One Big Happy Family is a great suspense book for the summer that will keep you on the edge of your adirondack. The three Bishop sisters, Iris, Vicki, and Faith, have come to The Precipice Hotel to claim an inheritance after their father passed away. However, a hurricane is approaching, and all the sisters are all keeping dangerous and deadly secrets. This leaves a sense of mystery about the whole weekend. With all the danger surrounding the hotel, you have to wonder if everyone will make it out? Even with all the family drama, we meet Charley Kelley, a maid at the Precipice, who has huge secrets of her own. This book is filled with so many twists and turns that it will keep you guessing and trying to uncover just what all these people's secrets are and how deadly they are. Jamie Day writes the best suspense books and just in time to be a summer time favorite!

ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY by Jamie Day is a fast-paced and entertaining murder mystery with an atmospheric setting and plenty of family drama, suspense, and twists I didn’t see coming. The Precipice is a well-known hotel on the coast of Maine that has been owned by the Bishop family for decades. After the passing of the current owner, George Bishop, his daughters, Iris, Vicki and Faith have come to Maine with their families to hear a reading of will and claim their inheritances, despite the news that the hotel is directly in the path of a oncoming hurricane. Nineteen-year-old Charley Kelley is the hotel’s chambermaid. She also lives in the hotel in a converted closet where she tries to avoid George Bishop’s unwanted advances. Charley needs her job and the free rent so she can pay for her grandmother’s care. As the dysfunctional family convenes and the will is read, chaos soon ensues. All of the sisters and even Charley, have secrets they are desperate to keep hidden. And then someone dies. As the storm rages outside and everyone is trapped in the hotel, they must determine if the death was natural or there is a murderer in their midst. The story is told in four parts and from several points of view, giving insight into the backstories of the characters. All in all, this was a clever locked room mystery that kept me engaged right up until the final twist. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

'One Big Happy Family’ by Jamie Day
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication: July 16, 2024
Special thanks to Goodreads and St. Martin's Press for the Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

Very solid 3 star read for me.
Charlie, our main character, is a young maid at The Precipice Hotel struggling to take care of herself as well as her elderly grandmother. When the owner of The Precipice, George Bishop, passes away, Charlie prepares herself to impress the Bishop sisters coming into to town to claim their inheritance.
Enter the Bishop sisters: Vicki, Iris, and Faith. What an interesting and completely dysfunctional group this family is. As a storm rages outside we quickly see the nasty side to these sisters come out as they begin to turn on one another following a murder in the house.

Without giving too much away the main areas where this one fell apart for me were pacing and predictability. The beginning of the story was very slow, giving us a lot of backstory on the sisters and their relationships. Toward the end this started to pick up, but by that point I had a pretty decent guess regarding the ending. The epilogue also felt really unbelievable and unnecessary to me.

Overall, I would still read more by this author, but this one wasn't a stand-out favorite.

Meet Charley, a house keeper at the Precipice Hotel in Maine. She lives and works at the hotel, which grants her the opportunity to keep her grandmother, her only family member alive, in an assisted living home. When her boss dies and the home raises her grandmother's rent, Charley finds herself between a rock and a hard place.

The Bishop sisters, daughters of the man who owned the hotel, arrive to read his will and decide what to do with the property. Before they arrive, Bree stumbles in, trying to escape her abusive ex-boyfriend. Charley sees a money making opportunity and agrees to let Bree stay, hidden and out of sight, in exchange for cash (that Bree promises she'll get her as soon as she can). Mind you, everyone is arriving as Hurricane Larry makes landfall and batters the area.

The story is told from mostly Charley's point of view and in four parts. We do get glimpses of the sisters' lives, which is important for the storyline. The book starts off slow, but the burn is there. By the time you hit the final part of the book you cannot put it down, so much is happening.

The will is read and the sisters are upset. Somehow, the son-in-law receives the hotel, with the lawyer also having some control. Will family stick together or will they be torn apart? Death & murder is surrounding the hotel and people start to drop like flies. This is written almost in a one room manner, but they have an entire hotel at their disposal. Poems are scattered around, threatening more bad will happen unless secrets get exposed...and boy do the Bishop sisters have a LOT!

3.5 stars.  I thought this was alright. Nothing stood out to make this spectacular, even though it is a solid thriller with twists I did not see coming, especially at the end. I think the pacing at the beginning took away from the book for me, but I can see this easily being the favorite tale of MANY people, so don't let my rating deter you! The writing is solid and again, the twists are TWISTY! Plus, we have a very happy ending at the end. Overall, go for it, I'm not mad I read it and when you round 3.5 up, you get 4! Happy Reading!

