Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an audio arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars

With a large hurricane storm barreling down on a small Maine town, housekeeper Charley Kelley is waiting on the imminent arrival of her hotel's newest owners, a trio of sisters whos reputation proceeds them. Their father, recently deceased, has requested that they all return to the inn for the reading of his will, along with their return dangerous secrets from their pasts begin to emerge. Charley has her own secrets, including Bree a hidden stowaway running from an abusive relationship. Cut off form civilization and communication Charley must keep her wits about her or end up the next victim in the families murderous dealings.

I really liked The Block Party and was excited to get Jamie Day's newest work, but this was a little more lack luster for me. The story is broken up into four parts with some of them being slow and a little meandering with too many character backstories. No one is likeable, which in these types of domestic thriller is a good thing but without enough action to carry the story along the characters fell flat. There are some gapping holes like why Bree and Charley would be such best friends in a matter of days. I saw the big end reveal early which is always disappointing. I do like Day's writing style in general and overall its a decent family drama full of secrets and murder. I will look forward to more of her work in the future.

I had the audio version read by Saskia Maarleveld. She is a very enjoyable narrator with distinct voice work and good pace. I recommend picking up some of her work!

I was not a fan of this one. This whole plot felt so chaotic and the characters were childlike and immature. The adults just were irritable in this way, instead of mourning or even worrying about the oncoming storm, they were worried about the will.

This book felt a bit long and seemed to drag on too. The flashback sequence in this book honestly confused me and did not help me to understand our like this family anymore.

This book was just not for me!

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day
Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld
Rating: 3 stars
Pub date: 7/16

Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced ecopy, and to Macmillan Audio for my complimentary audiobook.

I loved this author’s debut novel, Block Party, so I was thrilled to get my hands on an early copy of this book.

The book takes place at The Precipice, a family-owned hotel on the rugged Maine coast. After the death of their father, the Bishop sisters—Vicki, Faith, and Iris—reunite to claim their inheritance amidst an impending hurricane. At the heart of the story is Charley Kelley, the hotel’s resourceful chambermaid, who is trying to make ends meet and care for her grandmother. The arrival of the Bishop sisters brings tension and danger, threatening Charley’s precarious situation.

The story is divided into four parts, and the short chapters keep it moving quickly. I loved Charley, and I think her motivations were understandable and relatable. The rest of the characters were difficult to like or empathize with, as they were all truly horrible. There were a few twists I didn’t see coming lots of family drama, and I enjoyed the audiobook version.

However, the story's pacing drags, and the ending feels predictable. This felt less like a psychological thriller and more like a family drama. It wasn’t my favorite, but I’m in the minority here. I would recommend checking this one out if you like locked-door thrillers with lots of complicated family drama.

I received early access to the audio version of this book. The production did a great job and the narrator was easy to listen to. This book had all the components of a thriller to keep readers hooked-mystery, murder, a little supernatural feel. However I just can’t say I loved it. I did finish and felt the ending helped make up for a lot of issues I had with the book. I just didn’t feel much connection to the characters and it seemed like it took a long time for the plot to progress.

3.5 stars. The family in this murdery mystery are horrible and the main character, Charlie, really got on my nerves for some reason.
The Precipice is a family-owned swank hotel in Maine and the owner has passed away. His daughters are coming to claim their inheritance, but first secrets must be spilled.
The story is told from a young chambermaid's POV. She gets roped into serving the family for the weekend, but gets more than she bargained for when a storm rolls through and traps them all together at the hotel. Meanwhile, Charlie is trying to hide a friend in the hotel, one who has secrets of her own. And when some of the guests end up dead, it's a race to figure out the secrets and lies before they all end up dead.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio e-arc.*

An enjoyable thriller with a lot of characters to keep track of. I liked the twists and the ending was satisfying.

