2.5 stars

It took me a while to get into this story because some of the choices and details the author made kind of slowed down the pace. I enjoyed the tension and the thrill of figuring out what was going on in the story. It was a good thriller I just found it to be a slow start and had a hard time finding any of the characters likable.

Harry is a writer who meets the love of her life but she is worried about his family accepting her during an initial meeting with his father she gets a cassette that has a confession on it and she has to figure out if it's real or some sort of game...

I'm just trying to figure out who gets a random tape with a mysterious confession on it and doesn't finish the tape...

Thank you to the publisher for a copy for review.

Steadman never disappoints. I thought that this book was just as masterfully woven together as her others. It was hard to put down!

I was totally obsessed with this snarky, layered thriller with the best of family drama. I was sucked in from the get go and couldn’t put it down!

I wanted to like this one more, but the parts were greater than the sum and ultimately it didn't quite end up working for me.

This book is such a fun ride! The characters are well fleshed out and the twists and turns will give you whiplash.. If you're looking for a unique, edge of your seat thriller - this is the book for you!

We follow UK-born novelist, Harry, who currently lives in NYC with her beau, Edward. Things are going well for Harry. Her first novel was widely accepted and she is now writing her second.

There’s also Edward Holbeck. He’s handsome, considerate, determined. He’s also from old money and warns Harry that his family is a bit odd, to say the least. She finally is able to meet the family, and patriarch Robert gives her the chills. He also gives her a cassette tape to listen to which seems to contain a confession to a dark family secret. Is it real, or fiction? Harry must find this out through a festive and ruthless Christmas celebration.

I really enjoyed this! Thank you to Catherine Steadman, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Wow! The Family Game is one wild ride! A quick read, the novel is set in the world of the mega-rich and the characters are much like the amoral clan in Succession. Set between November 21 and Christmas, the novel focuses on Harriet Reed, an English novelist, who is a novelist engaged to Edward Holbeck. Superficially perfect, Edward is poised to inherit the family business as the oldest child. The thrills begin when Harriet discovers the trail of bodies surrounding the bodies surrounding the family. Who is responsible and why, and why on God’s earth doesn’t she just leave? A perfect thriller for winter that will keep you up all night. 4.5 out of 5.0 stars. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book.

One of my favorite thrillers to watch this year was Ready Or Not! .. a movie about a young bride thrust into a dysfunctional family’s deadly game so when I saw the premise of The Family Game by Catherine Steadman, I knew I HAD to read it as it reminded me so much of the movie.

The Family Game is on a whole other insane level though & makes Ready Or Not seem tame in comparison. This book is one shocking moment after the other and trust me.. you will SO not see that ending coming, I sure didn’t!

This book was SUCH. A. RIDE! Harry is an author who somehow finds herself enveloped in a decades old web of lies, deception and murder. This is the type of book where you are never certain about the motivations or truth to a character for more than one chapter, and by the end of the story almost everything you thought you knew is wrong. I had such fun reading this book and was completely shocked by the Big Reveal.

Steadman has a fantastic way of writing which sucks you into the story to make your heart pound and mind work overtime to try and figure out what the hell is happening in the Holbeck family. If you like reading about the evil eccentricities of the 1%, and putting your detective hat on to try to solve a mystery then this is THE book for you!

Post 11/20/22 on Goodreads (canhannahread).

QUICK TAKE: I think it's a sign that I didn't really love it in that I can't really remember any big plot details here. It was a solid, though forgettable read about a woman getting caught up in a very bad, not good at all rich family doing very bad, not good things.

The family game was a fast paced holiday thriller, Harry is set to marry into a rich powerful family when she gets to finally meet the elusive family. The patriarch slips her a tape to listen to and she starts to question everything. With an ending you won’t predict the family game is a great cat and mouse style thriller. Will read more of this author.

The Family Game is afoot and losing may be deadly. No one is safe and secrets could cost you your life. This thriller had me racing to the end to discover the spine tingling conclusion. Who do you trust when so much is at stake? Do you look the other way, or face the demon head on? Catherine Steadman has become an auto- read author. I have enjoyed all of her thrillers and her current creation doesn’t disappoint. This thriller is original, captivating, highly entertaining and utterly unputdownable. It had me hooked from the start. I thoroughly enjoyed every unexpected and twisted moment. To win the game you must find the secrets. The challenge is being the victor without losing your life in the process. This is the perfect holiday read. Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine books for my copy. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Family Game in a nutshell: a secret tape, terrifying holiday traditions and a game that could have a killer outcome.

