As I was reading, I figured I wasn’t going to give this book five stars — bits are a bit too trite, too clichéd. But you know what? It’s exactly what it’s meant to be as plucky, down-on-her-luck heroine stuck cleaning up messes (literally)for 1%ers and a locked door murder in the midst of a hurricane. Altogether an excellent way to wile away a few hours.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

I will give my thoughts once SMP addresses their readers with an explanation. Until then, all my reviews will be withheld.

Set against the backdrop of a fierce hurricane on the Maine coast, this thriller entangles you in a story where every guest at a secluded hotel harbors secrets vital for survival. Amidst this storm, Charley, a hotel employee, faces uncertainty after the owner's death brings his three daughters together to decide on their inheritance, potentially upending Charley's life and her ability to care for her grandmother.

On this fateful day, Charley crosses paths with Bree, who seeks refuge from an abusive relationship. In choosing to help Bree, Charley jeopardizes her job. However, the arrival of the owner's daughters and their families deepens the plot, revealing that everyone has secrets to hide.

Narrated through various perspectives, this book captivates with relentless twists, mystery, and suspense, ensuring thriller enthusiasts are hooked till the end. The author masterfully maintains the tension, making this a must-read for fans of the genre.

Talk about a dysfunctional family! Oh my, I would like to be paint on the wall for Christmas! Sisters gather for their father's funeral, the fun begins! A hurricane is on it's way, Charley, the young maid at the large home that acts as the hotel that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, is trying to take care of the family, the hotel and her grandmother who is a living care facility. I found it far fetched but interesting, and loved the ending.
I highly recommend for a change.
Thank you #Netgalley #MacMillan
carolintallahassee

Told from the perspective of the maid, Charley, we are shown the toxic family dynamics of the Bishop sisters while being trapped in their isolated hotel during a hurricane. After the reading of their father's will, former owner of the hotel, murder and mayhem ensues, and everyone is looking suspicious.

This was more of a popcorn thriller to me. Quick, fun, entertaining but not one I will remember in the long run. However, for readers like me who love in-depth, detailed stories, I need reads like this one just as much. This had so many pretentious, despicable characters, making their backstory more interesting to see why they were the way they were almost to the point of understanding. Almost, but not quite. Overall, this was a good and entertaining read, and I give it three stars.

Thank you, and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

Jamie Day is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors! One Big Happy Family is an excellent read and should be in everyone's beach bag this summer!

Thank you to @netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to review One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day in exchange for an honest review. The setting is a rocky Maine coastline, where the Precipoce, an old family hotel sits... I had Manderley vibes. The patriarch of the family has died and three Bishop sisters visit. Iris, Vicki and Faith all have secrets, and there is a huge storm bearing down on the coast. I love a locked room mystery - and there are plenty of twists and turns to find out who the murderer is!

Charley, the maid, was one of my favorite characters!

I will absolutely read this book again if it comes out in Audiobook format - I think it would be fabulous!

Let’s start by saying, there is no truly good person in this story. A couple are on the line, but they are questionable. The “family” here is a quagmire of deception and conspiracy all rolled up in a blanket of false hoods. I enjoyed reading this book, it kept me motivated to find the answers almost throughout and the timeline shifted back and forth, but kept me involved and interested. A good, interesting read, although dark almost throughout.

Loved this book. A little quirky at times but a fun read.
Kept you guessing.
Story flowed nice and loved the characters.
5 Stars!

I enjoy a locked room mystery and this was a locked room thriller taking place with a family during a hurricane. There were some twists and turns and i enjoyed this.

So, a bunch of dysfunctional family members and a few others are stuck in the precipice Hotel during a hurricane. Three estranged sisters are there for the reading of a will to determine ownership of said hotel. A murder occurs. Whodunnit? The sisters, their kids or spouses, the maid? As if all this drama wasn't enough to get my attention, throw in a Maine setting and TAKE MY MONEY!!!! I absolutely LOVE a Maine setting! I had also already read and loved Block Party so there was that also! This one was almost as good, although the characters were even more unlikeable than in the previous one. Not that that was a bad thing. Overall, I really enjoyed this fast-paced, sometimes funny, soap-opera/locked-room type story and recommend it.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Jamie Day and St. Martin's Press for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Instagram and other retail and social media sites upon publication.

