I picked up this book because I love Krampus and I'd heard they celebrated Krampusnacht in the book.
The Family Game had a great opening, and I enjoyed the Krampusnacht scenes, but then it got a little slow. The ending made up for it however. I read the last 20% late into the night because I was so eager to finish it. I did predict the reveal once I was pretty close to it, but that didn't take away from the fun.

I loved how twisty this book was! While I did have an inkling of the major reveal the little quirks that lead to it kept me on my toes. I really enjoyed this book and was pleasantly surprised that it timed well with the holidays.

Thank you netgalley and Ballantine books for this arc in exchange for a honest review. woah woah woah this one was wonderful! great edge of your seat thriller. loved that it was set during the holidays! 4.5 stars

My favorite from the author so far. The plot kept me interested the whole time and I loved the twist at the end. I can usually see them coming but I didn’t guess it this time. The “games” the family played kept me on the edge of my seat. A great thriller.

—t h e f a m i l y g a m e—⁣
What’s your favorite game (board game, card game, otherwise) to play?⁣
—⁣
The Family Game, newest from British thriller author slash actor Catherine Steadman, follows Harry who is a British thriller author herself as she embarks upon meeting her soon to be in laws. Harry’s fiancé, Edward, is from an old money family in the northeast US. When she first meets the fam, her father in law gives her a mysterious tape and well, nothing is as it seems.⁣
—⁣
What follows is a tense, less fun, and more murder-y version of the Inheritance Games. Rich people behaving badly is admittedly my jam, so I found this book pretty entertaining and the author is great at conjuring strong protagonists who aren’t total dunces. ⁣
—⁣
The ending was pretty predictable and the characters (aside from Harry) were so highly unlikeable it kinda sucked the energy out of the story, so the book didn’t totally come together for me. Still a competent thriller with some enjoyable elements! ⁣
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Thanks to @netgalley and @ballantinebooks for the advance copy! This one is out now! ⁣
—⁣
#bookreview #bookreviewsofinstagram #netgalley #thefamilygame #bookstagram #bookreviewsneedlovetoo #booklovers #booksaremagic #littlebooknook📚

Meeting the in-laws can be a daunting task, but meeting the infamous, powerful, and mega-rich Holbeck family takes it to another level in The Family Game by Catherine Steadman. Harriet Reed, an orphan with a secret, meets Edward Holbeck in fairy tale style. They're in love, happy, but now she must meet the parents and extended family. She and Edward both harbor misgivings, especially since he keeps warning her about them, and she's read about them for decades like everyone else, but how bad could they be?

I was intrigued by the premise, and my interest piqued when it sounded like the family was a little nuts and murder may be at play. The slow burn to chilling events really turned up the heat, and I felt like I was along for the ride with Harry aka Harriet. And what a ride it is!

There's a lot at stake for Harry. When Edward's father hands her a tape in secret, the published mystery writer must figure out what to do with this unwelcome information. Because she holds her own punishing secrets, you're on edge, wondering what she will do and if she will be able to be a welcome part of this family. At first, she believes that this information could give her a great story to write for her next book, but it could put her in peril if she's not careful.

I thought this book was excellently written, dropping tiny hints along the way, and I couldn't figure out what was really going on until the last few chapters. I was surprised that I didn't catch on, and some of the events that occur at the family's homes and holiday events were frightening. The family seemed crazy at times, and their dominance over pretty much everything from the moment Edward and Harriet decide to join the family makes them even more menacing.

There were a few things that prevented me from giving this a 5-star review, though. Once Harry meets her father-in-law, it seemed creepy that she appeared to be somewhat romantically interested in him. I couldn't figure out the intent there. Plus, the family has a ton of secrets, some of which, I felt, were not explored in enough detail. It turns out that Edward has three brothers, and I had trouble distinguishing between two of them. Also, I felt that there were too many unanswered questions at the end that should have been addressed.

Other than that, this book had me enthralled, and since many events take place around Christmas, this would be the perfect book to read around the holiday season. That is, if you don't mind the suspense, bloodshed, and scary events that come to pass.

