5 Stars!!

I love, love, loved this book!!!! All the elements for a fun filled ride : hot, rich fiancé, Christmas time in NYC, and a mysterious adventure via micro cassette tape. I couldn't put this one down!

I loved Harriet and her Cinderella story.....I think the secret that she was hiding was not quite as bad as she thought, but it played into the story well. I also loved Edward's crazy rich family.

Harriet is from London and uproots her lift to be with Edward. She's just written a best selling novel, she was just proposed to in Rockefeller Plaza, and now she has to meet her crazy future in-laws that he fiancé has been hesitant about introducing. Dun, dun, dunnnnn! Buckle up and enjoy!!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine, and Catherine Steadman for providing me with an ARC.

This one actually surprised me. I’d never heard of this author and wasn’t completely sold on the premise either, but it was actually pretty good. This was definitely a twisty thriller with plenty of suspense. Its a tale of cat and mouse involving dysfunctional in-laws. If you like thrillers this one is for you.

The Family Game has everything that I look for in a book. There was mystery, character development, murder, laughter, pregnancy, etc. The list could go on! I finished this book a couple weeks ago but I find myself still thinking about it which is how I know I liked it.

The character development was good & I found myself second guessing everyone involved until the end. The details were descriptive that I could really picture myself as part of the family and involved & interactive in the game.

I'll be recommending this book to friends as I think there's something for everyone. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author as well.

Thank you to NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book for an exchange of my honest review.

This book pulled me in from the beginning and it was hard to put down. The author did an amazing job of introducing us to the Holbeck’s through Harry’s eyes.

Harry is a novelist from London who gets swept up in a love affair with Edward, heir to the Holbeck family (rich Americans a la Rockefeller). As Edward and Harry get drawn further into family traditions and secrets, Harry’s own dark past threatens to resurface.

The family was completely weird and evil. I absolutely loved it.

The twists will turn the pages for you.

I’ll tell you what this book isn’t..It isn’t a book to read at night when you cannot sleep. It isn’t a book to read when you only have a few minutes.

I’ll tell you what this book is..it is a heart palpitating, edge of your seat, cannot catch your breath, unable to put down kind of book. This book got me from the very beginning and never let up.

It is my fourth book by Catherine Steadman and she has become a must read, automatically buy author.

5 stars.

So absolutely bizarre and twisted, but I was totally roped in from the start. Edward & the Holbeck family definitely sound too good to be true, and once the games begin, their weirdness is truly unleashed. The way this story is written and unfolds leaves so many places for the mind to wander. You never know who a person is until you meet their family...

Thank you NetGalley, Ballentine Books, & Catherine Steadman for the chance to read this book! I can't wait to share when it's published! Another winning read!

The cover is what drew me into this book, and it didn't disappoint! I felt as though I was on the edge of my seat for the whole book. One of my favorites this year!

I was really excited to read this book, I immediately thought it would be similar to the movie READY OR NOT which I loved. This book was not really that, but I wasn’t disappointed because THE FAMILY GAME was more twisty, had a mystery writer having to solve a mystery, and nothing was quite what it seemed.
Harriet Reed is writes thriller novels and has just become engaged to Edward Holbeck, the son and heir to the Holbeck fortune. Their impending marriage mends some wounds between Edward and his family, and Harriet is drawn into their world. But when Edward’s father Robert gives Harriet a tape to listen to, ostensibly of a book he is working on, she is shocked and horrified. Is this a confession to murder?
Harriet has to unpack whether this is a test, or a confession, and what role she is playing in this increasingly dangerous and confusing game.
I found this to be unputdownable! It was farfetched and high-concept of course, but honestly, sometimes that is what we are looking for! Fun, full of twists and surprise reveals, this one does not disappoint.

I was not prepared for this book. It’s a fast paced and an unpredictable story.

Full review coming soon!

This book had a lot of entertainment, and the premise seemed great. The novel, however, seemed far-fetched, especially compared to other domestic thrillers. I still did enjoy it overall and would recommend it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review,

Arc from Netgalley.
This was good 4/5 stars

I will mention it takes till about the 40% mark before you get to the nitty gritty of the plot. Not to say the first 40% wasn’t good-it was. I was entertained and it was necessary for the story. But the twist ending was great.

I have mixed feelings about this one, it started out slow, then got very interesting and i really liked the direction it was taking but then it veered off another way and didn't enjoy that as much. guessed the twist. Great wealth, great evil and entitlement mixed in with love, loyalty and the desire for family and a place to belong and how far some people are willing to go

A different type of book, one that might involve discussions on loyalty, dsyfunctional family dynamics and what great wealth and greed can do to a person

A fun thrilling novel, by well known author Catherine Steadman.

