A riveting mystery/thriller with complicated characters and plenty of twists and turns. The author has done a wonderful job with slowly revealing the pieces of the story. The character development throughout the story propels much of the plot. The setting is almost gothic with a dark and stormy couple of nights at a grand old hotel. Highly recommended for all readers!

This review will contain spoilers!
DNF @ 25%, I may pick this up after it's been published depending on post-release reviews.
This one started off boring and then got slightly better but it wasn't enough for me to care about anything that is happening.
I do appreciate the the author included backstory for Charley. However, it seemed to me that Charley was dwelling too much on the past and needed to get out of her own head. Also, I don't vibe with the whole stealing money from guests thing.
I have a theory about Bree even though I DNF'd this book. She was the most interesting character, but I just couldn't suffer through everything else to find out who she is.
I don't care for the writing style. It repeats events too much. A lot of telling instead of showing.
The jokes are way too corny for my taste. The creepy kid trope (Oliver) is not something I vibe with. Definitely don't like that he only speaks in rhymes. Charley seems way too trusting and naive. Rodrigo may be the only sane character. Olga the chef just conveniently quits, leaving the family plus Charley, Rodrigo, and Bree vulnerable to what's about to happen.
This is just not the book for me. I don't mind a stormy locked room type of psychologlical thriller, but the execution is not working. It's not exciting or holding my interest 25% in. Charley's backstory isn't enough to make me care about her. It just seems like any other character sob story we get in every other book. It was also lacking suspense. If it felt more suspenseful - like it was building up to something big happening - I may have felt more incentive to continue on.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.

This family’s history is wilder than the winds Hurricane Larry is bringing in to the rocky coast of Maine, leaving the family members at the Precipice hotel stranded with a killer on the loose 😬🌀⛈️

I always love when the atmosphere almost plays its own sinister character and propels a story forwards. This storm was no exception! It built right along with the intensity and drama as people are getting picked off one by one and secrets from the past come to light.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t all that surprised by the twists and turns, and I’ve pinpointed what didn’t work to the timing of the reveals. We get some of the sisters’ backstories in Part Two, and all these details made it pretty obvious to me what was coming. There were a few surprises still, but overall, I wasn’t all that shocked when the storm settled. Overall, I liked it, especially Charley's narration, but it wasn't a fave!

Nineteen year old Charley Kelley works at The Precipice, a family owned hotel located in Maine, known for its eclectic nature. While Charley’s position is less than ideal, it has provided her with much needed food and shelter. Even though the owner, Mr. Bishop, can be dismissive and handsy, Charley has learned to develop a thick skin, namely since she need the job to support her ailing grandmother.

Then the owner dies and his three, otherwise absentee adult daughters along with their family members swoop in, each with their own agenda. But Iris, Vicki, and Faith Bishop have more than designs for the hotel on their mind. As the drama unfolds inside the hotel’s walls, a hurricane keeps those in attendance hostage, including a young woman who Charley agreed to protect. Then there’s a murder. Suddenly everyone is a suspect. Now they are in a race to find the truth. Can they each avoid being the next guest to check out, permanently?

One Big Happy Family is an entertaining thriller of the murder mystery dinner variety. Where Author Jamie Day’s debut last summer led us to a cul de sac full of criminals, thus time around the hotel, and the storm swirling around them, only added to the suspense. While I had my suspicions about who actually was the killer, it was still a fun ride trying to figure it all out.

This story is very interesting. Three sisters inherited a hotel in Maine after their father passed. This is happening during a bad storm. After the will has been read, someone is mirdered. The story slowly unfolds as deep secrets are revealed. What made it difficult to follow along is the choppy writing. It’s told from first person pov however it goes into tangents with random statements like: “Since this is my dinner as well, I guess I’m in for a night of bad breath and smelly pee”
There’s a part where the killer is revealed and this is what they say: ‘**** rises from the table, ignoring the gun leveled at her chest. “Look, I’ll make it easy for you. Is there a room where you can lock me up until you figure out what you want to do?” * asks. ‘
I took out the name of the person so it does not spoil the reveal. But what murderer says that??
I was kept interested in knowing what everyone’s involvement was to the story and what secrets they we all hiding. The dialogues are all over the place. With a good editing this book shows promise. It just needs to be edited for a better flow and structure. This reads as the first draft.

