The setting of an exclusive, remote house, as well as the background of wealth, helped to play up the creepier aspects/setting. However, my main issue with the book was how predictable it was. I was able to see many twists coming from pretty early on in the book, so I didn't end up as surprised as I wanted to be. I also thought the romantic feelings that Harry had towards Robert were strange and didn't add anything to the plot. I felt like the ending was a little rushed in terms of the buildup, and with such a large cast of characters, I would have liked to see more from certain people. I did have fun reading this though, and it was a standard thriller mystery with some interesting events.

So So good. Enjoyed her last book and loved this one. There were parts that were seriously creepy. It is wild, but it works. New bride, over the top wealthy husband, and an insane family who loves their "games." A great "psychological thriller". Like Catherine Steadman's last novel, I found myself often questing the choices of the main character, but it did not distract from the overall need for me to finish the book as quickly as possible to see what was going to happen next, and if Harry and Edward would make it in more ways than one. WIll recommend this one as it was one of my more compulsive reads lately. A wild ride.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars for this review!

I was very impressed by Steadman’s most recent novel, “The Family Game”. In the beginning, I was a little caught off guard by the plot, but within the first few chapters I realized how much I was going to love it. This book is unique. The setting is incredible for the story, and the ominous feel stays strong throughout. Even though the book was a slow burn, I found myself highly interested in finding out what was going to happen next. By the last couple chapters, my heart rate was racing, and I found myself checking around the room because I was feeling nervous. I love that, and that’s how I know this book was THAT good. I’m very happy with this novel and can’t wait to read more of Steadman’s work in the future!

THANK YOU to Random House Publishing and Netgalley for the advanced e-copy of this book!