The tension in The Family Game builds until it's boiling over!! Wow, that ending!! I couldn't put this book down. The Family Game will keep you guessing until the very end. The book begins with Harry (Harriet) and her fiancé Edward. They become engaged very early in the book and Harry is thrilled. She loves Ed and thinks he's the sweetest, calmest soul she's met. The problem is Ed has withdrawn from his famous, wealthy family the Holbeck's for the past year or so. Harry doesn't know why and Ed doesn't discuss his family much. There are many secrets that Harry has no idea about. Does Harry have secrets of her own?

Harry and Ed end up going to the Holbeck's so that they can meet Harry and announce their engagement. Harry meets Ed's parents, siblings/spouses, and their kids. Harry feels a real connection to Ed's father, Robert. Robert looks a lot like Ed and he asks Harry to join him privately in his study. Here he gives Harry a micro cassette and asks her to listen to it for an idea for her next book. Harry is a writer of thrillers and has had a bit of writer's block for the past month or so. She's on a deadline for her next book and needs an idea. Robert says his idea may be fiction or may not.....??? Curious, right? He also tells Harry not to share what she hears on the tape with anyone else, including Ed!! Why? What's on that tape?

Ed's family is a lot and they have very weird traditions and terrifying games that they play. Harry is not comfortable and could actually be in danger at their home. Does someone want her dead? Harry and Ed are keeping a big secret from his family. Do they know and not like it? Why is someone following Harry? What happened to the oldest brother, Bobby? Why does no one talk of him? There are many questions that will keep you turning the pages at record speed! The book takes place during Thanksgiving and Christmas so I waited until now to read it to get in the festive mood. This isn't exactly that kind of book, but it was tons of fun! I really enjoyed The Family Game and rate it 5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine Books for giving me an advanced copy in exchange for a fair review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy. It was definitely a thriller. I didn’t see the plot twist coming. Waited to read around Thanksgiving since partially a holiday book.

Well, those games were morbid, scary, mind-blowingly crazy, and most of all unrealistic...I did really enjoy the ride though. I have wanted to read this for a while, and it's been stuck in my tbr. My burning question is how could they have been able to play those games year after year with no (more than already occurred) casualties as a family...Honestly, I have loads of other plot hole-type questions, but if you can get past the very unrealisticness of it all, you will enjoy this one. Every character has a past full of secrets.


Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books and @netgalley for this advanced reader's copy for an honest review.

Absolutely phenomenal. This book kept me on my toes thinking Harriet was getting into the wrong family. I did believe it was Robert who had confessed that he was the killer. Plot twist blew my mind. To see she had to question and find out who she was actually marrying. I love the intent of the family. It comes to light that Robert was trying to give Harriet a family and knew she was strong enough to change things.

The Family Game by Catherine Stedman is one wild ride! Harriet, aka Harry, has just released her debut novel and it's become a huge hit. Her boyfriend Edward takes her to meet his uber rich family and then things get crazy. Edwards father slips Harry a cassette tape (remember those?!) which reveals a very shocking story and puts the cat and mouse game into motion. Dark, yet fun! I really enjoyed this one!

This wasn’t my favorite thriller, but I did enjoy most it! The beginning was slightly slow and the thrill went super fast.

Talk about a crazy odd family. Harriet believes she had met the man of her dreams. She has everything she wants and is newly engaged. The problem is she hasn’t met Edward family and they are insanely powerful. She’s finally introduced to them at Thanksgiving and slowly many family secrets become revealed. The past should stay in the past, but Edwards father hands Harriet a cassette tape, which basically gives her clues to their secrets including her fiancé Edwards’s. What will she find out?

I really enjoyed this one. Reminded me of a mix of Knives Out and Ready or Not, two of my favorite movies. Pacing was excellent and kept me turning the pages. I didn't see the twist coming and I think the story wrapped up nicely and wasn't too drawn out. Characters were interesting and the short chapters made it easier to read "just one more". I look forward to reading more from Steadman in the future.

