A secluded hotel, a bad storm, a family with deep-rooted secrets, bodies disappearing one by one. It's not necessarily the most unique plot line in the world, but when done correctly, it makes for a fun read. And luckily for Jamie Day, she pulled off an interesting ending that made the whole book worth it.

The long-standing owner of the legendary Precipice hotel has passed away, and his three daughters are returning to hear his will read and finally learn who will inherit the hotel. With a nasty hurricane on the way, they know they'll need to act fast, but when the will goes south, and one of the Bishop sister's husbands is found dead, fingers start pointing towards who the killer may be.

I will say that the first half of this story was pretty standard for a hotel-in-a-storm, murderer-on-the-loose type of story, and I was leaning towards three stars. But things really started picking up towards the end, and there were a few twists that I didn't see coming, which ended up bumping up my rating.

So, no, this is not the most unique thriller I've ever read, but definitely still a solid read. I would recommend saving this one for a rainy day so you can really embrace the hurricane mood!

Two-star ratings are so frustrating because you kinda wanna hate the book, but there's nothing there that can push it over the edge into that infuriating one-star rating zone. That's how I feel about One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day. I wanted to like this. I usually enjoy every thriller I open up because I love the anticipation and discovery as the reader uncovers the mystery and whodunnit plot twists, but this one fell severely flat for me.

Charley is a 19-year-old maid at the Precipice hotel on the coast of Maine, owned by the Bishop family. Here is where I run into my first problem. Charley is quite literally living in a storage closet and it took me back to Harry Potter haha, but this was executed worse. The whole concept of a lowly, poor employee living in less-than-stellar conditions working for a wealthy, arrogant family fell pretty flat in this story, in my opinion. I can appreciate a disparity like that between characters for the sake of the plot, but this one felt incredibly overdone. Then, she starts (kinda?) falling for the son of the Bishop family and while that's fine (we've all been there, girl) it didn't feel all that organic. The chemistry was lacking.

Also, I love a good plot twist--if you read thrillers, I'd expect that's what you're looking for. However, it seemed like the author wasn't sure what she wanted the major plot twist to be and just kept throwing different ones in there until one "felt right" or something. There was SO much going on and it felt scattered. The secondary timeline where we got a glimpse at the Bishop sisters' lives 20ish years in the past felt kind of unnecessary and it took away from the tension of what was happening in the present. Once I reemerged from where I was in the past to the present I had to reorient myself to get back into the thriller instead of the more historic narrative that was happening.

The ending left me wanting more, but I stuck around because I didn't hate the way Day writes and I was invested in finding out who did what and how everything happened so that's why I can't bring myself to give this just one star haha. Not sure I'll be reading any other Jamie Day books, though. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy!!

I was so excited for this because I enjoyed this authors debut The Block Party so much I gave it 5 stars. Unfortunately this book didn’t feel the same for me. The story is broken into four parts. The chapters are short, which I always love. I was even lucky enough to receive an early listening copy of this book and I enjoyed the narrator. I’m really bummed to say that I didn’t make it far into this book. Not past part one. It felt very slow to me and like I dragged on forever. At one point I thought to myself that u had to be at least 40-50% through and I was under 25%. For that reason I didn’t finish it and moved on to something else.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this advanced copy. This one started off really slow, and I wasn't sure if I would finish. I did get confused with the different characters and things going on. The descriptions and setting are amazing. I pictured it perfectly. Overall, a decent thriller.

2.5/5⭐️

I wanted to like this more than I did as I had read a previous book from this author that I really enjoyed.

This is a murder mystery that takes place during a hurricane at an inn (locked-location) featuring a gathering of the deceased owner’s daughters for the reading of his will. Our heroine is a young housekeeper who lives at the inn and is trying desperately to provide both for herself and her grandmother who has health issues.

There’s the usual greed, jealousy and sordid secrets (which I guessed fairly early on). My big issue here was the storyline/plot. I simply didn’t care enough about the story/characters and found myself contemplating not finishing at times. There were things thrown in (I suppose as possible red herrings?) that felt sloppy and spur-of-the-moment, and the entire middle of the book just went off the rails for me. There were inane conversations that took place between characters WHILE IN THE HOUSE WITH A MURDERER that were laughable and cringe-worthy.

