My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin Press for the ARC of 'One Big Happy Family' in exchange for an honest review.
It was a dark and stormy night........
And an especially eventful night at the picturesque Maine hotel, The Precipice. As the name implies, the place sits on a seaside cliff,, overlooking a lethal drop into the crashing waves below. There's more wave crashing than usual tonight in the midst of a raging hurricane that's washed out the roads and left everyone in the hotel stranded there, guests and staff alike.
What a night for a reading of the last will and testament of George Bishop, the odious owner who spent most of his time sexually harassing our narrator, young Charley Kelley, the hotel's sole full time maid. Also in attendance are George's spawn - sisters Vicki, Faith and Iris, a dysfunctional trio from hell, each holding on to backstories chock full of dark secrets, separately and together. Excess baggage includes an imperious woman lawyer to read the will Vicki's repulsive obnoxious husband, Todd, their grown son Quinn and Oliver, the weird little teen son of Faith and her partner Hope. A hidden guest unbeknownst to all of them except Charley, is Bree, a desperate young woman on the run from an abusive boyfriend.. Soft-hearted Charley moves Bree from room to room while the nest of Bishop vipers hurl long simmering contempt for each other.
The storm howls. The lights go and off. Threatening messages start popping up. Could it be that some folks among this group won't make it through the night upright and breathing?
What could possibly go wrong? (Feel free to insert a long evil Bwaa-haa-haa laugh here....)
Author Jamie Day obviously had a terrific time nailing down every single 'locked-room' murder mystery trope. I don't think there's a single one left out and the fun of seeing them all in play once again is contagious. The only thing missing from the apparent endless, regularly scheduled revelations is hearing an orchestra launch into one of those 'Dum-dum Dummmmmmm!' crescendos every time a twist is revealed.
More than once I was thinking that this book piles on so many of these homages that it borders on sly parody. But then again, author Day takes the time to vividly portray each of these characters, bringing all of them to life, both the hateful ones and ones to root for, like Charley. Even when its plot complications start to resemble a 'Saturday Night Live' skit on murder mysteries, 'One Big Happy Family' never seems less than fully committed to its genre.
I had such a good time with this, I didn't even mind the blatant shamelessness of the book's epilogue, tying up every little thing with pretty little bows. If the mission was to give a mystery buff a breezy good time, then mission accomplished.

4 stars / This review will be posted on goodreads.com and bookwormishme.com today.

This is definitely not one big happy family. No spoilers, but honestly, this family really puts the fun in dysfunctional. And while the story is about a family, it mostly focuses on one person, Charley.

Charley lives and works in an inn on coastal Maine. The structure is quite amazing with its cliff location and unique decor. Charley was whisked away from her job as a waitress to become the hotel’s chambermaid. Living rent free sounded amazing, until she realized her new home was a former broom closet. Nonetheless, she can’t really be choosy, cause she needs every penny to support her grandmother who lives in a nursing home.

When her employer suddenly dies, Charley and Rodrigo, the hotel manager, are left to deal with the offspring of their employer. From what townies tell them, dealing with these three sisters is going to be anything but easy. Add in an acquaintance of Charley’s who suddenly needs a free place to stay, and it’s going to be one crazy weekend in Maine.

Especially when one of the guests turns up dead.

Funny, heartwarming, and surprising is what makes this novel a good read. Your suspects will change as you turn the pages. Unexpected surprises in every chapter! What a fun novel. I loved Charley and her authentic self. Rodrigo was the best. It’s just a great way to spend a few hours immersed in the nuttiness of Jonesport, Maine.

3.5⭐️ One Big Happy Family … NOT. This is a promising locked room mystery set in coastal Maine with a hurricane bearing down. A wealthy hotel owner has died and his dysfunctional family is gathered at The Precipice for the reading of his last will and testament. Mysterious messages appear as bodies begin to pile up. Hotel chambermaid, Charley, is caught in the middle. Secrets are revealed and relationships shattered.

Sounds great, right? There’s SO MUCH going on here and SO MANY shady characters to keep track of and SO MUCH unnecessary — stuff — that it’s hard to keep everything and everyone straight. Told in four parts: The beginning is S L O W, parts two and three are overloaded with stuff, and the ending seemed chaotic. It was a good read, but it could have been fantastic with some minor tweaking.

I enjoyed Jamie Day’s first book more because it seemed tighter, and I’m definitely interested in what she writes next. She has a true talent for dysfunction that I greatly appreciate.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

After hearing amazing things about Jamie Day’s debut novel, The Block Party, I was incredibly excited to receive this ARC, especially after reading the blurb.