Harriet "Harry" Reed has become a recent literary star and snagged the amazing Edward Holbeck who is heir to the a very large fortune. Uprooting herself from her native Britain, Harry lands in the states and is almost immediately introduced the Edward's vast and powerful family

The Holebecks are odd at best and potentially dangerous. Harry finds herself immersed in a series of family games celebrating holidays. When the patriarch of the family demands that she play the Christmas game in their New York compound she has no choice but to play along. This game, however, is a matter of life and death!

I enjoyed this novel, but felt like the end was a bit rushed and could have included more game based parts. The end and the beginning did not necessarily match for me in tone. Still, I love Catherine Steadman and I enjoyed this book! If you like dysfunctional families, crazy Cinderella stories, and game based thrillers, The Family Game is for you!
#RandomHouse #BallantineBooks #TheFamilyGame #CatherineSteadman #NetGalley

This book kept me up late to finish it, which is about as good as it gets for me! I love a good thriller/ mystery, and this one kept me guessing until the end. I enjoyed reading about the opulence of the Holbeck family; it reminded me of the Roys in Succession, but even more messed up! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Omg! This book had me flipping through the pages so fast I had to go back several times to make sure I didn't miss anything. Talk about twists and turns. The ending was perfect and I absolutely loved the "traditions" aspect of this book. Totally creepy and I only wish that I would've read it in October instead of summer! Perfect fall read!

The premise of this book seemed great...and it was entertaining. However, the book seemed far fetched, more then other domestic thrillers. It was an ok read but not one I'll be recommending

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and netGalley for allowing me to read and review this digital arc

This is a five star thriller! I love books about writing and publishing, and “The Family Game” features an author, Harriet Reed, reveling in the success of her debut novel, but also struggling to complete her next book. She is newly engaged, and as she meets her fiancé’s wealthy family she begins to question many things that she learns about them and their unusual behavior. Almost the entire book takes place over a six-week period, and the action weaves together Harry’s frenzied efforts to finish her book, her developing relationship with her in-laws-to-be, and the Thanksgiving/Christmas holidays (in particular, the “games” that her fiancé’s family traditionally plays at this time of year). There were twists and turns that I did not see coming, so many very unusual events and interactions, and this offbeat thriller was one wild ride! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book—highly recommended!

I wish to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a book I highly recommend. The reader is very engaged from the start and just when you think you know where this thriller is going you realize you do not have a clue. It is the story of a young woman who falls in love with a very, very wealthy young man who is reluctant to introduce her to the family. When that finally happens she tries very hard to fit into the group. The father is very domineering and requires the family to participate in some really bizarre family holiday games. Henrietta is somewhat reluctant to participate but finally her competitive side kicks in and the games begin. Prepare to be amazed, shocked, and deeply involved in this story of strange family dynamics. It is murder and mayhem at its best.

It’s still fun and games even when somebody dies…

Edward Holbeck is all Harriet “Harry” Reed ever wanted. Caring, devoted, and pure of heart, Harriet can’t wait to spend the rest of her life with him—or so she thinks until the rest of the Holbecks crash into her life.

The Holbecks, rich and powerful, are not like any family. Harry quickly learns the family is not only made up of its own rules, but of games that showcase such rules. And like it or not, she’s the perfect player for the Holbecks’ schemes. But does she have what it takes to stand against her more dangerous adversaries?

I went into this one completely blind and I’m so happy I did! I was immediately gripped by the secret Harry alluding to keeping, and then later the Holbecks and their little games. Honestly, I would’ve LOVED to be in Harry’s shoes when it came to being involved in The Games. Not only were they deliciously sinister, but I’d love to live out my own mystery story—of an uber powerful family that may or may not be involved in murder…

As for the twist, I was honestly hoping it was gonna go in another direction, but I’m not disappointed with how everything all came together. Absolutely made sense, but still leaves a few things to the imagination. Straightforward enough to keep you satisfied until those loose ends come back around to choke the curiosity out of you when you least expect it.

Other things I loved:
- the slow build-up with the Holbecks
- their creepy family traditions
- Harry’s secret
- the tape
- Robert/Daddy Holbeck
- the morbid family history

Things I didn’t love:
- several loose ends
- would’ve liked a different twist
- reveal kinda easy to spot early on