An enjoyable twist on a locked room mystery taking place in a hotel. Everyone is brought together by the death of the head of the family and hotel owner with a fierce hurricane approaching. As the hotel's limited staff prepares for the impending storm and the family members' arrival for the reading of the will, and that's when the drama begins. As old memories and sibling relationships are rejuvenated, we learn who is keeping secrets, who is telling lies, and who is willing to go to the furthest lengths to keep everything they know quiet. But the big question is - Who will inherit the hotel and George's assets?

I will happily give an honest review as soon as St Martins Press finally speaks up and takes accountability for the possible systemic issues within their marketing department. Thank you.

Charley is a live in maid at The Precipice Hotel, she struggles to make payments for her Grandmother's care even with her living expenses covered. The sleazy owner of the hotel, George Bishop, passes away and Charley is afraid that her job is now in jeopardy. An actual storm is brewing as the three Bishop sisters and their families descend on The Precipice Hotel to sit for the reading of their father's will. Precariously set on the cliffs in Maine with picturesque beach views, the famous Precipice Hotel's ownership is up in the air.

One Big Happy Family is a character-focused locked-room mystery told from multiple perspectives. The family drama kicks off immediately and we meet three very unique and mostly unlikeable sisters. There were a lot of flashbacks that made the middle of the story a little slower, but it did work to establish the characters fully. My favorite part about this book was the setting. Day did a great job creating a tense and claustrophobic atmosphere.

Saskia Maarleveld was an excellent choice to narrate. I loved her performance! She was fun to listen to and made each character have a distinct voice. 5 star narration!

Thank you to Jamie Day, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook!

From The moment this story started, you need to be prepared to be hooked! So many twist and turns. This book will be leaving you guessing who did it and who’s the next to die. Woohoo what a ride!
TBR Worthy!
Absolutely loved the audio version. Thank you Net galley & Macmillan Audio for this advanced copy.

ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY is filled with, secrets, lies and and greed. I liked trying to figure out who was sending the threatening letters and learning more about these sisters' past. The hurricane also added another element to make this an entertaining read! I recommend the audiobook, the narration was excellent.

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for my gifted ALC

Thriller and mystery fans will love this novel by Jamie Day. One Big Happy Family releases on July 16th and will keep you on the edge of your seat! What mess, poor Charlie has gotten herself into a disaster of a family with surprises that just keep coming. Thanks to @netgalley for the advanced copy. The audiobook is well narrated if that is your preference!

#bookish #bookstagram #travelgram #wilderness #mystery #fiction #thriller #thrillerlover #travelgram fiction #maine #netgalleyarc

A twisty story of rich family infighting in a locked room scenario, told from the maid's POV. The drama begins when the owner of an old Maine hotel dies and the three self-absorbed daughters, their families, and a lawyer shows up to read the will. As tensions over the will mount, the catfights begin. It quickly becomes clear that not everyone will make it out of the hotel alive.

I truly enjoyed the great setting, premise and tension. Loved the set up of the hotel staff vs. the owners (now guests) in a stormy remote hotel. I was definitely hooked on the storyline and read through it at a record breaking pace.

I felt the main character Charley (a nineteen year old maid) was a bit hard to fathom. She waffles between naivety and brilliance. I also had a hard time with the narrator of the audiobook, who I did not find to really differentiate the minor characters enough.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.
Expected publication date: July 16, 2024

This thriller was a wild ride and had me on the edge of my seat! This is my first time reading Jamie Day, but I truly enjoyed this book and want to read more of her work. This book kind of gave me similar setting vibes as The Only One Left by Riley Sager, and the family drama in the story reminded me of the family from Knives Out. The hurricane really added to the suspense factor, and this twisty mystery had me guessing who the killer (or killers??) was until the end. And as a romantic, I liked the little romance sub plot that was thrown in there. Overall, I really fun thriller for summer!

