𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒
𝟏. 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲
𝟐. 𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡
𝟑. 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞
𝟒. 𝐑𝐮𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞

This book was one wild ride that was pretty original in its execution. Harriet Reed is a writer on the cusp of literary stardom and is newly engaged to the man of her dreams, Edward Holbeck. Edward has been estranged from wealthy, powerful family for quite some time, but news of his impending marriage has helped soften the estrangement.

Harriet is invited to the family mansion a few times and is taken aback by some truly bizarre "family traditions" that you just have to read about to believe. But everything changes when her future father-in-law says he's been working on a book of his own, and he gives Harriet a small tape. Puzzled but curious, Harriet scouts the city to find a microplayer so she can listen to the tape, and what's on there is much more than an idea for a book...it's a confession to a disturbing crime. Is this a warning? A cry for help? Listening to the tape sets the game into motion, and there can only be one winner.

I"ll admit, I wasn't really invested in this book at the beginning; nothing about the characters was grabbing me, but as soon as things picked up around the 20% mark, I was ALL IN. The plot was wholly original, and the twists were unpredictable and satisfying. I've always thought the super wealthy were in a class all of their own, and this quote cemented my feelings: “𝑩𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒛𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒖𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈..."~𝑮𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑺𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒚𝒏𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒕

I thank the publisher and NetGalley for this early read that will publish November 8, 2022.

Harriet is an up and coming writer that has recently become engaged to Edward. Edward has severed ties with his family, the Holbecks, some time ago. But now they are drawing him back into the family. The Holbecks have old family money and Harriet is sucked in to their glamorous lifestyle. When the head of the family slips a cassette tape to Harriet everything changes. The cassette contains a shocking confession that sets off a high stakes game that could prove deadly!

THE FAMILY GAME is my favorite Catherine Steadman book so far. I have read several of her books and always look forward to them. The suspense is kept high throughout this story and so was my interest level. It was a crazy cat and mouse game that I will not soon forget!

Many thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

This book in 3 words: Perplexing. Devious. Jolting. 

Harriet, "Harry", is a writer originally from London but now residing in New York with Edward, her fiance. Edward belongs to an extremely wealthy but also eccentric family. While his family gets to know Harry, family events, secrets, and games create quite the situation. 

The Family Game is dark, fun, and fast paced! It was so easy to burn through these chapters, lots of excitement and twists and turns. The writing is sharp and makes you question things in the best way, almost the entire time. This is perfect for fans of movies like "Knives Out" or "Ready or Not". 

I think a thriller is the toughest genre to write in and execute/deliver. Steadman has no trouble creating a rich, complex, and interesting plot while touching on typical tropes. There were a few times I thought I had the ending/twists figured out only to be disproved just a few pages later. HOW AMAZING IS IT WHEN YOU CAN'T GUESS THE ENDING OF A BOOK?! One of my all time favorite things about a solid thriller... a truly enticing story with an ending that keeps you guessing. 

I received an early copy in exchange for an honest review. Per the publisher's request, I'll post my review to Goodreads/Instagram account closer to launch.

WOW this was my first Catherine Steadman book and I was blown away! I love a good morally gray plot and a MC with skeletons in their closet. This book had all of that with a satisfying ending. I will definitely be reading more of this author’s work!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What an absolute WINNER! Anxiety driven? Check. Storyline gripping twisted with a splash of dark? Check. Wealthy families lots of secrets and dash of crazy? Check check CHECK! From the start I was hooked and dragged through a fun twisty delightful book.

Harry the author from London has found her lover and forever partner Edward, the ridiculously wealthy man from the almighty Holbeck family. They live in New York and Harry is doe eyed for Edward and is ready to move forward and meet the family. All is well until she meets Edwards father, Robert. He gives her a cassette tape that has a confession on it. Games are set in motion that seem innocent enough but could be quite the opposite. Oh but also it seems Harry has her own secrets. Dun dun dunnnnnnn!

Super fast read and a great flow of the story I absolutely recommend this one!

