Catherine Steadman - The Family Game

Catherine Steadman - The Family Game 

5⭐

Genre: Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Fiction, Mystery,  Contemporary Fiction, Thriller

Pages:  400

Format: Paperback Proof 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK 

Date Published: 29th September 2022

Huge thank you to Simon & Schuster UK for sending me the gorgeous proof copy to read and review.

Book Blurb: 

A rich, eccentric family. A time-honoured tradition. Or a lethal game of survival? One woman finds out what it really takes to join the 1% in this riveting psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Something in the Water.

Harry is a novelist on the brink of stardom; Edward, her husband-to-be, is seemingly perfect. In love and freshly engaged, their bliss is interrupted by the re-emergence of the Holbecks, Edward's eminent family and the embodiment of American old money. For years, they've dominated headlines and pulled society’s strings, and Edward left them all behind to forge his own path. But there are eyes and ears everywhere. It was only a matter of time before they were pulled back in . . .

After all, even though he's long severed ties with his family, Edward is set to inherit it all. Harriet is drawn to the glamour and sophistication of the Holbecks, who seem to welcome her with open arms, but everything changes when she meets Robert, the inescapably magnetic head of the family. At their first meeting, Robert slips Harry a cassette tape, revealing a shocking confession which sets the inevitable game in motion.

What is it about Harry that made him give her that tape? A thing that has the power to destroy everything? As she ramps up her quest for the truth, she must endure the Holbecks’ savage Christmas traditions all the while knowing that losing this game could be deadly.

My Review: 

This is my first book by Catherine Steadman and honestly, it was crazy! Good crazy! Like I loved how good and crazy it was! This book had it all, shock value, brilliant writing that flows so well and captures the reader’s breath and attention…oh and just that perfect atmosphere to keep you guessing but at the same time glues you to the pages because you need to know more. I honestly could not put this book down!

So, the story follows a successful writer Harriet (Harry) who moves to New York to live with her fiancé Edward Holbeck. However, Edward is not just anyone, he’s a Holbeck, the son of the most powerful family in the States. Harriet loves Edward so much but she also has to face his eccentric and rather intriguing family members, including her soon-to-be father-in-law. Harriet wants to impress them all, so she ignores Edward’s reluctance for her to meet his strange family. Upon meeting Edward’s family, she is given a strange cassette tape by Edward’s father. Although he states that it is a book that he is writing, after listening to the cassette Harriet realises that it sounds more like a murder confession than a draft of a book. Scared and yet intrigued she continues trying to impress Edward’s family and willingly joins Holbeck’s family game and secrets to find out the truth about the shocking murder confession.

I loved the cat and mouse game atmosphere and the suspense in this book. It made me want to read more and more of this book. Also, the twist at the end was something that I would never even guess but I loved It nonetheless. I just wished that in the end, we got more closure to Harriet’s story but other than that the book was so good.

I found the Holbeck family and its characters very fascinating and yet very insecure. They have so many secrets from one another, yet they not only have this strong/cold presence about them but also, they act like a very strong and united family that knows everything about each other. It was very interesting to see their two-facedness and complexity to them as the book progressed.

For me, Harriet came across as a very lovable character. She had to go through quite a lot to find happiness with Edward and then she had to start again when it came to impressing the Holbeck family, especially to show them that she is worth Edward’s love and place in the family. Although some might question her morals about certain things she did during the book,  she did what she thought was right, and she did things to protect her family at all costs. She also stayed true to herself throughout the whole book, which for me made her a very strong character.

Overall: I loved this book! It was a fascinating, intriguing, suspenseful read that goes to my top books of 2022 pile. I would love to read more of Catherine Steadman’s books, as I enjoyed her writing and the atmosphere that she created in this book. I expect her other books have that similar suspense vibe in them, too. 

About the Author:

Catherine Steadman is an actress and author based in London. She has appeared in leading roles on British and American television as well as on stage in the West End where she has been nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award. She grew up in the New Forest, Hampshire, and now lives in North London with her husband and daughter. Catherine's first novel, Something in the Water, was a number one New York Times bestseller with rights sold in over 30 territories. It was selected as a Reese Witherspoon Book Club and Richard & Judy Book Club pick. Her second novel, Mr Nobody, was published in 2020, and her third novel, The Disappearing Act, was published in 2021.

https://twitter.com/catsteadman