There is supposedly a phenomenon where your mind reads a word correctly, even if it was spelled wrong. This happened to me and although it wasn't a misspelling I accidentally gave away the twist to myself...

This is one of those classic locked room mysteries, except it's a hotel on the off beaten path in a tiny town besieged by a hurricane. Some of the guests are checking out....permanently.

This is most definitely one of the most dysfunctional fictional families I have ever had the pleasure to stumble across. It certainly kept the pages turning as I had to race toward whodunit. And I was not at all disappointed.

My first Jamie Day book but definitely not my last.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day is a highly recommended locked-room mystery featuring an assortment of disagreeable characters.

Nineteen-year-old Charley Kelley lives rent free and works as a chambermaid at The Precipice, a legendary, family-owned hotel on the coast of Maine. All of Charley's money goes toward providing for her grandmother who is in a care home with dementia. At least she has one friend at The Precipice, Rodrigo, the front desk manager. After the owner George Bishop dies, his daughters, Vicki, Iris, and Faith, are set to arrive at the hotel for the reading of his will even though Hurricane Larry is predicted to make landfall during their stay. Before the sisters arrive, Charley agrees to hide a young woman, Bree, in an empty room to keep her safe from her abusive boyfriend. In return Bree has promised to pay Charley to help her take care of her grandmother.

Once Vicki arrives with her husband Todd, it becomes clear that the weekend may be tougher and even more demanding than expected. Faith arrives with her partner Hope, and their son Oliver, a fourteen-year-old who speaks in rhymes. Finally sister and ex-con Iris arrives with Vicki's son, Quinn. The tension-filled and secret-keeping group awaits the arrival of the lawyer, Brenda Black, and the reading of the will, which releases all manner of mayhem - and murder.

The narrative is broken down into four parts. The pace in the first two parts moves rather slowly as the plot is set up and background information is provided, however things really take off in the last two parts. The short chapters help the drama and revelations move along. Many of the secrets the sisters are keeping end up being revealed. The hurricane plays a major role in the narrative as everyone is trapped in the hotel while the electricity keep flickering on and off and cell reception is down.

Charley is a sympathetic character and you will want her to survive her encounter with the sisters. All the sisters are, predictably, disagreeable characters. You know from the backstory the big secret they are hiding and can easily surmise some others. The other characters are a mixed bag.

While most of the secrets are not shocking because you can guess what is going to happen, the animosity and vitriol that accompanies them will keep you reading and immersed in the action. I was entertained throughout. If you enjoy locked-room mysteries, One Big Happy Family is a good choice. Thanks to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, X, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

I read the debut book by Jamie Day at the beginning of this year, which I loved and was so excited to receive an advanced copy of her new novel. One Big Happy Family did not disappoint at all.

This book was the perfect summer mystery set at a hotel in Maine during a hurricane. This book follows a dysfunctional family, as they gather at the family hotel for the reading of their father’s will. This twisty murder mystery kept me guessing until the final chapters. The secrets just kept coming out, even ones you never could have guessed were secrets! I couldn’t put this one down once I started reading! I look forward to more novels from Jamie Day!

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

The irony is not lost on me that I read a book taking place during a hurricane while we prep for the first hurricane of the season headed for the gulf coast. I throughly enjoy locked room style mysteries and One Big Happy Family follows a dysfunctional family as they all meet together at the family hotel for the reading of the will of their recently deceased father. The main character of the book is resident maid, Charley, and once the family descends on the hotel she realizes she’s in for a tense weekend even without the storm looming and the added stowaway hidden in one of the rooms.

This book read rather quickly and all the characters are a little shady so you don’t know who to trust completely making it an even more enjoyable read. Maybe just don’t read it during a hurricane if they already stress you out.


Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback

A storm and a locked room murder? Sign me up! This is a twisty, murder mystery leaving you wondering who can be trusted. Some may find this predictable as I did. It kind of dragged once we had insight into why the Bishops are the way they are. I mean once you know the why how long can it take to wrap things up? Well it can take a while because there are so many secrets! And then it all makes sense in the end. These books are always tied up in a pretty little bow aren’t they?

Hurricane Larry is barreling toward the rugged coast of Maine, and the usually busy Precipice Hotel is dead, most guest having cancelled their stays. Yet, Vicki, Iris, and Faith are determined to arrive despite the impending storm. They have a will to read and an inheritance to claim, making their visit all the more intriguing.

As the storm looms, the front desk manager, Rodrigo, and the hotel's young and spirited chambermaid, Charley, frantically prepare for both the Bishop Sisters' arrival and the hurricane. To complicate matters further, they must find a way to hide Bree, a woman on the run from an abusive boyfriend.