Thank you Random House Ballantine and netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this fast-paced thriller. It kept me reading and guessing long into the night. I was a little disappointed by the ending. I thought it was a bit predictable. But overall, a good and solid read.

Catherine Steadman’s The Family Game is a horrifying jaunt into the heart of dysfunction. At times campy, with moments that are heart-stopping and frightening, Steadman weaves a tale of old money, new relationships and the masks we all wear.

Harriet “Harry” Reed is the character Steadman has brought to life as the story’s anchor. Harry is a British expat, transplanted to American soil in the name of love. Though wealthy in her own right (she is a newly accomplished author with a best seller on the shelves), her bank account pales in comparison to the overflowing coffers enjoyed by her fiancé’s family. Each new glimpse into Edward Holbeck’s world reveals the power that old money wields. All is not well in the family tree, however, and the reader is introduced to the in-laws as they share their traditions leading up to the Christmas holiday—traditions that plunge our dear Harry into great depths of psychological depravity where we discover that she is harboring a dark secret of her own.

I found the novel to be fast-paced enough to hold my interest and keep me engaged, though parts of the story felt, as previously mentioned, “campy”—as if Steadman is swiping at the tropes of the genre. Krampus, simple mazes, harrowing settings and red herrings abound as the endgame is slowly revealed. My single issue with the book was the final revelations, as I found them to be as unsurprising as they were farcical. It takes a concentrated effort at suspending disbelief to swallow some of Harry’s actions—and inactions.

Overall, a twisty read that is sure to have you pulling the covers a little tighter as you reach for a nightlight to share the darkness.

Thanks to Random Publishing Group Ballantine and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review. Publication of the the book is slated for November 8, 2022, and per the publisher’s preferences, this review will go live on Goodreads and my blog on October 25, 2022.

This book was phenomenal. The writing was superb at keeping you engaged and you try bought into the characters and their motivations. This had so many twists and turns it eft me guessing and I couldn't wait to finish. I raced through this book faster than I have in ages, so excited was I to see what happens next. I will be following this author for a long time!

I loved this book the writing was phenomenal the characters were developed completely and the plot was different from what ive been reading lately i need more from this author

I read about 50% of this book. I didn't really see where the plot of this book was going. I didn't like the story.

When Harriet Reed got engaged to Edward Hallbeck she was over the moon. Not because he was from the Iber Rich family, but because he seemed perfect. Besides he seems to steer clear of his family at least he did until after their engagement when they sought barraging Harry with invitations to lunches and family dinners. While at one of the first family engagements Ed’s father Robert brings her into his study. This is where he gave her a tape from a dictation machine. Not only will she have to figure out how to play it, once she listens she has to figure out if he gave her the wrong tape and if it’s the right one why? Also, in a strange turn of the vents after their meeting she finds herself weirdly attracted to his father and even during a romantic moment with Ed, she thinks of his dad. The hall Bex Love to play games and after Harry grew up so lonely she was all Lynn to it and loving it but little did she know some of the games they play are waging life and death and not all the family members are as perfect as they seen. This book is so spellbinding and full of so many twists. If you love a good domestic thriller do you need to read this book. The family game is off the charts good! I am usually great at guessing the ending, but that wasn’t the case with this book. Harry is very lovable the plot moves along nicely and the ending is unfathomable. Please forgive any errors as I am blind and dictate my review but all opinions are definitely my own I was given this book by Nat Gally and the publisher but I’m leaving this review totally voluntarily.

A rich, eccentric family. A time-honored tradition. Or a lethal game of survival?

This was an unputdownable thriller! I was hooked from the first chapter. I loved the cat-and-mouse game aspect and the crazy family traditions. Remind me to never marry into a family that celebrates Krampusnacht!



Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC!

