This book had a great premise, but just took way too long to get into it. I love a good thriller and the was the first I've tried by Catherine Steadman. I do know I'll have patrons I can recommend this one to.

Review of The Family Game by Catherine Steadman

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Whew! This one was a crazy ride! Crazy. It made my heart pound at times and I never guessed the completely ending at all. This is the best thriller I’ve read in a while.

Quick synopsis: Harriet is thrilled to be engaged to Edward and is nervous to meet his extremely successful and wealthy family.
She hits it off with the family immediately though they are all quite eccentric. But then her soon to be father in law gives her a cassette to listen to which changes everything. She’s suddenly in the middle of a very dangerous game playing with a family who loves their games.

What a crazy ride this book was! I went into this book completely blind and I was not expecting what I read at all.
First of all, I HIGHLY recommend this book on audio. Catherine Steadman narrates her own books and she always does a fantastic job. This is honestly one of the best audiobooks I’ve ever listened to.
I always love when a thriller captivates me from the first chapter and this one definitely did just that. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find out what would happens next. This story is a spooky, page-turning, psychological thriller that I couldn’t get enough of!

I really enjoyed this book. It took a while for me to get into it, but I did not see the twist coming. I liked the setting of the story and how it involves the 1 percent that most of us will never experience. I would recommend this book.

This book is one crazy ride. To start I really liked the main character. She's smart and relatable. The writing in this one was great and really flowed. I finished this one in two nights, staying up way too late. I will say that I could see the twist, or at least part of it, pretty early on but it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the story at all. If you're a fan of thrillers this one is worth checking out!

Harriet Reed has risen through a difficult childhood to write a thriller, she knew she had accomplished something. When that book became a bestseller, she knew she no longer had to worry about her future. And then she fell in love.

When Harriet met Edward Holbecks, she knew who he was. Everyone knows the Holbecks. They’re old money, like the Rockefellers and the Vanderbilts and the Gettys. Harriet didn’t really care about that. Edward wasn’t all that close to his family either. He had gone off on his own to form his own company instead of taking over the family company. But now, Harriet and Edward are moving to New York, Harriet moving from her home country of England and Edward moving back to the city he grew up in, and it’s time for Harriet to finally meet his family.

Edward is reluctant for Harriet to meet the family, as he knows that his family is difficult on anyone who is in a relationship with him or one of his siblings. But Harriet is courageous. She agrees to meet with his sister Matilda for tea, but then she realizes it’s the same day and time as her meeting with her publisher. Harry is supposed to be working on her latest novel, but she’s gotten a little stuck since moving to New York. She’d already pushed her deadline back, so she explains to Matilda’s assistant about the meeting. In mere moments, her editor calls her to reschedule their meeting. As Harriet is talking to her, she realizes that her editor works for a company that is owned by the Holbecks. So that’s how it’s going to be. Harriet agrees to meet Matilda for tea, on her terms.

Harriet is surprised to have a genuinely good time with Matilda. She finds her charming and thoughtful, so when Matilda invites her and Edward over for a family dinner soon. Harriet decides to say yes for them. Matilda is thrilled, as they were hoping that Edward moving back to New York meant that he would be back in the fold. It wasn’t until much later that day, when Harriet was talking to Edward on the phone about how the tea had gone, that he told her where she had fallen into the trap. The dinner Matilda had invited them to? It’s Thanksgiving. As a Brit, she had no idea.

In the run up to the Thanksgiving dinner, Harriet has to hunker down and finish her novel. But she also figures out that she’s pregnant. Edward is thrilled, and Harriet feels excited. She thinks that this may give her a little bit of power against any Holbecks who may not want her in the family. But when they show up for Thanksgiving, Harriet is met with warm welcomes and encouragement. And then Robert asks to speak to her alone.

Robert is Edward’s father, the patriarch. He is intimidating, but Harriet can’t help but feel an attraction to the power of the man. He gives her a microcassette, telling her that it is a book idea. But days later, when she’s finally able to locate a microcassette player she can use to listen to it, she realizes it’s not a book idea at all.

It’s a confession. To murder.

Harriet is stunned. Is it real? Is it just a story? Is Robert playing games with her? And what does this mean to her relationship with Edward, and for their child? She decides to research whether it’s possible if Robert’s story is real, and she finds herself drawn deeper into the stories he tells her. But by getting deeper into the story, she is getting deeper into his secrets. Will she be able to carry the weight of the family secrets, or will the family games be the end of her?

