I enjoyed the narration in the audibook, it kept me engaged,

The thriller was more drama than a thriller but it Charlie’s story kept me into listening. The sister’s had a lot of history brought out during hurricane Larry. I enjoyed Quinn’s interactions with Charlie. He was the good positive piece for her.

This was my first book by the author and would read another one of her stories.

Thanks Netgalley for the ALC!

Charley Kelley, a 19-year-old maid at the eclectic Precipice hotel in rural Maine, is too young to be struggling so much - cleaning for measly tips and tolerating a loathsome boss for free room and board in order to provide for her grandmother’s care. All that changes when the hotel owner dies and his three daughters return to the hotel to hear what his will holds. While a hurricane rages outside, the storm inside is even more treacherous. Secrets will be revealed and not every one will make it out alive.

One Big Happy Family is about a family with shared pain, secrets, grudges and vendettas. Readers are kept guessing as the story unfolds and won’t see the twists coming.

Big thanks to both NetGalley & Macmillan audio for the advanced listening copy!
This one is out now and ready for you!!!

I absolutely ate up Jamie Day's first novel, The Block Party. Unfortunately, this one fell just a little flat for me. Part One was quite slow, making it difficult to get sucked into this story. Once we moved into part two, I was starting to feel like I was in a completely different book and had to stop to make sure I was still in the same one.

While the drama, secrets & mysteries were all fun, I found them to ber very predicatble. I knew which character was the culprit and it was easy to see how this would play out for the most part.

As far as the audio portion goes, it was done well. My only downside was that the narrator seemed to be quite nasally, which I found to be distracting. That is absolutely a personal thing though and nothing against the book itself!

I do think I'd give Jamie Day another go, being as I loved her first novel. This one just didn't work for me as well as I hoped!

Three sisters arrive at their family’s hotel after the passing of their father. The reading of his will brings an air of uncertainty that no one could have expected.

One Big Happy Family is very different style-wise than the author’s first book, The Block Party. The writing is fine, just not what I was expecting. I think the pacing struggled a bit, especially at the beginning when much of the background information is forming. Towards the last 20% of the book, everything comes together so quickly that it almost seems like something is missing. Even with the occasional twist, it’s not terribly difficult to guess the ending.

Saskia Maarleveld is an excellent narrator. She does a great job with all the different POVs and keeping all of the numerous characters differentiated. I think this is the first book in this genre that I’ve heard her narrate but I have heard quite a bit of her work with fantasy books.

I did read the author’s first book and really enjoyed it. While this one wasn't for me, I would be interested in reading more of Jamie Day’s work in the future.

I voluntarily listened to and reviewed an advanced copy of this audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Charley Kelley is only 19, but she’s already been through some tough years. The only family she has left is her grandmother, and she’s struggling with memory issues. She’s in a local nursing home, so Charly works very hard to afford her room and care. They live in a small town in Maine, but there is a high end hotel named Precipice. Charley works as the maid there, and with that job, she gets to live onsite, in a small room, rent-free. She doesn’t love the job, or how the owner hits on her from time to time, but she doesn’t know of another job in town where she can live and still afford her grandmother’s care.

But when the owner of the Precipice dies suddenly, his three daughters are planning on returning to the hotel for the reading of the will. Iris, Vicki, and Faith will be there soon, along with the attorney who is the executor of the will, so Charley is in charge of getting the rooms cleaned before they show up. But she has a problem. She had recently met a woman named Bree in town, and Bree was trying to get away from her abusive boyfriend. Bree shows up at the hotel, desperate and asking Charley to hide her for a few days. Charley is reluctant, but she doesn’t feel like she can leave this woman in danger, so she agrees to hide her in one of the hotel rooms for a few days.

Then there’s the problem of Larry. Larry is the hurricane heading for them. While some of the locals are writing off the storm, thinking the bark will be worse than the bite, several of the coming tourists have canceled their reservations at the hotel. Soon it becomes clear that the sisters and the lawyer will be the only guests, hurricane be damned.