Great story. Loved it from page one. Terrific character development & plot unraveling with twisted thrill after thrill keeping you hanging on to the very edge of your seat.
Steadman follows up her super former stories with a sure hit and bullet straight to the top.
The story of a soon to be famous writer Harriet and her very " over the top" wealthy fiancee Edward and his quirky, borderline scary, family is filled with all the side stories you could possibly want. The Hollbecks have been the premiere name in NYC wealth for generations & Harriet is trying hard to figure out how & where she fits in to this family surrounded by strange family traditions, suspicious deaths and "lord of the manor" attitudes.
Simply stunning story.
Give it a read.
Do.
And then go back to her others if you have not already read them.
Simply top notch.

This one was WILD. I loved how it was written, chapters of the tape recording interspersed throughout the book (although let's be real, who wouldn't listen to that immediately). I didn't fully see the twist coming. I was definitely suspicious of the correct people but didn't connect everything which was nice. I love when prologues put you near the end of the story and then you spend the whole book wondering how you're going to get there. I will say, the MC secret was just a little too convenient.

I am a big fan of Catherine Steadman’s. She writes a great thriller, and The Family Game is no exception. It was reminiscent of Knives Out in setting, with a good amount of the story taking place in a wealthy family’s estate. There were twists and turns throughout, and I did NOT see the ending coming!

The Family Game was a wild ride. Harriet "Harry" is newly engaged to Edward. But Edward isn't your average person. Edward comes from astronomical wealth and is part of one of the most influential families in the country. When his family gets news of their engagement, they try to bring Edward back into the fold of the family with Harry by his side. Harry, who is an orphan with a past she wants to stay hidden, agrees that it would be nice to have family again. Harry begins meeting Edward's family, and is skeptical of his father, Robert. Robert takes a liking to Harry, and gives her a tape which he says contains a book idea. Harry begins to listen, and realizes the tape is a confession and that someone has died. Harry is instantly on edge, but can't got to the police or tell Edward because Robert has made it clear that he knows Harry's secret.

The plot of this book is great, but I felt as though the execution was slightly chaotic. The story felt so rushed, and I had no time to connect to any characters, which makes it hard to resonate with whats happening. The addition of the bizarre games also seemed unrealistic, to the point where it took away slightly. The tension between Harry and Robert was also a plot point that I was unsure the point of. I really enjoyed the twist, and thought that it was refreshing. Overall, I just felt like this was too unrealistic and I needed more details (especially about those murdered).

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the copy of The Family Game. I read Ms. Steadman’s book The Disappearing Act and Interestingly enough, my review for this book is similar. The book started out great and I loved the sense of doom I felt! Then the story started to become far-fetched, and the family games were so outlandish they were unbelievable and distracted from the story. The end was fast-paced and even though I already knew what Robert was up to I didn’t expect it would play out the way it did. I liked Harry and that she was a writer. I loved the writing, as I knew I would, so I will round up my review to four stars.

I literally cannot stress enough how amazing this book was!!! I read 3/4 of it in one sitting and had to go to bed and immediately read the rest when I woke up. This is definitely a stay up all night thriller! The plotting was perfect and I didn’t see the twists coming. I wish it was 100 pages longer because I wanted more!

I was so excited to be granted an early copy of The family game by Catherine Steadman. This book was crazy and not what I expected. This is a high stakes inheritance games style book, but the stakes were even higher. All within the Christmas season, you'll never be ready for the twists and turns you are about to embark on. Overall, I really enjoyed my time with the book, very consistent for me and this author.

Harriet is a best-selling mystery author newly engaged to Edward, the heir to a Rockefeller style family with a long history of power and wealth. Edward has kept her away from his family until the holidays roll around and as Harry begins to meet his family, she learns they have a penchant for playing twisted and dangerous games. Unsure of who to trust but also willing to play in because she loves Edward, Harry must win their family games (ah-ha!).
The only other book of Steadman’s that I had read was Something In The Water, and I found that to be too far fetched. This one, however, was very well paced and enjoyable. I love books about rich people behaving badly and this checked that box for sure. There were some plot points I wish would be have been explored more (Harry’s new book) and some that I found unbelievable (the well) but overall this was a fun, fast paced thriller.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!