It was a pleasure to read this one! After I put it down, I couldn't stop thinking about it. The suspense was solidly established by the middle third, and by the last third, I had to know how it would end.

As I read this book, I was yelling at the main character and imploring him. There are some instances where her main characters are too naive for me to believe and others where they are too curious for me to believe. The main character (in this case Harriet) is riveted and I root for her survival and success as a result of this. I'd say, Quit being rude to me, girl! Would you like to know what that cryptic thing means? This was a quick read for me and I enjoyed it very much. Harriet's character was well developed in the epilogue and I liked where she was with the Holbecks at the end.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Catherine Steadman for the advanced copy of The Family Game in exchange for my honest review.

I will very likely be in the vast minority for this one, so please bear that in mind while reading my review.

I genuinely struggled to get through this. I kept reading in hopes of a big twist or reveal at the end, but I found it to be a pretty mediocre climax. Several of the storylines and tropes have been done time and time again. I was bored several times throughout the book, and I feel it could've been quite a bit shorter to weed out some of the unnecessary fluff.

There's also this weird fixation our female protagonist, Harry, has with one of the characters that genuinely yucked me out.

So, that said, if you don't typically read a lot of thrillers, maybe this one will be right up your alley! And to reiterate, based on early reviews alone, I'm clearly in the minority on not enjoying this one. If the synopsis sounds like it'll interest you, go for it!

The Family Game will be on US bookshelves October 18.

This is the second book in a row by Catherine Steadman that fell flat for me, and once again I may be an outlier on this one. The storyline moved quickly, even from the very beginning, making this a real page-turner. An up-and coming thriller writer (Harry) is about to marry Edward, and thus marry into one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in America (the Holbecks). One of the strangest and most eccentric, too, as Harry soon finds out. The questions then become (1) is Robert, the current patriarch of the family from whom Edward (the first born) is somewhat estranged, harboring many deadly secrets, including murder, and (2) is Harry’s life — and that of her unborn child — at risk?

A really captivating read, with way plenty of twists and turns — but then the ending. For me it was just so incredulous and unbelievable that it diminished my enthusiasm for the book as a whole. Yes, there is the willing suspension of disbelief that comes with most thrillers, but this ending was just too far-fetched. Although I really enjoyed Steadman’s “Something in the Water,” since then the two novel that I have read have been sorely disappointing — and for somewhat different reasons. I am definitely willing to give her next book a try, but I will damper my expectations and hope to be pleasantly surprised.

📼📼📼📼 / 5

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for providing me early access to the ARC!

This one was wild! The family is crazy, and the holiday games they play are even crazier. It was a bit of a slow burn in the beginning because Harriet and Edward seemed to have such a sweet relationship. However, things really take a turn once Harry begins meeting Ed’s family members. I enjoyed The Disappearing Act, so I had a feeling that I was going to like this one as well because the author has a wild imagination.

The Family Game, by Catherine Steadman (5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

If you like twisty books with plenty of shock value, Catherine Steadman's The Family Game is for you!

Synopsis:
Edward Holbeck is the heir to a large family empire. Edward's fiancee Harriet Reed is a well-known author who has just published a best-selling book. When Edward introduces Harriett to his eccentric family, Edward's father gives Harriet a tape containing a novel he is writing. Upon starting the cassette, Harriet realizes this is not a work of fiction, but a brutal murder confession. Harriet is facing a deadly discovery. Will she be able to overcome it?

The Family Secret by Catherine Steadman is so intriguing that I couldn't put it down. I finished the book in one night. The story has a few tiny holes in the plot, but it is so atmospheric that I did not care. I just kept reading to find out what was going to happen next. While the subject matter may not suit everyone's taste, I found the cat-n-mouse game to be absolutely fascinating.

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman is available on October 18th.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, for sharing this edge-of-your-seat thriller with me. I appreciate your kindness.

Wow! If you think you have the worst in laws think again! This fast paced thriller has you questioning everything about this family. Couple Harriet and Edward are recently engaged and Harriet is handed a tape that has her playing this family’s game in order to survive.

This book started as a slow burn, but the pace quickly picked up. I found the Holbeck family to be pretty terrifying and their idea of games is far different than mine! I enjoyed trying to figure things out along with Harriet. I was definitely suspicious throughout and appreciated that the end of the story did not needlessly drag on, it instead matched the pace of the game they were playing. I have enjoyed Catherine Steadman’s other books and would recommend this one as well! Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the digital ARC of ” The Family Game” in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

The Family Game is an exciting, fresh thriller from the mind of Catherine Steadman. Slow burning and filled with tension, Harry is marrying into the richest family in NYC. However, dark secrets lay beneath the family's near perfect façade, and Harry quickly finds herself indulging in the family's games.

Being the first of Steadman's books I've read, The Family Game was an impressive thriller debut, leaving you unable to put the book down. Comparable to Ready or Not & You're Next, The Family Game is a fun (and a bit scary at times) showcase of how to write an engaging thriller that's difficult to put down!

What a concept! We all have that fairy tale dream of a man (or woman) sweeping us off our feet and making our dreams come true...being able to be taken care of financially, and maybe even have a family you never had (or haven't had in a long time).

However, something does seem too good to be true for Harry. The family starts to take over her life, and they seem insistent in getting Harry and Edward involved in the family holidays.

