Charley is a hotel made. This is a very tiny hotel in the state of Maine, there are only 14 rooms. She lives there, in a very big closet. Her entire life is set up to make money to take care of her Nana, who has advanced dementia and is in, assisted living. Charlie’s mother died of an overdose several years earlier, and she never knew her father. The hotel owners dies, and his family comes together for the reading of his will. This reminded me of an Agatha Christie mystery, with several different characters, somewhere more interesting than others. All of this is set during a hurricane, because apparently hurricanes happen in Maine also.

There are some minor plot issues, and the dialogue falls a bit flat. But it is an interesting story, and a fun to read mystery. Very light reading, which could be good for your summer. This book comes out on July 16, 2024

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the arc.

I had a blast reading this one, especially after not enjoying "The Block Party." I'm glad I gave the author another chance!

"The Precipice," a family-owned hotel full of vintage keepsakes, is perched near a cliff. George Bishop, the owner, is known in Maine for his collecting and conspiracy theories.

Charley, the maid, is overwhelmed as a hurricane looms and a homicidal maniac is on the loose. The creepy weather mirrors the chaos inside as the Bishop sisters arrive for the reading of George's will, leading to family drama and shocking secrets.

With strong Christie vibes, the story weaves through chaos, toxicity, and grudges. I took off half a star for minor issues, but I devoured it and enjoyed the ride!

Thanks, NetGalley, for my ARC. It comes out on July 16, 2024.

One Big Happy Family is Jamie Day's second novel. It’s a slow-moving mystery/thriller that did not grab me.

Charley is a 19-year-old chambermaid at a historic Maine hotel, The Precipice. She’s alone in the world except for her Nana, suffering from dementia and living in a nursing facility that Charley can barely pay for. We meet Charley when the hotel owner, Charlie Bishop, dies, and his three daughters come to stay at the hotel for a reading of the will. A massive storm drives all the guests away, leaving Charley and the Bishop family stranded without cell service or power.

The story was unfocused, and the author threw plot twists to see what would stick. There was a lack of suspense and thrill, and the writing style felt simplistic and stilted. At one point, the first-person narrator is set aside abruptly, and another character's perspective takes over. Despite the slog, I kept going because I was invested in solving the crime. In the end, when the murderer is revealed and all the twists and turns have been resolved, I feel unfulfilled by the book. The ending introduced sudden romantic and embezzlement subplots. In my opinion, it needs editing and tightening up.

This book was not at all like Jamie Day’s last book, so that was surprising. It’s told from the perspective of the hotel maid (reminiscent of Molly the Maid, though not quite as fleshed out or likeable). After the hotel owner dies, his family gathers at the hotel for the reading of the will, only to find a hurricane is happening and they are locked in. It this becomes a locked door mystery, with characters starting to die, threats happening, guns being waved about, but no one is sure who to fear or who to trust.
I found this book to be ok. Readable, but fairly forgettable. Characters were not deep or relatable. The ending was so-so for me.

It took me a minute to get into this story, but then a situation occurred that changed everything. After that I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next. This story definitely has some surprises. The characters are perfect and the story – well, you need to read it yourself. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

An atmospheric
if somewhat flat whodunit.
A fine summer read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️


I write haiku reviews but am happy to provide additional feedback.

This the second time that I have had the opportunity to read Jamie Day's newest release as an e-ARC and as their second book I can say I adore the stories that have been told. The stories have new twists that I enjoy a little refresh from the typical thriller storyline. Where this can normally feel busy, I believe Day adds many elements and makes it entertaining.

I personally love an escape room and crazy family themed thriller/mysterys and this book hit a lot of those favorite points. Charley is the POV throughout the book and she is an interesting and caring person, who works as a maid in The Precipice for the Bishop family to survive and take care of her grandmother who has dementia. The story kicks off with the death of the father of the Bishops and Charley getting the hotel ready for the Bishops sister arrival before a major storm hits. Iris, Vicki, and Faith have a lot of secrets and become the focal point to the death that comes in their wake.

