Wow!! Did NOT see this twist coming!!! The beginning was a little slow for me and took me a minute to get into the book, but I am glad I stuck with it! The second half of the book is so good. The crazy rich family drama element is great. The setting is the right amount of creepy! Love this book!

Great book! Thank you NetGalley for the free ARC. This book kept me on my toes. A peek into the lives of the mega rich and their weird holiday traditions. I was familiar with Krampus but the way it was revealed in the book was scary.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I was interested in this title because it reminded me of the movie “Ready Or Not”, in which a new bride marries into a family filled with secrets and strange traditions, which may just be the death of her.
This novel definitely delivered on the familial secrets and dangerous games! While I found the protagonist’s big secret somewhat contrived, the author laid an enticing series of breadcrumbs that kept my interest and had me turning pages as quickly as I could.
I enjoyed the plot twist towards the end of the book and was entertained throughout. This may not be one that sticks with me or affects my world view, but it was seriously fun reading nonetheless.

(please note the link to Goodreads in the link section- I am never able to get the API to cross post from here)

In this case I'm going to be scathingly honest. This is truly one of the worst books I've ever read.

I suppose it started kind of cool- rich family, odd secrets, all that jazz. I mean there's nothing wrong with it, but it's been done before.

Then it just goes off the rails and not in a fun surrealistic way or even in a mystery way, it's just almost nonsensical. It seems like the author just took some canned stories, borrowing heavily from fantasy and tradition, and smashed them together into a crap sandwich.

Also the prose is just boring. I never felt attached to the story or interested in it whatsoever. Even the arc with the patriarch of the family asking Harriet (our MC) to write his story- which was kind of the mystery here- was extremely boring. Totally pointless and that was probably the most intrigue this book had.

The Krampusnacht scenes were just unbelievable stupid. It's like the author wanted to make this family seem as fucked up as possible without breaking any crazy barriers.

Ultimately, I was left wondering what on earth the mystery even was here . Because I'm really not sure. The whole point of the book seems to be that "blood is thicker than water". Even with the revelations of the 3 main characters, there wasn't a huge mystery. It was just a girl figuring things out and telling the reader. To me that is extraordinarily poor mystery writing- you don't tell the reader exactly what you're discovering there has to be a sense of well.... mystery!!

I almost DNF this. It was so drab, so shallow, and so over-the-top in the most stupid ways possible. I'm sure some readers will glean pleasure from this novel- and more power to you if so! However, I couldn't stomach this poor excuse for a twisted mystery. This is exactly what I DON'T want to read. I don't even know how this got published.

I hate to go this hard on ARCs, but they do give them for honest POVs correct?

3.5 stars

Holy Downton Abby! So Catherine Steadman was Mabel in the global hit series that I may or may not have watched every single episode. LOL. And now she is a accomplished author with several popular books under her belt and "The Family Game" is her latest and it's a good one.

In this book we have Harriet aka "Harry" a accomplished author herself with her first book surging on the charts. She soon becomes engaged to Edward: The heir of the Holbeck American family fortune. Were talking crazy old money and not just some scrappy millions.............. No we are talking about the b word. Billions!
Set for life. Crashing Lambos and Ferraris because you want too. You don't have to worry about PS5 shortages with this kind of money. In other words Harry fell into a goldmine and she will do anything to make it. Including participate in the Holbeck's Christmas games.

But these games aren't pin the tail on the donkey. The penalty is six feet under ground. That means: Dead. Fortunately, Harry is as tough as they come and has a violent secret past of her own. Which may be why Robert: The King of the Holbeck heir gives her a tape confessing of several murders. So he knows what she knows who knows what he knows and both have each other by the you know what.

Badass premise, right? This could be the book of the year of executed perfectly but there are several things that didn't make me jump up and down and praise the Book Gods. Mainly there isn't much meat on the bones. Or you see the synopsis above and this book is basically 300 pages of expanding on that.... and nothing more. No real plot twists or hooks. Also the conversations and dialogue are world class and flow organically so if by the 30% mark you aren't drawn into the conversations then you may want to give this one up. Also questionable plot decisions in Harry's attempt at detective work. As in why go through all that trouble? It didn't really make much sense in the context.

But bad stuff out of the way! This is a great book overall and highly recommended. And did I say written by a Downton Abbey actress? That's bonkers!

