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

It was okay. Steadman is a great writer. I wasn’t bored but I wasn’t compelled to finish it either so it took my a while to finally reach the end. I must admit, I didn’t see the end coming at all, which I appreciated, but it was a bit abrupt. The characters are all completely unbelievable and the ending more so. That said, it just feels somewhere in the middle for me and a bit forgettable. Thanks so much to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was one heck of a wild ride! I really loved this sort of blend of the movie Ready or Not meets the book The Inheritance Games. The Family Game always kept me guessing and like Harry I could never really figure out the family's intentions. The ending was a surprise and I liked how the author wrapped everything up. My only complaint was that Harry came off as bland at times. Highly recommend 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Will post review on Amazon upon publication

Compulsive, page turner that I could not stop reading. Harriet is a best selling author and newly engaged. She has been living in a blissful bubble with Edward but he is finally ready to introduce her to his family.
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The Holbeck family is not a normal family. They are American royalty and one of the most powerful families in America. She thought Edward didn’t want her to meet them because perhaps she wasn’t good enough or they were overbearing, but she was wrong, dead wrong.
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A lavish world, a tape cassette of crime confessions and deadly games leaves Harriet trying to solve a mystery and run for her life, while deciding if her and Edward are truly end game.
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The games this family plays are truly terrifying especially at Christmas when they play Krampuslauf. Krampus is terrifying and if that was my first “game” I’d have to tell the family, bye bye bye.
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This would make an amazing screen adaptation! Get this on your list for October 18th! Thank you #randomhouse and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

“Some people aren’t built for this, some people aren’t strong enough to run with the pack.”

When British novelist Harriet Reed met and fell in love with the dashing Edward Holbeck at a publisher’s gala in London, she had no idea what that would later entail. The Holbecks are an American dynasty, with immeasurable wealth and power, dating back to the Gilded Age.

Now, newly engaged and living in New York, Harriet receives a request to meet Edward’s family, which is met with hesitation from Edward. As Harriet is drawn into the world of this elite family, she soon realizes that in order to be accepted, she’ll have to play their game….quite literally. The Holbeck family prides itself on traditional and eccentric games to test one’s integrity and personal strength. But when Edward’s father gives her a cassette tape that details their buried secrets and her own dark past, Harriet realizes that the games the Holbecks play have dangerous and deadly consequences…and she must fight to win in order to survive.

This thriller was a quick read for me! I loved the cat-and-mouse aspect mixed with the lives of the elite and powerful. I must say that the section with Krampus is utterly terrifying, and I will never participate in that tradition. Harriet’s own backstory added to the overall dark nature of the book, which I liked. Also, the twists completely shocked me! I have read a lot of thrillers, and can normally guess some of the twists. But I did not see these coming at all! I would have liked a little more explanation towards the end, because it moved so quickly. But overall, I really enjoyed this dark and twisty thriller!

I will post a quick Instagram story this week, urging readers to add it to their TBR for October. I will post this full review on pub day, as well as post to Goodreads.

Do a really deep dive on the future in-laws BEFORE the engagment! This family is everything but "The Fockers". The Holbecks take playing games to an almost diabolical level.
Harriet, (Harry) is madly in love. She moves across country from London to New York for Edward. They're engaged, but she hasn't met any of his family yet.
Harry is an author, Ed has a successful business and comes from a wealthy, well known family. Harry lost her parents at a very young age in a horrible car accident. Since she has no family, she's looking forward to all the traditions she never knew. She still has some secrets to entrust to Ed, the time just hasn't been right.
Thanksgiving is coming up and seems a perfect opportunity to finaly meet everyone. Harry is looking forward to learning about this American holiday, building new friendships and memories. 
Ed's parents, Eleanor and Robert, have an estate upstate called The Hydes. Their traditions are anything but normal. The entire family, all the siblings, partners, spouses, grandchildren and staff, will be attending to celebrate.
Ed attempts to delay the introduction, he seems hesitant for her to be exposed to them. She should've taken the hint. Ed tells her they have some games they all participate in each year. He tries to explain Krampus Night brought over from ancestors. It all seems quite odd to Harry.
After their arrival things get stranger when Robert covertly gives her an old fashioned tape to play. Let the games begin!
The intricate plot is crafted with one twist after another. This family is full of secrets, disguised with monied veneers. Every character is so frighteningly real you'll wake up in a cold sweat. The Holbecks are a dark, scheming family. Their idea of family game night is sinister and the loser's plight is ominous. Winning is more than being accepted into the new family dynamics, it's survival.
The suspense builds up to the astonishing conclusion. You won't believe the extremes some people resort to just to bury secrets. Having read several of Ms. Steadman's previous books, I think this is her best yet.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Catherine Steadman and to Ballantine Books for the digital advance copy of  "The Family Game". These are my honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily.

This was a really engaging read. The plot was unique and the characters were all fascinating, yet suspicious. The twists were great and unexpected. Catherine Steadman’s books just keep getting better. I really enjoyed this one.