Unfortunately, the story struggles to maintain its momentum. Part One drags, with an implausible plot point where the Bishop Sisters, despite wanting to stay in the room, never check the one hiding Bree—even though Vicki is in the adjacent room! Part Two further slows the pace with extensive backstories and secrets that explain the sisters' animosity but stall the action.

The pace finally picks up in Parts Three and Four, but by then, the revelations in Part Two have made the plot predictable. The twists, though dramatic, are somewhat over-the-top.

The epilogue, unfortunately, falls flat, leaving a sense of disbelief rather than satisfaction. Not a big fan of this one, but will try Day again in the future. 2.5 stars.

A new thriller from Jamie Day!

The Precipice Hotel is located on the rocky coast of Maine in a small town. Charley has been the cleaner at the hotel for a handful of years in order to pay her Nana's housing. She is stuck between a rock and a hard place and unable to leave the job that she hates. When the owner dies, his three daughters rush back to read the will. Iris, Vicki and Faith and their families flood the hotel.

The will provides surprises and a hurricane bears down. Suddenly Charley is stuck in the hotel with the sisters and at least one of them is out for blood. Can Charley survive the weekend? Can she keep her job?
Who is the most dangerous? What do they really want?

I enjoyed the novel, it was interesting and different. I felt the ending was rushed but it didn't completely detract from the story. If you like a stormy night thriller, this is a book for you!
#stmartin #jamieday #onebighappyfamily

Enjoyable thriller about three sisters and a hidden secret from the past. Yet, the “who dunnit” was from outside the family. Would have enjoyed more of the mystery part being woven in with one of the sister.s. Three stars.

The three Bishop sisters gather at the family owned resort after the death of their father. They all bring a troubled history and secrets with them. They gather for the reading of the will with a hurricane making waves, too. Add in the mysteries from the resort staff, a stowaway hiding from her boyfriend, and the lawyer to read the will. Lots of intrigue and stormy weather causes havoc at the resort.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

Prepare for a thrilling ride at the infamous Precipice Hotel, a setting with a scandalous past. The action kicks off with a high-stakes situation as a massive storm approaches the Maine coast, and the late owner's three daughters, their families, and the lawyer come together to hear the will.

“One Big Happy Family” is a rollercoaster of a read! It's a bit over-the-top and outrageous but undeniably entertaining if you know what to expect.

Tensions escalate as long-concealed secrets are unveiled, particularly concerning the notorious Bishop sisters. While the family members may not all be likable, Charley, the enigmatic housekeeper, and Rodrigo, the mysterious front desk manager, steal the spotlight with their relatable nature.

I opted for the audiobook and was blown away by the narrator's incredible performance.

Big thanks to the author, St. Martins Press, and Macmillan Audio for the ARCs provided through NetGalley. All thoughts are entirely my own.

#OneBigHappyFamily #jamieday #SMPinfluencers #stmartinspress #MacAudio2024 #MacmillanInfluencerProgram #macmillanaudio #MacmillanPublishers #netgalley #jamieday

I loved Jamie Day's other book, The Block Party, so I knew I wanted to read One Big Happy family. The setting is a family owned hotel on the coast of Maine. There is a hurricane looming and many secrets being harbored. Not everyone who check in to the hotel will be checking out. Everyone also wants what's rightfully theirs since the patriarch of the family has passed recently. Caught up in all this family drama is Charley the maid who has a problematic past of her own and a Nana to support. This book is full of twists and turns and sometimes seems like it is taking a little long to get going but the last half more than makes up for it in suspense and secrets revealed. Thanks to @NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I really enjoyed it.

This is a first Jamie Day book for me. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this one. It started of fine. We were getting to know the MC Charlie and how her day to day life was, amongst a hurricane that was referred to frequently. We met the next characters and I did not like any of them. I became annoyed listening to Oliver speak in rhymes. If he had been a main character I would've had to DNF this one.
This thriller was also more about family drama. We were lots of back story for the family members. About halfway, I grew bored. There was just too much of the drama and not enough thrill. I was surprised by the ending and the epilogue was good. Overall though it was just a not bad but not great feel for me.
I had originally received the digital book ARC and had started reading it. I couldn't get captured by the story so I waited for the audio. I also received the audio ARC so this review is for both. The audio was easier for me to listen to but the narrator was difficult to listen to at first due to a nasal sound.