A twisty locked room thriller told mainly from the POV of the maid, that takes place at a hotel as the recently deceased owner's family reunites for the reading of his will only to find themselves trapped by a hurricane with no cell service and one of them is out for revenge.

Full of secrets, lies, misdirection, dead bodies and all kinds of family drama, this was great on audio narrated by Saskia Maarleveld and recommended for fans of The maid by Nita Prouse, The nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney's and movies like Knives out.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review! This would make a great beach read for those looking for a fast-paced, entertaining story.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the gifted ARC and thank you Macmillan Audio for the #gifted listening copy of One Big Happy Family! #MacAudio2024 #stmartinspress #OneBigHappyFamily #jamieday

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐒𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐝
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟏𝟔, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

3.5★

If you are a fan of locked room mysteries, this is one you will want to check out. I loved The Block Party, the debut novel by the author, so I had high hopes for this one, but I felt like this novel had a completely different vibe and was a little harder for me to get into. With that said, I did enjoy the premise of this book and loved the locked room mystery aspect. While the pacing was a little slow at times, there were a lot of twists and turns that made up for it and kept my attention. I was able to figure out a lot of the mystery, but I think this was a really good family drama and definitely worth the read!

🌩️Locked Room Mystery
🌩️Family Drama
🌩️Lots of Twists
🌩️Atmospheric
🌩️Lots of Secrets

🎧I mostly listened to the audiobook, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. Saskia is a favorite of mine, and I thought she did a great job. I thought she did such a phenomenal job with this audiobook, and would highly recommend this one on audio if you have that option!

Posted on Goodreads on July 15, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around July 16, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on July 16, 2024
**-will post on designated date

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital ARC of "One Big Happy Family" by Jaime Day, with a publication date of July 16, 2024. "One Big Happy Family" is the first book I have read by this author, and I plan to read more of Ms. Day's books. "One Big Happy Family" revolves around three sisters arriving at the Precipice, a hotel in Maine, their childhood home. Charlie, a nineteen-year-old, works as a chambermaid at the Precipice and lives in one room. She is desperately trying to earn enough money each month to pay for the care of the maternal grandmother who raised her. Charlie earns a miserly salary and has to find creative ways to augment her salary. Right before the Bishop sisters arrive, a mysterious woman comes to the Precipice, tells Charlie she is trying to escape an abusive boyfriend, and asks Charlie if she can stay at the Precipice, promising to pay later. When the sisters, Iris, Vicki, & Faith, along with their spouses and children, gather at the hotel for the reading of their father's will, tensions rise, and old secrets resurface. As the hurricane barrels down on the hotel, the author slowly and methodically reveals each sister's childhood to adulthood and how their secrets intertwine with each other's lives. After the reading of the will, the lights go out, and murder and mayhem ensue. Charley works hard to unravel their secrets before others are killed. There are many twists and turns in "One Big Happy Family." The Bishop family is dysfunctional to the hilt, and there is never a dull moment in this story. 

So, hang on to your seat because you're in for a wild ride. If you enjoyed the novel "The Maid" and the movie "Knives Out," "One Big Happy Family" will not disappoint.

3.5/5 rounded up

Thank you St. Martin's Press for the advanced reading copy!

SYNOPSIS -- 19 year old Charley Kelley has made her living as a maid at The Precipice hotel as best she can. Between the grueling hours and being responsible for her Nan's assisted living bills, she's lucky to have a gig that includes free room and board. When her less-than-kind boss dies, his three daughters come to claim what they believe to be theirs. As the Bishop sisters drag an actual hurricane in with them, Charley somehow has to manage keeping the hotel, her job and a ton of secrets safe.

This was a fun, locked door thriller, with a great twist! While I was suspicious of a few things from the start, I was pleasantly surprised with the way things unfolded and the secrets that were revealed. Charley's character was great to root for, and I loved when we got pieces of her background. I think this book was plotted very well; the pacing felt great and kept me interested the entire time. I especially loved the flashbacks to the sisters' youth. This book was much more of a true thriller than Jamie Day's last book, and I enjoyed the suspense built up throughout. Overall, pretty solid, especially if you like locked-door thrillers with lots of characters to keep track of!

Have you ever had the feeling of relief when a book is over? That is exactly how I feel now that I have finished One Big Happy Family. It pulled me in slightly at close to fifty percent, but never fully hooked me. The plot is very layered with multiple characters. I was extremely thankful to be listening to the audiobook while also reading it. The audiobook helped bring the characters to life while helping me distinguish the various characters. I enjoyed the setting of the isolated hotel while trying to figure out the identity of the murderer. for me, this was just OK. There was nothing extremely memorable or overly interesting. I was satsatisfied with the conclusion and it did add a surprise at the ending that bumped my rating up a point. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my copy.