We meet Harriet Reed, recently engaged to the stunningly handsome, Edward Holbeck. Following their engagement, Edward’s illusive, incredibly wealthy family starts to call round and invite Harriet to their holiday get-togethers. But their holiday parties aren’t your standard eggnog fueled, secret Santa events - they crank things up to a whole ‘nother level. And on top of all of this, Harriet has a private chat with Edward’s dad, Robert, who gives her a cassette that has a shocking confession on it. Harriet’s faced with a big decision - follow the directions Robert leaves on the tape or face having her worst nightmare exposed to everyone.

I really enjoyed Catherine Steadman‘s latest debut! If she writes it, I’m definitely going to read it!

Thank you Penguin Random House for this ARC! First time reading a Catherine Stradman book and happy to say I was not disappointed. This book kept me on my toes the entire way even up until the end. Starts off with a little holiday romance and then ends with a deadly burn. Has the right amount of suspense with each chapter that kept me wanting more.

The most perfect atmospheric holiday thriller book to end the year with in the most unexpected way.

ℝ𝔼𝕍𝕀𝔼𝕎: 🎲 The Family Game by Catherine Steadman - 3/5 ✰ - I haven’t read a thriller a hot minute so I decided it was finally time to pick up The Family Game. This one was just okay to me. I didn’t love the main character and thought it was a little predictable. The plot had some interesting concepts that I enjoyed but overall think it was a 3 out of 5 stars.

𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙨𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨: Harry (Harriet) is recently engaged to the son of a very wealthy family. Something doesn’t seem quite right with the family. But she’s also keeping a secret of her own…

This was definitely a slow burn, but it left me wanting to keep picking it back up to find out the answers. Full of twists and turns that will leave you guessing until the very end. Even if you think you’re figuring it out, you may be wrong.

We meet best selling author, Harriet “Harry” Reed as she’s getting engaged to the love of her life, Edward Holbeck. She has yet to meet his incredibly wealthy and powerful family until now. As they meet she is drawn into their games and secrets of the family are revealed. Harry has a secret of her own that nobody knows and she intends to keep it that way.

At times I found myself uncomfortable with the situations, but I still just NEEDED to know what was happening. I very much enjoyed this book. There were a few moments when I felt confused as to why they were part of the story, but it didn’t take away from anything. Overall, great thriller mystery that will keep you interested.

Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for the opportunity to read this early digital copy in exchange for my thoughts.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group -- Ballantine Books for accepting my request to read and review The Family Game.

Author: Catherine Steadman
Published: 10/18/22
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) -- Mystery & Thrillers -- Women's Fiction

I'm not at all pleased, and actually feel duped.

My definition of a good book is one that I can gift, recommend, or acknowledge my thoughts unapologetically. There is classless profanity throughout the book. This appears to be a standard of which I let my thoughts always be known to the publisher as well as in reviews, I find insulting.

Prior to the 87% mark, at best, with the gutter talk this was approaching a four star solid read and a publisher admonishment for the inexcusable use of mother, Jesus, and God. Why? It leads to a former president's everyday speaking language. If you think it, you use it: French is an actual language not to be classed down with excuse me F bombs, C words, etc. What's next? Talking synopses with Mardi Gras chants "show me your ..."

Steadman wrote a ridiculous scene using her self described C word. The scene without the trash was ill-fitting. Which ironically was the first point in the book where logic failed. It didn't make sense.

Two stars is a gift.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Family Game.

Super rich family with some major issues + bonkers holiday traditions + murder? Perfect for this time of year! I really enjoyed this novel and trying to solve the mystery surrounding the Holbrecks with Harry. Steadman does a very nice job of pulling you in, keeping you guessing and creating an atmosphere of uncertainty. I look forward to reading more of her novels!

I thought going into this one that it might be a little too close to that movie Hide and Seek from a few years ago (newly married woman finds out about the violent and creepy version of Hide and Seek her new in-laws play), but this one is less grisly (hm, well, slightly at least) and more genuine mystery as Harriet learns not just the games her fiance's family plays, but also their well hidden secrets (while revealing her own). The beginning of this one was a teensy bit slow, but once they get to the family's Krampusnacht party, I was hooked and the story moved very quickly from there. Catherine Steadman's work as an actor comes through in her writing, because this plays out in a really visual way- she's great at describing events vividly, and that works perfectly in this one.

The Family Game begins with how it ends - Harry barely making it out alive with blood all over her. From there the plot goes back a month or so in order to get to know Harry and Ed, and Ed’s wealthy and renowned family.
The novel is full of mysteries and moments of suspense where I couldn’t put the book down. I found myself attempting to connect the dots but was still learning new information about the characters that swayed my viewpoints.
Catherine Steadman’s work is one of a kind, and is set pretty high on my shelf for thriller/mystery novels!