So far, I haven’t read anything by Catherine Steadman that I didn’t like. I just finished The Family Game and it’s pretty great! This author is becoming a favorite of mine.

I went into this one not having any idea what it was about. It gave me serious Ready or Not movie vibes at the beginning, and also closer to the end. The movie is crazy and so is this book.

I really liked Harry’s character. She’s a tough cookie, especially with all she has to deal with in this family. The suspense about the games played throughout the book had me on the edge of my seat!

I thought the pacing was fast and exciting. This book has shorter (titled!) chapters that kept me wanting to read just a little longer.

I’m not sure all of it was believable, but it is a fun read!

This book is great! The secrets, the red herrings, and the spooky atmosphere were all so amazing. The plot was completely different than what I was used to and at times I felt that “The Family Games” was obnoxious and repulsive by what the family required but I loved every minute of this book. The ending was so unexpected and cleaver! This family is nothing like my family, thank goodness! I Highly recommend this book!

Thank you Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the complimentary ebook in return for my honest review!

Rated this 4.5 stars but rounds up to 5 stars on Goodreads.

Will post my review on Instagram (thriller_book_sisters) on 10/17/22.

(ARC for Net Galley): overall a good thriller, but took a second to get into the story! I kept wondering when this was going to turn thriller and the introduction of the tapes about a third of the way through finally did just that. While I didn’t suspect the ending.. it did seem a little more thriller and crazy than mystery, and because of that sometimes almost unbelievable. But all in all, still a good story! It also ended more abruptly than I would have liked.

Thank you NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy of The Family Game by Catherine Steadman in exchange for my honest review.

I just finished reading this book and am at a loss for words, but in a good way. Although the first 25% of The Family Game was a bit slow for me, it picked up after that, and I wasn't sure where the book was going. I was taken on a ride, and the ending took me by surprise . . . I didn't see it coming at all. I would love a sequel, but if there isn't one, I am completely happy with the way it ended. This is book is a great combination of suspense and horror. Five out of five stars.

Ohhhh, I wanted to love this so bad. For the first 65-70%, it felt a bit disjointed. A lot of Harry’s thoughts and not a ton happening that was interesting enough. Like, stuff happened but I’d have preferred to hear more about them than her thoughts over and over.

Around the 70% mark, my interested started picking up. At like 80% in, I was hooked. Then it started waning again around 90%, with just a bit left to go.

Overall, I loved the idea. I’ve loved Steadman’s books in the past. This one didn’t do it for me the way I’d hoped, but I DO see it as something many would love.

British author Harriet "Harry" Reed's life is going amazingly well. Her first novel is a runaway bestseller, and she's recently relocated to New York City to live with her boyfriend, Edward Holbeck, heir to a powerful family's massive fortune. After Edward proposes, Harriet finds herself thrust into the influential Holbeck family's orbit, drawn into their holiday gatherings and the annual games they play at Thanksgiving, Krampusnacht, and Christmas.

But the Holbecks are a not an ordinary family, and these aren't ordinary games. When Edward's father gives her a cassette tape with explosive contents, Harriet realizes she has no choice but to play the game -- or suffer deadly consequences. After all, the Holbecks aren't the only ones with secrets to protect...

The Family Game is quite a wild ride, and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Stories about uber rich, old money families behaving badly have started to become a common theme in contemporary fiction, but Catherine Steadman's take on this plot feels entirely original. I was immediately sucked into Harry's world, following her down the rabbit hole of the Holbeck family's eccentric, sinister, twisted traditions. I did guess the twist, but that didn't do anything to lessen my enjoyment of the journey there; I was on the edge of my seat the entire way through this book, eager to see how it would all play out. This is a book I think would translate very well into a movie, and I'd loved to see it optioned. Not surprisingly, given her background in the entertainment industry, Steadman's writing is propulsive, cinematic, and rich with atmosphere.

This is a book that requires you to suspend your disbelief; the concept itself is unnecessarily convoluted, and a high tolerance for characters making dumb decisions for the sake of the plot is required. But if you can do that, you'll be rewarded with a fun, tension-filled read that'll add some thrills to your holiday reading list. As for my family, we'll be sticking with our traditional Uno at Christmas rather than taking a page from the Holbecks' book. 3.5 stars.

The Family Game is yet another book about rich people behaving badly, and the poor/middle class people who get caught up in their depravity. In much the same way as a supposedly-autobiographical book is given to the main character in Verity, the protagonist (also a young, female author) is given a cassette that just may be a murder confession. Fans of this particular sub-genre of thriller may enjoy this book, but I'm sort of over the rich people as evildoers trope... Unless it's done in a particularly clever way, as in the criminally-underread Good Rich People.

Slow burn read! This book had a lot of potential but the characters seem so dull. Harriet was such a boring lead character, I didn’t find her that much interesting. The big reveal was way too easy to predict. This one just wasn’t for me.