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.

Synopsis: Three sisters return to their family-owned hotel after the death of their father to claim their inheritance all while a hurricane bears down on the coast of Maine.

Thoughts: One Big Happy Family is a locked room mystery that is significantly more family drama than thriller. This wasn’t a bad book, I just don’t think it was something I was in the mood for. I found the first two sections to be a big dragging with the pacing. While the final sections sped up, I was able to mostly solve the mystery ahead of time. That being said, if you like juicy family drama with a slow-burn locked room type mystery plot, you should definitely give this book a try! A note on the audio: this was the first narration by Saskia Maarleveld, and I really enjoyed her work!

Read this if you like:
🏨 family drama
🏨 locked room mysteries
🏨 dual timelines
🏨 slow burn

A secluded hotel, a bad storm, a family with deep-rooted secrets, bodies disappearing one by one. It's not necessarily the most unique plot line in the world, but when done correctly, it makes for a fun read. And luckily for Jamie Day, she pulled off an interesting ending that made the whole book worth it.

The long-standing owner of the legendary Precipice hotel has passed away, and his three daughters are returning to hear his will read and finally learn who will inherit the hotel. With a nasty hurricane on the way, they know they'll need to act fast, but when the will goes south, and one of the Bishop sister's husbands is found dead, fingers start pointing towards who the killer may be.

I will say that the first half of this story was pretty standard for a hotel-in-a-storm, murderer-on-the-loose type of story, and I was leaning towards three stars. But things really started picking up towards the end, and there were a few twists that I didn't see coming, which ended up bumping up my rating.

So, no, this is not the most unique thriller I've ever read, but definitely still a solid read. I would recommend saving this one for a rainy day so you can really embrace the hurricane mood!

Two-star ratings are so frustrating because you kinda wanna hate the book, but there's nothing there that can push it over the edge into that infuriating one-star rating zone. That's how I feel about One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day. I wanted to like this. I usually enjoy every thriller I open up because I love the anticipation and discovery as the reader uncovers the mystery and whodunnit plot twists, but this one fell severely flat for me.

Charley is a 19-year-old maid at the Precipice hotel on the coast of Maine, owned by the Bishop family. Here is where I run into my first problem. Charley is quite literally living in a storage closet and it took me back to Harry Potter haha, but this was executed worse. The whole concept of a lowly, poor employee living in less-than-stellar conditions working for a wealthy, arrogant family fell pretty flat in this story, in my opinion. I can appreciate a disparity like that between characters for the sake of the plot, but this one felt incredibly overdone. Then, she starts (kinda?) falling for the son of the Bishop family and while that's fine (we've all been there, girl) it didn't feel all that organic. The chemistry was lacking.

Also, I love a good plot twist--if you read thrillers, I'd expect that's what you're looking for. However, it seemed like the author wasn't sure what she wanted the major plot twist to be and just kept throwing different ones in there until one "felt right" or something. There was SO much going on and it felt scattered. The secondary timeline where we got a glimpse at the Bishop sisters' lives 20ish years in the past felt kind of unnecessary and it took away from the tension of what was happening in the present. Once I reemerged from where I was in the past to the present I had to reorient myself to get back into the thriller instead of the more historic narrative that was happening.

The ending left me wanting more, but I stuck around because I didn't hate the way Day writes and I was invested in finding out who did what and how everything happened so that's why I can't bring myself to give this just one star haha. Not sure I'll be reading any other Jamie Day books, though. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy!!

I was so excited for this because I enjoyed this authors debut The Block Party so much I gave it 5 stars. Unfortunately this book didn’t feel the same for me. The story is broken into four parts. The chapters are short, which I always love. I was even lucky enough to receive an early listening copy of this book and I enjoyed the narrator. I’m really bummed to say that I didn’t make it far into this book. Not past part one. It felt very slow to me and like I dragged on forever. At one point I thought to myself that u had to be at least 40-50% through and I was under 25%. For that reason I didn’t finish it and moved on to something else.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this advanced copy. This one started off really slow, and I wasn't sure if I would finish. I did get confused with the different characters and things going on. The descriptions and setting are amazing. I pictured it perfectly. Overall, a decent thriller.

2.5/5⭐️

I wanted to like this more than I did as I had read a previous book from this author that I really enjoyed.

This is a murder mystery that takes place during a hurricane at an inn (locked-location) featuring a gathering of the deceased owner’s daughters for the reading of his will. Our heroine is a young housekeeper who lives at the inn and is trying desperately to provide both for herself and her grandmother who has health issues.