Advance Reader Copy given free for honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

Harry Reed has just hit a million copies sold of her novel and is madly in love with Edward Holbeck, of the extremely wealthy and powerful Holbeck family. Now that she’s found herself with a giant family heirloom donning her left hand, the time has come for her to finally meet this family that Edward is hesitant to expose her to.

I won’t give any more of the plot away than that, this is a very fun book to go into blind.

I flew through this book in 12 hours, read until my eyeballs gave out and then picked it up first thing in the morning. Definitely bingeable, I had to know the story behind this family and what Harriet was going to do with the knowledge she was gaining. The last 20% is page-turning, anxiety-inducing fun for the reader as the puzzle pieces come together.

I do think it could have benefited from some more motivation of the characters, more flashbacks or back story, but I loved this nonetheless and give it 4.5 stars.

2/5

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ACR.

I really wanted to like this book. Its like Knives Out meets Succession Meets the Most Dangerous Game meets Ready or Not.

The action of the book comes in the last third of the book so the pacing is off and a slog to get through. The characters were flat. The main character was very underdeveloped and I was not rooting for her or cared what she was doing. Her choices did not make sense, why would you not listen to an entire tape where you father in law is admitting to serious crimes? This just did not come together for me.

This was a gripping and fun thriller full of dark twists and turns. I loved the family secrets delivered via cassette tapes and I'm always in for horrible rich people doing horrible things. It reminded me a lot of the movie Ready Or Not, which was another plus.

I did find some of it a little TOO over the top and unbelievable, but overall, I highly recommend!

The Family Game Center’s on a writer with an unspeakable past who has to deal with her rich fiancee’s deranged family games. While it is interesting premise, I found the family to be too outrageous and unbelievable. While it made for a good story, this extremely unrealistic family make it impossible to lose myself in the story. Next, let’s talk chapter titles. This book is clearly a psychological thriller and there is a menacing tone throughout. However, the tone is interrupted by the somewhat humorous and light-hearted chapter titles. I felt like the titles threw off the tone of the book. The last third of the book was a page-ripper, with the suspense extremely high. So, in all, it was a good story, but definitely had some weaknesses that made me withhold that final star.

Hold on to your hats cause this one is a wild ride! I so was not prepared for where this book was going to go and what I thought was going to happen certainly did not happen and I didn’t see what did happen coming. To say I was shocked would be an understatement and wow what a very very great ride this wound up being. I wasn’t ready for it to end and definitely not in that way! I would say go into this one blind. And just hang on for the best thrill ride of a book. I loved it!

I highly recommend this book to lovers of domestic suspense and very well written thrillers and those who don’t mind a little bit of the gruesome. This is a good one

I read this a little early because I just couldn’t wait. It’s a great book and a real page turner. The story has a lot of twists and ends in total surprise (unless you are a really good guesser). More detailed review once the pub date is closer.

Obsessed. What a ride. I stayed up late to finish this novel, and I have no regrets! Though it does remind me of Ready or Not in several ways, it differs uniquely from the film in ways that work well. I highly recommend this book. The author’s best!

Harriet Reed, an up-and-coming thriller author, has uprooted her life to be with Edward, the eldest son in a wealthy business family. Along with the couple’s engagement comes the introduction to the rest of the Holbeck family. Harriet quickly discoveries the more she learns about this mysterious family, the more questions she has and although she does not know much about them, someone seems to know a great deal about her. In an attempt to figure out the truth about the family’s past and to ensure her secrets stay protected, Harriet finds herself immersed in a series of family games – secretly deciphering a mysterious cassette recording that may or may not be fictional, escaping Krampusnacht, and a deadly treasure hunt.

There were a few things I really liked about this book. The idea of unraveling the family’s past through cassette recording was different and kept me intrigued, I enjoyed getting to know some of the other family members, and while I predicted the twist to an extent, I did not guess it completely.
There were also some things I didn’t love. I’m a sucker for a strong female main character and while Harriet is to an extent, I hate that a lot of what happens in this story is due to her lack of inquiry or her willingness to knowingly put herself in an uncomfortable situation; she redeemed herself a bit by the end. I hit a slow spot somewhere close to the middle but felt like the “games” helped the book begin to move along, even if they were quite unrealistic. Regardless, I found myself wanting to continue reading and I thought the ending was appropriate.