This is the first chance Charley has had to meet the sisters. There is Iris, the recovering addict. Vicki and her husband own a jewelry store in Boston, and their son is in college studying philosophy. Faith and her wife Hope have a teenaged son also, a quiet boy who speaks in rhyme when he does talk. Vicki immediately starts making demands of Charley, but the more things go wrong at the Precipice, the less that matters.

Olga, the longtime cook, quits suddenly. Larry hits with a vengeance, bringing down a tree on the drive, so no one can leave. Cell service goes out. And inside the hotel, strange threats add a sense of foreboding to the gathering. The will is read, and with all their father’s rules and stipulations, none of the sisters are happy with the outcome. They thought they were getting the hotel outright, and that is not how their father set up the inheritance.

And then the first person is killed.

As the storm rages outside and the wi-fi goes down, those stranded at the Precipice have to figure out a way to survive the storm, and each other. It turns out that each of the sisters has a secret to keep, and some of those secrets are worth killing to keep.

Charley isn’t a part of the family, and she got nothing in the will. In fact, Vicki fires her, so she also has no job, no home, no way to take care of her grandmother. She has literally nothing left to lose. Except her life. Will she be able to stay alive until the storm passes and they can get help to the hotel, or is this the end for the young maid?

One Big Happy Family is a secret-fueled thriller that asks what it is that makes a family. As the long-held lies are exposed and the truths come out, the danger amps up, until everyone is fighting for their own survival. This novel is a series of dangerous events, escalating and escalating, to a nail-biting conclusion.

I listened to One Big Happy Family on audio, and narrator Saskia Maarleveld, who brought this twisted tale to life. There was a lot of tension, which I thought she handled beautifully. However, there are also a lot of characters who all show up about the same time, so I did have some trouble keeping everyone straight in my head for a bit, especially the sisters. But it was a fun book to listen to, and anyone who loves a story filled with danger, tension, and family secrets should consider adding this one to their shelf.

A copy of the audio book for One Big Happy Family was provided by Macmillan Audio, and egalleys were provided by St. Martin’s Press, both through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Welcome to the Precipice Hotel where it seems everyone has a secret, including the maid. When the owner of the Precipice Hotel dies, his three daughters return to read his will. Charley is hoping that she can impress the Bishop sisters in an attempt to keep her job and living situation. However, with Hurricane Larry devastating the small coastal town, she soon finds herself stuck in the hotel with a family who has more than one secret. Charley hopes to keep her own secret that is hiding in the hotel.

One Big Happy Family was a whirlwind of a mystery. This book was filled with unpredictable characters that all had secretive pasts. I enjoyed listening to the different timelines for each of the sisters and figuring out the secret that each sister held. The narrator did a fantastic job for each of the characters, especially Charley. This mystery kept me on my toes from beginning to end and I recommend this book for people who enjoy locked room mysteries.

One Big Happy Family is out today!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to review One Big Happy Family. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Nineteen year old Charley is a prestigious hotel’s maid whose owner’s family has just come to stay for the will reading. After the reading, the very unhappy Bishop sisters discover the body of one of their husband’s whom also inherited a big portion and had control of one sister’s inheritance. Oh, and alas, a big storm has come in, stranding them without a way out or any cell service.


So many suspects and many reasons to want him dead. Will Charley and her stowaway figure out who the murderer is? If the random messages are correct, someone will be next, but who?

My thoughts:
While the story kept my attention, it wasn’t very exciting. It’s a good plot, but I think it could have been done better. I did like the TWISTS but the ending really came out of nowhere. I still recommend to readers who like Megan Miranda.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's press for this ARC.

I enjoyed this hotel murder mystery. A thieving maid, family drama where money is involved and a murder during a hurricane....sign me up. I loved the side stories with the individual characters as much as the main story.

I keep hearing about "The Block Party", I can't wait to check that one out by this author.