One Big Happy Family has all the makings of an amazing thriller for me. Locked room, isolated by a storm, dysfunctional family, twisty dark secrets, unsuspecting protagonist, and a few wild cards. I loved all of this.
Things started out a little slow as all the characters and dynamics were introduced, and a few things were a bit repetitive, but once things got going it was turn after turn and for a while I couldn’t really guess where things were going or who to suspect. Finally I did guess the actually villain/motive, but it was no less enjoyable having known.
There was more drama than thriller in this book, but that’s okay with me. I did enjoy how everything wrapped up well.

I do have The Block Party sitting on my shelf so I’m even more eager to get to it now, as well as to see what the author does next.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for this ARC.
Publication date 7/16/24

I'm going to keep this short because this book was not good. At all.

So the wealthy owner of a fancy hotel called the Precipice on the coast of Maine has died and his three daughters are coming for the reading of the will. One sister brings her disgusting husband and handsome son, one sister brings her crazy wife and their weirdo son who is 14 and speaks only in rhyme for most of the book, and the third sister is single.

Charley is the absolutely stupid as hell main character who is worried about losing her job, depending on what the sisters choose to do with the hotel. Rodrigo is her only friend and works at the hotel with her. Her elderly grandmother is at a care home that is super expensive, and has dementia, so Charley steals from guests to help pay the bills.

Bree shows up, claiming to be on the run from an abusive boyfriend, so of course Charley will just hide her at the hotel. She just happens to arrive right ahead of the sisters.

Also, a hurricane is coming.

As if there were not enough things to annoy me, they all kept referring to the attorney there to read the will as 'Attorney Black'. Sometimes just by her last name, which made a lot more sense, but usually 'Attorney Black'. I have never once called my attorney 'Attorney Booth'. Are we supposed to refer to our attorneys by their profession and name? DOUBTFUL.

Basically, this is a gigantic mess. Everyone is stupid or crazy or weird or a murderer. Too many convoluted story lines entwined to try and make the obvious twist a little less obvious. Lots of side drama that had zero relevance. Everyone is awful or stupid and I wish they had all died, except Charley's grandma.

Day's second novel kept my interest throughout, but I found the ending very Predictable and with an unnecessary epilogue that wrapped everything up a little too neatly. I did enjoy Day's debut "The Block Party" better than this one, but this was a Fun Drama, similar to The Glass Onion plot.

Read if you like:
Family drama
Rich people behaving poorly
A morally grey protagonist
Dialog heavy writing

I really loved the vibe of this stormy hotel mystery. 10 people are left at the Precipice Hotel during Hurricane Larry and not all will make it out alive. Is the killer one of the mysterious Bishop sisters with their ominous backstories, the hotel maid, the stowaway?

[ The ending felt a little bit predictable because Bri’s character felt pretty random and out of place from the beginning, but there were still a few unexpected twists that had my jaw dropped.

Bri’s backstory felt fine to me. I didn’t think the in depth look into the abuse she faced as a foster child was really necessary, I already understood her motivation without it. It just felt a little out of place, and if she was angry enough to kill her genetic father and half sisters about it, surely she’d have done something to the foster father as well.

Overall, I really did enjoy reading this, the cast of characters were all really interesting and well fleshed out. I was thoroughly engaged and constantly guessing what was coming next.

ARC Review
One Big Happy Family
Jamie Day
Publication Day: July 16

I was excited to read One Big Happy Family as I enjoyed Day’s previous novel The Block Party.
Premise: Charley has been working her entire life as the hotel maid at The Precipice. When George, the owner, dies, his three daughters return to the hotel for the reading of the will. With a storm set to strand everyone at the hotel, anxiety with the will reading, and family secrets waiting to be revealed, danger and murder lurks in the darkness.

At times, the descriptions and points of view were a bit slow, but it was necessary to understand the entire plot and it all came together in the end. I loved the suspense and trying to figure out the killer. I did figure out the killer early on, but there were a few other twists I did not see coming. Overall, I really enjoyed this mystery and I would read another novel by Day!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you a fan locked room mystery and family drama, then this one is for you. Add in an incoming storm and an inheritance and I am in. The story is told by Charley, who is a maid at Precipice Hotel. This weekend, the Bishop family that owns the hotel are all gathered together to hear the will of the owner who recently passed away. There's a murder that happens and everyone is now distrustful of each other and dark family secrets are revealed. The story was a little slow but I enjoyed the atmospheric setting and how the story revealed itself.

Saskia Maarleveld did a great job with all of the voices.

Thank you @macmillan.audio @netgalley @stmartinspress for a copy of this book.

