This thriller was pure FUN. I flew through it in just over a day. Very unique and reminded me of the movie Ready or Not which is one of my favorite horrors. It was pretty predictable which is why I'm giving it 4 stars. Of the books I've read of Steadman's I think this is my second favorite. Definitely recommend especially for spooky season.

Having read Something In the Water I was very excited to be approved for this ARC - and Steadman didn't disappoint.

How well do you truly know the person you're marrying? In the case of Harriet Reed and Edward Holbeck, the answer seems to be not at all. They're both holding back life changing secrets, and it takes a twisted game to bring both to the forefront.

Well paced (it clipped along very quickly and I finished the book in just over an evening) and well thought out. My only complaint was the ending came together too quickly. The resolution felt rushed, but that could just be whiplash from the pace slowing down after being breakneck for much of the novel.

This author works so well for me. Another strong thriller even though I did guess who did it before we got there but the getting there was so fun. Grabbed me right from the start and I read this in a few sittings.

Harriet Reed has a secret. As she meets and falls in love with Edward Holbeck - of famed Holbeck wealth - she knows she needs to keep her secret hidden or she will risk losing everything. When Harry finally meets the rest of the Holbeck family, the patriarch, Robert Holbeck, gives her a cassette tape with what seems to be a confession. The game has begun.

The Family Game begs the question - just how far will someone go to protect their family?
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This was a great read! Despite it taking me a minute to get into the story, once I was in, I couldn’t get out! The last 15-20% of this story get me guessing, gasping, and questioning everything I believed about these characters.

The story starts and feels pretty predictable. I thought I knew how this one was going to end but @catherinesteadman totally got me with the twist. I loved the writing style and the short chapters kept me wanting more at every page turn. Would absolutely recommend, especially during spooky season!

How well do you know the person you're marrying? When new bestselling writer Harry (Harriet) Reed accepts charming, wealthy, Ed Holbeck's proposal she is the happiest she has been in years. Orphaned at a young age, Harriet moved to NYC after meeting Ed, who has carved out his own path after cutting ties with his rich and powerful family. However, the happy news of their proposal brings the family back into the fold. At first, albeit, nervous, Harry is excited to meet his family-longing for one of her own. Soon, it is clear the world they move in is very different from the one the rest of us experience. Little tests, and some big, begin to unfold during the holidays in Manhattan when Ed's dad gives Harry a tape he has recorded a book on-or so he says. When Harriet listens she realizes its a confession-to numerous crimes. The games begin-is this a test or something truly dangerous? Why choose Harry? What follows is a thrilling game with deadly consequences.

Fast-paced and set among the backdrop of a glamorous Manhattan holiday season this is Catherine Steadman at her best. You will want to pick this novel up today and clear your schedule-you won't come up for air for awhile!

Thank you the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

This year seems to be churning out thrillers with a family drama plotline. I recently read Daisy Darker and it fell very flat for me, but The Family Game was a much better rendition of this genre. Harry is engaged to be married to a man who comes from an affluent family. So far, their relationship has not had much interaction with his family, but now that they are engaged, the in-laws want to meet her. Harry is soon wrapped up into the bizarre family traditions that include games with strange motives and sinister undertones. Her future father-in-law gives her a tape to listen to which reveals the family's murderous history, as well as his knowledge of Harry's own past. She treads lightly with this information, while trying to uncover the truth about her future in-laws, as well as how much they know about her past.

I found this one enjoyable to read, but slightly predictable. The game aspect was a fun one to add to this genre because I wanted to uncover what was truly going on in this family, as well as Harry's deep dark secret. That alone kept me reading.

I am an avid thriller reader, so for me, this was predictable, but I can see how this book will appeal to the masses.

4.5 STARS! This is a whirlwind of a book, and I inhaled it in a day. Being a fan of this author's previous writing, after reading the summary I had to pick it up. And for those who are wondering if it's similar to Ready Or Not, it's not really! There were quite a few twisty bits and I really loved the reveals throughout.

THE FAMILY GAME
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WTHeck did I just read?! Hands down one of the best twisted books I have read in a while. I mean this filthy rich family is beyond wild. Right off the bat you know that the family is into games (hence the title of the book). The type of games they played gave me cat and mouse vibes. You truly never knew who was the superior/inferior opponent. I don’t want to give away the games, but they are horrifying and relentless. I would have some serious red flags if I was marrying into this type of family. This definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. I could’ve read this in one sitting; it’s that type of book. This entire book was twisted and wild. Catherine Steadman is an auto-buy author for me. I seriously love all her books. Highly suggest it!

Read if you like:
Succession (HBO)
Ready or Not (Movie)

This book definitely is a page turner! Kept me guessing right up to the end. After reading I could see a few places that the details weren't tucked up nicely, but not enough to be plot holes. During the reading I just went right along with the story, caught up in the narrative. Overall great read!