This one just didn’t hit right for me, but I’ll hope for better from Day in the future.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing the free early arc of One Big Happy Family for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

This is a bit of a locked room mystery as people are all in a hotel cut off from the outside world by a hurricane. Murder happens. The suspects are many. As time passes during the storm, family secrets come out. And there are many of them.

The plot is a bit typical. I was not surprised at all at the truth of the automobile accident and had figured that out earlier. There was a good twist regarding identity near the end. Other than that, a relatively predictable plot.

I had difficulty finding any of the characters engaging. Even the heroine Charlie was a flawed character I found hard to like. Perhaps the most interesting one was Oliver, speaking in rhyme.

This is a good mystery that is entertaining but not as engaging as I would have liked.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

4 out of 5 Stars!

Iris, Vicki, and Faith come back to Precipice, a family-owned hotel in Maine, when they hear about their father's passing. They are all hoping to claim what is there, and take more if possible. Even with a hurricane on the radar, nothing is stopping them. Even when dangerous secrets are revealed. Unfortunately, Charley, a chambermaid at the hotel, is roped into this family drama and nervous about her secrets getting revealed too. She really needs this job, and the extra money she finds on the side.

“One Big Happy Family” by Jamie Day is a perfect read for a cozy thunderstorm. Not only would the thunderstorm set the mood for the hurricane you are about to learn more about, but it is the perfect thriller to binge read. Just make sure you have a flashlight if the lights go out and maybe a weapon if an intruder comes. Honestly, I really enjoyed this book and the mystery behind the Precipice hotel. I thought there were loads of twists that kept the story alive, some more obvious than others. I will admit, it was getting a little slow around the middle for me. But the last 70 pages of this novel really went fast and furiously. The book is also split into 4 parts, so there are different perspectives that help move the book along.

I really enjoyed the characters in this novel, especially our chambermaid Charley. I thought all the characters had a lot of mystery and backstory. Not only were you figuring out the mystery, you were figuring out everyone’s relationships. Why didn’t this person like this person? Did they know each other before coming to Precipice? Overall, I think it kept me engaged with the book as I wanted to know more about everyone. Charley was a very sweet, realistic, and smart character. There was a lot of emotion behind Charley, which I think added to the overall story.

Overall, I think this book is a solid 4 out of 5 stars for the unimaginable twists and the characters you read about. I am excited about reading more by Jamie Day!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Jamie Day, and Netgalley for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Jamie Day returns following her smashing debut, THE BLOCK PARTY with her latest riveting domestic whodunit locked-in thriller, ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY. They are anything but happy.

Three grown sisters come together to the family hotel with a questionable attorney after the father dies for the funeral and the reading of the will. Mix in a murder, three greedy sisters, a ruthless cheating husband, two sons, a fun housekeeper, a woman on the run she is hiding at the hotel, a cool front desk manager, and an approaching hurricane, and you have yourself a tantalizing locked-in thriller that will have you turning the pages into the wee hours of the morning!

About...

Set in Coastal Maine at a funky boutique hotel, The Precipice, a legendary family-owned hotel. From May until Labor Day, there are three maids on staff, but Charley is the only year-round help. They have fourteen guestrooms, three on the first floor, eight on the second, and three more on the third. Each guestroom is uniquely named based on a design theme.

Summer is when you make the best tips. Winter is a bit of a ghost town, but there are skiers and snowmobilers. Occupancy is lower now in September.

The novel centers around a housemaid (loved her)at the hotel, Charley Kelley, age 19, a survivor who lives (in a small closet) and works at the hotel while she cares for her loved Nana Kelley at a home, The Guiding Way. She has had a hard life and is financially responsible for her nana, who suffers from dementia. She is all she has left. Except for Rodrigo, the front desk manager and her only friend.

He knows what an evil prick George Bishop was. She is glad he is gone. While working at the hotel cleaning rooms, she does not make enough to pay for her living expenses and those of her nana, so she occasionally helps herself to a little money from the guests' wallets and her tips to tide her over. She does not take much, so it will not be noticeable.