3.5 stars
I really enjoyed the author's prior book, The Block Party, and was excited to read One Big Happy Family. The main character is Charley Kelley, a young woman who works as a housekeeper at an isolated hotel in Maine. When the owner dies, his three daughters come into town for the reading of the will and to possibly make changes in the running of the hotel. Charley fears for her job, especially since she's doing things that the owners would definitely not approve of. Things get worse when a hurricane heads their way and a killer strikes, making it just as dangerous inside the hotel as out.

This book has some entertaining moments, but it suffers from uneven pacing. It's slow to start while you get to know each of the main characters. However, any building momentum is lost when Part 1 of the book ends and Part 2 flashes back to when the Bishop sisters were younger, with chapters dedicated to each sister. This part of the book serves its purpose, but moves slowly. Part 3 then takes a while to gear back up again, but when it does, the tension and drama kept my interest. There are many unlikable characters and even Charley takes a while to get used to. It's hard to know who to trust, but I was able to correctly categorize most of the heroes and villains before the satisfying ending.

I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day July 16, 2024

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a complimentary copy of this novel!
Charley the maid and Rodrigo the front desk manager work at The Precipice Hotel located near the rocky coastline of Maine. The hotel is owned by George Bishop who has a sordid past. Now that he has passed away, his daughters Vicki, Iris and Faith come to the hotel for the reading of the will. Before they arrive; however, Bree, a young woman running from her abusive boyfriend, seeks refuge at the hotel and asks Charley for help. But Charley must keep Bree hidden from the sisters and the rest of the group once they arrive. Besides the sisters, Todd, Vicki’s husband will be there; Oliver and Quinn, Faith’s and Vicki’s sons respectively; and the lawyer.
Unfortunately, it’s not just George Bishop with a sordid past. Almost everyone who has arrived at The Precipice has a shady past and when bodies start to drop and long forgotten secrets are no longer buried, things begin to get a lot more interesting at the hotel. Oh… and one other thing...there’s a hurricane barreling their way too!!! What secrets threaten to be revealed? Can the past truly be forgotten? What a wild ride Jamie Day has written for us!!! Really enjoyed reading this novel and trying to figure out who dun it! AVAILABLE July 16, 2024

I’ve been devouring thrillers & mysteries lately, and One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day delivered a locked room murder mystery at the Precipice family-owned hotel on the rocky coast of Maine during a hurricane. You’ll want to curl up with this suspenseful tale.

The Precipice is a legendary, family-owned hotel situated along the rocky coast of Maine. When the owner dies, his three daughters and their family arrive for the reading of the will and funeral as a hurricane bears down on the area. Iris, Vicki, and Faith; the Bishop sisters have secrets, hold grudges and each want their share.

Meanwhile, nineteen-year-old live-in chambermaid Charley Kelley has her own struggles. She is worried about keeping her job with a change of ownership. She needs the meager paycheck and housing to provide for her grandmother, who is in assisted living. With the hotel almost empty, Charley agrees to come to the aid of a stranger, offering Bree shelter while she hides from an abusive boyfriend. If discovered, the sisters could fire her.

As the storm looms ever closer, the tension at the Precipice builds. When the will is read, death follows. Was it an accident or murder? Cut off from the police and without internet things unravel. The author slowly revealed secrets, shed light on the sister’s childhood and pitted characters against each other as they battled against the rising storm and each other.

One Big Happy Family was an enjoyable summer thriller, with plenty of twists as only a dysfunctional family can deliver. I loved the build up. The story dragged in spots, but towards the end picked up in speed before delivering an epilogue that felt all too neat.

I liked Charley, was cautious of Bree and didn’t trust any of the Bishop sisters or the hotel desk manager. LOL. I solved this one a little quickly, but overall found it entertaining. It’s a fun mystery for a rainy day at the beach.

Sadly I didn’t love it, and I did really like The Block Party by the same author. I didn’t really feel connected with the main character. There were a lot of characters so I found myself struggling to keep them straight. Also it’s a locked room style thriller, which has never been my favorite. No fault to the book/author.

I preferred The Block Party, but have also seen reviews of people who loved this one. It’s all subjective! Give it a shot if it sounds interesting to you!

One Big Happy Family was high on my TBR after really enjoying Day’s previous domestic thriller, The Block Party. However, I feel like this one fell short for me. I couldn’t get invested in the characters, the storyline didn’t feel super cohesive. I was disappointed that I didn’t love this one as much as I wanted. It didn’t keep my interest and was very predictable. I will still try another of Day’s books.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

I am very glad that I decided to request this audiobook. I had initially requested this book several months ago and thought it was slightly boring, and didn't give it a good review on NetGalley but here on July 11th 2024, I am happy to report that I was glad I gave this book a second chance as it was a really good thriller. I'm sure it helps that Saskia Maarvelad is one of my favorite audiobook narrators, but from the first few chapters, I was hooked. This is not the first time when I've read an arc and not enjoyed it but then enjoyed the audiobook. Anyhow I highly recommend this book, and if like me you find the print book boring, I encourage you to try the audiobook, I'm sure you won't regret it! This book is a great locked room thriller and I finished the audiobook in under 24 hours!! I am definitely a fan of Jamie Day's now!
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Many Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting access to this book in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately, this book fell short for me. I found that the story seemed to drag on and I couldn't find myself connecting with any of the characters -- they seemed immature to me. I was upset because I enjoy Jamie Day's debut novel.