Harry is a novelist engages to the eldest son of one of the richest and most prominent families in America. Edward has put off having Harry meet his family. When she finally does they engage her in some very strange and scary games. What are they hiding and who are they protecting?

Wow, wow, wow. This was a wild ride and I loved it. What a crazy twist on games play and murder an among the rich. I enjoyed every crazy moment!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. This book was entertaining to read. It was fast-paced and kept me interested the whole time. The cat-and-mouse chase element of the book made it a quick read. I love reading about rich families and their traditions, so this book was right up my alley. I did not guess the plot twist and was pleasantly surprised to be shocked by what happened at the end of the book.

Overall, I enjoyed this psychological thriller and would recommend it to many readers.

Thank you NetGallery and Ms. Steadman for giving me the opportunity to review "The Family Game."
This book was a fast paced page turner and I can honestly say I had a hard time putting it down. The book hooks you in immediately and keeps you guessing. One of the best thrillers that I have read. Can't say enough positive things about this book. Would recommend to all all readers who love thrillers.

Fantastic story! I really enjoyed the cat and mouse game between the future father in law and Harry. What I didn’t love was how quickly the ending arrived. It seemed to go from zero to 10 in a matter of a few pages. While I was disappointed with the ending, I thought the overall story was quite entertaining.

Harriet falls in love with a John F Kennedy, Jr type and realizes after he proposes that this fam likes to play GAMES…games in the literal sense and games that mess with your mind. This book was fantastic and I loved every second of it.

Harriet is a recently engaged novelist and I just starting to meet her fiancée Edwards family. Bizarre family games and secrets put Harriet in what she views to be an unsafe situation.

This sounded like such an interesting premise and while I enjoyed parts of it, particularly Krampusnacht, there was a great deal that felt like a chore, or a distraction, that was just dropped. Unfortunately, I predicted the big twist in the book. For a bit, I hoped to find another more interesting twist, but no, it was just another distraction. My rating is based on the fact that I enjoyed reading most of the book, but was supremely disappointed by the ending.

I don't know what it is about this subgenre of thrillers focused on rich people behaving badly, but I can't get enough of them - if you're looking for a fun & entertaining read that's perfect for fans of "Ready or Not", look no further than Catherine Steadman's "The Family Game!"

This was the first book of Steadman's I've picked up & I thought her writing was fantastic - this started off as a bit of a slower burn, but everything was so meticulously planned & plotted out, my attention was immediately piqued. & once the games get going, man do they get going! What does it say about me that I'd lowkey love to take part in the Krampus game? 🤣 Although I'd definitely run screaming for the hills during that final game 👀 This was one wild family & I loved that everyone had their own secrets about them, including Harry - it made the stakes that much higher & the final few hours of the book extremely suspenseful. & ya'll, this covers Thanksgiving through Christmas, so it truly is such an unexpected gem for the holidays - if you're looking to add a little bit of thrills & chills to your holiday reading, don't skip out on this!

All in all, I had a great time reading this & can't wait to check out more from Steadman's backlist, & thank you so much to Catherine Steadman, NetGalley & Ballantine Books for providing an ARC in exchange for a honest review!

The Family Game is really about all kinds of games a rich family plays with each other. The MC is incredibly naive. Does anyone really not know about Krampus? It’s incredibly weird. How she does not see what is right in front of her is a little shocking. She seems perfectly OK with overlooking a lot of red flags and outright evidence in order to marry into a rich family. It is really hard to feel sorry for her even as she races for her life.

You know those in laws? You know the ones. The ones that are just a few steps away from center? That family that is just a little too perfect, too rich, too private- weird.. add in a few billion dollars and this is Harry’s soon to be new family. Recently engages she is really getting to know edwards family. Something is just not right.
This was fun; and not the same story retold. I’ve got to go back and read mr nobody.

I LOVED THIS ONE!! I couldn’t put it down. I truly didn’t see the ending coming. The pace was great; the recording/transcript within the story was a nice touch. I loved the “games”, twisted as they were. This was dark and addictive, my favorite of this author so far.

I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

As someone who is still only just beginning to really dip her toes in the Thriller/Suspense genre, I have to say: This was such a fun thriller! From the very first page I was hooked— the premise feels fresh & original; I loved how atmospheric this book was. I think the author does a real great job of setting the scene for us. Harriet’s mounting confusion and fear is palpably felt as the story builds upon itself, and while yes, I did figure out a few (but certainly not all!) of the many twists early on, it didn’t even faze me because the journey getting to that point was a hell of a ride. This is my first time reading Steadman’s work & now it definitely isn’t going to be my last!