When a mysterious woman named Bree, approaches her and says she is on the run from an abusive boyfriend, she begs Charley to hide her and says she will pay her later. She cannot use her credit card to be traced. If someone finds out she is hiding this woman, Charley could lose her job and her place to live. Then what?

Of course, Charley needs the cash so she has to be creative and keep moving Bree to rooms where there are no guests since she cannot put her into the system. Bree may be her salvation.

The only problem is the Bishop sisters are coming to Jonesport to bury their dad, George, to read the will, and they will be staying at the Precipice. They will close the hotel, and she has to figure out how she can keep Bree hidden and be on her best behavior for the sisters.

Who will take over the hotel, and will they keep her on? She has no idea how bad things will become.

Enter the Bishop sisters:

~Vicki: The eldest sister, entitled, founder of a jewelry chain store, and married to Todd (he is a cheater) and both are ruthless and greedy.
~Iris: The middle sister, an ex-convict, ex-drug addict, and has found religion.
~Faith: The younger sister, beautiful, a model, stylist, and addicted to the spotlight. She is married to Hope, a vegan chef and spiritualist.

The sons:
~Quinn: Handsome and nice. Son of Vicki and Todd. Charley likes him.
~Oliver: Son of Faith and Hope on the spectrum and into future telling

After the reading of the will, things escalate, and tempers flare. They think that someone has manipulated George into changing his will. The attorney, Todd, Vicki, or someone else. Who has the most to gain?

Watch your back! Let the power plays begin. Trust no one.

The approaching hurricane, Larry, is a monster —the most powerful hurricane to ravage the coast of Maine since Gerda in 1969. The winds and rain are intense. A tree is blocking the road leading to the hotel, and rivers of mud are impassable on foot or by car. There is no way out, no place to go.

There is more than the monster outside; there are monsters on the inside of the hotel. The hotel is now closed, and we have Bree, Charley, Rodrigo, Todd, the three Bishop sisters, the husband, the attorney, and the two sons.

Who is the killer? There is more than one surprise coming with some jaw-dropping twists. Who will be next?

Someone is murdered. And then someone else holds everyone hostage and takes their phones at gunpoint. There is no escaping. Someone among them is a murderer. There are also some others that have secret hidden agendas.

All the juicy, dirty secrets (there are many) are unraveled, and who will be left alive? The Bishop sisters and the others will discover that getting what you deserve isn’t always the same as getting what you want.

"Sometimes, good people make bad choices. They get lost along the way."

My thoughts...

I loved ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY! I enjoyed The Block Party; however, I enjoyed this one even more. I am a sucker for hotel stories as a former VP regional manager for multi-hotels and resorts in Florida. There is always some scandal going down.

A powerful family with a dangerous game of dark secrets, revenge, and cold-blooded ambition with murder, scandal, and mayhem!

Wildly entertaining! The author cleverly creates a wicked cast of characters. All the sisters hold grudges and hide a ton of evil secrets. We get to hear their backstories and how the characters are connected in unexpected ways. Todd is a piece of work and Vicki is a perfect evil match for him.

A fun, twisty, and gripping whodunnit— as unpredictable as Hurricane Larry. You will not expect the murderer's identity and a nice twist. I loved Charley, Rodrigo, Nana, and the mysterious (wild card) Bree.

Scandalous! A lot of adults behaving badly, combined with the hurricane, weather, setting, and all the characters stuck in the hotel, will keep your heart pounding! I loved the dark humor, the mystery, and the cast of characters. I hope we see more of Charley in future books.

Audiobook...

I read the e-book and listened to the audiobook narrated by the fabulously talented and favorite narrator, Saskia Maarleveld who delivered a stellar performance for all voices. I loved it so much that I listened in one setting, and it was unputdownable. I highly recommend the audiobook.

Recs...

For fans of the author, those of Succession, and Kaira Rouda's Under the Palms (the Kingsleys series), and fans of Emma Rosenblum, and Freida McFadden.

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley for advanced reading and listening copies for an honest review. #MacAudio2024 #SMPInfluencers

blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: July 16, 2024
July 2024 Must-Read Books
July Newsletter

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an electronic advanced readers copy of this novel.