Unfortunately for me this second book was not a hit. I liked the authors first book but this one has way too many characters and reveals, that I felt my head was spinning. It was hard to keep track of all the people and their stories. I also thought it could have been told in a more concise way. It felt a little like it dragged in the middle.
The premise was exactly what I like. A hurricane coming and people are basically trapped in a hotel when bodies start dropping. It was just too all over the place for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for the honest review.
3⭐️

Fast and easy read. Good mystery with good twists. Interesting characters in an amazing setting. Really enjoyed it.

This is the first book I have read of Jamie Day. It was enjoyable and I would definitely recommend.
Charley has been a live in maid at The Precipice on the coast of Maine ever since her mom died and her grandma developed dementia. The owner of the inn died and now his three daughters are coming for the reading of the will. There are plenty of twists and turns and drama among the sisters, Charley and a young woman seeking refuge from her abusive boyfriend.
Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in return for my honest review

Jamie Day delivers a tense closed-door mystery with a moody backdrop that you become fully ensconced in. The characters, at times, are a little outlandish, but it adds to the charm of this coastal Maine caper. Charley was a character you could root for, that you wanted to see succeed, and I felt the ending was a satisfying way to wrap up the story. I had previously enjoyed The Block Party by this author and this book will keep me coming back for more by Jamie Day.

3.5 rounded down.

What I truly loved about this book was the MC, Charley. Learning her personality, background, and witnessing her growth throughout the story is what made my rating higher. Especially the ending, which I found extremely satisfying. However, this was all interwoven with an eye rolling thriller plot. I enjoyed this extremely dysfunctional family and unraveling their secrets as the book progressed, but a lot of the action was unrealistic and too unbelievable for my liking. Everything fit together too nicely and I found the twists to be underwhelming since I figured them all out prior to the reveals. It wasn’t my favorite, but I would still recommend if you’re a fan of closed door thrillers (similar to clue) with a memorable MC.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for a #gifted eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the chance to read and review this egalley. I do love a good locked room mystery in an old house. The storm element really helped with the atmosphere of this novel This is a great summer beach read for those fans of mysteries/thrillers.

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day is a captivating summer suspense novel that kept me hooked from start to finish. This gripping thriller is filled with nonstop twists and turns that will leave you on the edge of your seat. I couldn't put it down!

I tried to get into this book, but it wasn't capturing my attention. It was a bit too slow-paced for me for a thriller. Also, there was some wonky formatting going on, which made it somewhat difficult to read.

I DNF'd this after 20%. It might be good book for some, but it wasn't the book for me.

After having the opportunity to review "The Block Party" last year, I was excited to read another title by this author.

Maid tales seem to be popular in the thriller world as of late and this one did not disappoint! Charley is employed as a maid at The Precipice Hotel, owned by George Bishop. He was well known throughout Maine for his interesting antiques (which adorn the hotel) and obsession with conspiracy theories. Charley is young, only 19 and living in a closet in the hotel. She is trapped working at the hotel in order so pay for nana’s care facility. Charley finds herself in a serious predicament when the care facility increases their price. When Charley meets Bree, she is met with a proposal that is difficult to refuse but could have dangerous consequences.

The main plot of the book is around the Bishop sisters, the daughters of Precipice Hotel. The sisters have gathered at the family hotel for the reading of their Father’s will. The details of the will leave the sisters shocked and angry. While a storm is brewing inside the hotel, a hurricane is hitting outside, trapping the visitors and staff inside. If the hurricane doesn’t kill them, someone inside the hotel may.

I really enjoyed this book, it was a quick read with plenty of twists. If you are fans of Millie and Molly, then you will like Charley!

Huge thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and the author for this ARC.

One Big Happy Family will be released on 7/16/2024.

Charley is trying to get by. She has been living and working at a family-owned hotel. Her life is upended when the owner dies, and his three children travel back for the reading of the will. Everyone gets stranded in the hotel during a massive storm, and some people are not going to make it out alive.

The book is packed with family drama and secrets. There were a few more characters than I usually like to keep track of, but I didn't find it too difficult. I enjoyed how the book took place mostly in the present with a few shorter flashbacks from the siblings' past.

I found it very easy to read. The ending was a little bit predictable, but it was a fun ride.