Charley is a chambermaid and works for a handsy owner of a unique hotel. During a major storm that could possibly be a hurricane the family of the late father the Bishop sisters and family arrive at the hotel for a Will reading. This is filled with family drama, mystery, murder, and moody read. As the story progresses you can feel how the storm intensifies with the drama. This was very well done. For me this is a very slow burn read but it's one that pays off at the end. Perfect for readers who enjoy a domestic suspense and family drama.

When the eccentric owner of The Precipice hotel dies, his three daughters – Vicki, Faith, and Iris – and their families come home to the hotel for the reading of the will. Hotel maid Charley Kelley worries about what this will mean for her. Will they close the hotel where she depends on her paycheck (and pilfering from guests) to support her grandmother? Or do they have things to hide too? This weekend, all the family secrets will come out.

This is a solid locked-room suspense novel. The atmosphere is excellent, between the rocky Maine coast and a hurricane about to make landfall. The cast of characters is large enough to have a good number of plausible suspects between family members, the attorney, hotel employees, and a mysterious guest. I would recommend this one to someone who is newer to locked room mysteries; as a seasoned thriller lover, I found the twists to be predictable and sometimes implausible.

I both read and listened to this one. Saskia Maarleveld is a talented narrator and does a great job with the narration.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for the advance copies.

I love a family drama / will reading situation and this book delivered! This is full of old grudges, secrets, toxic family dynamics, and a whole lot of chaos - all in the middle of a hurricane!

This was fast-paced and well written. I really liked that we didn’t get multiple povs the entire time. Most of the book is from Charlie’s pov but each sister get their own in flashbacks which I did enjoy.

I definitely recommend giving this a read especially if you enjoyed The Block Party by the same author and even if you didn't I still say give this a shot!

I was having issues with the audio and the monotone voice of what is the narrator. But the book sounds great. I will be borrowing this from the library to read but unfortunately had to dnf it due to the issues above.

- Family drama
- Locked Room
- Murder Mystery
- Secrets and Twists

I really enjoyed this one. I listened to the audio in basically one sitting as I just couldn’t stop listening. I had my suspicious of the who, but I couldn’t figure out the why. There are so many twists and turns. I definitely recommend adding this one to your TBR!

This book was fantastic!! I loved the atmosphere of the seaside hotel with a hurricane looming. Set in a small town in Maine at the Precipice Hotel One Big Happy Family is about three sisters coming home. Their father has passed away, and it's time for them to collect their inheritance. After they each arrive is when the secrets start to unravel.

The story is told primarily from the POV of Charley, a young chambermaid working at the hotel. There are a few chapters told from the POV of the sisters.

I was able to guess at some twists, but not all of them. From start to finish, this book was filled with twist after twist that I didn't always see coming. Jamie Day is fast becoming a new favorite author!

Saskia Maarleveld was a perfect fit for narrating this audiobook. Her voice added drama to each situation and brought the characters to life very well.

Thank you, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley, for allowing me an ALC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I had the opportunity to preview the audio copy of this novel and it began with lots of promise. A hotel with a bunch of interesting characters and a hurricane bearing down on them all. There was a ton of drama and that seemed to overshadow the rest of the story. I felt the story was predictable in places.

The narration was well done but I did turn up the speed as it was a bit slow for my liking.

Thank you Net Galley, Jamie Day and MacMillian Audio for the opportunity to preview this title and the opinions shared are my own.

