The owner of The Precipice Hotel dies and his three adult daughters, Vickie, Iris and Faith, return to bury him and attend the reading of the will. Charlie is the live in maid and when the family arrives she gets drawn into their drama and into a murder mystery.

The setting of a remote hotel on a rocky Maine coast during a hurricane was my favorite part. I love a locked door mystery and this one was quite the wild ride. The Bishop sisters are hiding a secret and they are each unlikeable and crazy in their own way. Who is the murderer and how many people will die? How many secrets are they hiding exactly?

On the downside, this one was a little far fetched and moved slowed in the beginning.

Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for an arc for review!

Charley's world is about to get turned upside down as her boss has passed away and his daughters are coming for his funeral and to divide the assests including the family hotel which Charley has worked and lived at for the past few years. She has always wondered what the Bishop sisters were like but she got a lot more than she ever thought when they arrived and it was discovered they all had secrets the would kill to keep.

I really enjoyed this book and the twists that it took throughout especially towards the end. Thank you netgalley, the publisher and author for my arc!

Thank you for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.
While I enjoyed the story line, it took me a little while to get into the book. It seemed to start out slow with not much happening in my opinion.
Once the story picked up, it went quick with one thing after another happening. Unfortunately, the story often seemed very far fetched and unrealistic. The characters all seemed unlikeable even tho the author appears ro make the reader feel for and like the protagonist.
While this book didn't give me the wow unput-downable feel, it was a fun quick read.

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 3.75⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: thriller/ mystery 📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
This one was okay, I enjoyed it but all of the drama took away from the suspense/mystery
𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Hotel on coast of Maine setting
Family drama
All the secrets and lies
Looked room murder mystery
The Maid vibes
Flashbacks
Unlikable characters

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
The rhyming kid was a good touch

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
More drama than suspense
Super over the top
Starts off slow

One Big Happy Family begins well, The narrator's POV had me hooked early on in setting the creepy vibe of an isolated beachfront hotel on the eve of an incoming hurricane. Sadly, the story itself did not live up to the expectations set in the first part. There is a marked shift in the point of view in part two that is supposed to flashback to help us understand the motivations of the characters and increase the tension in the present. This didn't work well though, as it moved the attention from the locked room to past events, so there was no big reveal when things came out in the present. It felt repetitive and by the time all the characters understand what is happening, the reader has known for a while. For me this undermined the suspense and made an interesting concept a fairly boring experience. The characters are unlikeable and flat, though we are supposed to feel for many of them in their situations. I simply didn't care much by the time we got the resolution. Very little real mystery or suspense and even less sleuthing, I found this was not the book for me.

I really enjoyed this story. It had a lot of keeping you on the edge of your seat drama. There was mystery and suspense, and a hurricane. I would recommend this to anybody who enjoys a story filled with all of these attributes.


I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an eARC of this book via NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 5/5 Stars
Publishing: July 16, 2024
Pages: 384

So, I have read “Block Party” by Jamie Day and did not think “One Big Happy Family” would not let my reading appetite go to waste. This book excelled my first review by this author, and I truly enjoyed the story. It was fun and had me engaged every minute from the start. “One Big Happy Family” is not the happy family that you might think…three sisters, hubbies and children go to main knowing they all have their own quirks and just do not mix well. There is murder at the hotel that was owned by their wicked father and now has become isolated due to a hurricane and later presents twists, turns and “oh my” more. I could not put this book down as it was entertaining. On another note, I truly enjoyed the maid, Charley who was not only 19 years of age, but was supporting her grandmother. This was one of those stories that you must read. Totally enjoyed and highly recommend.

George Bishop, the owner of the Precipice Hotel, is a difficult man to work for, to say the least. Nineteen year old Charley Kelley can attest to that. She works as a chambermaid and is always fighting off advances from the older man. She’d love to quit, but she desperately needs the money. Her grandmother is living in a nursing home and Charley is responsible for all her expenses. She, also, is fortunate that George lets her live on the premises. When he suddenly dies, Charley wonders what will happen to her.

George’s three daughters are ready to step in and take over, but it isn’t quite that easy. The Bishops aren’t your typical family. They each have their own issues and they don’t really like each other, which adds to the craziness. Not to mention that George's will isn't what any of them expected.

Charley has her own problems and concerns. Besides the money issues, she’s hiding a young woman who is on the run from an abusive boyfriend. Meanwhile a hurricane bears down on the hotel.

This is an addictive suspense that definitely qualifies as edge-of-your-seat reading. The author paints a vivid picture of an isolated hotel in the middle of a raging storm. The hotel is filled with a motley set of characters - none of which can be trusted. Charley has her hands full, but when people start dying, she has no idea who can be trusted.

The explosive ending has so many twists and turns, my head is still spinning long after I finished the book. I do enjoy a good suspense that keeps you guessing. It’s the first book I’ve read by this author but it won’t be my last.






FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

A hotel on the coast of Maine is a fantastic setting, but not just that a hurricane is brewing. With the passing of the owner, his three daughters are on the way for their share. Not a friendly set and there's something not quite right with them.

Charley is the 19 year old maid that takes pride in her work and is dependent on the pay to help her Nana with her bills too. As the sisters are soon to arrive, she is fearful of the changes they might make. Charley has her own secrets too. She steals from the guests to help make ends meet and how long can she keep a runaway hidden from them?

I love the suspense here with the looming hurricane. It creates a very dark atmosphere. I enjoyed One Big Happy Family and is great to pack along for summer/holiday reading.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an early copy.

I loveeeee a good thriller, and this book was not a thriller… it was definitely a DRAMA pretending to be a thriller and those are just not for me.