Oh, boy... where do I start?
Well, let's start with the good things because there were a few things I did actually enjoy. The ambiance with this was is fantastic. I love a good "locked in" mystery and the cottage/hotel vibes really worked for me. I will say this one kept my attention and had me fairly invested in the story, until, that is, I figured out the twist. Did I guess all the details? No. But, I did have a strong suspicion at about the 50% point for where the plot was headed.
In addition, I also have some complaints about one of the characters. Let's start with Oliver. Is he supposed to be neurodivergent? Is he just supposed to be "strange"? Towards the end of the book, I feel like I saw the real him a little better, but for the majority of the novel, I was frustrated by the portrayal of this character. It felt a bit like writing a ND character for the sake of writing a character that way.
Charley also puts the pieces of the mystery together REALLY easily... in some regards, too easily. And she's not really ever wrong about her suspicions. She would've been more believable as a character had she struggled a little more. The flip side of this is that she missed the most obvious twist even though it was directly in her face for the entire novel (no spoilers, I promise).
I also didn't feel that ANY of the sisters existed anywhere in the realm of reality. I would have preferred one (or more) of the sisters to have some redeeming qualities.
The only other complaint that I have is at the end of the book when the POV changes with little to know warning. Did I get to the end and then understand what was happening? Yes. Was it really jarring happening without a different chapter heading or something? Also yes.
Overall, good, not great, in my opinion.
It's a quick read and a nice summer thriller for anyone interested in that type of book. But it just left me feeling kind of "meh" in the end.

Please note: this review will be posted on my GoodReads account as of today 7/8/24
Thank you for letting me read!

Overall it's a good read because of the characters. There is a mystery but this felt more like a family drama. It took me awhile to get into the story. The pacing was slow. For what it is, the story is well written. But the locked room plot has been done a lot in the genre so I was hoping for more.

Look out Molly Gray, Charley Kelley is the newest maid to be solving hotel mysteries. As Hurricane Larry is quickly approaching Jonesport, Maine, the Bishop family has checked in to read their father's will and more importantly, find out what stake they have in the Precipice Hotel now that he is gone. However, the three Bishop sisters are harboring dark secrets; some secrets may even change their lives if they get out. When cryptic messages appear throughout the hotel, tensions skyrocket and nobody is safe - even Charley, the Precipice's maid. Although, Charley is hiding some secrets of her own. Secrets that could lead to her dismissal from the hotel. As the weather becomes more destructive, so do the members of the Bishop family. Not everyone who checked in will be checking out of the hotel.

I was so excited for this one! However, it fell flat for me. It was too similar to other books in the genre and didn't give me the twists and turns I wanted - that is, until the last 3 or so chapters of the book. I couldn't connect with the characters and just wanted some of the action to pick up. I am satisfied with the ending, however, so my rating is higher than it would be if it ended on a different note. I think this book would be good for someone just getting into the thriller/mystery genre, but if you're an experienced reader, you may find this slow and somewhat easy to solve (not all the twists are, just some of the more obvious ones). I'd pass on this one, but if you like locked-door, close-proximity thrillers, you may find this one worth picking up.

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Waters
Mystery, suspense thriller.
The Precipice is a family owned hotel on the Rocky coast of Maine. With their father dying, the Bishop sisters have returned to the hotel for the reading of the will. They each want their piece of the estate regardless of the secrets that should have kept them away.
Charley Kelley just wants to keep her chambermaid job. She doesn’t care who the new owner is. Her concern is making enough money to pay for her Grandmother’s care and if that means letting someone stay at the hotel and paying her to keep quiet, why not? She’s not hurting anyone.
Family arrives, the lawyer reads the will and suddenly someone is dead. No one can leave because the Hurricane is getting close. Can you trust the person sitting next to you? Can you feel safe sleeping in a hotel where the secrets outnumber the guests?

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook copy narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. A wonderful performance. I’ve followed this narrator for years. Voices are distinct and clear with emotions and tension leaving you breathless. I was comfortable with the speed at 1.4 for the best theater.

I like reading along with an audiobook. In this particular story, the printed format was helpful to keep the sisters straight with each of their backstories as the mysteries and twists got deeper.
An edge of your seat read. Definitely read the epilogue. A bit more righteous closure.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Macmillan Audio.

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/7a148bd4-c256-442d-884e-f4fd9acba853

Charley is a maid in an eccentrically decorated hotel that caters to the wealthy. Fighting off the owner’s advances proves difficult, as he takes it as a challenge. Due to known heart problems, one day he dies to nobody’s surprise. His 3 grown daughters reconvene to their childhood home along with their families just as a hurricane is expected to hit. Trapped in the large hotel, and unable to trust anyone, threats, chaos and murder begin as they try to solve the mystery and save themselves.

This book was just a little slower paced than I like, but was still very entertaining with great detail to backstories. Once the action began, the pace picked up and I was biting my nails in anticipation of where this was going and what would happen next. It was a great and intense read!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc!