A family inn, a hurricane, sibling rivalry, a will and plenty of twists and turns sounds great. While this was an interesting mystery, I did find my interest waning at times. Perhaps the story was a bit too long for me. Thanks #NetGalley

One Big Happy Family was a well-written and engaging locked room mystery-thriller. The story, told in past and present timelines, was suspenseful and engrossing. The numerous characters and events were a bit overwhelming to keep track of, but I loved the twists in the story. Although some parts were predictable, I thought the ending was satisfying. Overall, I enjoyed this story. I would recommend this book to mystery-thriller lovers.

3.5⭐️

One Big Happy Family was my second book by Jamie Day. I really enjoyed it. The setting was right up my alley: An old family hotel in Maine with a hurricane on its way. Charley, the live in maid, has chosen that life at such a young age so that she can take care of her grandmother's assisted living bills. Charley's security is suddenly rocked by two events: 1. The owner of the hotel has died and his family is coming in to decide what to do with it now, and 2. a strange woman has come to Charley begging for sanctuary in the hotel from an abusive boyfriend. Between the family drama and secrets, and the strange stowaway, Charley is juggling a lot, and right as a hurricane is supposed to hit. I was engaged from the beginning. So many unlikeable characters, but so fun to read. I enjoyed the book start to finish.

A masterfully written mystery. A dysfunctional family, a maid, a lawyer and various other people arrive at the old family hotel for a will reading and end up trapped in the hotel during a hurricane, what could go wrong? Whenever I thought I had it figured out, the author went in a new direction and gave new information. A robust page turner with well written characters and situations. Such a fun read, I couldn’t put it down. Thank you NetGalley for providing the ARC.

One Big Happy Family revolves around the new heiresses of the Precipice Hotel: a legendary family hotel located on the rocky coast of Maine where the three Bishop Sisters gather at the family resort to hear the will of their late father, George Bishop. Enter the maid: Charley. She more than has her hands full living in a closet in the hotel turned into a rent-free room, trapped in her job to pay for her nana’s care house. It vacuums the entire funds she’s made and forces her into pickpocketing from wealthy guests. (sound familiar?)
After the hearing of the will, the family members start arguing thinking one of them might have manipulated George to change his will. Iris and Faith are not happy with the outcome. Brenda Black, the ex-shady prosecutor, new lawyer also acting suspicious, might be involved in a scheme that the sisters wouldn’t like either. Things take a turn for the worst whenever a murder occurs...
Between the chaos of everything going on at the hotel itself, the absolute toxicity of the family, lots of secrets, and a history of grudges...

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this eArc with me in exchange for my honest opinions! I definitely enjoyed it and can't wait to read another one of Jamie Day's books.

I'm a huge Agatha Christie fan and love locked-room and secluded murder mysteries. So I was really excited when I started this one and it seemed to have those kind of vibes. Unfortunately it ended up falling short of my expectations. I had a hard time keeping all the characters straight, which in part I think was due to them all being quite two-dimensional. I did enjoy the secluded setting but the mystery and overall plot was just overall forgettable. It was a pretty quick read though so pick this up if you're in the mood for a fast Summer thriller featuring complicated familial relationships.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I was definitely entertained but I feel like there was almost toooooo much going on. I overall think I would read other books by this author.

This was so far fetched and bizarre. Every page there was a new twist and turn. So many that it felt very unrealistic. This one was not for me.

<i>One Big Happy Family</i> ended up being an unrealistic murder mystery / family drama. It was set in an old hotel during a hurricane. There were plot holes and things I'm still confused about. I honestly couldn't get behind this storyline. Day is a good writer though, so I never once considered putting the book down to stop. I did legitimately want to know what was going to happen.
There were some ridiculous lines that were funny enough that I laughed outloud. I appreciated them very much.

I really enjoyed reading One Big Happy Family. A sprawling old hotel on the coast of Maine in the middle of a hurricane is a great setting for a locked door murder mystery. There are plenty of secrets and motive when the three eccentric estranged daughters and their families come back to The Precipice for their father's funeral and the reading of the will. Chaos ensues immediately and everyone is a suspect.

I did guess some of the big secrets early on but it was still fun to watch how things were slowly revealed. So much happens and since and since no one can leave it added to the tension of the story.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. I am required by law to disclose this.

This book was a joy to read. I enjoyed the way the story flowed and I had a few moments that kind of made me question a few things. The characters were very interesting and I had smile quite a few times. This author really knows how to tell a story that will captivate you from the very beginning. I highly recommend this book.

I was excited to read this book as I really enjoyed “The Block Party.”