So boring I quit after chapter 2.. I have a house in coasralbMaine and was really looking forward to reading it but could not develop interest.

As Peanuts character Snoopy wrote, "It was a dark and stormy night..." The lights go out, a murder occurs, then another; who is next?
Loosely following the classic "locked room" type of mystery, "One Big Happy Family" is full of family members who all have it out for each other in a remote Maine hotel which is being battered by a hurricane. The roads are impassable, the Wi-Fi is out and a classic case of "whodunit" begins.
Is it one of the three sisters who have been estranged from each other for years? One of their spouses? One of their children? The maid, the hotel manager or the attorney who is there to read the will of the siblings' father who recently passed away? Or is it the abused young woman who is hiding out at the hotel from her boyfriend? Is the hotel they want or are they after the rumored priceless painting hidden somewhere amongst the endless rooms of collected items that their father treasured?
Once readers get involved with these characters and their various motives, they will want to race to the end of the book to find out if their suspicions about the who? and why? are correct. With plenty of revelations about the characters, readers will switch their thoughts on who is the murderer(s) several times before the answer(s) are revealed. Agatha Christie would be proud!

One Big Happy Family is a locked room type mystery that happens in a small family owned hotel during a hurricane. Charley works as a maid to pay for her grandmother’s room in a nursing facility. She’s not above pocketing a little extra money when she finds it since times are hard. The Bishop sisters are home to learn the terms of their father’s will with plans of for the hotel. Knowing her job hangs in the balance and that she desperately needs it, Charley still agrees to hide someone on the run in the hotel. The will drops some big surprises on the family and jealousy runs rampant. The mystery guest is discovered and Charley is fired. No one is leaving as the hurricane bears down on the hotel and the body count begins to rise. The story is okay with several small irritating details. Charley is a sympathetic character but not particularly likable. She is fired and keeps cleaning up after the awful family with no plausible reason. The family is full of horrible characters and are not particularly likable. The ending is not awe inspiring it’s just okay. I loved Jamie Day’s first novel but this one left me a little underwhelmed. My voluntary, unbiased and non-mandatory review is based upon a free review copy from NetGalley.

I was so excited to receive a copy of this as I loved The Block Party but unfortunately this one fell flat. I don't like when there are too many characters and all various storylines. It was interesting that they intertwined together but it was just too messy. I was left with more questions than answers.

I was unable to open this. It says that it is corrupted. Says I downloaded it, but cannot access it.

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day

Released July 16, 2024

This was my first book by Jamie Day and I had no idea what to expect. The beginning of the book felt a bit disjointed to me but it certainly set the scene for suspense.

Main character Charley Kelley is a chambermaid at the legendary Precipice hotel where things aren't always as thry seem. Working to take care of her Grandmother is hard enough but when Mr. Bishop dies she worries even more about making ends meet.
The three Bishop sisters come to the hotel for the reading of the will. Each with their own secrets and desire to get their fair share of the hotel. Tempers flare and not everyone will make it out alive. Add in a looming hurricane and you will be holding onto the edge of your seat till the very end.
Who can be trusted and who will survive? Read One Big Happy Family and find out!

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day. More of a domestic drama than a psychological suspense novel. Despite some ingenious twists, the story was convoluted and predicable. The characters were immature, shallow and melodramatic. The ending was a convenient HEA. The location and atmosphere were well described and there were sparks of humor within the narrative.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

I love a mystery set in Maine, and this had all the elements of a great story. Family owned hotel. Dad passes away. Sisters return to the hotel. Hurricane heading their way. Please and thank you!

Recently, I received the chance to read an ARC of Jamie Day’s upcoming release, “One Big Happy Family.”

I was instantly hooked on this book for the first 12 chapters. After that, it kind of got off track and I felt like the plot was not well received. The characters and plot were both well-written, I just wished we would have learned the history before learning about the lingering doom that’s approaching the coast.

I loved that, although they are from the same family, each family member had their own eclectic personality that stood out.

It took me a few times to finish this book, but I’m glad I did! I look forward to reading more by Jamie in the future. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book on NetGalley.