In One Big Happy Family, The Precipice - a family owned hotel, sets the scene in what should be a thrilling story as the owner’s passing brings his three daughters, the Bishop sisters, together to claim their inheritance. With a hurricane coming and a murder to solve, it sounds like it should be an exciting and intriguing read. However, the characters, mainly the sisters, are uninteresting and overly dramatic. The story is narrated by Charlie, a young hotel maid worried about losing her job, and while her perspective and story is somewhat interesting and relatable, it doesn’t really pull you in. The twist in the middle of the story was more shocking and interesting than the overall twist at the end of the book. I had high hopes but was left disappointed.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Jamie Day, and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow, this book was mind boggling. So many points of view when talking about childhood at times I had to stop and think about who was talking, remembering. While I did get tired of hearing so many memories Iguess it was needed to tell this story. They are very few likable characters except for the main character Charlie,, her gramma and Rodrigo.
The hotel owners grown children that come to the hotel to have the will read as a hurricane is coming ashore we not nice people and very entitled. The hateful things they said and did to Charlie and each other were shocking. I found my mouth dropping multiples times and was glad they got some of what they deserved. The mystery of the story was not who I expected it to be , until it dawned on me. A very good book with twists and turns to make it fly by and keep you entertained.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Interesting concept...but I didn't enjoy this. The characters didn't feel real. The dialogue didn't feel real, and even the dreaded hurricane played a smaller role than I hoped. I ended up skimming the book to find out what happened. If you can suspend belief and like locked room mysteries, then you might like this.

This book was really great! I love maid books, and this one kept me on the edge of my seat at all times. My mind was going a completely different way for the beginning but the ending was great!!! I loved this book and would definitely recommend it to anyone!

When the three Bishop sisters are trapped in what they all thought would be their own hotel, The Precipice all hell breaks loose. Although the weather had different plans than they did, it will either push them closer together or tear them further apart.

This book definitely has everything a thriller needs. From the power going out to a murderer on the loose with a huge hotel thrown in the mix, this book definitely gets 5 out of 5 stars from me.

Family drama. Off season Hotel. Estranged Family. Loyal staff. And a who-done-it murder mystery. If any one of these points gets your inner Nancy Drew reaching for a flashlight dnd looking for a hidden staircase then this is a book that will delight you as much as it did me. Charley was a wonderful character and although I was not a fan of her petty left from the hotel guests, she was written in such a way that I understood her as a character. This was important because it reset my inner moral compass so that, when she stands in opposition to the The Family it makes their actions and behaviors look so much worse. As you can guess this was a book that had all the fun of Knives Out with quirky family members that will make anyone look at their next family event and say Well I lest its not going to be a Bishop Family Event!

If you looking for a truly escapist read with a solid mystery, and characters that will make you shake your head, than you have a good quick fun read right here.

A hotel that has been in the family for years is up for grabs after the patriarch dies, leaving the family and some workers scrambling for what they all think is theirs. Mix in a hurricane this is a recipe for disaster….and a good book!
Thank you #stmartinspress and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

One Big Happy Family is a heartwarming yet somewhat conventional story about the joys and challenges of blending families. The novel explores themes of love, family dynamics, and finding common ground amidst differences, but it follows a fairly predictable path. While the message of unity is touching, the plot lacks any major twists or unexpected developments.

The characters are likable and relatable, but some feel a bit one-dimensional, with their struggles resolved a little too neatly. The family interactions provide plenty of tender moments, but at times, the dialogue and situations can feel overly sentimental or clichéd.

For readers looking for an uplifting, feel-good story with a focus on family, One Big Happy Family delivers an easy, pleasant read. However, it doesn’t break new ground or offer much in the way of complexity, making it a nice, if somewhat forgettable, choice for those seeking a light, comforting novel.

A very interesting, locked room, mystery!

I felt like this one was a bit slow paced in the first half, but then it picked up a lot in the second half. I really enjoyed the flashback portions of the story, but still found it a bit hard at times to remember who was who (this one has lots of characters). Overall though it was interesting and kept me wanting to know more. I listened to this one on audio and I flew through it. I wasn't a huge fan of how chaotic the ending was, but overall it was still a good read!

Locked room mysteries are my favorite, and this one didn’t disappoint! The setting was fun and the characters were entertaining. It was well paced and an overall enjoyable read.

Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy! This was a great popcorn thriller. I really enjoyed it and thought it was perfect for summer.