Charley is a young adult working as a maid in a fancy hotel in Maine. Without strong job prospects and a need to take care of her ailing grandmother, she accepts a job there because it comes with free room and board. The previous owner, George Bishop, was an old man who was very handsy towards her, but she needed the job and stayed on. After his death, his three daughters descend on the hotel during a hurricane warning to read out the will and to decide what will happen to the hotel.

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day is a murder mystery wrapped up in family drama. A lot of stuff happens. I liked the main character but unfortunately pegged a good part of the plot early on. No spoilers. It was a good read but not as twisty as I would have liked.

"One Big Happy Family" follows the story of three sisters who have never truly gotten along. After their father's death, his will stirs up even more conflict among them. Each sister harbors a secret, and someone is determined to make them confess. This locked-room mystery/thriller will keep you guessing and occasionally laughing. Though the book starts slow and is somewhat lengthy, it gains momentum as the story progresses.

One Big Happy Family is a family drama thriller that is perfect to read on the beach or by the pool this summer! Three sisters convene on the family owned hotel on the Maine coast after their father dies. There is a hurricane on the way, family secrets, and a mysterious guest on the premises. This all adds up to create a story full of twists and reading just one more chapter.

I switched back and forth between the audiobook and e-book while reading this book. I enjoyed both versions and would recommend either especially if you love thrillers full of family drama.

Thank you @macmillan.audio and @stmartinspress for allowing me to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

(This same review was shared on the Barnes & Noble website.)

You know that one where the father dies and the family gathers to read the will? Yeah, the one where nothing is as it seems - this is the book.

There were a lot of characters in this book and even more plot twists! I was very surprised by some of the twists and not so surprised by others. It was easier to keep up with the characters while reading vs listening to the audiobook. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.

Jamie Day's second book One Big Happy Family is a perfect example of moral ambiguity. Few characters ae saints, and most have sinned quite a bit... some out of naivety, some out of necessity, and some for good reason. Shut off by a hurricane in an old hotel on the cliffs of Maine, the story serves as a type of locked room (or rather a locked nature) mystery. Bodies are dropping, a gun is changing hands, and secrets start spilling... and we all know everyone has secrets. The dichotomy of good and evil is within each and all. As an Agatha Christie fan, queen of the whodunnit, I had guessed the twist early on. It was still a neat ride to see how it played out and if revenge would be served cold or sins atoned, perhaps a mix of both.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

This one was just okay. It had characters and elements that seemed familiar from many other mystery/thrillers. I was not especially shocked by anything that happened, or the “twists.” Still, I enjoyed it as a quick, easy summer read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

One Big Happy Family is about sisters and an inheritance and the rumor of a hidden treasure.

"Three sisters come back to the hotel they grew up in - The Precipice. Iris, Vicki and Faith want to hear their deceased father's will and get their inheritance. Hurricane Larry is right off the coast and could cause some problems. The maid, Charley, is desperate to know if she'll be able to keep her job. The will contains surprises and when someone ends up dead, everyone wonders who is next."

Our main POV is Charley and you find yourself pulling for her - except that she's stealing from guests to help pay the bills. Todd is awful - and you have no idea just how bad he is 'til later in the story. Everyone has a family member like Vicki - control issues and thinking no one can survive without her input. All the sisters have a secret - something bad they did together as teenagers at the hotel. And the secret guest has a secret too. It all makes for an entertaining story.

The hurricane makes this a little bit of a locked-room mystery - almost. Day throws in a couple of surprises, especially at the end. I liked the ending and the twists. This would be a great beach read this summer (or a great rainy-day in the mountains read this fall)

The first book of Jamie Day's that I have read and I am putting the first one on hold at the library as soon as I finish this review.

GREAT book! It's been a while since the twists and turns kept me guessing. There was just enough - I think I know what was going on - WHAT????? was that twist? to keep me glued to the pages.

A family saga of drama that has a happy ending.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Geroge Bishop, the owner of the acclaimed Precipice Hotel on the coast of Maine has died and the Bishop sisters, Iris, Vicki, and Faith have arrived to take over their inheritance. They are not going to let the quickly approaching hurricane deter their plans. Sadly, not everyone checking in to the unique hotel will make it through the weekend.

