Locked mysteries are always fun to read and this one was no different. With a hurricane looming, the three Bishop sisters find themself stuck at the family hotel waiting for their father's will to be read. Charley, the chambermaid, is especially on edge, hoping her job will be safe. But then the murders start. Everyone is trapped. Who is behind it all and why?

I was lucky enough to listen to this book on audio as I read along and I found myself so invested in the storyline. The plot was solid, the audiobook narration was well done and the intrigue was intense. I was on edge throughout the whole book and was surprised by some of the twists that were thrown in. I enjoyed the author's previous book, The Block Party, but found this one to be even better so  make sure you get yourself a copy!

This book was really hard to finish. There was so much happening and not one character that I was invested in. I read this as part of a netgalley preview and would not recommend.

Another locked room mystery, this story is told by Charlie, the live-in housekeeper at a small inn on the coast of Maine. When the owner of the inn dies, his three daughters, the Bishop sisters with various family members in tow, arrive in the midst of a tropical storm to settle the estate. Once the dysfunction emerges and the threats start flying, the first murder occurs and of course, no one can escape because of the storm. Family secrets, both past and present are revealed and everyone seems to have motives for murder. Throw in a creepy teenage nephew who speaks in rhymes and 2 or 3 “outsiders” who don’t seem to have a stake in the game and trying to figure out whodunnit becomes entertaining.
I found this book to be a fun read for the most part. There were definitely some twists but also quite a bit of predictability. Readers of this genre will quickly guess that the random non-family guests also play major roles in the drama. But overall, the story is creative and the book is fast paced and entertaining. I listened to the audio book and the narrator was very good, easy to follow and listen to.

An isolated hotel, a storm looming on the horizon, a dysfunctional wealthy family and revenge killings. What could go wrong?

This book reminded me of Clue and I had a hard time putting it down. This is a fast paced thriller revolving around secrets and lies. A family and the hotel workers are stuck in a hotel with a storm approaching. Two murders happen and everyone is a suspect. How will this story unfold? Read it to find out!

I love a locked room mystery and this was exactly that. We have multiple suspects who are carrying secrets and lies. I enjoyed this and had a hard time putting it down. The audio was well done and was easy to listen to. I enjoyed all the characters in the book. I would definitely read from this author again. You need to put this on your summer TBR!

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I was really interested in this novel based on the summary, and I wasn't disappointed by the first few chapters, which started off really strong. There was the tense atmosphere of everyone preparing for a hurricane, bickering people arriving, a mystery woman in a bad way and a flawed FMC. But then, things started giving me pause. At first it was going into Charley's flashback. I felt like it was just bullet pointing her background and I didn't love how it was executed. But it was short, and we moved back to the main story, so it was fine. But then when I got to part 2, when the entire story ground to a halt so that we could learn about each of the sisters, I started getting antsy. I feel like, for thrillers, these things are supposed to be revealed in pieces during surprising interactions and plot points with the characters. Instead I feel like we were just straight up given the author's notes for each character.

After that part, some of the reveals were fun, and it was certainly action packed. But I still thought that the story was only okay. Certainly not bad, but not amazing. I think this is partially because some of it was so silly. <spoiler> The "creepy" poems in particular had me rolling my eyes. And then, not entirely sure how the author went with a "oh they aren't all so bad" happy ending. </spoiler>

I requested this book because it was a thriller narrated by Saskia Maarleveld, who I've listened to before and like quite a bit. She did a solid job with the material here.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!

I recently had the opportunity to read an advance copy of "One Big Happy Family" by Jamie Day, courtesy of NetGalley—thank you for the review copy. This book proved to be an ideal summer read, perfect for unraveling mysteries while lounging by the water. Although I haven't read Day's previous work, "The Block Party," I found myself really enjoying his engaging narrative style.

The story unfolds with several mysteries interwoven throughout, keeping the plot intriguing. I rated this book 3.5-4 stars, largely because I found it challenging not to compare it with other exceptional books I've read recently.

The main character's complex, darker traits add depth, constantly making you wonder what will happen next. However, some aspects of the conclusion seemed a bit forced and didn't quite mesh with the tone of the rest of the narrative.

Despite these few rough edges, the book was a compelling, quick read that was hard to put down. The secondary characters were particularly well-developed, contributing significantly to the story rather than merely extending the plot. I'm definitely looking forward to exploring more of Jamie Day's work in the future.

A maid, the Bishop sisters, and lots of secrets......