Wow!
After this I am so extra thankful that I have normal in-laws 😂 I had a great time reading this! Gives all the creepy, weird, spooky mansion vibes I was hoping for.
It is a must buy this fall. It gets released just in time for Halloween on October 18th
I’m so glad I requested this on NetGalley
Huge thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for allowing me to read this early!

This book had TWISTS. AND. TURNS, y’all. I was genuinely surprised multiple times (and for multiple reasons). A MC with a deep dark secret, marrying into a family with deeper, darker secrets? An uncomfortable penchant for very over-the-top games? Count me in.

Harriet is on the very brink of getting everything she could ever want - and more. With her up-and-coming novel poised for success, her engagement to her loving, doting partner Edward, and the safety and stability she never had as a child, Harry feels comfortable for the first time in a long time. But her engagement means it’s time to really meet Edward’s family - and the Holbecks seem to welcome her a little too enthusiastically.

Filthy rich, mysterious, and unusual, the Holbeck family has been estranged from Edward for some time - so Harry finds comfort in the fact that they’re so eager to welcome her into the fold. But the. Edward’s father slips her a cassette tape filled with secrets, and each family gathering devolves into increasingly disturbing games that nobody else seems to bat an eye at. And while the Holbecks may be mysterious, Harry has been hiding a secret of her own - and the only thing more dangerous than a secret is the desperation of those willing to protect it.

★ ★ ★ ★
i was beyond excited when i got approved for this ARC & couldn’t wait to get started; & once i got about 30% in i did not want to put it down! this follows Harriet ‘Harry’, a woman who is marrying into one of the richest and most powerful families in the world and is plunged into their weird games, secrets & even weirder dynamics but Harry has her own secrets…This book has just about everything i love in a book: money, mystery, and murder (the 3 M’s you could say). everyone has a secret and while i figured out some things other moments were such a shock and surprise! so overall this book was really good but i always have to be honest and sometimes the writing caused my mind to wander and the ending felt a little…not finished? just as the book was starting to really ramp up it ended. i honestly could have read another 50-80 pages post climax but instead we got a 7 month later epilogue. There are some story lines I wish they would have dug into more & some explanations seemed rushed but me wanting more is usually a sign of a great book!
official ruling: you NEED to read this book!
Thank you so much to Catherine Steadman, Random House Publishing, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this advance copy in exchange for the honest review! Be sure to check out The Family Game coming out October 18th!!!

And absolutely outlandish plot and for some reason I stuck it out. Totally unbelievable and despicable characters I give it a three because I actually finished it

This book gave me a little anxiety while reading. Steadman is good at suspense. Harry meets Edward and then she ends up meeting his family. That's when the action happens. Edward's family doesn't seem normal. They have strange games they play.
I was on the edge of my seat for the later portion of the book. I thought I guessed the ending, but I only knew a part of it.
Thank you to Net Gallery for an ARC of this book. All opinions are mine.

This book really hooked me the first half but I struggled through the second half. A bit too slow of a burn overall but an intriguing storyline. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

ugh I do not want to say this, but sadly this book just wasn't for me.

I think this breaks down as a case of me not liking the style of writing, more so than it being a bad story.

The premise was so cool and unique and definitely had me hooked on the twists and turns (most of which i NEVER saw coming) but it was so overly wordy and really skimmed over the insane parts. Like something TERRIFYING would happen and we would just kind of glaze over it, it just never felt as exciting in the moment as it should have. Normally with thrillers, I race to the end desperate to know what is going to happen next, and I actually set this book down at 60% of the way through and didn't pick it up again for two weeks. It was just meh.

While I would normally say, skip this book. I say try it out! If you love a thriller but hate gore and scary, then this is for you. It had all the makings of a fantastic thriller without being too creepy. Unfortunately this just isn't for me!

I loved this story. While the cover and premise drew me in (premise is a bit too similar to the fabulous film ‘Ready or Not’), Catherine Steadman’s writing nailed this one for me. I loved The Hydes, but I’m grateful that Steadman built up to the final game by setting the rest of the novel in New York. I really don’t want to give any of this one away. Harry, our protagonist, is so unfailingly human. She had obvious flaws, but that made her even more real. I’ll be suggesting this one to patrons for sure. Gold star too for incorporating Krampus in such a fun, creepy way.

This "game" thriller is a slow burn, filled with family dynamics and tension, before it finally breaks in the bloodiness hinted at from the back cover copy. I enjoyed the writing and the ratcheting up of tension, but surprisingly, I think this is the kind of story that would have worked better for me in visual media rather than as a book. I never saw "Ready or Not" but this makes me want to go watch it - while I normally do like a slow burn, I think I would have liked this better if we had a more action based thriller. Still, this was definitely enjoyable, and I think if you are dreading spending time with your family during this holiday season, this might be a fun way to live out some of your angst