Charley Kelley, the young chambermaid has a vested interest in what happens with the hotel. Will the hotel remain open? Will she still have a job? Will she survive the weekend?

What a family! The father was a letch. The daughters are self-absorbed and totally unlikeable. Vicki is the eldest and she is miserable, harsh, and at times vicious. She is married to her perfect match, Todd. He is a greedy, cheating womanizer with no redeeming qualities. Middle sister, Iris, has found God after spending time in prison for selling drugs so that she could feed her own habit. Faith, the youngest, was told she was beautiful so she became a model to get the attention she craved, but did she get her big break on her beauty or because of the actions of someone else? She is married to Hope, yes, Faith is married to Hope, a vegetarian cook and spiritualist. We also meet Vicki’s son Quinn and Oliver, Hope and Faith’s son. Oliver is on the spectrum and speaks in rhymes. Quinn is older but with Vicki and Todd as parents you know he has issues.

It was Charley Kelley that drew me into the story. At just nineteen she needs to work to be able to pay for her grandmother’s care which is getting more and more expensive. George Bishop paid her so poorly but he did let her live on the premises in a closet near the kitchen that was turned into her bedroom. He also made advances on her day in and day out. To have the funds necessary for her grandmother’s care she sometimes pockets dollars here and there from the well-to-do guests. When a young woman asks to stay at the hotel to hide out from her abusive boyfriend, Charley can’t say no, especially when the woman offers her cash that would really ease her burdens. Charley has a good heart but it could cost her plenty. This kept me turning the pages. I needed to know how her story would play out, especially with a murderer on the premises.

Yes, the Precipice Hotel had the eerie feel of Hotel California, where you can check in but never leave. The hurricane is hovering outside the doors, one person is dead and another is missing. Someone is leaving creepy messages around the house, the cell phone signals are non-existent and the electricity is iffy. Everyone is harbouring secrets and some are getting to the ends of their ropes.

One Big Happy Family was an entertaining read but it could have been even better had the author delved deeper into some things and pulled back on parts that felt overly wordy or repetitive.

Ms. Day had shown in her first novel The Block Party that she can take on a dysfunctional family and all their drama and she has turned that up a notch or two in One Big Happy Family. She is an author I will continue to watch and I am looking forward to reading her next novel.

I really liked the majority of this book. Charley was a great lead character and I really liked the mystery and the character dynamics. It would have been a 5 star read for me if it wasn't for the epilogue which was too far fetched and unbelievable.

Book Review: One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day

Jamie Day's "One Big Happy Family" is a suspenseful thriller set against the backdrop of a legendary family-owned hotel, The Precipice, on Maine's rocky coast. As a hurricane approaches, the Bishop sisters—each harboring dangerous secrets—arrive to claim their inheritance following their father's death. Nineteen-year-old chambermaid Charley Kelley finds herself in a precarious position, trying to keep her job and her secrets hidden amidst the family's turmoil.

While the mystery is engaging and the twists kept me guessing, the characters lacked depth, making it hard to connect with them. The story is intriguing, with Charley’s predicament adding tension and the rhymes enhancing the eerie atmosphere. Though I enjoyed Day's previous novel more, this book still offers a fun and thrilling read. If you're looking for a summer suspense with a unique setting and plenty of twists, "One Big Happy Family" is worth a try.

The Bishop sisters return to The Precipice hotel on the coast of Maine. Their father has died and, Iris, Vicki, and Faith, are there for the reading of the will, which will surely give them the hotel? Hurricane Larry is on the way, leaving the bickering sisters with their secrets unable to leave.

Adding to the drama is Charley, a nineteen year old maid, who secretly lives in a closet in the hotel. Charley has a lucrative side "gig", she steals from the hotel's guests to pay for her grandmother's care. She worries about the hotel's future. We have Bree, a young woman Charley and Rodrigo, the front desk manager, are hiding from her abusive boyfriend. A person goes missing and someone is murdered.

One would think that all the drama would keep you interested, but unfortunately, I was disappointed. The book started out slow, picked up toward the end, but it just didn't meet my expectations. I really liked the author's previous book, The Block Party, and was excited to read this one hoping for the same suspense.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Publishing Group, for an ARC. The review is my own.