The Precipice is a family-owned hotel located on the coast of Maine. The owner has passed away and his three daughters have come for the weekend to make their claim. Charley, who is a nineteen-year-old maid at the hotel worries about her job, them learning of her sticky fingers, the future of the hotel, and the woman she is hiding in one of the rooms.

Secrets and tension rule the day as the dysfunctional sisters and staff hunker down for a looming hurricane. All the characters have things going on, hidden motivations, big secrets, resentments, etc. This book was full of drama. This book also had atmosphere, tension and the trapped feeling that I enjoy in books. Having said that, this book felt slow in parts, drawn out in others and felt long, long, long.

I really thought that I would love this one, but sadly this was not the book for me. Others are enjoying it more than I did, so please check out their reviews as well.

What did work for me was how Jamie Day captured the trapped feeling, ,the toxicity of the sisters, and the tension in the book.

I listened to the audiobook and thought the narration was wonderful. Very well done.

Charley works as a chambermaid at the Precipice Hotel in Maine, trying to stay afloat and pay her Nana's bills. But the owner, George, dies, and his three daughters, Vicki, Iris, and Faith, come to hear the reading of the will. When a major Hurricane cuts them off, and bodies start turning up, long-held secrets begin to come to light.

I really liked Charley's character, and the story itself was entertaining. However, some of the plot points were beyond believable, and the epilogue was too happy-ever-after for my taste. All in all, it was a solid thriller.

ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY by Jamie Day is the perfect summer thriller. The Precipice is a beautiful family-owned hotel on the New England coast. The owner dies and the Bishop sisters Iris, Vicki, and Faith come to the property for the reading of the will. Throw in a hurricane, a couple murders, a hidden guest and it makes for a great suspense book. I listened to this in just a couple days and was quite surprised with the ending. Highly recommend for a beach read!

George Bishop, owner of the infamous Precipice hotel, is dead. Now his legacy is left to his 3 daughters: Iris, Faith, and Vicki. They all go there for the weekend to lay stake to their claim, with each woman wanting what she believes she deserves. Unfortunately, they may not each be so lucky.

Between the secrets that they’re all keeping, Charley (the 19-year-old chambermaid that their father employed), and the hurricane working its way toward them, it’s looking like it will be a more intense weekend away than they anticipated.

They may all be checking in, but someone may also be checking out … permanently.

I really enjoyed last year's The Block Party by this author. This one fell flat for me. The beginning is really slow on the setup and the ending is eye rolling. It does have a Knives Out kind of feel though, so if you can overlook the silliness you might enjoy it.

Charley is a nineteen-year-old young woman who has lived and worked as a maid at the Precipice Hotel in Maine since she was seventeen. After the recent death of the owner and her boss, the boss's three daughters, Vicki, Iris, and Faith, along with their families, are due to arrive for the reading of the will. However, Hurricane Larry is bearing down on the area and they just might be stuck on the premises for the weekend.

I did like Charley, but she couldn't really save the book for me. When we find out more about the sisters and their pasts, and after the big reveal, I just couldn't stop my eyes from rolling. So many coincidences/convenient explanations for things made for a lackluster mystery. I saw at least part of one of the reveals from a mile away, and I guess it was supposed to be a twist, but there wasn't really anything surprising about the book.

Overall though, I listened to the audiobook and Saskia Maarleveld's narration is excellent. She kept me involved and interested past the point where I would have stayed involved had I read it on the page. She gave Charley her voice that made her the star character--after enduring such a difficult childhood, she is just someone who wants the best for her Nana.

If you don't mind over the top narratives, then this book just might appeal to you. Since I enjoyed The Block Party so much, I will probably give this author another try in the future.

Loved it. The characters were all great, and it kept me guessing all afternoon while I cleaned my house. Will definitely be recommending!

An isolated, quirky hotel in Maine as a terrible hurricane is barreling in. A dysfunctional, wealthy family coming for a reading of the will. Lots and lots of family secrets and the live-in maid just trying to make ends meet. And don't forget the secretive attorney for the dead man. Hmm. What do you think will happen? You're probably right.

Secrets being forced out, disappearing people, people getting injured, lights going out as the storm intensifies and traps the characters. You may think of the game Clue, or an old movie. You may be right.

This is a book that will keep you guessing until the end.

I listened to the audio version and the narrator was great.

This is a solid locked room murder mystery action story with lots of unlikable characters and twists and turns. It won't change your life, but it will add a fun and satisfying read to it

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Saskia Maarleveld narrates this story and does a fantastic job. It was an enjoying listening experience!

