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.

Harriet Reed, aka Harry, is about to marry the man of her dreams. Edward Holbeck is handsome, funny, comforting and rich. We aren’t talking rich like the 1%, we are talking about old money that makes him more in the 0.1%. His background and family make Harry, an orphan who had to work hard for everything in her life, a bit intimidated. Okay, a lot intimidated! Harry has “a past” and this family knows everything about everyone. Can she pass herself off as a clueless, innocent wife-to-be?

Edward, relatively recently, had a falling out with his family, but now that he’s getting married, he wants to introduce Harry to his family. This family…well, they like to play games (and I don’t mean like Jenga or Twister - though most of them would be good at Monopoly!). Harry finds herself not only in an awkward world of billionaires, but in the terrifying position of playing these psychotic games.

Edward’s father, Robert, seems to enjoy the games the most out of anyone, and with Harry, he has found an equal sparring partner. These games - already weird - take on a new tone with her. As the book winds through the holiday season, the games get more intense, as does Harry’s fear. What the hell is wrong with this family, and who on earth is the man she’s engaged to?

The first half of this was good, but slow. The writing has almost a formal feel, and trying to unravel all of the people in this story was slightly tedious at first. Around the 70% mark, this finally started to get good, as we get to the final game. The ending was alright, but there was just something about this book that left me unenthused. I didn’t care for any of the characters, the unfinished book writing thrown in, or how slow it was to start. I’m giving it 3.5 stars, rounded down because this one was decent, but nothing exciting.

(Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Catherine Steadman, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)

This book sounded really interesting like a couple movies I’ve seen so I was eager to read it. I ended up liking it. I thought it was a good thriller. I love these types of thrillers and enjoyed reading it

The Family Game, by Catherine Steadman, is a wildly exciting twisted story of psychological suspense!
The protagonist, British novelist Harriet “Harry” Reed is romanced by American multi-millionaire Ed Holbeck, heir to his family’s Gilded Age fortune. After they become engaged, Ed’s family becomes very interested in getting to know Harry. When she joins them for Thanksgiving and the bizarre holiday called Krampusknacht, she realizes how eccentric and disturbed they are, but she is also attracted to Ed’s father Robert, the handsome charismatic patriarch.
The action picks up quickly as she is drawn into the drama and secrets of the Holbecks, culminating with their bizarre and deadly Christmas games. The clever plot and multiple twists are compelling and kept me engaged to the uber-dramatic conclusion!
The characters are broadly drawn and, at times, unbelievable. But the action is mesmerizing, which made this a fast enjoyable read.

Thank you to Random House Publishers/Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

WOW. This was seriously so freaking good. I was shocked at how good it was. I’ve read Something in the Water (I think i gave it 3 stars? 4?) and Mr. Nobody (5 stars) and this is BY FAR my favorite from her. The pacing, the readablitiy, the SPOOKYNESS??? I didn’t expect it to be so SPOOKY! Multiple times my heart was racing and I was zooming through the pages. I did guess the twist at the end but I literally didn’t even care. The whole thing was amazing. This takes place around Thanksgiving - Christmas so the perfect winter thriller!!!

For what it's worth, I did enjoy this book, once it got going and the plot really began to charge forward. Given the circumstances under which I've read the majority of this book, it's a good sick day read, and distracted me from not feeling well. That being said, I do feel as though this didn't do many new things as a thiller-mystery? It all felt very recycled, and the plot twists didn't really hit. None of it particularly surprised me. Didn't mean it was bad, though!

Perfect for fans of the movie Ready or Not. A psychological thriller about a family that loves to play games, The Family Game keeps you on your toes wondering what will happen next. This book is wild and fun, I definitely recommend it.

I was slow getting to this one - but everyone was raving about it -so I made the time. And I loved it. A wealthy family full of secrets and their strange games. Harry and her fiance Edward go home to his family's estate and she finds out quickly they are one crazy bunch. I love books that are put together like a puzzle and this certainly was.