I found “One Big Happy Family” to be a bit of a tougher book to get into. I really enjoyed the main character, Charley, and her storyline, but there were a lot of characters and a lot going on. While I understand thrillers aren’t always plausible, the amount of family chaos, betrayal, and interwoven drama was a bit much. The book was slow for me and while it definitely picked up in part three, it still slogged a bit to the end.

Overall, this book wasn’t a favorite for me but I will look forward to reading the next one by Jamie Day as I do enjoy her writing style!

🎧 One Big Happy Family-a standalone

✍️ By: Jamie Day-new to me author

🗣️ Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld voiced all characters. The narrator's voice fit the characters with standouts from Charley, Bree, and Rodrigo. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrator worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrator paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along with the E-book and audiobook.

📃 Page Count: 384

🏃🏾‍♀️Run Time: 11:12

🗓️ Publication Date: 7-16-24 | Read: 8-23-24

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for this ARC and ALC 💙! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Genre: Mystery/Suspense, Thriller

🌏Setting: Jonesport, Maine

Tropes:
❤️family drama
❤️small town
❤️hidden truths
❤️LGBTQIA+ rep


⚠️ TW: child abuse, DV, murder-death of parent, foster care

POV: 1st person- Charley

💭 Summary 💭:
The Precipice is a family-owned hotel by George Bishop who recently died. His three daughters Iris, Vicki, and Faith have come for their share. Hurricane Larry is coming and the Bishop sisters are holding onto some deadly secrets, but the nineteen-year-old maid Charley Kelley who knows more than meets the eye.


Side cast: Bree-a woman on the run Charley gives sanctuary to at the hotel, Rodrigo-works at the hotel and is Charley's friend, Hope-Faith's wife, Oliver-Faith and Hope's son, Todd-Vicki's husband and Quinn-Iris's son

My Thoughts: This was a great murder mystery with many layers. There's our narrator Charley, a maid and thief who knew what kind of man George Bishop was. She sacrificed for her grandmother Nana who lived in assisted living. She was nice to Bree-a stranger in need but dreaded the Bishop sisters' arrivals. Each of them had their own agenda and wanted their inheritance. They were greedy and willing to kill to get what they wanted. It reminded me of King Lear and his three daughters. I'm glad they made amends (kind of), especially for Charley and her Nana.

Range of emotions: 😬🤔🙄
🌶️: Spice 1/5
🎧: Narration 4/5
😭: Emotion 4/5
❤️: Couple n/a
⭐️: Rating 4/5

I really enjoyed the author's previous book The Block Party, but One Big Happy Family dragged for me. I felt like it was to long and things weren't really progressing much throughout the story. I stuck with it find out how it ended, which was a bit corny but some people would probably like it.

Jamie day is becoming one of my favorite authors. This book has a great mystery, filled with drama and danger. I highly recommend.

Jamie Day always writes amazing thrillers! At first, I thought "One Big Happy Family" was going to follow a typical pattern - death of rich loved one, siblings fighting, desolate during a big storm, murder... And to some extent, it was. Just like we continue watching Hallmark movies even though we know the outcomes, I still read this book. There is always a catch at the end that I didn't see coming and this book delivered! I love a good ending!

This is a book you will stay up late reading, but won't be too afraid to fall asleep!

A will reading during a hurricane at an old, iconic hotel where everything is at stake and everyone present could lose everything... even their life.

The first thing that really drew me in was Charley's relationship with her Nana with Dementia. I was very close to my Nana as well, who also had Dementia, so this allowed me to really connect with her.

This is a locked door, "And Then There Were None" mystery.

There were red herrings all along the way, and so many characters with motive.

I loved the way this kept me hooked and needing to know what happened next and what secret will come out next. I did suspect the right person, but the why and how and backstory I didn't see coming. I loved the ending and how it wrapped up.

This author is now an auto buy for me as this is the second book I have devoured and loved all the twists and turns!!!!

On a creepy day in Maine, on a deserted coastline, with a hurricane threatening to strike, a family gathers at the old homestead. What was once the family home is now a prosperous resort, and the
estranged sisters are all gathered together once more after the death of the patriarch. No one really wants to be there. Resentments run high, secrets run deep and even the staff, small as it is, isn’t to be spared. But the will needs to be read and all are hoping for a piece of the pie.

Oh if only things were that simple.

The front desk manager , Rodrigo, recognizes the lawyer who is in charge of the estate and who is on hand to read the will as a nemesis from his past. He bails before the storm hits. That leaves Charley the chambermaid without a comrade in arms until a woman, Bree, running from an abusive boyfriend shows up looking for temporary asylum. Charley, who desperately needs to keep her job in order to support her grandmother is trying her best to please here but her job is being threatened.

Lights go out. WiFi and phone service go down and the scene is set for whatever mischief will play itself out.

