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daniellelee618's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
thephdivabooks's review against another edition
5.0
Twisted and engrossing—I didn’t want to stop reading this until the very last page (and even then I didn’t want it to be over, if I’m honest)!
Plot
Everything is coming together for novelist Harriet (who goes by Harry). Her writing career is taking off and she is on deadline for her next thriller. She is recently engaged to handsome, wealthy Edward Holbeck in a fairytale romance. She’s moved to New York City to live with him and left behind her lonely past in London, where she was orphaned at a young age. Harry is grateful to start a new family with Edward.
Not long after their engagement, Edward’s family reaches out hoping to connect with Harry and if she is willing to help, bring Edward back into the family. The Holbecks are old money, and though Edward could have been set for life in the family business, he has taken his own path to success separate from them. His engagement to Harry may be the perfect opportunity for him to come back to his family.
When Edward’s sister tricks Harry into agreeing to spend Thanksgiving with the family at their New York home, Harry finds herself drawn into the dark and glittering world of the Holbecks. Edward’s father Robert pulls Harry aside for a chat and she can’t help but feel there is more beneath the surface of their conversation than she realized. When Robert slips her an old cassette tape containing a shocking confession, Harry becomes entrapped in a game that she isn’t sure she wants to win.
Why was Robert willing to trust Harry with the secrets he revealed on the tape? As Harry pieces together the clues, she realizes things with the Holbecks are darker than she ever knew. Harry must win the game or risk losing it all, maybe even her life…
My Thoughts
I read a lot of psychological thrillers so I notice when they deliver above and beyond. The Family Game is so expertly written and dark. Harry as a main character is one of the best parts of the book. Initially she may seem too good and kind for this family, but she has some scrappiness to her that comes out as she gets deeper into the games. At a certain point I began to realize that no one was better suited to her position within the Holbeck circle.
The Holbecks are twisted! There is a voyeurism, I think, to reading about these extremely wealthy families and their secrets. More money, more problems (and more secrets), as they say. The Holbecks follow primogeniture, which is essentially about birth order regardless of gender. This added an edge to the family members, as their order in the lineage had a certain meaning to it and that translated to their freedom in their life, career, relationships, and future.
The games! From the moment Harry’s publisher calls her to back out of their meeting and she realizes it was because Edward’s sister pressured them to so she could meet her, I knew there was going to be a lot going on here. Nothing that any of the Holbecks and their extended family do should be taken at face value. These people play games merely by breathing!
The cassette tape was a particularly fascinating element to the story. Robert pulls Harry aside for a cryptic chat and slips her the tape. She must track down the right device to even be able to listen to the tape—something that was certainly a challenge that Robert intended. Once she has the tape, we hear the shocking contents of the message Robert recorded for her. And to add a layer to it all, Harry is faced with what she pursues, how she pursues it, and whether she should share anything with Edward.
The settings were outstanding, particularly the Hydes, which is old, opulent, and had a fascinating backstory. The grounds and house are full of hideaways, mazes, and secret spaces. I could vividly picture it all! It was similar to watching a film in my mind (which makes me realize this book absolutely should be made into a film).
Suspenseful, gripping, and dark—I truly didn’t want this book to end!
Plot
Everything is coming together for novelist Harriet (who goes by Harry). Her writing career is taking off and she is on deadline for her next thriller. She is recently engaged to handsome, wealthy Edward Holbeck in a fairytale romance. She’s moved to New York City to live with him and left behind her lonely past in London, where she was orphaned at a young age. Harry is grateful to start a new family with Edward.
Not long after their engagement, Edward’s family reaches out hoping to connect with Harry and if she is willing to help, bring Edward back into the family. The Holbecks are old money, and though Edward could have been set for life in the family business, he has taken his own path to success separate from them. His engagement to Harry may be the perfect opportunity for him to come back to his family.
When Edward’s sister tricks Harry into agreeing to spend Thanksgiving with the family at their New York home, Harry finds herself drawn into the dark and glittering world of the Holbecks. Edward’s father Robert pulls Harry aside for a chat and she can’t help but feel there is more beneath the surface of their conversation than she realized. When Robert slips her an old cassette tape containing a shocking confession, Harry becomes entrapped in a game that she isn’t sure she wants to win.
Why was Robert willing to trust Harry with the secrets he revealed on the tape? As Harry pieces together the clues, she realizes things with the Holbecks are darker than she ever knew. Harry must win the game or risk losing it all, maybe even her life…
My Thoughts
I read a lot of psychological thrillers so I notice when they deliver above and beyond. The Family Game is so expertly written and dark. Harry as a main character is one of the best parts of the book. Initially she may seem too good and kind for this family, but she has some scrappiness to her that comes out as she gets deeper into the games. At a certain point I began to realize that no one was better suited to her position within the Holbeck circle.
The Holbecks are twisted! There is a voyeurism, I think, to reading about these extremely wealthy families and their secrets. More money, more problems (and more secrets), as they say. The Holbecks follow primogeniture, which is essentially about birth order regardless of gender. This added an edge to the family members, as their order in the lineage had a certain meaning to it and that translated to their freedom in their life, career, relationships, and future.
The games! From the moment Harry’s publisher calls her to back out of their meeting and she realizes it was because Edward’s sister pressured them to so she could meet her, I knew there was going to be a lot going on here. Nothing that any of the Holbecks and their extended family do should be taken at face value. These people play games merely by breathing!
The cassette tape was a particularly fascinating element to the story. Robert pulls Harry aside for a cryptic chat and slips her the tape. She must track down the right device to even be able to listen to the tape—something that was certainly a challenge that Robert intended. Once she has the tape, we hear the shocking contents of the message Robert recorded for her. And to add a layer to it all, Harry is faced with what she pursues, how she pursues it, and whether she should share anything with Edward.
The settings were outstanding, particularly the Hydes, which is old, opulent, and had a fascinating backstory. The grounds and house are full of hideaways, mazes, and secret spaces. I could vividly picture it all! It was similar to watching a film in my mind (which makes me realize this book absolutely should be made into a film).
Suspenseful, gripping, and dark—I truly didn’t want this book to end!
lauraleto's review against another edition
5.0
Really good thriller - the story, the plot, the action, fresh and captivating!
smholstedt's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
suzyq436's review against another edition
4.0
This is a good solid thriller.
I really enjoyed it! I love mysteries embedded in the dark secrets of a family and this had plenty.
I really enjoyed it! I love mysteries embedded in the dark secrets of a family and this had plenty.
redentrapy's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
saramuhlhausen's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
damarareads's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 i had a good time reading this it felt a little familiar but still well written