I kept trying to guess where this story was going to go, and I just couldn’t! My mind is still trying to wrap around the ending. Overall, I loved this story; as already mentioned, I couldn’t guess the twists and turns of the story. It was a bit slow for me at the beginning, but around 1/4 of the way through I couldn’t put it down.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for the eARC!

“The game gives us a chance to rebalance the scales, once a year, to rectify the power balance in the family."

WOW this book was everything I was hoping it would be. If you liked the movies "Ready or Not" and "Knives Out" then this one is for you! I enjoyed this wild ride so much and loved the ending. This book starts out at a pretty slow paced, but picks up in the middle... by the end you will be skimming ahead to figure out what is going to happen.

I loved Something in the Water. I really enjoyed this one too.

The writing is great; it was a slow creepy burner of a story. Not a lot took place until the end, but when it did it had me on the edge of my seat! The conclusion is wild. I’m not sure how I really feel about it but I can’t stop thinking about it that’s for sure.

I will look forward to this author’s next story. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for a copy in exchange for a review.

Thank you to Ballantine Books via Netgalley for the widget to read and review! (my first ever granted wish so this was exciting! lol!) Pub date: 18 Oct 2022

SOLID thriller, IMO. 4+ stars from me.

Wow! This was quite the ride. The "games" the Holbeck family play are more like the stuff of your nightmares. Harriet "Harry" Reed is engaged to the eldest Holbeck son, Edward. As the holidays approach the Holbeck family invites Harry to their family events: Thanksgiving dinner, Krampusnacht and Christmas weekend at their massive upstate NY home (a.k.a. Castle) "The Hydes." Harry seemed, to me, like a character that didn't scare easily and wasn't going to take shit from anyone -- while also walking the line of wanting Edward's family to like her. The Games are set in motion when Edward's father gives Harry a cassette tape claiming he wants her to listen to the book he has written. That isn't what is on the tape and Harry realizes she is in way over her head with Robert Holbeck.

I really enjoyed this story. The storyline progressed at a nice pace. The chapters were short enough to keep me turning pages in a rush. And the descriptions of scenes were great. I found myself a little scared of the Krampus right along with Harry! And felt the nervous energy whenever she was in the same room as Robert. The Holbeck family is straight up crazy. They are wild. While I guessed the big twist about halfway through (it was just a good guess, I'd say) the story still kept me going and questioning if I was thinking correctly. Several twisty moments towards the end too. I saw some reviews mention that the ending was OTT and while I agree it was, I felt it played out how it had to.

I've liked all of Catherine Steadman's novels so far - they're good thrillers without being too dark - so was really pleased to receive a review copy of her latest. The Family Game is all about Harriet "Harry" Reed, a novelist who will soon be marrying into a very wealthy American family, the Holbecks. There's definitely more to the family than first appears though, especially when it looks like Harry will have to get through a series of "games" in order to be accepted by them. Along the way she starts discovering some things about the Holbecks' pasts which may have consequences for her as well.
This is a proper, twisty thriller, and I really enjoyed the set up of the story - had one of my favourite plots, families with secrets! Catherine Steadman always does a good job of creating morally grey but likeable characters, and I found myself equally interested in Harry's past as I was in the Holbecks. I couldn't put the book down as the story built up to Christmas, for the final game - it was properly tense! There's a real sense of foreboding throughout as well, without dragging too long. The only let down I felt was the ending - I still had so many questions as to the whys and what happened. Still, very entertaining and definitely worth a read.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy!

I always look forward to Catherine Steadman's books and was really excited to read this one. i enjoyed it alot! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this one. Can't wait for the next one!

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for my gifted digital advance review copy!

Novelist Harriet ‘Harry’ Reed is newly engaged to Edward Holbeck, one of New York’s most eligible bachelors, who hails from a large old money family. An orphan, Harry is both excited and nervous to marry into a family of her very own. She has a hard time getting a read on anyone, and her anxiety is kicked into overdrive when her future father-in-law slips her a tape with a recorded confession on it. Harry must race against the clock to find out who exactly the Holbecks are and if the information on the tape is true or another one of the Holbecks’ cruel games.

This one will appeal to fans of Succession and Eliza Jane Brazier’s GOOD RICH PEOPLE. I always love a book about terrible people doing terrible things and found this one to be particularly enjoyable because I was trying to figure out who the most terrible one was the entire time. This was a thriller, puzzle, and family drama all rolled into one great package.

This blew SOMETHING IN THE WATER out of the water (I said it, I don’t feel bad about it).

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!