Content Notes: There was some profanity used throughout the book. There were some political undertones at times, which I could’ve done without. There was also a character who is portrayed as Christian, but does not act very Christian-like throughout the book. There is also a very New Age/hippie character who spouts off some strange beliefs, uses tarot cards in one scene, and claims her son can connect to the spirit world (this is semi-spoilery so beware: he later admits that he has no connection and just faked it to make his mom happy). As a Christian, I did not like reading about these aspects of the story, however I felt like the book itself was really good and that these elements didn’t play a big enough role in the story for me to lower my rating.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and MacMillan Audio for sending me an advanced copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions above are my own.

The Bishop sisters are returning to Maine after their father has passed to lay claim to the Precipice Hotel. Vicki, Iris, and Faith all have different agendas, and all want their fair share. The women fled from their past years ago with a dark secret haunting them, never expecting it to reemerge. And now a hurricane approaching does nothing to lighten the mood.

Charley Kelley is just trying to do her best by her beloved grandmother who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. George Bishop let her have a job cleaning rooms at Precipice, but not without dealing with his unwanted advances. Charley makes do so that she can give her grandmother the best care she can afford. Now with the Bishop sisters arriving, she only hopes she will still have a job at the end of the day, and they don’t find out about her secret guest she is harboring at the hotel.

One Big Happy Family is a locked room mystery filled with family drama. The first half of the book dragged a bit for me, but the last quarter definitely picked up the pace, though I did not find the twists hard to figure out. Overall, this is an easy read that doesn’t require too much focus, maybe best read beachside.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and author Jamie Day for the advanced copy of the audiobook. One Big Happy Family is out on July 16th! All opinions are my own.

Narrated by Saskia Maarleveld, One Big Happy Family is the ironic title of this 'locked room' mystery. After the death of the patriarch, the constantly battling Bishop sisters are all trapped in the family's resort, The Precipice, during a hurricane in Maine.

Author Jamie Day centers the tale around Charley, the hotel's chambermaid who is hoping to continue living and working at The Precipice for whichever sister ends up in charge. She's concerned, not only because she desperately needs the money but because she has a secret. She is hiding a non-paying guest in one of the rooms--a woman who came to her begging for help, claiming running from her abusive boyfriend.

Everyone has secrets and when the group of three Bishop sisters--Iris, Victoria, and Faith--show up with spouses and children in tow arrive, it's obvious they are NOT one big happy family. But. no one expected a murder and the plethora of secrets that burst out of each of them as they try to survive the storm, and one another. Tensions explode as each secret comes to light.

You won't be able to put this one down (or stop listening) until each twist and turn is revealed. Recommended for all those who love a good suspenseful mystery.

This one was a fun one / a locked room mystery taking place at a hotel - the maid always gets all the action. We have one big happy family with many many secrets. George Bishop passes away and his will is read off to his surviving family members. But after that - all the shenanigans begin. It felt like I was reading about the game CLUE - who DUNNIT - it was entertaining. Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

A locked door style mystery set in a peculiar hotel in Maine. Charley has been working as a maid at the hotel for the last two years as she has to have money to pay for an assisted living for her Nan.
I did guess some of the who in the who-done-it but not the why. No spoilers here . Definitely worth the read (or listen).
I received a ARC of this title. All opinions are my own.

One Big Happy Family is a mystery by author Jamie Day and narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. Charley is a young woman who is a chambermaid at the Precipice Hotel, where she worked under Mr. Bishop. But when he dies Charley must entertain daughters Iris, Vicki, and Faith and their families while they sort out their father’s will. Unfortunately this is all occurring while a storm is on its way, and Charley is seeming to realize through the book that the relationships in this family are stormy as well!
This is my second book that I have read by the author, and I greatly enjoyed it. I appreciated the variety of characters and what they brought to the story, as well as the opportunities the reader had to keep guessing through the book. I definitely recommend this one! Thank you to NetGalley, and to the author, publisher, and narrator of this book for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very meh read for me. The characters were pretty unlikeable, there wasn't much character development, and the twists were not super exciting or earth shattering. The narrator was great, though!