Harriet Reed, a successful novelist, is freshly engaged to Edward Holbeck, the eldest son of an extremely powerful family. After a year of dating in their own blissful bubble, it’s time to meet the infamous Holbeck family, and boy is there a lot to learn about this ultra-wealthy family and its history. Harry gets the chance to meet the family at Thanksgiving, where they welcome her into their lavish home instantly. Edward's father, Robert, gives her a cassette tape and urges her to listen to it, insinuating it’s a novel he’s been working on. As she listens, she discovers this is far from a novel, rather a confession uncovering shocking truths, but doesn’t finish the tape before the family games begin.

Though this took a while to pick up the pace, but once it did, I couldn’t put it down! It was about halfway through before the action really started rolling, along with all the wild events I would have never seen coming. The family in this story was absolutely bonkers, and without giving anything away, I was completely shocked at how normal everyone thought all these games were. Was there plot holes? Sure. Could Harry have handled things differently? Ab-so-freakin-lutely! That said, this was still a great novel with a very unique storyline and if you’re looking for an action packed, unexpected ride, I highly suggest this book! I’ll definitely be looking into more of this author’s work.

“The Family Game” by Catherine Steadman is a psychological thriller that had me hooked from the beginning! Harriet’s fiancé is part of a very prominent family and he is set to inherit everything. His family invites Harriet to glamorous dinners and welcomes her into the family. However, her future father in law slips her a cassette tape in secret one evening, and everything changes. What ensues is Harriet’s quest for the truth, family secrets and dangerous games. Thank you so much NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!

Thank you Net Galley for an ARC of The Family Game by Catherine Steadman. Wow! This was a sit-on-the-edge-of- your-seat thriller. It will go down as one of my all faves. It is an original well thought thriller. I loved it so much!

This book had me on the edge of my seat from the very first page to the final sentence. I absolutely love this wild and twisty ride!

When Harriet, who’s hiding a very dangerous secret of her own, falls in love with and agrees to marry the charming Edward Holbeck, she thinks she’s getting a chance at a fresh start and future along with the family she’s longed for since losing hers to a tragic accident. However, what she didn’t know about this notoriously wealthy, powerful and mysterious family, was that she was also agreeing to their timeless tradition of family games-which turn out to be more sinister than meets the eye and just may put her in a position to have to fight for her very life.

From the elite and luxurious New York setting, the atmospheric Holbeck mansion dubbed The Hydes, the twisted characters with their deadly secrets, and the sinister yet utterly fascinating time-honored family games , it truly all came together to create one fantastically thrilling and unforgettable read! I honestly couldn’t put it down. As an avid thriller reader, The Family Game felt fresh and exciting and I loved everything about it, especially as the conclusion drew near and secrets were finally revealed. Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine books for this gifted eARC copy! I will be recommending this one to all!

You know books that you just can’t put down because you need to know how it all ends? That’s exactly how I felt for about the final third of The Family Game.

The novel starts on Christmas day with our protagonist coming to, faced down on the floor. From there, we are taken back in time to where our story begins. Harriet, or Harry as she is known to friends, is an author coming off a successful first novel and working to meet her deadline for her second. She’s found love with Edward Holbeck, the eldest son of one of America’s wealthiest families. When Harry finally meets the Holbecks, she is gifted a mysterious cassette tape from Edward’s father, Robert. Once Harry begins to listen to the tape, her world is rocked as she learns more and more about the Holbeck’s secrets. She continues to dig for the truth as the tape continues to unveil new information right up until Christmas at the Holbeck family’s remote estate. Once the Christmas Eve family game is afoot, Harry must work out the clues left by Robert before it’s too late. This isn’t just any game… Harry’s own secrets and her life are both on the line.

I believe this is Catherine Steadman’s best book thus far and it really had me flying through to figure out how everything would be wrapped up. This is a solid psychological thriller, very easy to read, and a pretty unique premise. If you’re looking for a book that will have you on your toes from the jump, I would add this to your list. Thank you to Random House – Ballantine and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC.

Not my favorite Catherine Steadman book but still good!

It was a slow burn book but very good. I didn’t love the ending but overall it kept my attention. It wasn’t as thrilling as her other books.

Overall, a good quick read

Catherine Steadman delivers another interesting thriller. The concept is unique as I've found most of her books to be. Harriet (aka Harry) is about to marry into Edward's family. The novel takes place during the holidays where she gathers with Edward's family. His family has these holiday games that are not for the queasy! A definite page turner!

The thrill of this cat n’ mouse, blackmail, murder filled book had everything my f’d up heart desires.

Harriet “Harry”, an author of thriller novels finds herself in love with an extremely wealthy man. This wealthy man, Edward, has a wealthy family, probably one of the wealthiest in the world. Not a bad family to be marrying into and having a child in their bloodline…or is it?