Bestselling thriller writer Catherine Steadman is back with The Family Game. The look inside this old money family, at all the advantages and burdens they have, is crazy. Watching the secrets unfold, wondering what was going to happen next, was fascinating. There is a lot of momentum in this book, and layers of lies to dig through in order to get to the truth.

I loved this book. Watching as Harriet wove herself deeper and deeper into the fabric of this family, into their secrets (bringing her own secrets in there too), kept me hooked into these characters’ lives. I could feel my own anxiety ratchet up as Harriet spent time with the Holbecks, and I wanted to reach out and pull her out. I couldn’t, of course. All I could do was keep reading, until the very last page. I have been a fan of Steadman since her first novel, and I think she just keeps getting better and better. The Family Game is exceptional, and I can’t wait for her next novel.

Egalleys for The Family Game were provided by Ballentine Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

It’s been awhile since I have read a GREAT thriller but that changed after reading The Family Game. This book was fast paced, intriguing and kept me on the edge of my seat. Once I started reading, I had an extremely hard time putting it down and may have stayed up a little too late to finish. I loved everything about this book and definitely look forward to reading more thrillers from this author!

This was a great read! I will be ordering for my library. Loved the main character, Harry -- somehow, this story felt real in spite of the "ultra rich 1 percent" perspective. Awesome plot!

3.5 ⭐️

While I mostly enjoyed this book, the first 60% of it was definitely not a thriller. Maybe a little bit of a mystery, but overall, a lot of background and build up for not a ton of payoff. The action was pretty good, but by the time it got there I feel like it was super rushed and could have played out longer.

I think this would be a good read for people who are new to reading thrillers, but it was a little predictable for me towards the end.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Okay so. I really like the ~idea of this one. I think it’s an interesting concept and the story itself was quite good.

But y’all. The main character was so *painfully* dumb that it made this a less than enjoyable read. Half the book was just unnecessary because the main character couldn’t use her brain for five minutes to do what any rational person would’ve. (Just finish the whole tape????? It’s not that hard??? Everything you’re wondering is on there; I promise.)

But here's what frustrated me most: First of all. Harry not listening to the whole tape. ....What? It absolutely infuriated me that she spent so long looking for the nanny when she did not need to. I also couldn't even figure out how she guessed it was the nanny? I immediately assumed the blonde was a girlfriend and went back and read a chunk to see why she thought it was the nanny. I couldn't figure it out. And then she learned exactly nothing from the nanny?? So the whole process of finding her and talking to her is about 50 pages that are TOTALLY UNNECESSARY to this story.

What I wish would've happened with this story is that she would've listened to the whole tape in one go and then the rest of the book would've been just a giant mind game with Robert where he maybe asked her to do some strange things. Instead this was just a scavenger hunt for information that Harry ALREADY HAD IN HER POSSESSION but was too dumb to actually find. Oh and she's supposed to be a thriller writer?!? So that's extra bad????? She writes thrillers but can't be bothered to complete obvious, simple tasks? I never, ever want to read a thriller she's written.

Anyway. If this had been approached a bit differently, I think I would’ve liked it more? But the more I read and the more I put actual thought into it, the less I liked this. I just can’t get past a dumb main character. It makes for a really frustrating, predictable read.

But. That being said. The ending was… a lot but it almost made up for the painful middle chunk? So I don’t know. This was a confusing, frustrating experience. I liked some things but some parts of this were just so… bad. I’m mostly glad to be done and moving on to other things.

I have enjoyed other books by this author so I’ll still keep her on my radar and pick up her future efforts. But unfortunately this was just a miss for me.

Anyway, thank you to NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review!

I really like this author and was excited to receive this ARC! Unlike her others, this one took me a minute to get into. Once I did, I could barely put it down. Harriet is marrying into a super-rich, EXTREMELY dysfunctional family, and they like to play The Family Game. And let's just leave it at that. I appreciated the different storyline and fast pace. The only things I didn't like were the slow start and Harriet took a bit to get into. Kind of bland but she grew on me. Overall, a really entertaining read.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Catherine Steadman and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

What's it about (in a nutshell):
The Family Game by Catherine Steadman is a psychological thriller about a wealthy family that enjoys its secrets and games.