Powerful families, secrets, and lies? Oh my!! I was a little skeptical going into this book given that I really disliked Something in the Water. However, I was pleasantly surprised and could not put this book down!! All those creepy games had me hooked to see what would happen. If you’re looking for a holiday thriller, look no further. I definitely recommend this one.

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman

My rating: 4/5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you enjoy
🤫 family secrets
💰 old money
😱 thrillers
♟ games

A woman with a dark secret, Harry, is set to marry Edward. Edward’s family also has many secrets and family traditions that will scare most people away. When Harriet finally meets Edward’s family, she is given a cassette tape, with a confession to a serious crime. What will she do with this?

The story unfolds from there, where Harriet is trying to uncover the truth about this family’s secrets that their money can hide away. Why was she trusted with this secret?

I really enjoyed this one but it is very slow paced. I had my theories and I did figure it out in the end, but it was worth the read for me and kept me intrigued until the end. I really enjoyed the grandiose lifestyle and descriptions of the very wealthy family and their homes. This one kinda reminded me of the movie Ready or Not. Have you seen it?

Thank you netgalley for this ARC. You can read this one now!
#thefamilygame #catherinesteadman #netgalley #bookreviews

What a fun and wild read, I thoroughly enjoyed this from beginning to end!

Harry has her heart set on Edward, a handsome man who comes from a LOT of money. The kind of old money that allows this family to get away with things that others may not. As she plans to marry into the family, she begins to get to know them better. Including family gatherings and their mysterious and somehow frightening versions of family traditions. Who are these people, really, and how deadly are their games?

Although I did not read this by pub day, it was set in the winter as Thanksgiving turns to Christmas, so it was the perfect read for this time of year! This one is a bit of a slow burn - I would recommend for those who can appreciate the slowness when you can feel the buzz of something greater developing. Despite the sometimes slower building of suspense, there were a few parts that were so intense and gripping that I could not put the book down. And that ending - I did NOT see it coming! It was fun, crazy ride at the end that made even the slower parts totally worth it.

Overall a very well done thriller and I would certainly read any more that Catherine Steadman writes in the future!

Thank you Random House - Ballantine and NetGalley for gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!

I love all of Catherine’s books, and this one might be my favorite. Loved the rich and powerful family and Christmas setting.

Harry, a British novelist, and Edward, son of a prominent family, have a sweep you off your feet type of love story. After their engagement, it’s time for Harry to meet Edward‘s family. The catch? They’re overbearing - but is it to keep Harry away from the family because they don’t like her or to keep her safe? When Edward’s dad slips her a tape to listen to outlining the murders of several women close to the family, Harry wonders just what type of family she’s marrying into.

A must read thriller this fall! A book you won’t be able to put down where nothing is as it seems. You’ll quickly become attached to the characters, and you’ll find yourself racing through pages to see how it ends.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for a fair review.

I fell in love with Catherine Steadman when she played Gestalt in The Rook. Her voice is fabulous, so I listened to her previous novels - like Something in the Water and The Disappearing Act which she reads beautifully. I mean….she’s a captivating actress as well as writer. Why else would I have read The Family Game which features every trope known to teenage horror film aficionados? You know- privileged white folks doing stupid things? They ought to have common sense and NOT GO IN THE HAUNTED KRAMPUS
HOUSE …… but no. I could name the tropes but I won’t. No spoiler alerts here!

Harriet is a beautiful, successful, British novelist, but she’s an orphan [haunted] by her past. Edward is an uber rich American heir and a successful entrepreneur in his own right. She falls in love with him and falls into danger with his (too?) welcoming family. 💩 gets crazy - but I kept reading (often saying “no girl NO —- don’t do that…” or “don’t go there again!!”)

Steadman herself says, “Well, I wanted to write a twisty, turn-y, popcorn thriller with all those festive vibes but with an added pinch of page-turning terror and I hope I’ve delivered that with . . . The Family Game.”

@catsteadman delivers!

I really enjoyed about the first half of this book and I thought it would be great but then it started getting more repetitive and then the ending was so confusing and felt extremely rushed