If you love locked room suspenseful dramas, then you will love this story. In the vein of Clue or Knives out, we have a whole cast of dramatic characters running around the Precipice, an upscale hotel on the Maine coast, trying to figure out who the murderer is.

Charley is a maid at The Precipice who is working a dead end job to take care of her Nana, in a nursing home. The owner has died and his dysfunctional family arrives for the reading of the will shortly before a hurricane strikes. With the three Bishop daughters and their spouses trapped in the hotel on the night the hurricane hits, the will of their departed dad is read and murder begins.

I found the story very entertaining, and the drama to be over the top. Yes, you feel sorry for Charley and hate the snobby family. The mysterious murder reveal is as expected but the story is fun. All in all, a great, fast paced, locked room mystery!

Thank you Netgalley for the advance audiobook and reader copy of One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day in exchange for an honest review. Wow, families are so messed up and secrets don't help. This was a very exciting book with intrigue, murder and secrets. I really enjoyed listening to it.

Charley is our main character. Her life has been shaped from her past living with a drug addicted mother and learning life lessons from her grandma who helped raise her. When she was only 17, she was offered a job she couldn’t refuse working as a maid in a hotel where she worked for a low wage, but also room and board.

George, the hotel owner, passed away and Charley wonders if she’ll be given the same work offer when his three daughters, Victoria, Iris, and Faith take over or if the hotel will even remain open. Worse yet, she recently started harboring a guest for free trying to escape an abusive relationship and fears the sisters won’t have the same grace.

There is a past / present component to develop the Bishop sister characters and understand context for their harsh relationships with each other when the will for their father as read and as they navigate their reunion.

In the background- a terrible hurricane is coming, so the hotel is bare besides Charley, the sisters and their families, and the stowaway. Death soon finds itself to the hotel with more continued if past secrets of the family are not revealed.

This book had a little bit of everything- secret adoptions, car accidents, accidental deaths, purposeful deaths, secret baby out of wedlock, whew !!

I would say this was fast paced and did hold my attention. It was almost too much packed into one book, but the twists did keep it interesting and kept me guessing.

Thanks NetGalley for access to the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

I had no idea what to expect with this book but I couldn't put it down. The locked room mystery is so good in a big hotel on the Maine Coast. There is also a hurricane coming, and a crazy family arriving at the hotel to settle the will of their father that just died. The family members all bring their own secrets and drama and I like how it unfolded. Charley is the maid that lives at the hotel and she of course gets sucked into the family drama. I highly recommend this book! A great thriller/mystery read! Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an early copy of this book and great narration on the audiobook, look for it in July 2024.

As soon as I saw Jamie Day had her second book coming out I knew I had to read it. I loved her debut "Block Party". One Big Happy Family unfortunately did not have the same vibe.
The struggle buggle began early, I was not "hooked" in the first few chapters. Mysteries and thrillers need to suck you in so that you mind is consumed with curiosity/intrigue. However I was bogged down by detail, a main character that was incredibly vague and a cast of characters I could care less about. Day did not develop the three sisters enough initially for me to distinguish between them. Once the plot finally started to pick up momentum Day cast us back to 20 years or so to shine light onto the sisters background. The past time line dragged , I could not keep my attention let alone my interest.
She then tried to throw in a romance, which failed miserably in my opinion. There was no chemistry and the only descriptions we got of Quinn was pure "eye candy" descriptions.
The final blow I will give was: Jamie Day have you met Captain Obvious? Because the I immediately identified what was going on. That particular character's presence was so las vegas apparent even the 3 blind mice could see the "twist" coming. That character was just stuck into the story and felt like the big elephant in the room. Sorry, not good writing.

I would be remiss if I did not comment on the absolute ridiculous ending and Oliver's "secrets" , at that point you can imagine the amount of eye rolling that was happening I would make any teen girl proud.

I will give Jamie Day another chance because like I said her debut was quite good so I know she can produce good work. We will just chalk this one up to her Sophmore Slump.

Thank you net galley for allowing me to read and review "One Big Happy Family" in exchange for my honest opinions and thoughts.

Calling all fans of suspense with a summery twist! The setting - a legendary family hotel on the Maine coast with a hurricane brewing - is atmospheric and primed for secrets to be unearthed. The Bishop sisters, each with their own agenda, return to claim their inheritance, throwing the life of the resourceful young chambermaid, Charley, into jeopardy. With hidden guests, pilfering fingers, and murder in the air, this book promises "razor-sharp wit, heart, thrills, and twists." I loved The Block Party so this was a no-brainer for me.