📚BOOK REVIEW📚

📱🎧 "One Big Happy Family" by Jamie Day

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
published July 16, 2024

A locked room mystery at the Precipice Hotel, a family- owned, legendary, eclectic hotel located on the rocky coast of Maine.

When the late George Bishop has died, the 3 daughters gather to hear the reading of the will. Iris, Vicki, and Faith all want to claim what’s rightfully theirs, while a hurricane is coming in. The hotel has a 19-year-old live in chambermaid named Charley, who is whip smart, and very resilient. She is taking care of her aging grandmother who is in an old folks home.
Enter Bree, a young girl in a desperate situation running from her ex and Charley decides to help and hide her in one of the empty hotel rooms. The Bishop sisters are all so different. The oldest Vicki, bad-tempered and sharp, married to Todd, who is greedy, and ruthless. The middle sister, Iris is an ex-convict, ex-drug addict, but finally trying to get her life together. And Faith, the baby of the family and a former model, who married Hope a calming spiritualist. Vicki’s beautiful son Quinn, steals Charley’s heart at first sight, and then young Oliver: the son of Faith & Hope, a smart, rhyming autistic boy.

But things suddenly change when a murder occurs and everyone’s secrets come out.


Many thanks to @NetGalley and @St. Martin’s Press


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i will read basically any book set in maine, and this one is no exception. i found this book a fast, compelling read, but ultimately don't think it will stick with me. 3.5 stars

This was a solid thriller read for me. I loved the Maine setting and this book has a very cast of characters. The hotel was almost a character itself. I enjoyed following the characters and trying to figure out the mystery!

This was a quick, action filled thriller!
I actually liked all the characters, except George, obviously.
This book had me at the edge of my seat! Tbh, I found it was really predictable, but I was eager to learn each characters motivation for what they did.
Each character had a different story, and most of them had a difficult past. It was interesting to see where and how their stories intertwined.
I also liked that part of the story took place during a hurricane, which made it even more thrilling.
I would definitely recommend this!

Charlie (a young woman, chamber-maid), a hotel, a family arriving with secrets and greed -- they arrived, after all, with the thought that they would each receive a significant inheritance from their recently deceased father.
A locked-room, storm-approaching domestic mystery -- this caught my attention as it reminded me of Clue (the movie).

However, I had a difficult time connecting with this one. I did a combo of audio and kindle. The audio was really difficult to enjoy - extremely monotone. While I'm reviewing the Kindle version, I thought that was equally important as she had a monotone voice.

The storyline was just different enough to not be the same-same as other locked-room mysteries. The writing worked, the flow felt jumpy. Kind of like Charlie's relationship with a family member -- just didn't make sense.

Overall, I'd recommend it to my followers who enjoy this trope.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for review

This book was interesting. The main characters are 3 sisters with very distinct personalities and differences.l but they all want their inheritance from their fathers passing but get stuck in the hotel during a storm where everyone’s a suspect for murder.

I really loved "The Block Party", but this book was just not as good. I really liked the overall plot, and I think this book has really good bones, but there were parts I did not enjoy.

*SPOILERS BELOW*

First, the introduction of Bree felt very forced. Maybe that was the point, and the author wants you to suspect her, but you would think that the author would want the opposite. If she was believable, the twist would be even more unexpected.

Some of the dialogue was SO cringy.

The romance between Quinn and Charley was unnecessary and not very believable. Who would be focused on romance when your family is being murdered? Especially since they had almost no interactions throughout the story.

There were some things that I liked about, though. I liked Charley, most of the time, and I loved Rodrigo. I liked the storm as a separate character, forcing all of our characters together. I just think this had the potential to be a 5 star read, but for me, it was only 3 stars.

3.5 out of 5. A group of people is trapped in an isolated hotel during a hurricane when people start turning up dead. Guests are pushed to reveal past secrets to save more lives.
This was an enjoyable book. Though I felt that the pacing was a little slow and some parts were drawn out there was enough suspense to keep me intrigued. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending this book in exchange for review. All opinions are my own.

One Big Happy Family was a great read by Jamie Day. The Precipice is a family-owned hotel on the coast of Maine. The Bishop Sisters; Iris, Vicki, and Faith; have come for the weekend to claim the hotel after their father’s passing. There’s a hurricane looming and the sisters all are harboring dangerous secrets. Unfortunately, not everyone will be leaving the hotel with murder in the air. Add the nineteen-year-old chambermaid Charley Kelley in the mix. I enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait to read more by the author.