There’s the usual greed, jealousy and sordid secrets (which I guessed fairly early on). My big issue here was the storyline/plot. I simply didn’t care enough about the story/characters and found myself contemplating not finishing at times. There were things thrown in (I suppose as possible red herrings?) that felt sloppy and spur-of-the-moment, and the entire middle of the book just went off the rails for me. There were inane conversations that took place between characters WHILE IN THE HOUSE WITH A MURDERER that were laughable and cringe-worthy.

This one just didn’t hit right for me, but I’ll hope for better from Day in the future.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing the free early arc of One Big Happy Family for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

This is a bit of a locked room mystery as people are all in a hotel cut off from the outside world by a hurricane. Murder happens. The suspects are many. As time passes during the storm, family secrets come out. And there are many of them.

The plot is a bit typical. I was not surprised at all at the truth of the automobile accident and had figured that out earlier. There was a good twist regarding identity near the end. Other than that, a relatively predictable plot.

I had difficulty finding any of the characters engaging. Even the heroine Charlie was a flawed character I found hard to like. Perhaps the most interesting one was Oliver, speaking in rhyme.

This is a good mystery that is entertaining but not as engaging as I would have liked.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

4 out of 5 Stars!

Iris, Vicki, and Faith come back to Precipice, a family-owned hotel in Maine, when they hear about their father's passing. They are all hoping to claim what is there, and take more if possible. Even with a hurricane on the radar, nothing is stopping them. Even when dangerous secrets are revealed. Unfortunately, Charley, a chambermaid at the hotel, is roped into this family drama and nervous about her secrets getting revealed too. She really needs this job, and the extra money she finds on the side.

“One Big Happy Family” by Jamie Day is a perfect read for a cozy thunderstorm. Not only would the thunderstorm set the mood for the hurricane you are about to learn more about, but it is the perfect thriller to binge read. Just make sure you have a flashlight if the lights go out and maybe a weapon if an intruder comes. Honestly, I really enjoyed this book and the mystery behind the Precipice hotel. I thought there were loads of twists that kept the story alive, some more obvious than others. I will admit, it was getting a little slow around the middle for me. But the last 70 pages of this novel really went fast and furiously. The book is also split into 4 parts, so there are different perspectives that help move the book along.

I really enjoyed the characters in this novel, especially our chambermaid Charley. I thought all the characters had a lot of mystery and backstory. Not only were you figuring out the mystery, you were figuring out everyone’s relationships. Why didn’t this person like this person? Did they know each other before coming to Precipice? Overall, I think it kept me engaged with the book as I wanted to know more about everyone. Charley was a very sweet, realistic, and smart character. There was a lot of emotion behind Charley, which I think added to the overall story.

Overall, I think this book is a solid 4 out of 5 stars for the unimaginable twists and the characters you read about. I am excited about reading more by Jamie Day!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Jamie Day, and Netgalley for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Jamie Day returns following her smashing debut, THE BLOCK PARTY with her latest riveting domestic whodunit locked-in thriller, ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY. They are anything but happy.

Three grown sisters come together to the family hotel with a questionable attorney after the father dies for the funeral and the reading of the will. Mix in a murder, three greedy sisters, a ruthless cheating husband, two sons, a fun housekeeper, a woman on the run she is hiding at the hotel, a cool front desk manager, and an approaching hurricane, and you have yourself a tantalizing locked-in thriller that will have you turning the pages into the wee hours of the morning!

About...

Set in Coastal Maine at a funky boutique hotel, The Precipice, a legendary family-owned hotel. From May until Labor Day, there are three maids on staff, but Charley is the only year-round help. They have fourteen guestrooms, three on the first floor, eight on the second, and three more on the third. Each guestroom is uniquely named based on a design theme.

Summer is when you make the best tips. Winter is a bit of a ghost town, but there are skiers and snowmobilers. Occupancy is lower now in September.

The novel centers around a housemaid (loved her)at the hotel, Charley Kelley, age 19, a survivor who lives (in a small closet) and works at the hotel while she cares for her loved Nana Kelley at a home, The Guiding Way. She has had a hard life and is financially responsible for her nana, who suffers from dementia. She is all she has left. Except for Rodrigo, the front desk manager and her only friend.

He knows what an evil prick George Bishop was. She is glad he is gone. While working at the hotel cleaning rooms, she does not make enough to pay for her living expenses and those of her nana, so she occasionally helps herself to a little money from the guests' wallets and her tips to tide her over. She does not take much, so it will not be noticeable.

