Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Catherine Steadman's The Family Game kept me hooked from start to finish. I was expecting a good thriller after reading Something in the Water last month, but this exceeded my expectations. When Harriet (Harry) gets engaged to her boyfriend Edward, it's time for her to meet his billionaire family. Little does she know, the family is prone to playing brutal, psychological games to vet new blood. When Edward's father shares a secret cassette tape with a shocking confession on it, the game becomes more than just psychological - it's life or death.

I loved the concept of this entire book. At times it was plain unbelievable, but it worked! I thought the conversations between Harriet and Edward's family, especially his father Robert were fascinating, and the build up to Harriet's back story was intriguing. The games were so interesting, especially Krampus - it was so creepy! I guessed the twist but it was still exciting to see it all unfold.

I did think that 11 was maybe a little young to have done what Harriet did (summarizing to avoid spoilers) but maybe not. 'I also thought too much time was spent on Harriet's writing and how the book tied to the family - ultimately nothing came of it, so it felt like a lot of build up for nothing.

Overall it was a great read, very quick start to finish. I'll continue reading Steadman's books!

The Family Game was a fast paced thriller and a really fun ride! Harriet, Harry, is a British author who finds herself marrying into America's extremely wealthy Holbeck family. Her fiancé Edward, hadn't been in contact with his old money family for awhile, but after the engagement, both Edward and Harry become entangled back in with the family. Harry is drawn to Robert Holbeck, the family patriarch, and it seems he is equally drawn to her and has a special message only she can figure out. Over the course of the holidays, and some seriously creepy family games, Harry finally comes face to face with the truth of the Holbeck family and is also made to face her own truths from her past. This book flew by and is a perfect fall and holiday thriller. I haven't read Steadman since "Something in the Water," but this definitely makes me want to go back and revisit the rest of her backlist.

This was a fantastic read!

Harriet Reed aka Harry just found out her book is about to hit the million dollar selling mark! Everything in her life is finally coming together. She moved from London to NY to be with her love. Edward Holbeck. Edward is from generations of wealth, left his family to make his mark on his own. Harry finds out she is with child and being without a family she is so excited to create a family with Edward as well as get to know his family.

Be careful what you wish for!

Harry has a secret in her past that haunts her and will ruin her if it comes out. The Holbecks have hidden secrets too and upon meeting them Harry is about to go down that rabbit hole that puts her life in a crazy horrible spin.

This is a wonderful book for those that love a good fast paced thriller.

Thank you NetGalley for the digital copy in return for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for sending me an eARC of this book! Harriet Reed is drawn into the Holbeck family's "games," which are really more trauma inducing. I thought this was a pretty mediocre thriller. I pretty much saw the plot twist coming, and then it only lasted like two pages, and then the book was over. It was a super interesting idea but it just wasn't executed how it could have been.

Definitely could be a fun thriller for the Christmas season! It had really good spooky moments and the twist took me by surprise.

Harriet (Harry) Reed is newly engaged to Edward Holbeck, heir to an incredibly wealthy, old-money America, sort of family. Despite their year-or-so long relationship, she’s never met his family, as he’d branched out from his family to forge his own way. But with their upcoming nuptials, Ed figures that maybe it’s time to reconnect, and introduce his new fiancée to his family.

And if Harry was concerned about becoming involved with the Holbeck’s before, it’s nothing compared to after their meeting. She wasn’t expecting these weird games, or the puzzles that the enigmatic family patriarch sends her way. And she certainly wasn’t expecting that ending. And, to be honest, neither was I.

Absolutely devoured this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for the ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I read so much, and mostly mysteries, that it's refreshing to find an original story. I've enjoyed a couple of Steadman's previous books and this one knocks it out of the park. Although wonderfully written, giving this 4 stars instead of 5 only due to a bit of a slow start. Once you've hit the one-third point, though, you won't be able to put it down. Harriet (Harry) is someone you root for, even after learning her deep, dark secret. Red herrings along the way keep you guessing till the end. Highly recommend.

I have a lot of thoughts about this one - it went so so fast my mind was spinning and my heart was racing the entire time!!! 🤯

I love a good family closed door thriller, like there’s nothing better than reading about families that are crazier than yours 🤪 (jk, but not really)

harry is marrying into one of the richest families in the world 🤠 so basically she’s living my dream LOL and when she first meets her fiancé’s family, she knows not all is as it seems … (not my dream anymore)

the mystery intertwined back and forth between a bunch of mysterious deaths involving the father of the family, a secret harry’s been keeping for years, and dangerous games that are WAY more than just games. and still, she stays - like girl, I’d be out of there so fast before frickin krampus showed up 👀

literally yes, the actual krampus shows up and chases the kids and harry around the house …

SO, some parts were a bit unbelievable, and yes, I did guess the major plot twist pretty early on so that was a lil let down for me 🥴 it felt more like a YA/NA type thriller to me, so those that are new to the thriller genre will most likely eat this one up!

thank you to netgalley and simon and schuster for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! this one’s out in time for spooky season 👻

rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: california zinfandel

This book reminded me of one of my favorite indie thrillers named “Ready or not!” At that movie: new bride finds herself a very deadly cat-mouse game at the mansion of her family in law.The first meeting of bestselling novelist Harry (Harriet)Reed and uber wealthy Edward Holbeck is ‘grate’ but will their blossoming romance be ‘The Fairytale of New York’ or ‘American Psycho’? His family are quite something, think Vanderbilt or Rockefeller, so can you imagine the weakness in the knees when first meeting them? This book started off with a bang and kept me on the edge of my seat all the way through. I’ve never read this authors books but now am intrigued for more.