The sisters all have baggage and are pretty unlikable in general as is the husband of the oldest sister, Vicki. Her son on the other hand is a sympathetic character and Charley is smitten. But who can be trusted? Every minute there is another twist to the story.

This kept me guessing and I do love a good mystery. This was very atmospheric and had me on the edge of my seat. I really liked the story and did not figure it out until close to the end.

Colorful Adirondack chairs will always catch my eye so I admit I would have probably selected this book regardless of the premise or author. After loving Jamie Day’s last book, The Block Party, and these pastel beachside chairs (empty because of course that storm is rapidly rolling in) on the cover, I knew I wanted to read One Big Happy Family. A great setting, a locked room format, and a complicated ending make this an engaging read.

The teaser doesn’t fully capture the essence of the book, which to me is the main character, Charley. Everyone else can be messy, horrible, mysterious, or pretentious—but Charley is the driving force of this book. I immediately liked Charley, who works as a maid at the Precipice Hotel. The hotel is old, charming, and legendary. Her job allows Charley to scrape by helping to pay for her grandmother’s care while Charley lives in a converted storage closet at the Precipice. When she was offered room and board by the now-deceased owner George Bishop, she felt lucky. Now she realizes that she is trapped.

Charley’s backstory is heartbreaking—a father who she’s never met and who abused her mother, prompting her to move back home. A mother who wanted to escape life and eventually became addicted to drugs. An overdose. A nana who is in the early stages of alzheimers with no one to care for her costs but Charley—a nineteen year-old chambermaid. You can’t not feel for Charley!

As the book opens, hurricane Larry is bearing down on the hotel, and guests are cancelling right and left. The hotel isn’t empty, though. It’s about to be so full of drama your head will spin. And that drama comes from the children of the late George Bishop, who are gathered to hear the reading of his will. Which of the Bishop sisters is the worst? I’d probably choose Vicki or Faith, but they are all awful. Vicki is the eldest and owns a jewelry story. She’s married to a greedy, pompous man named Todd. Iris is the middle sister and a recovering drug addict and ex-con. She’s now found religion. The youngest, Faith, is a former model who loves being in the spotlight, and her wife Hope is an earth-mother type. Vicki’s adult son Quinn attracts Charley’s attention. Meanwhile Faith’s son Oliver seems withdrawn.

A woman Charley met a week earlier arrives seeking shelter. She’s fleeing an abusive relationship and needs a place to stay where he can’t track her credit card. She offers Charley cash, which she is in desperate need of after her Nana’s rent went up. Charley agrees to hide Bree in one of the rooms, but she knows if Vicki and Todd catch her, she will be out of a job. Surely they’ll be too self-absorbed to notice, right?

As you can guess with a book describing a happy family in a sarcastic tone, the gathering and the will reading do not go as planned. The attorney Brenda Black is slimy and apparently has a troubling past with perpetuating racial bias in the courtroom. Rodrigo refuses to work the weekend, and with the cook Olga quitting, Charley is going to be left with the drama of the Bishop family (and her stowaway Bree). Vicki comes out the best with the will. Iris and Faith are not happy with their father’s last wishes.

It's the beginning of a weekend filled with secrets and murder. Cell reception is spotty, the hurricane has trapped them inside, and someone (or more than one) is out for blood. The number of hidden tidbits from the Bishop’s past had my head spinning. Charley has a front row seat to the meltdown of the sisters. Can she survive the weekend? It seems someone wants to quiet her for good.

I loved the setting and I thought Charley was a fantastic leading character. The Bishop family was so toxic, but well-written. The sisters have their own troubling pasts that make them somewhat sympathetic, despite their current behavior. The short chapters kept the book moving. I didn’t like this as much as The Block Party, but I thought it was solid and it kept me entertained. The second half dragged on a bit, but the ending made up for that.

The audiobook is great and helped with the pacing. I will definitely read whatever Jamie Day writes next!

Thank you to St Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for my copy. Opinions are my own.

One Big Happy Family is anything but. When their father dies, three sisters and their families are called to The Precipice hotel for the reading of the will. What follows includes: murder, car accidents, sexual harassment, elder care scandals, drug abuse, a stolen painting, an adoption story, affairs, just to name a few of the plot lines.

Positives:
I liked the story being told from the perspective of Charley Kelley, the "maid" as she was really one of the only likeable characters
This book had a little of everything for the reader
Loved the setting of the historic hotel in Maine, especially once the storm came and they were cut off from others
I always enjoy stories about family dynamics, especially sisters

Negatives:
This book was a bit all over the place.
There were 4 parts, and in my opinion it was just way too long and included too many storylines. It was a bit chaotic.