December 2022 Standalone BOTM - The Family Game, by Catherine Steadman

[Alaina]

A rich, eccentric family. A time-honored 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, Mr. Nobody, and The Disappearing Act.

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 reemergence 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.

**This BOTM thread will be open until January 5th @ Midnight (in your time zone)**

[Kira]

Chapter 1-6: (view spoiler)[The whole Holbeck family is giving me such creepy vibes ngl and I don't believe Edward is marrying Harry just for love. Looks like they all are hiding something and Harry's life is about to take a disastrous turn (hide spoiler)]

[Kira]

Chapter 7-20: (view spoiler)[Robert and Harry's interaction was so weird and uncomfortable to witness. I wonder if Harry killed her own parents. The whole confessional tape and Bobby's death is fishy as hell. I hope she is able to get some answers from Samantha (hide spoiler)]

[Kira]

Chapter 21-29: (view spoiler)[Yeah this is not getting any better, Robert is a sick murderer, Harry is dumb for letting her sink deeper into all this and I am genuinely so amazed by the level of creepiness this family normalises in their day to day life (hide spoiler)]

[Kira]

Chapter 30-40: (view spoiler)[Well it seems like Robert just wants to control every aspect of his kids' lives and gets rid of anyone he doesn't approve of but I don't understand how everyone around him is so oblivious to this fact and what even is this favour he wants from Harry (hide spoiler)]

[Kira]

Finished: (view spoiler)[This book was so disturbing but it did not make sense at a lot of times as well like why did the family not stop Edward and why did they need Harry to do the deed, they simply could have followed through what happened at the end themselves but nope they just had to indict another person into this crazy family. Edward might have been the psycho among them all but I find ALL of them creepy in their own ways (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

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