I gave this book four stars, but it might have been closer to a 3.5. I love the concept, and the writing was pretty good. However, it felt like a lot of build up for a very rushed ending. I wanted a little bit more conflict (or maybe a stronger resolution) to round it out. Like when you go to a fancy restaurant where the food is good but the portions are small, so you're happy you ate there but you leave hungry.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this book. I was instantly hooked with the poor girl marries into a rich, mysterious family vibe. The dark history that surrounds the Holbecks is one that is steeped in mystery, crazy deaths, and intense in-laws. I read it in under 24 hours because I could not stop reading. One of the best thrillers I have ever read. I normally wouldnt reread a thriller (because I already know the plot twists) but this I definitely would! Loved it!

This is SO fun. Cat Steadman has written another delicious thriller that strings me along, letting me think I know what the twist will be...then pulls the rug from under my feet.

A novelist who hit the best seller list with her first book nabs the most eligible and rich bachelor without even trying. Their relationship progresses without her meeting the family until after it's become serious, and she quickly learns that they have big secrets...and they already know hers.

I love that Steadman can drop me into a scene in just a few paragraphs. I already can't wait to reread this book.

The female MC is a novelist!  I love when characters in books write books! Her Fiance, Ed, comes from a super wealthy family. When they visit for Thanksgiving the whole family plays games and I don't mean Candy Land. They were intense games!! It had me holding me breath!! I couldn't figure out until the end why Edward was letting her play.
Robert, her future father-in-law,  gave her a tape to listen to. That seemed like an old school way of passing along information.  I really liked it. 
The last 25% of the book had me saying "WHAT!!"multiple times because I was in shock!
I 100% didn't guess the ending and loved it. I would have liked a bit more closure at the end but that's me being overly picky.

Review will be posted to my IG 2 weeks before PUB Day

I really enjoyed the Family Game. In a long line of similar thrillers, this one stood out. I enjoyed the family dynamic of wealthy folks behaving badly and the element of gamesmanship thrown into the story. The protagonist is never quite sure who to trust and is doing her best to fit in with her fiancés' family. Secrets and betrayals are revealed, and the ending satisfies! Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.

If you are looking for a family drama thriller-this is it!! This is my first read by this author and I am definitely going to be reading more of her books. This book hooks you form the beginning with foreshadowing and then takes you all different directions with a surprising twist at the end. The writing builds all the characters and makes the book impossible to put down.
This book should be your next read!
Thanks to Random House Publishing and Net Galley for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I honestly thought this book was going to be a lot like the movie "ready or not", but it wasn't entirely.

Sometimes the richest families are the ones who the most secrets. A perfect fiance finally had his future wife meet his family. They are very intense, but set on liking her to bring back the prodigal son into the family business.

Unfortunately, his father gives her a tape outlining all his secrets, and hers. She can't tell anyone or her secrets exposed, but there is a way to keep both of them safe.. by playing some weird, kind of fucked up family games.

Honestly, I want sure when I started this book, it seemed very predicable, but it definitely got better. I didn't realize how far I was testing through these pages until dinner time when I was practically done. Needless to say, I stayed up well last my bedtime to finish it, just to put all the pieces together. Totally worth the morning grogginess.

Thank you netGalley for proceeded me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this! There is a movie currently out that had similar vibes. It’s a unique plot and had twists and turns that we’d believable.

Thank you to @randomhouse and @netgalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. It held my attention and I read it almost all in one day. The story was fantastic and kept me on the edge of my seat leaving me unable to stop reading. A must read for thriller fans! @catsteadman hits it out of the park! Book number 69 of the year for me was a hit.

4.5/5 stars (rounded up to 5)

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Ballantine books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

THE RULES
1. Listen carefully
2. Do your research
3. Trust no one
4. Run for your life
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Let me first start by saying that I am having some good luck with the spooky reads so far this year and this one did not disappoint! Steadman’s writing was phenomenal and the atmosphere alone in the book kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved the mystery that was at the core of this story and it kept me wanting to read more to see what was going to happen. While I didn’t love all of the characters, I could definitely understand how their persona fit into the story and helped make it what it is.

I think one thing that I loved about this book is that it was centered around a wealthy family who loves to play family games for various occasions, and I’m not talking about your typical Monopoly or Clue. I feel like the game nights make things so much more interesting and brings out the cut throat vibe from all of the family members and you get to know who they are at their core. Overall, if you enjoyed The Inheritance Games or The Christmas Murder Game, then you are going to LOVE this book!
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This review will be posted to my Instagram blog (read_betweenthecovers) in the near future!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Orphaned Harry (Harriet) is an up and coming writer, working on her second book. Her first is a best-seller, and her life couldn’t be more charmed. She is engaged to a handsome billionaire who loves her completely, and Edward is perfect in every way. They are expecting their first child, and both are ecstatic. While Edward has been estranged from his family, Harry doesn’t know the whole story. Yet, with a baby on the way, the couple decide that family is important and make an effort to rejoin Edward’s family. But then Harry meets his family, and spends an evening terrorized playing a family game. She also receives a tape with a shocking confession from her father-in-law. Harry is warned that her secret will be exposed if she shares the tape’s contents with anyone. She doesn’t share it, and goes along with her father-in-law's insistence that she play a role in the next deadly game.

So, I read two of the author’s previous books, and had a great expectation for this one. Her storylines are good, but the books seem to fall apart at the end. And it takes way too long to get to the end. While her characters are usually portrayed as intelligent and capable women, they make the dumbest choices, even in the face of the truth. Unfortunately, the story was just a long, drawn-out and boring novel to a hurried ending that was so over the top ridiculous you need to suspend all belief. While I appear to be in the minority, I think her books just don’t work for me.

https://candysplanet.wordpress.com/

What a read! I finished it in a day, and while the ending was slightly unsatisfying, I so enjoyed Steadman's newest thriller! I felt invested in every page of this book, and loved the characters. Fantastic read!