Jamie Day‘s 2023 release The Block Party was a twisty and fun ride so I was excited to get my hands on her latest thriller, but sadly I didn't love it like I thought I would. One Big Happy Family in quick, rapid-fire thoughts.

-I didn’t connect with the main protagonist at all
-character development was lacking, and it was hard to distinguish between the three sisters
-when a rhyme showed up on a mirror, I felt like I had read a similar plot in another book
-the second part drew me out of the present-day action, then aspects felt repetitive
-I felt disconnected from the story as I constantly tried to piece out who was who
-the outcome was too easy to predict from early on
-one sub-plot didn't jive with the rest of the story
-the audiobook narrator sounded nasally and far too old for a believable nineteen-year-old

One Big Happy Family does get points for making me gasp at one reveal, but that's about it!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and MacMillan Audio for the complimentary copies to read and review.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this copy of One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day. I'm glad that I didn't miss out on this one!

This was an excellent read - full of twists, turns, and jaw-dropping moments. You'll love trying to figure out the "secrets" of the various key players and won't want to set it down until you have finished.

My Second read by this Author and I loved it. Fast paced thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat with twists and turns that you don't see coming. A Family-owned hotel is the setting for this read that involves Family secrets, Murder and mayhem.
Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martins Press and the Author, Jamie Day for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This story was full of twists and turns and was engaging all the way through. The variety of characters and setting were great.

I loved the drama and chaos! Some of the twists were a little predictable but it was still a good read.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eArc in exchange for an honest review!

One Big Happy Family is set at The Precipice, a hotel on the coast of Maine.

It had all the potential of a great book. The setting was wonderful. The reading of a will. A storm coming adds to the drama among the family. A secluded secret guest A maid desperate to keep her job.

Starts out a little slow with the setup of the family and other characters. I didn't really connect with any of the characters other than Charley.

The unrealistic happenings had me rolling my eyes at times.

Overall a good book, just not as good as I had hoped.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the arc.netgalley and

Of course it’s NOT one big happy family! Three sisters via for rights of their family inn. Add an unscrupulous chamber maid who is hiding a women in one of the rooms, secrets galore and a hurricane on the way and you have a great tale of suspense!

I absolutely loved the IDEA of this book—seriously, a stormy hotel with family secrets? How cool is that? The premise had me hooked from the start. But here’s the twist: while the concept was great, the execution felt a bit like a slow drizzle rather than a full-on hurricane. The big reveal came a bit too soon for my taste, even if it wasn’t exactly what I’d predicted in the end. Also, the romance subplot felt a little like an afterthought or just didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

Some moments/ aspects felt a bit corny too, which took me out of the suspenseful vibe I was craving. But don’t get me wrong, if you’re into atmospheric settings and family drama with a mystery side, this might still be worth a read. It’s got charm, but it’s also got a few quirks.

Jamie Day is one of my favorite, go-to authors and this book was giving all the ‘And Then There Were None’ vibes. Trapped in a hotel during a storm, you were left wondering if the members of the family all had pure intentions. I absolutely loved this book and devoured it!

A Hurricane…a murderer…family 😳
All of this leaves you with an interesting tale with drama, chaos, and a lot going on! This was quite interesting and a new to me author. I’ll definitely check her out again

Jamie Day has produced a tightly-crafted mystery full of love-to-hate-them characters, and an atmospheric setting that perfectly befits the tension inherent in the plot. While it's not exactly anything earth-shattering as a sort of locked-room mystery populated by badly-behaved wealthy folks, it's a competent and solid entry into the genre. This was a thoroughly enjoyable summer read - if a little rushed towards the end, and maybe even a little TOO neatly tied up - and I look forward to whatever comes next from the author.

No, they’re not - not one big happy family. Three sisters with many dark secrets between them and Charley, the chambermaid at their father’s hotel are the main characters in this mystery. While I enjoyed the sisters section of the novel best, overall I felt like the author threw in every mystery story trope - a set of characters stuck in one location, a huge storm, a murder and some red herrings. This wasn’t the novel for me but I will continue to read this author as I felt her debut novel The Block Party was strong.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

An okay family story and who done it rolled into one. Didn’t always keep my interest. Good location.

Wow, what a ride! Jamie Day’s "One Big Happy Family" is a thrilling, stormy saga of family drama and secrets. Set in a coastal Maine hotel during a hurricane, this locked-room mystery brings out all the juicy family feuds and hidden agendas you could ask for. Charley, the chambermaid, is caught in the middle of the Bishop sisters’ intense showdown, and let me tell you, it’s a wild ride!

The blend of suspense and drama kept me hooked, even if some twists were a bit predictable. The atmospheric setting and the intense family dynamics make this a gripping read for fans of domestic thrillers. Definitely worth picking up if you love a good mystery with a stormy backdrop.

One of my favorite types of thriller reads is the locked door mystery and I also love a good domestic drama. What drew me to Jamie Day’s new thriller One Big Happy Family is that it is both. It reads like a mashup of a Ruth Ware or Agatha Christie murder mystery and a Liane Moriarty domestic drama.