Thanks to Netgalley, St Martins Press and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read this ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
One Big Happy Family
By: Jamie Day
Publisher: St.Martin’s Press
Pub Date: July 16, 2024

This is another new author for me. This was a fun read that reminded me of the game clue. The family dynamics in this one is so toxic. You know it’s all going to go horribly wrong. Three sisters who all have secrets from the other.
Charley is the maid at The Precipice hotel. A family owned place run by George Bishop. George has unexpectedly passed which brings his three daughters and their families to the hotel for the funeral and reading of the will. To add more chaos to the situation there is a hurricane bearing down on the coast of Maine. But before long the bodies are going to start dropping and no one has any idea what’s going on. Will Charley get things worked out before everyone dies?
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press Jamie Day and NetGalley for this galley.

This is an intense drama with some wild characters. The plot offers multiple interesting twists as the story unfolds. The characters are sharp and engaging. Readers will especially love the dialogue between the characters which is either witty or funny. The setting, in a hotel during a storm, heightens the drama. Readers will really enjoy this family drama and the surprising outcomes.

Charley works for The Precipice hotel as a maid. When the owner George passes away his daughters come back to the hotel to hear the reading of the will. A hurricane is coming through and no one can leave the hotel. A strange poem is found and murder starts to happen.
Charley is trying to hide Bree because she is a victim of physical abuse.
Thanks to the publisher St. Martin's and to NetGalley for the ARC.

This locked door mystery gave me total Clue vibes and had me wondering whether Colonel Mustard really did it in the library with the candlestick. Full of secrets and lies, family drama and a hurricane to add to the suspense, I was hooked from the beginning. The story started out strong but after the halfway point, it became somewhat predictable and I pretty much had it figured out. There were a few minor twists that I wasn't expecting, but overall it was your typical locked door mystery with a little too much predictability for my taste.

Thank you to netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC

This book is a blend of suspense, family drama, and thrilling twists set against the eerie backdrop of The Precipice, a storied hotel on Maine's rocky coast. The Bishop sisters—Iris, Vicki, and Faith—gather to claim their inheritance after their father's passing, each harboring secrets that could spell disaster. With a looming hurricane and the air thick with tension, the stage is set for a weekend filled with unexpected turns and deadly revelations.

Central to the story is Charley Kelley, the hotel's nineteen-year-old chambermaid. Her resilience and street-smarts make her a compelling character, especially as she juggles the sisters' demands and her own precarious situation—hiding a woman on the run in a guest room.

Jamie Day expertly weaves together wit, heart, and edge-of-your-seat thrills. The narrative keeps you guessing, delivering a unique brand of summertime suspense where not everyone checking into The Precipice will check out. "One Big Happy Family" is a riveting read, perfect for those who love a mix of family intrigue and pulse-pounding mystery.

3.5 stars. The Bishop sisters are coming to town for the reading of their father’s will. He owned a hotel, where the maid, Charley, lives and works to save money supporting her grandma. Charley recently let a woman, who was on the run from an abusive ex, hide in the hotel for a few days, and hopes to keep her out of the sisters’ sights. The sisters also have secrets they’re hiding, that threaten to surface after the reading of the will. There’s murder, there’s chaos, and there’s lies. Who will make it out alive?

This was a fun read and my first Jamie Day book! The plot reminded me of Clue a bit, with the big hotel, random murder, many rooms, and group investigation. While they proposed a few different theories, I was not super surprised by the ending. It was definitely a cozy mystery, with a touch of pure chaos.

I received this eARC a few months back and was waiting till closer to publication to delve into it. I read Jamie's book, Block Party, last year and really enjoyed the craziness of it. I'm happy to report that enjoyment continued with this one!

I loved the overall setting of this being in Maine and during a hurricane and very Agatha Christie in the sense of all players being confined to this hotel. The characters were certainly a very... interesting bunch, to say the least 🤣 I will note that most of the big reveals regarding the Bishop sisters in part 2 were pretty easy to anticipate and predict. Some of the other characters' connections and secrets were also easy to generally predict but still had some added details and backstory. However, the easy predictions of some things didn't take away from the rest of the story and present day plot for me.

Outside of the story itself, I thoroughly like Jamie's writing. As much as I love my thrillers and mysteries, they're not always a genre that makes me want to reach for my highlighter for passages where the writing itself just makes me go, "ooohhh." But Jamie did quite a few times throughout this book.

This was a rollercoaster of a wild ride, as wild as Hurricane Larry himself from the story. After 2 fairly solid reads in 2 years now from Jamie Day, I will definitely continue to seek her out for future reads and automatically put her at the top of my never dwindling TBR pile.


▪️Thank you to Net Galley, St. Martin's Press, and Jamie Day for this eARC.
▪️Expected US publication: July 16, 2024

I must read any book that Freida McFadden says is "unputdownable"!! I was immediately drawn in to reading One Big Happy Family and knew that this is the kind of book that you clear your schedule for and do some hygge reading under a blanket while drinking a warm beverage--and I was right! 5/5 stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.