Horrifying, absurd, and an absolute good time. The Family Game is Catherine Steadman's fictional take on rich in-laws and the games they play. We've all heard of the in-laws who don't welcome in new partners very easily and believe in good family names, but the Holbecks take it a step further. They seem to love their son and brother, Edward's, new fiancee, Harry, but lurking behind their closed doors are a series of tests. Presented as games, Harry must use her thriller writing skills and adept survival techniques to survive the Holbeck's games that teeter on the edge of life or death.

You've got to suspend your reality a bit, but once you do, The Family Game is a darn good, addictive read. It feels wordy at first, with full descriptions that don't seem to jive with the story at first, but after completing the read I feel like Steadman was giving us time to breathe before the novel took off at lightspeed. With complex characters, a well-developed plot, and twists you cannot possibly see coming, The Family Game is an over-the-top fictional thriller that is impossible to put down. Steadman pulled out all the stops for this novel, capturing all your usual character tropes and plot points that drive a thriller, while blending in a horror storyline that seeps in slowly and then takes over. Unpredictable and as wild as a circus, The Family Game took me by surprise and is totally worth the read.

"The Family Game" was unlike any family games that I have ever played. This book was a quick read that kept me wanting to know what would happen next. The twists surprised me, which always makes for a good thriller.

Harry, a successful British author, falls in love with Edward of the rich and powerful American Holbeck family empire. They quickly become engaged and expecting. In an attempt to fit in and be accepted by her soon-to-be new family, Harry must begrudgingly partake in the Holbecks’ silly and surprisingly dangerous family games and traditions. Robert Holbeck, the head of the family, is trying to send her an important message about the family through recorded cassette tapes he slips her in private — but is he a friend or a foe?

I enjoyed this one, even though I pretty much anticipated the “twist” and it didn’t have the same shock value with me as others have been raving about. It was a very slow burn and it took me a while to get into but the pedal was to the metal in the last 25% or so and that is where the thrill and action was.

A big thank you to NetGalley, Random House Ballantine, and Catherine for an advance reader’s copy of this title! I was so excited to see it was a Book of the Month pick.

While noted in other reviews, THE FAMILY GAME comes across as something akin to the movie Ready or Not. And... yes... but also no. But that in no way means this is not an enjoyable thriller full of some good twists. I also love reading about the trials and tribulations of narcissistic rich people in these family suspense thrillers. Something about the over the top, luxurious drama of it all! This book will definitely score more ambiance points if read on a cold December night, maybe even closer to the holidays. It creeps up on you and is a pretty good time. It is an entertaining ride!

Although I found this novel difficult to get into, I ended up really enjoying it! I was enthralled by the characters and their world. Highly recommend!

decent read with an interesting concept. The action scenes were very descriptive which made them slightly hard to follow. I would recommend overall

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman

Harry is a novelist who is in the process of finishing her second book. Her first book did really well for her. She meets Edward and he is wealthy from American old money. She moves to New york with Edward. Everything seems so perfect for this couple. Harry then gets to meet the family which they like to play strange holiday games. Some of them scared the hell out of me especially the one for Halloween. Anyways Harry is drawn Edward's father Robert Holbecks. Edward is estrange from the family he is making his own way in life and he is the eldest son of Robert Holbeck and is set to inherit it all this is how the inheritance works. At first Harry is welcomed with open arms by the family. The games they play are so strange but there is a reason for the games.

This was fast paced so much family dynamics and how money plays into wealthy families was interesting. I liked the character of Harry and her trying to figure out what was on the tape and get to the bottom of the mystery in this family. Why did Robert give Harry the tape? What is the deal with the games for the holidays? You need to read this complex family drama with a mystery to be solved.

I enjoyed this one I liked the twists in the games and the ending of the story. I like the dynamics between everyone in the family and I like how Harry has strength that helps her persevere over everything. I recommend this book to people who like family drama books with a mystery. The games this family plays is well worth the read. I cannot wait for the next book from Catherine Steadman. This is the first time I believe I haven't read something of Mrs. Steadman and l am looking forward to future books.

Thank you to NettGalley and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine books for a free copy of this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

4.5 stars rounded up. I think this is my favorite Catherine Steadman book yet. I’ve enjoyed all of her novels but this one went in a completely different direction than her previous books and I’m here for it. This was all about rich people behaving badly. Harry is engaged to the very wealthy Edward and the holidays are coming up, Harry gets swept up in the whirlwind of Edwards family and the games they like to play. If you like knives out you will love this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random house for an early copy.

I thought this book was very different in terms of the typical thriller we see as of late. In terms of writing, this book kept my attention, but they writing was a bit redundant at times. Almost felt like it was meant to hit a word count, which was not needed. Not sure I’d recommend this to friends / family - a 2.5 read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this Novel.
This was my first Catherine Steadman and I was impressed! This book follows a british woman who gets engaged to a rich American with a strained family dynamic. The main character joins her fiance's family for some holiday games on Thanksgiving and Christmas and learns that the strained relationships and dynamics run very deep, and could involve murder and missing college students.
I enjoyed the large family scavenger hunt element, I enjoyed the mixed media element including recordings on cassette tapes, and I felt like the ending was messy in the best way.
I am giving this book 4 stars because of the "Knives Out" vibes and the rich family drama, as well as the atmosphere and the chills it gave me. I just felt like there was a section in the middle that dragged on a bit, and I felt like there were some things that were never resolved or mentioned, and it almost felt like the author forgot about them.