This family gathers on holidays, like most normal families, but what they do to celebrate these holidays is the furthest thing from normal.

They play games and not in the fun sense we did as kids, these games are dangerous and can be deadly.

The body count in this story climbs as you try to discover who in this family is actually the criminal, while Harry is hiding some secrets of her own as well.

It seems like no one can be trusted, and everyone has something to hide, but I guess that is what comes with wealth. Money can cover up anything.

If you need an exciting thriller, with deadly cat and mouse vibes mixed with house vibes and mazes straight out of The Shining, give this a read.

The first half of this was completely uninteresting. It took way too long to get going, and once it did... it was pretty much nonsense. The second half flies by, and I read it all as I was supposed to be sleeping, but it was ultimately underwhelming and, honestly, stupid. I saw the "twist" coming from a mile away, and the way Harry keeps listening to the confessional tape in tiny chunks over the course of a few weeks is insane and existed only for the author's convenience.

🏰📼 The Family Game by Catherine Steadman 🔥🎧

H’s Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

👉🏼 Publishes 10/18

Genre: Mystery/Thriller
⚠️ TW: Death of parents, murder, mentioning of abortion, mentioning of several weapons

📖 Read if you like…
✍🏼 Unreliable future in-laws
🤫 Family secrets
♟️ Weird family holiday games
❄️ Winter thrillers
💵 Wealthy characters
📺 Dynasty tv series

💭 H’s Thoughts:
This thriller was more of a 🔥 slow burn 🔥, but once it picked up, I could. not. put. it. down!!!! I couldn’t trust anyone, and I had no idea how it would end. This thriller was original and different from others that I have read! I really enjoyed it, and I would definitely recommend it!

Thank you to Random House - Ballantine and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

*I will be posting my review on pub day, 10/18/22. I will update this review with the links to my Instagram and GoodReads reviews once they are posted.

Would you marry into a old money incredibly wealthy family if you had to put up with bizarre mind games and sinister secrets? “Sure!” That’s what our odd main character Harriet says.

The Family Game revolves around a young couple and the dude’s ultra rich, connected, & dangerously crazy family. They are like a totally new level of looney…and they just wanna play with Harriet, that’s all!

Catherine Steadman, you tease! 😜 The author hints at the main character’s dark past SO much, and as a reader, I couldn’t help but wonder… WTF happened?! What are the skeletons in Harry’s closet?! I just had to know about the MCs troubled past. Also, what is up with this family?!

My hang ups with this book that keep it from being 5 stars are that the dialogue felt unnatural at times, or maybe I just didn’t mesh with the main character’s way of conversing? Idk. It felt weird, though. I also did not like how Harriet went about things & her choices really irritated me. I was not rooting for her as much as I was rolling my eyes at her decisions. I also didn’t feel any chemistry between Harriet and her fiancé, Edward, at all. 🫠 I tried to find it, it wasn’t there. If there had been more if a connection in her part I think it would have been impactful in the end.

However, the suspense and wackiness of this thriller kept me engaged and I overall enjoyed the story for what it was: entertainment. There is little to no depth here, but it doesn’t really matter because the mystery element kept me wanting to keep turning the pages. I love a book that can make me yearn for answers!

Wow! This was one heck of a wild ride. Although I have never been on a roller coaster, I imagine I would feel like I did while reading this book - on the edge of my seat, heart in my throat, dizzy and waiting for the final drop.

First and foremost, I must commend Catherine Steadman for the incredible job she did narrating her own work. I have listened to professional narrators not do as great a job as she did. Kudos to her in helping to bring her own story to life. It easily took what was a 3.5 read for me, into a 4 star story.

The authors prose was phenomenal and really set the tone and the atpmosphere in such a way that I was able to feel as though I was a part of it, espcially during the Krampusnacht celebration and Christmas Eve scavenger hunt. I felt all of the fear our MC did as she struggled to figure out what was happening. The character development was good, at least in relation to Harry’s character and what motivates her. I would have liked a little more from some of the supporting characters, though I think the author did this intentionaly to not take away from the whodunnit aspect.

My primary criticsms with this this story are the disappearance of a potentially major plot point and leaving other elements unexplained which caused the ending to fizzle out a bit for me. There was a major element to the story presented to us towads the beginning of the book, that would have significantly changed the conclusion; however, Steadman drops it without expaining why. In addition, there is a pivotal piece of information that is discovered by several characters, however, how this information was obtained was never fully examined which left me frustrated.

This was still an enjoyable thriller, made even more enjoyable via the author narrated audiobook, and perfect for this time of year.

Read if you like:
•psychological thrillers
•domestic suspense
•atmospheric reads
•cat and mouse plots
•single pov

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for an ARC of this book, and PRH Audio for the ALC of it in exchange for my honest review.