The Precipice Hotel is the family owned hotel where Charley is a chambermaid, working hard to support her grandmother. With the death of the hotel’s owner George Bishop , Charley’s job now depends on whether or not George’s daughters will keep her employed.

The Bishop family’s visit to the hotel is of extreme importance, but when someone in the hotel ends up murdered, Charley finds everything in her world spinning out of control. Add in a hurricane and you have the makings of a solid mystery.

While some parts of the book deliver, the plot is a bit clunky. There are several twists and turns, but they are often over explained. This takes the reader out of the story, and one twist at the very end left this reader scratching her head.

The setting of the book is perfect for classic mystery fans, with the old hotel and a hurricane brewing outside. With the decent plot, this would made a solid beach read, but nothing sets this book apart to make it special.

Thank you to NetGalley and St, Martin’s press for the ARC opportunity.
This was my first novel by Jamie Day and most likely sadly my last. I found the book very slow moving with too much going on that wasn’t pulling me in. Charley’s nana needs her help paying for rent, her mother was a drug addict who passed away, George is the owner of the hotel and was a total creep, George dies and his daughters are coming for his funeral arrangements, Charley meets a woman at a coffee shop who suddenly shows up at the hotel and needs to hide out there, Rodrigo puts in his two cents on the situation and seems to want to make matters worse. Just too much going on IMO, without caring about any of it.
Thanks for the opportunity but this wasn’t for me- DNF

Great suspense novel. The secrets, the lies and the twists all kept me on my toes. This is my first book by this author and I'm looking forward to future books.

Unputdownable! I devoured this book. The characters got a bit sappy about two thirds of the way through, but overall the book was exciting and full of thrills and mystery. Thank you #NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.

This was one of the most enjoyable books that I’ve read in a while. There were some decent twists and the characters, although some unlikeable, were not annoying like many other books lately. This is a very solid, quick read!

This review was also posted on Goodreads.

⭐️⭐️
In The Eye Of The Storm ⛈️🏩 🖼️
I really wanted to like this one, but in the end, it just wasn’t for me. It took so long for me to get into it, and even then, I wasn’t invested in the characters. And the details - so many unnecessary details that only seemed to make for an unnecessarily long story. It just seemed like it was taking you in so many different directions, that it was hard to really get into.
I’m sure it’s someone’s cup of tea, though!
Charley is a broke, down on her luck maid for the Precipice Hotel. With her grandma’s nursing home fees on the rise she’s desperate to keep her job. In the wake of her smarmy boss’ passing her nerves are shot when his three daughters come into town for the funeral right as hurricane Larry is set to make landfall. Little does she know the storm of drama the Bishop sisters will bring to her doorstep, without any assistance from the hurricane.
Thanks so much to @netgalley for this ARC.
Check for this one out, July 16th!

I read The Block Party by this author and absolutely loved it. This book was good but not as great as that book. I still enjoyed this one and think it would be good to read during the summer time. I enjoy thrillers and felt this one went in too many directions and at times made it hard to keep up with what was happening. While this wasn’t my favorite I will continue to read any other books released in the future. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!!

One Big Happy Family by Jaime Day tells the story of Charley a maid at an ocean side hotel in Maine. The owner of the hotel passes away and his 3 daughters are set to inherit it. But a Hurricane Larry is due to hit Maine in the midst of the chaos of the 3 sisters reuniting, 2 murders, romance from in the past and present. The story was interesting. The characters were developed. I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened. It’s a believable story. Thanks to NetGallery and St Martins for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a bingeable and entertaining locked room murder mystery. The tone was creepy, secluded and in the middle of an expected hurricane at an eclectic, coastal hotel. I read 60% of this in one sitting. I definitely recommend for fans of locked room mysteries. I had an inkling of who the culprit was, but I didn’t guess HOW or WHY. If a mystery keeps me guessing, that’s a win. As I read an ARC, I did notice in chapter 57 toward the end, the writing switched from 1st person POV to 3rd person POV, then back to 1st person in chapter 58. There were also some punctuation mistakes throughout. I’m sure this will all be fixed by publication!

"My name is Todd...And I'm going to be the best thing that ever happened to you." If you think Todd sounds bad, just wait until you read this book and get to know him. But is he the worst character? That's for you to find out because reviews should not ruin a reader's fun with spoilers.

Wow, author Jamie Day planned an intricately woven cast of characters, and I enjoyed not being able to predict all of the ins and outs and dysfunctional-family backstories. There are plenty of characters going through the daily routines of normal life with despicable behavior bubbling beneath the surface for quite a few.. The Maine boutique resort with 14 themed rooms spread out over 3 floors is an intriguing setting and the plot line immediately drew me in. Readers will understand main character Charley's gratitude that part of her pay as the housekeeper is a room to sleep in and food to eat at this hotel. Afterall, Charley must support not only herself but also support her beloved grandmother who needs to live in an assisted-living home. As Charley says, hers is life on the bottom rung, and she's used to it.

Fortunately, Charley has Rodrigo, a gay guy pal who also works at the Precipice Hotel. He supports Charley in every way he can and has had enough hardships in his life that makes him a good judge of character.

The book begins with the present day and kept my attention. When the focus shifted to the backstory of the characters, I was disappointed at first; however, the backstory is essential and quickly becomes equally as interesting as the contemporary timeline. I wish there were half stars available because this was an entertaining 4.5 book for me. The reason I did not round it up to a 5 was that I would have preferred some tightening and condensing of the chaotic actions when the novel returns to the contemporary timeline.

