Item: The Family Game
Rating: 3.00
Author: quirkycat

by Catherine Steadman

'Classy and ingenious new thriller' BA PARIS

‘Millionaires, marriage and murder make for a potent cocktail in this compelling tale set among the super-rich of New York’s elite’ TM LOGAN

‘Instantly compelling and filled with ingenious twists and brilliant characters. This is sublime thriller writing’ BP WALTER

THE RULES

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

Harriet Reed is newly engaged to Edward Holbeck, the heir to an extremely powerful American family.
When Edward’s father hands her a tape of a book he’s been working on, she is desperate to listen.
But as she presses play, it’s clear that this isn’t a novel. It’s a confession to murder.
Feeling isolated and confused, Harriet must work out if this is all part of a plan to test her loyalty. Or something far darker.
Because this might be a game to the Holbeck family - but games can still be deadly.

READY OR NOT, HERE THEY COME . . .

Praise for Catherine Steadman

‘Stylish, riveting, hugely atmospheric — I couldn’t put it down’ Lucy Foley
‘Engrossing and unputdownable’ Caroline Kepnes
'Captivating doesn't cover it. Brilliant doesn't do it justice. This is a dazzling, gasp-inducing plunge-pool of a novel that grips your heart and mind and refuses to let go. Absolutely stunning' BP Walter
‘Another screen-worthy thriller’ Washington Post
'Like Chekhov’s gun, the Hollywood sign is mentioned early, leading to a great, extended scene far above the city — and to a genuine Hollywood ending' New York Times
‘Engrossing and unputdownable . . . I devoured this Londoner in LA story in a day’ Caroline Kepnes
‘A fascinating glimpse of the darkness behind Hollywood’s glittering façade. I loved it’ TM Logan
'Another page-turning winner from Catherine Steadman. Ingenious and intriguing, with a fascinating insight into the acting world' BA Paris
‘Original, ingenious and utterly gripping, with characters you’ll really care about as they race towards the brilliantly unexpected ending’ JP Delaney
‘A thriller for our times’ Louise Candlish
‘A proper page-turner’ New York Times
'Fans of The Silent Patient will love it' CJ Tudor
'Had me racing through the pages’ Sarah Vaughan
'An enjoyable, nail-biting ride' Observer
'Perfectly paced with an exciting race to the end, this is one clever novel' Woman’s Weekly

The Family Game was one of my recent BOTM choices, and I jumped on it because, well, I'm a sucker for thriller novels. Written by Catherine Steadman, this novel promises an eccentric family, traditions, and twisted games. What more could you ask for?

Harry is an up-and-coming author, with one book turning into an instant bestseller. With the second book in progress (sort of), it seemed like everything in Harry's life couldn't be more perfect. Then she met Edward, the love of her life.

Now the two are engaged to be married, and that means finally meeting his eccentric (and infamously rich) family. That would be intimidating enough on its own, if the family didn't have a love of twisted games...

"A game is only a game if you do not fully understand it."

So I went into The Family Game with pretty high expectations. I was hoping for a mix of domestic thriller and Most Dangerous Game. And that is what I got – yet I struggled to get into this one for some reason. Might it have been the mood I was in?

We have all heard of horrible in-law stories, but I'm pretty sure any story Harry tells will take the cake. This familiar setting is the perfect foundation, as Catherine Steadman stretches it to horrifying new limits.

I enjoyed two parts of this story: the mystery and the games. One could say that the two go hand-in-hand, but they feel distinct from one another. On the one hand, we have the mystery that Harry has been thrown into. On the other hand, we have family games, which serve as a dark reminder of what is at risk.

At the end of the day, I think The Family Game focused too much on family details (who is related to who & what their backstory is) and not enough on the more compelling parts of the story. I think a slightly tighter version of the novel would have been haunting! But still, I respect the potential The Family Game had, and I can't wait to see what Catherine Steadman writes next.

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The Family Game

by Catherine Steadman

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on Nov 4, 2022

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