When a mysterious woman named Bree, approaches her and says she is on the run from an abusive boyfriend, she begs Charley to hide her and says she will pay her later. She cannot use her credit card to be traced. If someone finds out she is hiding this woman, Charley could lose her job and her place to live. Then what?

Of course, Charley needs the cash so she has to be creative and keep moving Bree to rooms where there are no guests since she cannot put her into the system. Bree may be her salvation.

The only problem is the Bishop sisters are coming to Jonesport to bury their dad, George, to read the will, and they will be staying at the Precipice. They will close the hotel, and she has to figure out how she can keep Bree hidden and be on her best behavior for the sisters.

Who will take over the hotel, and will they keep her on? She has no idea how bad things will become.

Enter the Bishop sisters:

~Vicki: The eldest sister, entitled, founder of a jewelry chain store, and married to Todd (he is a cheater) and both are ruthless and greedy.
~Iris: The middle sister, an ex-convict, ex-drug addict, and has found religion.
~Faith: The younger sister, beautiful, a model, stylist, and addicted to the spotlight. She is married to Hope, a vegan chef and spiritualist.

The sons:
~Quinn: Handsome and nice. Son of Vicki and Todd. Charley likes him.
~Oliver: Son of Faith and Hope on the spectrum and into future telling

After the reading of the will, things escalate, and tempers flare. They think that someone has manipulated George into changing his will. The attorney, Todd, Vicki, or someone else. Who has the most to gain?

Watch your back! Let the power plays begin. Trust no one.

The approaching hurricane, Larry, is a monster —the most powerful hurricane to ravage the coast of Maine since Gerda in 1969. The winds and rain are intense. A tree is blocking the road leading to the hotel, and rivers of mud are impassable on foot or by car. There is no way out, no place to go.

There is more than the monster outside; there are monsters on the inside of the hotel. The hotel is now closed, and we have Bree, Charley, Rodrigo, Todd, the three Bishop sisters, the husband, the attorney, and the two sons.

Who is the killer? There is more than one surprise coming with some jaw-dropping twists. Who will be next?

Someone is murdered. And then someone else holds everyone hostage and takes their phones at gunpoint. There is no escaping. Someone among them is a murderer. There are also some others that have secret hidden agendas.

All the juicy, dirty secrets (there are many) are unraveled, and who will be left alive? The Bishop sisters and the others will discover that getting what you deserve isn’t always the same as getting what you want.

"Sometimes, good people make bad choices. They get lost along the way."

My thoughts...

I loved ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY! I enjoyed The Block Party; however, I enjoyed this one even more. I am a sucker for hotel stories as a former VP regional manager for multi-hotels and resorts in Florida. There is always some scandal going down.

A powerful family with a dangerous game of dark secrets, revenge, and cold-blooded ambition with murder, scandal, and mayhem!

Wildly entertaining! The author cleverly creates a wicked cast of characters. All the sisters hold grudges and hide a ton of evil secrets. We get to hear their backstories and how the characters are connected in unexpected ways. Todd is a piece of work and Vicki is a perfect evil match for him.

A fun, twisty, and gripping whodunnit— as unpredictable as Hurricane Larry. You will not expect the murderer's identity and a nice twist. I loved Charley, Rodrigo, Nana, and the mysterious (wild card) Bree.

Scandalous! A lot of adults behaving badly, combined with the hurricane, weather, setting, and all the characters stuck in the hotel, will keep your heart pounding! I loved the dark humor, the mystery, and the cast of characters. I hope we see more of Charley in future books.

Audiobook...

I read the e-book and listened to the audiobook narrated by the fabulously talented and favorite narrator, Saskia Maarleveld who delivered a stellar performance for all voices. I loved it so much that I listened in one setting, and it was unputdownable. I highly recommend the audiobook.

Recs...

For fans of the author, those of Succession, and Kaira Rouda's Under the Palms (the Kingsleys series), and fans of Emma Rosenblum, and Freida McFadden.

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley for advanced reading and listening copies for an honest review. #MacAudio2024 #SMPInfluencers

blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: July 16, 2024
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Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an electronic advanced readers copy of this novel.

Charley is a young adult working as a maid in a fancy hotel in Maine. Without strong job prospects and a need to take care of her ailing grandmother, she accepts a job there because it comes with free room and board. The previous owner, George Bishop, was an old man who was very handsy towards her, but she needed the job and stayed on. After his death, his three daughters descend on the hotel during a hurricane warning to read out the will and to decide what will happen to the hotel.

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day is a murder mystery wrapped up in family drama. A lot of stuff happens. I liked the main character but unfortunately pegged a good part of the plot early on. No spoilers. It was a good read but not as twisty as I would have liked.