This was an interesting book and I was able to guess one the twists early on but Day is able to add enough twists and drive to make the reader continue the story. I was happy for the ending and what happened with the characters, although I wish more consequences happened to those that caused harm.

I recommend this for readers who like an escape room theme story and chaotic families with a lot of secrets. The other characters are also not the most likable but that makes the story even better.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for an early copy to read and review. It was my first book by this author. I had a hard time getting in to the story but once I did I wanted to know what happens next. It is centered around a maid,, Charley,at what I would describe as a historical hotel. The owner passes away which brings his dysfunctional daughters to town for the funeral and reading of the willin the midst of a major hurricane. Needless to say, the hurricane inside the hotel after everyone arrives is wat worse than what is brewing outside. There is so much going on in this story that you really need to pay close attention to every detail. It is full of twists and turns with lots of secrets which will all come out in the end. I did enjoy the book.

ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY
Jamie Day

Jamie Day is back! This time with a cast of unlikeable characters with one thing in common- they’re family!

When the patriarch of the family dies, the entire family comes together to discuss the will and what is going to happen to the family’s hotel. There are many things to hash out and everyone wants their piece of the pie.

Before everything is resolved and before the ink can dry on the will someone ends up dead and someone else in the family killed them. Everyone has a motive, and everyone suspects everyone else did it.

A storm is coming, and secrets are being exposed as the sky is being covered by clouds. There’s no way out, there’s no way home, and there’s no going back to where they’ve come from. They’re all a little eccentric, keeping more than a few secrets, and they’re all ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY.

ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY is about good people doing bad things and rich people doing cheap things. It feels like two books in one and reminds me of THE MAID. If you were a fan of a mystery set at a hotel with a novice detective at work, this is your 2024 play at that.

I thought Day did a great job of knowing when to change things up. As soon as the action started to lull a new tangent to the storyline was introduced and it freshened everything up. I had fun reading and I think this would be a great addition to your summer thriller line-up.

ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY releases mid-July and should be on your list.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy!

ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY…⭐⭐⭐

I really enjoyed Jamie Day's first book but for me this one was just a touch predictable which made it slightly less enjoyable. This domestic thriller did have some good twists and I do enjoy Day's writing style. Overall, for me this was an ok read. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

An old, remote hotel, an impeding hurricane, unsavory characters, secret pasts are the makings for a perfect thriller. These elements were all well written but the story itself read flat and boring. I felt it was going in too many directions never really truly being suspenseful. I did like Charley and the crazy dysfunctional Bishop sisters-it just didn't work for me. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the Advance Reader's Copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a complex read with unexpected twists or is it turns?
Charley is a chambermaid [20yrs old] at an old hotel in a small Maine village. A hurricane is coming. The owner has died. Now the daughters are all coming for the reading of the will by the attorney. The hurricane approaches as they arrive. There is a death--murder? Soon a missing attorney, a teenage rhymner, yelling, gun shots, and more.
Read this story as it rushes from one secret to another. Charley asks questions, almost goes over the cliff into the ocean, learns more about old secrets and new ones. A tangled web.

After reading “The Block Party,” I was thrilled to get this ARC! “One Big Happy Family,” is perfect for locked room mystery fans. I also loved the atmospheric setting. I mean, come on, an old hotel during a hurricane!? Sign me up!

I won’t rehash the plot, because you can read the synopsis, but I will say I loved the main character, Charley. She’s a strong female, who is overcoming the hand she was dealt in life. When she comes in contact with three unlikeable, selfish sisters, let’s just say she can hold her own.

The pacing on this book was nice, and it’s a quick read! Perfect for the beach!