Perhaps I will give this book a second chance later on at some point, but for me right now it is a "no". That doesn't mean someone else won't enjoy it.


Thank you!

I was so hooked on this story! I loved it even more than her debut last year, The Block Party. I felt the characters were memorable and well fleshed out. The creepy atmosphere lent perfectly for building tension and suspense. I felt satisfied at figuring a few things out and shocked at the things I didn’t see coming. I thought the pacing was well-balanced and kept me engaged and invested. Also, there’s just something about this cover that I was immediately drawn to and it totally fits the vibe of the story. It’s a perfect summer thriller read. I listened to the audio and I thought it was very well done. The narrator captured the voice of the characters and the tone of the story very well. Definitely recommend!


You’ll love this one if you like books with:
💰 Rich people behaving badly
🤐 Twists and secrets
🏚️ Locked-room setting
🎭Toxic, juicy family drama

The Precipice, a hotel in Maine, is about to get hit by hurricane and all the guests have canceled. All the guests, except for the Bishop sisters Iris, Vicki and Faith. Their father recently passed and he owned the hotel and hurricane or not, they want that will read. The sisters all have secrets of their own. Add to that the hotel maid, Charley, she’s young and has grown up with only her grandmother to care for her. Now that her grandmother needs to be in a home, Charley will do what it takes to pay for her care.
There’s murder and suspense and a crazy family. It should have been a thrill ride but unfortunately this one just wasn’t for me. The beginning was slow. The secrets as they were revealed weren’t all that engaging. The main character Charley seemed pretty naive to me. I’m never a fan of characters forming super strong feelings for people in a very short time period and Charley definitely does that.
It has nice short chapters and it’s well written. Just oddly felt like a cozy to me..probably because of Charley.
Worth a shot if you enjoyed the authors last book.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for allowing me to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Always love a good mystery! The premise is interesting and there have been similar plots. I found the hurricane an interesting twist and it added to the 'thrill' of the story for me. It also could have had something to do with the fact that there was a hurricane rolling toward the US while reading! If you are a mystery fan, then this should be on your list. I will definitely be recommending and this title is showing up on many popular reading lists. thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Not many of the characters in Jamie Day's One Big Happy Family are likeable. You have the family of the Precipice hotel in Maine come together to plan the fate of the family legacy after their father's death, and you have the young chambermaid that survived the deceased owner's advances. With a hurricane barreling down on them, they become trapped, and then there is murder.

What sets up as a great mystery or perhaps psychological thriller, lands a little flat. There is no one really the reader can cheer for, and it is a little too predictable. I do like Day's writing style. The short chapters made it easy to read and find stopping points. This wasn't a novel I couldn't put down, but it was a palatable read.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
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One Big Happy Family
Author: Jamie Day
Source: NetGalley
Pub Date: July 16, 2024
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One Big Happy Family does not accurately describe the participants in this novel. Set on the coast of Maine in a very eclectically decorated B&B, we get the story primarily through the lead protagonist, the hotel maid, Charley. Most of the novel sets the scene for Hurricane Larry, heading toward the Precipice Inn not long after the death of the old, lecherous, and handsy owner, George Bishop. He had a roving eye to go with those roving hands. Yikes. But his three surviving daughters are coming to the Inn after multiple years of absence for the reading of the Last Will, and that is when things really go sideways. We have a storm, sisters who hate each other, criminals, a maid who steals money from guests’ wallets, a creepy yet funky inn, a young mysterious girl hiding out in the Inn from her abusive boyfriend, and a raggedy cast of backup characters. There is no one to like in this story except the grandma with dementia. And as we all know, nothing good happens when you have a cliffside hotel, hateful characters, no real guests, and a raging storm….someone is going to die. It’s a given. The book’s ending wraps up the many loose ends, and I got to the conclusion. Phew. #OneBigHappyFamily #JamieDay @netgalley @stmartinspress #hurricane #fightingSisters #wretchedDeadFather #murders #mystery #thriller #deadpeople #whodunit #unintentionalCliffDiving
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I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for the opportunity to read this novel.
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