This book had a promising setup: the Bishop sisters return home to hear their father's will, with a murderer on the loose. Sounds thrilling, right? Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The drama took center stage, overshadowing the suspense. It left me wanting a lot more excitement. So, it's a 2.5 stars from me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan for an ARC of this book! My opinions are my own!

After reading and enjoying Jamie Day’s debut novel, The Block Party, I was looking forward to reading One Big Happy Family.

This is a locked room novel, where all of the activity takes place in an old prestigious hotel. The main character is Charley, a maid who works at the hotel. Charley not only works at the hotel, she lives at the hotel. So, when the owner dies and his 3 daughters are heading to the hotel to discuss the inheritance, Charley has a lot to worry about.

Not only that, but a hurricane is heading in.

Lots of family drama and secrets once the three sisters arrive. Plus a murder. With everyone trapped in the hotel, thanks to the hurricane, everyone is turning on each other.

It dragged a bit, and I didn’t feel it was as enjoyable as her first novel. Still, this will work if you’re looking for a lighter summer read.

After reading the Block Party, I wasn't sure what to expect as I really struggled with it.

Hurricane Larry is bearing down on the rocky coast of Maine, and all of the guests have cancelled their reservations at the family-owned Precipice Hotel.

With the death of the patriarch, the Bishop Sisters, Vicki, Iris and Faith, are here for the reading of the will. Add to the mix, Charley the Chambermaid.

It was a good read with a dose of chaos (as within all families and long held secrets.

This was a fantastic read that I could not put down!! I wanted to know what was happening next as soon as humanly possible. Gave off some Clue vibes! Giant hotel, who done it.

The novel takes place at the Precipice which is a family owned hotel. The owner of the hotel George, has recently passed away, so his daughters are coming back home to the hotel for the reading of the will and this is all happening with a huge hurricane happening at the same time. The story is told from the POV of Charley who lives at the Precipice and is a full time maid. Once all of the daughters and their families arrive, the trouble begins. There are secrets, deep dark secrets that start to slowly come out.

My favorite trope is the locked room thriller. Add in a massive storm and my favorite state of Maine, and I knew right from the start that I was going to love Jamie Day's One Big Happy Family. Filled with unlikeable characters, with the exception of Charlie, and almost everyone hiding something, this reunion is epically disastrous, and I devoured every single twisty page of it. I did figure out the twist fairly early, but it didn't matter, because I was still wowed by the ending. Thanks so much for the opportunity to read and review!

I read Jamie Day's debut and liked it enough to give this new novel a try. Set on the coast of Maine, involving a complex family of sisters and secrets I thought this had great potential. For me it was "fine" -- I didn't find myself hooked into the book where I couldn't put it down (in fact I did put it down for another more compelling-to-me page-turner). I find the author's writing to be a bit lacking -- just some phrases were a little twee or cliched and had me sort of rolling my eyes. I think her writing is just not for me. The story had lots of twists and turns and for the right person this may be "your" page turner. It felt a little long to me, especially the epilogue which I wanted to quickly tie everything up -- it seemed to drag. I would consider downloading another book by Jamie Day, but in the end she may just not be a match for my tastes.

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day is a locked room thriller that will a thousand percent, keep you on your toes! I guessed the twist early on but I enjoyed learning all the characters secrets and eventually putting the “why” together. The story was a little far fetched for me and cheesy at times but was still a great thriller and it gave very “and then there were none” vibes. You will enjoy this one of you enjoy locked room thrillers or any murder mystery.

Thank you to St Martins Press for an advanced reader’’s copy of this title via NetGalley.

Jamie Day's latest release, "One Big Happy Family," turns the idea of "happy" and "family" on its head. This thrilling family murder mystery will keep you second-guessing the characters' motives and your detective skills.
The Precipice is a renowned, family-owned hotel on the rugged coast of Maine. Following the recent death of their father, the Bishop sisters—Iris, Vicki, and Faith—have gathered for the weekend to stake their claim. However, with a hurricane approaching and each sister hiding dangerous secrets, there's a sense of impending danger in the air. Not everyone who arrives at the Precipice will leave alive. Each sister is determined to assert her rightful inheritance. Amidst this, Charley Kelley, the hotel's nineteen-year-old chambermaid, finds herself in a precarious situation. Smart, resilient, and burdened by her circumstances, Charley fears the arrival of the Bishop sisters could spell disaster for her. Will they shut down the hotel? Fire her? Uncover her habit of stealing from guests? Or worse, discover that she's harboring a fugitive in one of the guest rooms?
While the main murder mystery kept me thoroughly engaged, the secondary themes of Alzheimer's Disease and addiction evoked emotional responses. Although some characters initially felt exaggerated, their development and complexity added depth to the story. If I had to criticize one aspect, it would be the story becoming somewhat convoluted in the final third, where the intricate details became tangled—like a spider momentarily forgetting how to weave its web. Despite this, the story was compelling and hard to put down. And like me, you may be googling, "What is Belladonna?"
Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

This gripping thriller was unputdownable. It is the second best thriller I've read this summer. There was so many twists and turns and unexpected things popping up. It was absolutely gripping and I loved every word of it.

A really fun and exciting read! Charley works as a chambermaid at The Precipice hotel. She is now worried about her job. The three Bishop sisters have arrived at The Precipice to hear the reading of the will of their deceased father. From here follows chaos, creepy messages from a murderer and plenty of dirty secrets.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was just okay. The locked room premise was fine by me (the usual it's storming outside so we can't leave the place we're at plot line), I just think it was the flatness of every single character in the book that made me think this story was just alright. It was pretty obvious who was behind it all, though I wasn't exactly right in the why.