Thank you to Random House Publishing -Ballantine Books and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Spoiler alert!

“Games reveal our most base instinct: the instinct to survive” (chapter 38, Kindle location 3369).

Budding novelist Harry is about to marry Edward Holbeck, and it’s time to meet the in laws. So, it is home for the holidays and some … (fun?) family games. It kicks off at Thanksgiving when Edward’s father gives Harry a tape recording under the guise of seeking her feedback for a book he has recorded. In reality, it is a partial recounting of very, very dark family secrets. The tape propels Harry to search for truth and clarity which finally comes on Christmas Eve during the family’s twisted version of a scavenger hunt.

I knew I wanted to read this galley as soon as I saw the description, and for the most part, it was just what I wanted then some. It is fast paced with clues and revelations doled out to keep the pages turning. There are a few sticking points, though. The man with the baseball cap who follows Harry around the city seems to just get dropped out of the story, and I think Edward's motivation for the Christmas Eve killings is lacking. Still, it’s a darn good suspenseful mystery.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

What an amazing ride! Harriet aka Harry is newly married to a rich and eccentric family, originally thinking how odd it was that she didn't mean any of his family until they were engaged. Once she starts to interact with them further, the oddness and red flags start popping up. At first, she is not worried, but they start to become too difficult to ignore, especially when her fiancé's father hands her a mysterious recording.

Thrillers are my primary jam and Catherine Steadman's latest novel did NOT disappoint. I enjoyed all of the plot twists and character development, with the twisty ending being so good!

thanks netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Catherine Steadman completely delivered on this new novel that provides a delicious twist on the in-laws from hell theme. The twist was completely unexpected and the ending is a shocker. This is the perfect beach read for the summer. Just be careful not to get a sunburn since it is nearly impossible to lift your eyes off the last half of the book.

I received a temporary digital advanced copy of The Family Game by Catherine Steadman from NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A best selling author falls for one of America's wealthiest bachelors, Edward Holbeck. Edward is truly prince charming and Harriet is head-over-heels. Their engagement leads Harriet to finally meet Edward's family, an American dynasty tracing back to the Gilded Age. However, the Holbecks aren't your typical family; they thrive on competition and games. Robert Holbeck, Edward's father, gives Harriet a cassette tape with a confession. She quickly realizes this is no game and her life hangs in the balance.

The Family Game was a thrilling quick read. I do not want to give too much away so this is a short review - I highly recommend.

If you need suspense, this book has it! It starts out suspenseful, and it only continues throughout the rest of the novel. I have always loved a rich messed up family storyline so that was what made me request this ARC in the first place.

Although I enjoyed the story and the games, I felt like some of the pacing felt off. I think more time should have spent on Christmas at the Hydes compared to some of the other parts. I also felt like I needed more characterization for some of the characters or they needed to be cut from the story. This is why it was 4 stars instead of 5.

I thought this book was just...ok. It started off great and had me interested in the story, but then it slowed way down. We are given a lot of information, and most of it really doesn't seem relevant to the main story line. The main character annoyed me with her inner musings and how long it took for her to get to the point of the story. The last 15% or so was the fastest part of the book and had all the action, but then it was over. I wanted to like this story a lot more, but the pace of the story just didn't do it for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this ARC.

The Family Game by @catsteadman
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Harry ( Harriet ) is an Author who is set to make it big, when she meets her knight in shining armor, Edward Holbeck . The son of old money . His family is a huge name, an empire . And they seem to run it all .Ed wants nothing to do with them . But upon meeting Harry- they welcome her with open arms and Harry unknowingly drags him back into the family game. But Harry has a secret of her own . That she needs to keep .

This book was everything! I figured it would be like the movie " Ready or not " where the new bride is dragged into an unimaginable family game with lots of secrets and sinister members.
But this was not at all what Id pictured . It was an absolutely unique and perfectly wrapped gift . There are physical games, mystery hunts and when life hangs in the balance, people go a little nuts . I highly enjoyed this book more than I thought I would.

If you a lover of thrillers with twists - and let me tell you, I thought I knew the twist.. then I thought I was wrong.. then I thought I was right and I was so confused! Lmao . But in the end everything came to light and I was left jaw dropped. Pick this one up. Its so worth it .

Thank you to @netgalley for granting my wish !