This story about a woman who finally meets her fiance's wealthy family with a slew of family secrets is a wild ride. There are several twists, and it was a really fun read. It is 0% believeable, but that made for a great story.

Another gripping thriller from Catherine Steadman. Orphaned Harry (Harriet) Reed has always been haunted by an event from her childhood. When she moves to NYC to start a new life, she meets Edward and begins to see a glimmer of hope that she may find a "family" to belong to after all. However, the more Harry gets to know the family, the more questions and concerns she beings to have.

This one was good and hard to put down!

Thank to Negalley for the e-ARC. This book was steady steady and then BOOM!!!! and I was here for it. Talk about dysfunctional family. I loved how the ending was wrapped into a nice little bow and all my questions were answered. No more family games for me lol

Thanks to NetGalley for the gifted copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The family game is the third Catherine Steadman boom I’ve read and it’s been the best of the three. In the Family Game, Harriet has fallen in love and is engaged to Edward. Edward is too good to be true, he is a better than fiction dream come to life. Coming home to meet his family for the first time, Harry is concerned that she is not what they’ve pictured, but mostly she’s worried that he secret she’s kept hidden for so long will threaten this new, shiny life that she’s worked so hard to build with the man of her dreams.
The family game is a wonderfully delightful thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end!

The Family Game is fast-paced, fun and addictive to read. Harriet is a crime writer who follows her partner Edward to New York and is then faced with the terrifying prospect of meeting his family, the extremely wealthy Holbeck's who have a reputation for being very intimidating. This was certainly a twist on the typical meet the in-laws dynamic! The situation starts spiralling for Harriet when Edward's father asks her to give her opinion on a crime novel he has written, but as she listens to a tape recording of the story, she realises that he might actually be confessing to murder. Harriet has to decide what to do with this information - does she go to the police and possibly take down one of the wealthiest and well-known families in America, or does she keep quiet and play the game? A really enjoyable thriller with an unusual and memorable storyline - if you like thrillers with a focus on family secrets and dysfunctional relationships, this is definitely the book for you!

Let me start by saying that I don’t really like thrillers. I read Cat Steadman’s “Something in the Water” a few years back and really liked it, so when I saw this title I thought I’d give it a try.

The Family Game is about a writer named Harriet who is engaged to a man from a family with old money. With that kind of money comes power and secrets. But Harriet hides secrets of her own. Can she and her relationship survive the tests this family puts her through?

I liked that Steadman keeps the plot moving at a pretty steady pace as the reader gets down to the bottom of what’s happening. At first I wasn’t quite sure where the story was going but quickly got on board. This book is super creepy and has a couple of wild scenes. The ending is action packed!

There were a couple of pieces of the story that I thought the book could have completely done without but they are mild spoilers. They didn’t take away from the book as a whole but they also left me wondering where that plot line went or why it was included.

I found the book fairly entertaining and would genuinely continue reading more of Catherine Steadman’s books!

Catherine never let's you down with a twisty turny thriller. This one is a little different than her others but I still loved it.

Wow!!!!!
Wow!!!!
Seriously! Wow!
This is probably the best thriller I've ever read!
I seriously had absolutely no idea where this book was going!
You think you do, then you don't.
You absolutely DO NOT!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book.

Harriet Reed is a writer from England who ends up moving to the United States after falling in love with Edward Holbeck, an American business man who is part of one of the richest families in America. Harriet accepts Edwards marriage proposal and is thrust into the family right around the holidays which can be very overwhelming for her. The Holbeck family loves to play there games and Harry has to join in order to be "approved" into the family. These are not ordinary games and Harry finds out that there is more than meets the eye when it comes to this family. It is up to her to figure it out before her own secret is discovered by the family.

I have never read anything by Catherine Steadman before but I really enjoyed this thriller. I did not see the ending coming but it did not come out of left field either. Just be aware that this is a slow burn thriller where you really learn about the characters and what motivates them. I usually enjoy faster paced thrillers, but I did love the character development in this one. If you like thrillers, then I highly recommend picking this book up.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.**

Huge amount of thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for an advance copy of this book!
This has been on my radar for awhile, and let me tell y’all, it does not disappoint!
Harry’s life is finally almost perfect. She’s a best selling author living in New York with her perfect fiancée . He’s handsome, kind, extremely wealthy, and loves her.
As Harry meets his infamous and eccentric family, she’s drawn to his father and the hints of deep family secrets. She’s determined to figure it all out while maintaining her relationship and status within the family.
The more Harry uncovers, the more she discovers about the family she’s joining and the danger that lies ahead for her.
Y’all! I flew through this one in 2 days! Hooked from the beginning and the complex twists and turns kept me guessing and wanting more. Publication day is October 18 and this is a perfect spooky season read!

This book was all you ask for in a thriller - very twisty and a bit of a nightmare-inducing story around family! I really loved Catherine Steadman’s other books (The Disappearing Act and Something In the Water) and both kept me guessing but this one was a bit easier to figure out. It was a page turner but I think having loved her earlier novels, my expectations were on the high side! Still highly enjoyable and I’d recommend checking out! ❤️📚