I will definitely be interested in reading books from author Jamie Day in the future! Many thanks to #NetGalley for this copy. I am voluntarily leaving this review with my honest opinions.

3.5 stars, rounded down. Having enjoyed last year's "The Block Party", I wanted to check out author Jamie Day's sophomore release, "One Big Happy Family" and the characters are most sincerely not happy at all! They're really nasty, privileged rich people, who are stuck together in a Maine hotel during a hurricane after the death of their crappy patriarch with some interesting other characters - mostly focusing on a young hotel maid, Charley. While I do love a good locked room mystery, this one just felt too long & there was just way too much back-story on the MC's. I did like the hotel, tho. So a mixed bag for me. My sincere thanks to Net Galley & the publisher for the free DRC, my pleasure to review it.

I found this to be an enjoyable cozy mystery with enough twists and turns to keep the pages turning. The setting in Maine was interesting and the family aspect of this was a character in itself. Charley and Quinn were my favorite characters and I would read another book featuring them, for sure! Thanks to #netgalley and @stmartinspress for this really of #onebighappyfamily to read and review ahead of publication. All opinions are my own.

Set on the coast of Maine. Moody, atmospheric and of course a death kicks us off.
The owner of The Precipice has died, and the Bishop sisters are blowing in with a hurricane. All with secrets.

Each sister wants a piece of the pie, including chambermaid Charley.
Charley has a lot of secrets too.

For me this started promising and quickly devolved into predictable.


NetGalley/St. Martin’s Press July 06, 2024

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this advance copy. I read Jamie Day’s previous book, The Block Party, and loved it, so I was happy to get the chance to read this one as well, and it did not disappoint. I think the characters were really well developed, and the imagery of the mansion and the storm made it so easy for me to really see it in my mind. I love mysteries with twists that keep me guessing, and trying to figure out, and that’s exactly what I got with this. When I thought I knew what was going to happen next, I was surprised. I definitely recommend this book for anyone that likes a book that keep you guessing!

I was so excited to get an advanced copy of this book as I just loved her debut book, Block Party. This book did not disappoint! The story has all the elements of crazy, twisted, suspense and a little bit of humor.

Charley is the maid at the Precipice hotel and when the owner dies, the daughters come with their families and attorney to get their inheritance. Things start off rocky as a hurricane is coming in off the Maine coast and adds to the creepy factor. You see how crazy the Bishop sisters are not only with each other but those around them. Then you add in the factor of a stranger that is running from her boyfriend into the mix for more twists!

Jamie Day did a great job of creating characters that bring you in and make you want to find out their secrets. Thank you NetGalley and St.Martin Press for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was sent a digital ARC by Netgalley for review and I'm so glad. This book was better than I expected. There were so many different aspects to the story and so many different twists. I appreciate that there are a few pages at the end that let you know where all the characters land in the aftermath.

Charley, the smart and kind nineteen year old maid at the Hotel Precipice in Maine, spends her days working so she can keep
her head above water while paying for her nana’s assisted living, is busy with prep for Hurricane Larry and the arrival of the Bishop sisters, daughters of the late hotel owner, George Bishop. The sister are coming in for the reading of George’s will.. the inset of the hurricane is not the best time for this to be happening, especially when Charley is hiding Bree, someone running away from an abusive boyfriend, at the hotel.
Within the course of the hurricane, this story becomes a murder mystery. I found myself reading as fast as possible, as I couldn’t wait to find out whodunit. With many personalities trying to figure out clues and brandishing guns about, I was completely caught up in the action. Kudos to the author for an interesting and fast paced story that kept me guessing throughout.

So many thoughts, where to start? I really enjoyed the premise of this book. 3 sisters, spouses, children, the maid, an attorney, and a stowaway are trapped in a hotel with no power due to a huge storm. When one man ends up dead and the attorney is found murdered shortly after, it’s up to Charley to figure out what’s going on.

Spoilers: I had a hunch that Bree was behind a lot of what happened. That said, the details of the car accident 22 years prior were a genuine curve ball. The details about Janice at the nursing home were surprising, but also didn’t feel like it added much (if anything) to the overall plot.

Essentially, I enjoyed the plot and I think the character development was strong, but there were parts that felt lacking.

Charley is working at the Precipice Hotel when Hurricane Larry is looming off the coast of Maine. Unfortunate timing leads the Bishop sisters to the hotel for will reading of their father, owner of the hotel. Twists and turns abound. I did figure it out well before the climax but it was very well written and twisty. 4 stars from me!

𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭!

This held my attention from start to finish!

When George Bishop, the owner of Precipice, an old Maine inn, passes away, his three daughters are called for a reading of the will. As the Bishop siblings (Iris, Vickie and Faith) assemble at the beachside hotel for the long weekend, a storm rolls in and soon the hurricane outside mimics the one the Bishop girls have created!

Yes, it’s OTT 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙢𝙖. Yes, there are 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙨. I’m not normally a fan of catfights and siblings dishing up drama, but this time I let it be what it is, petty disagreements, and enjoyed a back seat to the drama.

The elements associated with the storm (power outage, weather, locked room setting) added to the intense drama inside and were elevated by the secrets and hostage-taking. Charley Kelly, a chambermaid at the hotel, narrates for most of the story, introduces the mystery and keeps the reader guessing. Her background story helps us connect to her and trust her to tell the tale.

I’m not telling you any more! It’s well-plotted. It’s light. It’s petty. And, it’s 𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙡𝙮 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙. You’ll want it in your beach bag this summer.

I was gifted this copy by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.