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this!
This is a somewhat closed room murder story, told at a hotel during a hurricane. Its told in three parts: the first setting the scene of three sisters coming back to the hotel to lay claim to their family inheritance, the second explaining a bit about how the sisters came into their personalities, and the third revolving around two murders and uncovering the twisty backstories of each sister. It is 'mostly' told through the POV of a maid at the hotel.
I thought this left a lot to be desired. I actually loved part 2 and learning more about the sisters and their childhood, as well as some of the 'twists' given away in the early part of part 3. But I thought the minute Vivian went off the 'deep end', persay, the whole thing got a bit farfetched. I didn't like the final reveal and the side 'romance' was a little strange to me. There was just TOO much going on, and too many times where the reactions of the characters didn't mirror the stakes of the situation. This was good but easily wasn't my favorite.

I love a locked room thriller and One Big Happy Family did not disappoint! While some of the twists was predictable, I still enjoyed this book. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Charley spends her days working at The Precipice Hotel, a family owned business in Maine, saving money to assist her grandmother who is slowly succumbing to dementia. When the owner of the hotel dies, his three daughters come to the hotel to discuss their inheritance and future. The sisters are full of secrets form each other, a massive storm is brewing, a strange guest is also there, and murder is on the horizon. The sisters' secrets are finally coming to light, but will it happen before it's too late for someone?

This thriller is full of twists and turns as more and more family secrets come out during the storm. The setting is the perfect location for a murder mystery--an odd hotel right on the coast with a major storm hitting the area. A locked-room mystery told from the perspective of Charley the maid, murders are occurring and one of the characters has to be responsible for them. Could it be one of the three sisters? Their spouses or children? A hotel employee? A long night with the power out leads to so many possibilities. Day does a great job crafting a page turning mystery, leaving the reader wondering to the end what is going to happen next,

This is a locked door mystery which fans of slow burn thrillers will enjoy. Although the family drama seems to be the focus, there is an underlying murder mystery at the heart of it. I enjoyed learning the secrets that the Bishop sisters were hiding, but wish there had been more suspense. It seemed that every time something suspenseful happened, we were taken to a flashback which slowed down the pacing. I loved the location - and locked door mysteries are always a favorite of mine, but this moved too slow for me to really love it.

Rating: ⭐⭐ ½
Genre: Mystery Thriller

This mystery thriller is set in the iconic family-owned hotel, The Precipice. As the owner's passing leaves a void, his three daughters, the Bishop sisters, step into the spotlight to claim their inheritance. Little do they know, a storm of unexpected events is about to hit. A hurricane rages, revealing hidden truths! And amidst this chaos, a sinister murder mystery takes hold.

The story is narrated in the first person from the perspective of a maid named Charlie. The reader gets to feel Charlie’s insecurities and fear, especially now that there is a chance that she might lose her job after the owner's death.

The synopsis sounded amazing to me, but despite the author's great job with the setting and the overall atmosphere of the story, the tale itself felt somehow flat. Going back to the past period to understand the Bishop sisters didn’t help. It took me out of the tension that the author has built for the present.

Generally speaking, I enjoy reading about flawed characters as they represent us as humans. Unfortunately, I think the characters in this story still need a lot of work. The narrator is the eye with which we, as readers, look at the story and characters from her perspective. I couldn’t connect to her or sometimes understand her behavior. The other characters were not that interesting either.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

Rant: When is NetGalley going to update the format of the ARCs they send to our Kindles? I need to use my Kindle Scribe to take notes, and sticky notes do not even work with the old format! I also wish the publisher would send us a decently formatted e-book. This ebook could have been more appropriately formatted. There were numbers inside the paragraphs, which really hurt the reading flow. I’m not sure who is responsible for the quality of the ebooks sent, NetGalley or the publishers; whoever is needed to do a better job.

This is my second novel by this author and all I can say is wow! I love books filled with family drama and this one is full of it. I did not expect some of the twists in this one

I was lucky enough to win an e-ARC of ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY by Jamie Day from a Shelf Awareness giveaway. Thank you for the early look, and have a safe and happy holiday weekend!