Catherine Steadman just does not miss. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors, and The Family Game is a deeply satisfying thriller. There’s the glamour and mystery of old money, the secrets of a woman with a past that she doesn’t want to re-live, and the constant questioning of alliances and who’s actually the villain. I devoured this book and highly recommend for fans of psychological thrillers and authors like Kat St. John and Megan Abbott.

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for an advance reader’s copy.

I got this book from #NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.This was a fun , fast paced book.Although most of the decisions made by some of the characters did not make alot of sense.

Another DNF from me. I just couldn't sit through it. I will try and pick it up again at some point when I have the right mindset.

The Family Game
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Thriller
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 10/18/22
Author: Catherine Steadman
Publisher: Random House Publishing
Pages: 336
GR: 3.99

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Random House Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

My Thoughts: WOW. This book hooks you from the first page and keeps you guessing until the end. The story is narrated by Harry, in her POV. This is a unique premise, one that keep me captivated and finished in under 24 hours. I absolutely LOVED the chapter headings, they were just captivating. Harry is a strong, independent woman, who is not afraid to speak her mind. This book screams cat-and-mouse game and the author does it so well. The Holbeck family is very dark and very disturbing, I do not want to give to much away as not spoil for other readers. To be a part of the family, you have to be just as ruthless as they as are and play by their rules, or the consequences could be dire. The story has secrets, upon secrets, betrayal, a multilayered plot, and a I did not see that coming ending. The characters were well developed with depth, multilayered, disturbing, and so creatively done, just brilliant really. The author’s writing style was complex, multifaceted, suspenseful, twisty, dark, and absolutely engaging. This thriller is one of the best thrillers I have read in awhile, I had been shying away from them as I was tired of the redundancy, but this one has pulled me back into the thriller world. It was disturbing, fast paced, gripping, and kept me on my toes guessing who was behind it all. I highly recommend picking up this book today.

If you're looking to get out of a reading slump, let me tell you that this is the book to do it. I haven't finished a book in about a month and a half and I managed to finish this in just a couple days. It was so good! So fast-paced and fun (as far as thrillers are concerned) and with characters that I equally hated but also found so compelling. The main character is someone you definitely want to root for throughout the whole book. And the twists and turns keep you reading basically from page 1. Of course, as with any thriller, you do have to suspend your disbelief a bit to really buy into the story. But overall, I loved this and I'm so glad that I read it. Also, right now is the perfect time to read it because it takes place during Thanksgiving and Christmas.

WOW this book was a wild ride. It was a little bit of a slow burn at first, but second half was a total page turner, and especially the last 20% or so of the book had me staying up all night to see how it would end. I did not see the ending and how everything came together coming AT ALL. It was a little far fetched as I’ve seen other reviewers say (although I guess who really knows what actually happens in the homes of the ultra wealthy..) but that’s part of the fun of fiction after all IMO! This book kept me thoroughly entertained, and on the edge of my seat to see what on earth was going on. It also is a great book right now as it takes place around the holidays- so if you’re looking for a twisty story that takes place during Christmastime- this book is PERFECT for you. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the advanced reader copy of this book!

After reading and enjoying Something In The Water by this author, I was really excited to be approved for this one. The cover is gorgeous--I love the dark blue with the pink neon lettering; it's super eye catching.

Steadman is great at writing somewhat unlikable characters who make awful decisions, with this one being no exception. Our MC, Harry, is constantly making awful choices that get her into precarious situations.

While I found this one to certainly be an entertaining read, I felt like the pacing was super slow--it picked up towards the end but took so long to get there. Much of the story seemed far-fetched, and I was left with so many unanswered questions by the end. I'm one to suspend my disbelief pretty easy, but I needed more explanation here. Overall, this one was meh for me. Though I will say, I'm sure the audio is great, as the author is an excellent narrator.

Many thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I could NOT put this one down! Was so refreshing reading a new idea, seems that a lot of books these days follow the same general storyline. Not The Family Game!

I loved this atmospheric, cozy thriller that immersed me in a world of ridiculous wealth and toxic family dynamics. Several of the scenes were so visceral and horrific. Absolutely loved the style of Steadman’s writing and I will be seeking out more of her novels.

I chose this book as my palate cleanser after reading The Last Chairlift and it was definitely a great quick read to get me back in the game !
This book was quite well paced and the story was quick and captivating. It took twists and turns and soon it was easy to predict the actual culprit, but how the author got you there and the ending was a rollercoaster of wild chaos. As to why any family would tolerate a family member killing their loved ones i don’t know, I was a little baffled since there was no real explanation as to why authorities would be kept in the dark.
I was compelled enough to keep turning the pages but the ending left me wanting - so many storylines that just seemed to be left open and plausibility was a real issue for me here.
The Family Games the Holbecks play are definitely not for everyone - more of a survival of the fittest than a fun family get together.
What I did like a lot was the seasonal setting - perfect for right now stretching from shortly before Thanksgiving to Christmas.
Beauty, extreme riches and love woven into tragedy and murder make for a delightfully twisty, if somewhat messed up, read.