#BlogTour: The Family Game by Catherine Steadman @CatSteadman @simonschusterUK @RandomTTours #TheFamilyGame #CatherineSteadman #RandomThingsTours #5Stars

Book Synopsis:

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 . . .

My Review:

The Family Game is an exciting, original and absorbing read that was unlike anything I’ve read before. It’s going to be a difficult book to review as I don’t want to give anything away.

Firstly what a family the Holbecks are! I was simultaneously glad I didn’t know them but also quite sad that I didn’t. They are all larger than life, mad and thoroughly entertaining characters that I enjoyed getting to know throughout the book. They were quite unpredictable too which made it hard for the reader to guess what was going to happen next.

The story starts off a little slow as the author sets the scene and introduces us to the family but soon gathers pace becoming impossible to put down. The atmosphere and sense of dread seemed to increase with each chapter until it was almost unbearable. The author throws in lots of twists and red herrings so I had to keep changing my mind about what was going on which I always enjoy.

The ending was absolutely fantastic! It was very dramatic, exciting and completely over the top which was just how I wanted a book like this to end. If you are looking for a different, original read I highly recommend this one!

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Simon and Schuster for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Catherine Steadman is an actress and author based in London. She has appeared in leading roles on British and American television but is perhaps best known for playing Mabel Lane Fox in the series Downton Abbey. As well as on screen she has also appeared in the West End where she has been nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award. Catherine lives in Hackney, North London.

Catherine’s first novel, Something in the Water, was a number one New York Times bestseller with rights sold in over 30 territories. Film rights were picked up Reese Witherspoon’s production company, Hello Sunshine, with Something in the Water becoming a Reeses’s book club pick in the US and a Richard and Judy Book club pick in the UK.

Mr Nobody, her second novel, was listed as one of Newsweek’s 20 Most Anticipated Books of 2020, and her third novel, The Disappearing Act, released in 2021, was number #1 in on the iTunes Audiobook chart.

Her fourth novel The Family Game will be out Sept 2022.