Initial Expectations (before beginning the book):
I know this book is a psychological/domestic thriller, so I'm hoping for a fast-paced story that will shock me with surprising twists and turns.

Actual Reading Experience:
I hardly know what to say about The Family Game. It's so dark and disturbing that it genuinely leaves me speechless. Have you ever read The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell? You may have read it in school. I know I did. In it, a big game hunter ends up on an island where he becomes the hunted. Give that story a family twist and a different setting, and you will have something close to The Family Game.

It's the story of a wealthy family and the games they like to play – games that definitely have a substantial element of darkness that will make you wonder about each and every family member. The games are what make the pace explode until you can't turn the pages fast enough to see if anyone makes it through the games alive.

The writing homes in on just the right elements of suspense and describes them in such a way that I felt I was there watching it all unfold. Safely and from a distance, of course, because you couldn't have paid me any amount of money to play. There are some gaps in the plot, but with everything going on, I didn't think twice about ignoring them and just following the story where it took me.

There are surprising twists and turns as well, which I always love. I didn't expect the story to turn out as it did. I wasn't sure how this tale would turn out at any point, and I just let the story happen. I always enjoy a thriller more when I take this reading stance, and it didn't let me down this time.

Characters:
Harry (Harriet) is an author who writes psychological or domestic thrillers, as near as I can tell. She was orphaned as a child and lived a very independent life as an adult. She has no family, so when she meets and falls in love with Edward, she can't wait to meet and be part of his rather large one. Harry is likable even though she mentions that she's keeping secrets more than once. Character development is non-existent in this story, so I never felt like I knew her or any of the other characters very well.

Narration & Pacing:
The story is told in first-person narration by Harry, which works well. She keeps her own secrets from the reader and doesn't know everyone else's secrets. So, the reader gets to experience those revelations as Harry does.

The pace is rapid, and the plot is focused. It definitely could and should be called a page-turner because those pages do turn quickly. I enjoyed the pace most of all the aspects of note in this book.

Setting:
The setting is New York, with most of the story happening at the Holbeck's family estate outside the city. With the estate set up as it was with a maze and plenty of nooks and crannies, it was perfect for a story about dangerous family games.

Read it if you like:
• Disturbing domestic/psychological thrillers
• Fast-Paced stories
• Shocking twists and turns
• The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell

I was excited to be reading some fiction after a trinary reading spell of unpleasant nonfiction. I knew Catherine Steadman was a Reese’s Book Club author for Something in the Water so although I haven’t read it yet her new book The Family Game caught my eye. I was looking forward to a thriller and this book no doubt delivered thrilling content.

This book revolves around a British author Harriet who is newly engaged to Edward, a member of one of the most prestigious American old money families. This book kind of gave me The Gilded Age vibes as I imagined the Holbecks, but the similarities mostly stop there. The Holbecks have some really interesting and bizarre family traditions. This book is set near the holidays mostly from Thanksgiving to Christmas and the weird games that the family plays in honor of these events.

This book was definitely suspenseful but some of the content was just so outlandish it was hard to imagine it being real and therefore wasn’t as convincing. The twist wasn’t quite so obvious until the end and did keep me guessing a while so I was definitely invested in the mystery element but some of the drama was just due to these ridiculous scenarios.

Also, I found the narrator, Harriet, to be kind of blah and boring. She didn’t have a huge personality that really captivated me. I always find it funny how many characters are authors in books. I get that people write what they know but doesn’t anyone ever want to get creative? This character was especially meta as she was writing a thriller about the family which was exactly what we were reading.

All in all this book did bring me out of my funk and I enjoyed it overall, it just didn’t have a five star quality to it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an ARC of this book.

Playing games with family is fun, right?

Harry, a novelist and her finance, Edward, a successful businessman are happy together. They each have a bright future career wise and look forward to the years to come as a couple. So, it is only natural that Edward would want Harry to meet his family - the Holbecks. Yes, those Holbecks! The family that is the epidemy of old money in America. They have power and can pull whatever strings they want or need pulled. They have their hands in everything and leave no stone left unturned. Their wealth is immense, and Edward is going to inherit everything! Naturally, they would want to know more about the woman Edward is going to marry.

The family welcomes Harry into their fold. Sure, they are a little intense, but Harry can live with that. Then Edward's father asks for a private meeting and gives Harry a shocking and disturbing cassette tape. Why?