The story is set at The Precipice, a hotel located on the coast of Maine and owned by the Bishop family. Dad has recently passed away so the Bishop sisters decide to come to the hotel to hear the reading of the will.

Chambermaid Charley Kelly is anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Bishop sisters. She desperately needs this job (and the extra money she has been stealing from the hotel’s guests). What will she do if they decide to close the hotel? And even worse, what will they do if they find out Charley has been hiding a woman who is on the run in their hotel?

The reading of the will sets off a dramatic chain of events within the Bishop family where long held secrets and grudges come to light and people end up dead. The scene is made even more chaotic and dangerous by the fact that a dangerous hurricane is bearing down on them, thus forcing them to stay at the hotel together even though they are at each other’s throats.

I found the mystery aspect of the story compelling but I did guess a few of the twists along the way. What really kept me entertained though was all of the drama within the Bishop family Talk about toxic people!

The staff of the Precipice are anticipating the three Bishop sisters. After the death of their father, the Bishop sisters arrive to hear the reading of the will but this is not a tight-knit, close family. Each sister wants what is rightfully hers. The three sisters have plenty of secrets and unchecked jealousy so for them to be shoved into a room during a dangerous storm that literally holds them hostage, the outcome can’t be good. Charley is the housekeeper. A housekeeper who was very familiar with the previous owner and his unwelcomed advances. She’s not thrilled to be expecting the sisters. She’s heard plenty about them and guess what? They don’t really care to know or be around Charley either. Charley has some issues. When the guests are plentiful at the hotel, she skims from them as much as she can to take care of her grandma, who is tucked away in assisted living. Yes, she steals for a good cause but when her loose morals commingle with that of the sisters a tug of war ensues. Plus, with all the guests gone, due to the storm, how will she earn the living she needs to earn to support her grandma?

The author writes a novel that is a mystery and thriller. There are twists and turns throughout the story. I liked the wit and suspense in this novel!

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day is a gripping thriller set at The Precipice, a family-owned hotel on Maine's rocky coast. After their father's death, sisters Iris, Vicki, and Faith return to claim their inheritance, each harboring dangerous secrets. As a hurricane looms, tensions escalate, and murder hangs in the air.

The novel is a masterful blend of suspense and family drama. The Bishop sisters' complex dynamics drive the plot, while Charley Kelley, the resilient chambermaid, adds depth and intrigue. Vivid descriptions of the storm-battered hotel enhance the atmospheric tension.

Jamie Day's sharp writing and well-timed twists keep readers hooked. With its memorable characters and twisty plot, One Big Happy Family is a must-read for fans of domestic thrillers and suspenseful family sagas.

Jamie Day's ironically-titled "One Big Happy Family," centers around a dysfunctional family reuniting for the reading of their patriarch’s will. George Bishop - a despised father, husband, and employer - leaves behind a substantial estate, attracting his estranged daughters and their families.

Charley Kelley, the protagonist, works as a maid at George's hotel, The Precipice, a mansion in Maine filled with George's eclectic estate sale collections. As Hurricane Larry approaches, the storm outside mirrors the brewing tensions within the mansion. Charley and her friend Bree, who is fleeing an abusive relationship, witness the volatile dynamics among the Bishop sisters: Vicki, Faith, and Iris. The only other outsider is the unscrupulous attorney Brenda Black, who vanishes mysteriously after revealing shocking details of George’s will. Suspicion and accusations fly, particularly against Vicki’s husband Todd, over a supposedly valuable painting.

The narrative echoes Agatha Christie’s "And Then There Were None," with suspense building as cryptic poems and dark secrets emerge. Trust is scarce, and Charley’s distrust intensifies amid escalating violence and power outages. The story culminates in a tense resolution with justice served, secrets unveiled, and survivors left to rebuild.

Is "One Big Happy Family" a genre-changing novel that will top all other mystery books? Probably not. But it is an entertaining tale for fans of "whodunit" mysteries, and those who enjoy reading about fractured relationships and hidden truths. It was an entertaining, easy read, although somewhat lacking in substance.

Lots to unpack in this story. A family drama that is about a truly dysfunctional trio of sisters (the Bishops) all vying for their share of their inheritance when their father has passed away, secrets on top of secrets, a murderer on the loose, a woman on the run, a scant few employees to prepare the hotel with an impending hurricane on the horizon and all of them trying to keep it together, save the hotel and stay alive. I liked the character of Charley, who only wanted to take care of her beloved grandmother even if she were not always in the right. It was an okay read, but to me a bit wordy and felt disjointed to me and I am probably in my head comparing it to the Block Party, which I enjoyed from start to finish, so maybe that’s on me. An okay read, but not my favorite this summer. I’d have rated 2.5 stars if half stars were available so uprated to 3.

This mystery book had my head spinning and it was so damn good. I highly recommend for thriller lovers.