Ratings69
Average rating3.7
“A powerful family and a deadly game. Be prepared for a nail-biting, roller-coaster of a ride” (B. A. Paris, author of Behind Closed Doors), from the New York Times bestselling author of Something in the Water, Mr. Nobody, and The Disappearing Act “The Holbecks are what you might come up with if you took the Roys from Succession and blended them with the Murdochs, the Macbeths, and the Borgias. . . . Let the fun begin!”—The New York Times Book Review (Editors’ Choice) THE RULES 1. Listen carefully 2. Do your research 3. Trust no one 4. Run for your life It’s the holiday season and Harriet Reed, a novelist on the brink of literary stardom, is newly engaged to Edward Holbeck, the heir of an extremely powerful family. And even though Edward has long tried to sever ties with them, news of the couple’s upcoming marital bliss has the Holbecks inching back into their lives with one invite after another. As Harriet is drawn into their lavish world, the family seems perfectly welcoming . . . even if some of their traditions, like a “Christmas demon” called Krampus, seem creepy at best. So when Edward’s father, Robert, hands Harriet 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 just a novel. It’s a confession. A confession to a grisly crime. A murder. And, suddenly, the game is in motion. Feeling isolated and confused, Harriet must work out if this is part of a plan to test her loyalty or something far darker. What is it that Robert sees in her? Why give her the power to destroy everything? This might be a game to the Holbeck family—but losing could still prove deadly. READY OR NOT, HERE THEY COME . . .
Reviews with the most likes.
4.5, and only because I very rarely give 5s to anything anywhere. The atmosphere in this book is perfection and I enjoyed the dynamics throughout.
There is a twist that is somewhat predictable, but I actually didn't see it coming. Maybe I'm just off my game, but whatever the case I really, really enjoyed it. It's not as fucked up as my normal thrillers, but it is still heart pounding enough to keep me thinking about it constantly. We ended February on a good note.
If you were to actually think about this book a bit deeper after finishing it the whole plot would fall apart.
It was a fun ride nonetheless. The rating is on pure enjoyment and not really on the quality of the plot and character development. The spooky scenes were good though.
I forgot to rate this one.
3.5 stars
Really cool premise. The execution had flaws, it was particularly slow at the beginning, not very suspenseful, and a specific plot device didn't make much sense not listening to the whole tape? Seriously?.
However, it was entertaining, especially The Hydes' scenes, and it kept me interested.