Rating: 4/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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After loving Jamie's debut novel The Block Party last year, I just knew that I had to get my hands on this one. I was super lucky to not only get an eARC but an ALC as well.
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One Big Happy Family is anything but a happy family. Its drama galore and I sat there and I ate that shit up. I absolutely love a good family drama. Best part - its a locked room mystery with an impending storm on the horizon and murders happening.
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Day does a phenomenal job at building tension, suspense and suspicion with all of the characters. Majority of the characters are morally grey and/or are unlikable which makes this an interesting read. Rich people behaving badly is just so much fun to read sometimes!
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One Happy Family is super atmospheric - I loved the feeling of impending doom that I had while reading this. The ending was a smidge predictable, but there were some really awesome twist that I did not see coming and I absolutely enjoyed the ride from start to finish.
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I listened to this one via audio while reading along with the eARC and it was narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. I loved how well this performance was. I felt like I myself was the main character. She made this one suspenseful in all the right places. Highly recommend the audio for this one.
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Overall, another solid win from Jamie Day. So excited to continue following her writing journey. One Happy Family releases today 7/16. Don’t miss out on this one! Huge thank you to NetGalley, Jamie Day, St. Martins Press and MacMillan Audio for the eARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This book reminded me how much I like a closed door thriller. I loved these characters all being trapped together while secrets seeped out. Sure, it was a little far fetched and there were a LOT of surprising plot reveals but I found this such a fun and entertaining read.

The narrator was very good as well. She was enthusiastic, had many voices and so much emotion in all of the words that made listening so easy. I really loved Oliver and all of his rhyming, it was a cool detail and one that stood out compared to other stories - it was unique and quirky in the best way.

This whole family was behaving badly and that makes for the best listening in my opinion, it’s like being a fly on a wall while the family crumbles.

This story was like a car crash you couldn’t (and didn’t want to) look away from. It was fun, quick and entertaining which is all I need for a summer thriller!

The Precipice is a family-owned hotel in Maine that is well known, but when the current owner does and the reading of his will takes place trouble ensues. His three daughters all expect a part of the estate, but still playing games after he’s gone their father’s will is anything but expected. Each sister wants what is theirs and Charley, the maid who is living at the hotel, gets caught in the middle of it. While a hurricane passes through and the squabbles continue secrets and lies will come out that will change the course of everything.

The synopsis of this book is so intriguing and I am always game for a few good lies and drama. This book was full of it all, but something just didn’t connect for me. I enjoyed the storyline and the locked room mystery feel of this book. The hurricane also added a nice touch of impeding doom to everything. I think my biggest problem was I didn’t connect with a single character in the book, even Charley, and I feel like there was a lot of over the top drama that was unnecessary at times. There is usually at least one character I enjoy and root for in books like these but that wasn’t the case this time. Overall it was an enjoyable and fast paced read that is good if you are looking for a nice mystery with lots of family drama. There were just a few things I didn’t connect with in the end.

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for the gifted copy!

Thank you to St.Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC!

After loving The Block Party last summer, I was so excited for another novel by Jamie Day. One Big Happy Family was so different from Day’s previous novel in the best way, both are great, but I was expecting more rich people/domestic drama in suburbia and was pleasantly surprised to discover this was a locked-setting whodunnit.

This novel was instantly gripping with a compelling FMC for the reader to relate to. With elements reminiscent of Daisy Darker and Agatha Christie, this kept me engaged and still had plenty of familial drama like Day’s previous novel. I thoroughly enjoyed this one, dripping with intrigue, betrayal, and threats both internal and external to the setting - I highly recommend One Big Happy Family.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the copies to review!

Hoo boy, let me tell you, One Big Happy Family is something this Bishop family certainly is NOT. But let’s back up. We are gathered together at The Precipice, a family owned hotel off the coast of Maine. The patriarch has recently passed, and the Bishop sisters are there to claim said hotel. A hurricane is on the horizon (literally), and the staff, namely 19 yo chambermaid Charley Kelley, is just trying to make it through another season and save some money.

Does all go as planned? Heck no, but I bet you could have guessed that, and if you love unlikeable characters, murder, family drama, and secrets all in a locked room setting with a storm a-brewing, then this is the perfect summer thriller for you! Our gal Charley even has a few things to keep hidden as well! I loved reading this one via audio, I binged this on a Saturday and could not stop. I loved the trouble everyone found themselves in, as well as the flashbacks to the past where we learned a little more about our characters. It was not a surprise in how it ended, but I still really enjoyed this one overall and definitely recommend it.