Then there are the games. This family is not the board game playing family. Their games are quite different. Games where the stakes are high and there is only one winner.

With a writing deadline looming and Christmas coming, Harry is feeling the pressure. Plus, let’s not forget that cassette tape and the annual family tradition...

This book was a pleasant surprise. I read the book in one day and enjoyed how everything played out from the cassette tape to the interactions with Edward's family. This one kept me on my toes and just when I thought I had things figured out, I was hit with a twist and a reveal. This one goes a little (maybe more than a little) over the top but that is what makes this book fun and hard to put down. I just had to know what was going to happen next!

Fun, full of tension, hard to put down and over the top! An engaging read from cover to cover!

I loved Catherine Steadman's Something in the Water and when my wish was granted for The Family Game, I knew I would love it. What an incredibly twisted story. It had all the elements I love. Incredible suspense, a bit of horror, a dark family secret (or in this case multiple), and a huge family estate. Oh, and an author as the main character.

Each chapter will leave you wanting to move on to the next. There was even one particular scene that I found myself actually scared (if you've read it, you probably know) and I don't scare easily. Steadman's writing brought the characters and scenes to life.

I highly recommend this book!

Thank you Random House - Ballantine and NetGalley for the eARC!
4.5/5 stars

Things are looking bright for British novelist Harriet (Harry) Reed. Her first book is a big hit, and she is close to finishing her second one. Living in New York City, she's head over heels in love with Edward Holbeck, one of the most eligible and wealthy bachelors. Once the couple gets engaged, it is time to meet Edward's uber-wealthy family. Having a family is something Harry craves as she lost both parents in an accident when she was 11 years old. The initial meeting goes well. The Holbecks seem to be not as scary or off-putting as Harry had feared. She even connects with patriarch Robert, who has a difficult relationship with Edward. But Harry soon learns that Edward’s family has a rather unusual holiday tradition of playing games that she needs to participate in. Forget charades. These are odd, scary and possibly dangerous games. As she gets sucked into this strange family’s world, she starts to learn some of their dark secrets, and she fears her own secrets might also get revealed. Let the cat and mouse games begin.

The Family Game is a creative psychological thriller with effective twists and turns. Its author, Catherine Steadman, is also an acclaimed actress and her writing style has a cinematic feel. The action plays out like a tense movie. This is the third book I've read from Steadman, and it is my favorite. It's fast-paced and loaded with suspense. Harry is a very smart, likable character and one to root for as her fairy tale starts falling apart. I enjoyed this hard-to-put-down book.

It takes a bit at the beginning to get interesting, but once it really starts, it doesn't let up. I love how tense this is!

This is without a doubt the most intense psychological thriller I've read this year.

I can't count the times I was shocked by the absolutely masterful storytelling in this book. It took me from one end of the spectrum to the other and back again, I loved it.

Reading this book felt like something from the golden age of film, some moments felt like they had been touched by Christie or Hitchcock, it's stunning and left me wanting more.

Our characters all have a past, one marred by life, love, tragedy, and deceit. It builds who they are and why they do the things they do.

Harry (Harriet) and Edward seem like they're the perfect couple, but as we all know perfection is almost always an illusion.

Through ups and downs that would have broken some people, they both made it through and found each other. However, we must always remember most fairytales are things of nightmares in the beginning and their story is no exception.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for providing an advance copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Love that I didn’t see the twist coming! Super easy to read, effortless, easy to recommend! Stedman does it again!

One of the things I find myself thinking after finishing this story is if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is, which is mostly what happens here. Harry is doing well with writing and publishing best-selling novels and has moved from Europe to New York for the man she loves and is hoping to marry. Edward is the heir to a huge fortune as a son in a vastly wealthy family and Harry can't believe he picked her, loves her, and wants to marry her. She, of course, has a secret of her own that she doesn't want him to know either though, but little does she know the secrets that his family holds.
This was a thrilling read. It was an intense psychological thriller, and while it had some twists and turns, I kind of guessed and knew what they were. I knew when the pieces fit together what was happening and I was torn about how I felt about Harry because when I started reading the story; I liked her, but then I found out about her history and questioned her character. I'm still not sure how I feel about her with her past and with what happens, but then this story is very much out of the ordinary for what would normally happen when you meet, get engaged, and plan to marry the guy of your dreams.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine Books for letting me read and review this enticing and edge-of-your-seat thriller. All thoughts and opinions are my own.