Look out Molly Gray, Charley Kelley is the newest maid to be solving hotel mysteries. As Hurricane Larry is quickly approaching Jonesport, Maine, the Bishop family has checked in to read their father's will and more importantly, find out what stake they have in the Precipice Hotel now that he is gone. However, the three Bishop sisters are harboring dark secrets; some secrets may even change their lives if they get out. When cryptic messages appear throughout the hotel, tensions skyrocket and nobody is safe - even Charley, the Precipice's maid. Although, Charley is hiding some secrets of her own. Secrets that could lead to her dismissal from the hotel. As the weather becomes more destructive, so do the members of the Bishop family. Not everyone who checked in will be checking out of the hotel.

I was so excited for this one! However, it fell flat for me. It was too similar to other books in the genre and didn't give me the twists and turns I wanted - that is, until the last 3 or so chapters of the book. I couldn't connect with the characters and just wanted some of the action to pick up. I am satisfied with the ending, however, so my rating is higher than it would be if it ended on a different note. I think this book would be good for someone just getting into the thriller/mystery genre, but if you're an experienced reader, you may find this slow and somewhat easy to solve (not all the twists are, just some of the more obvious ones). I'd pass on this one, but if you like locked-door, close-proximity thrillers, you may find this one worth picking up.

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Waters
Mystery, suspense thriller.
The Precipice is a family owned hotel on the Rocky coast of Maine. With their father dying, the Bishop sisters have returned to the hotel for the reading of the will. They each want their piece of the estate regardless of the secrets that should have kept them away.
Charley Kelley just wants to keep her chambermaid job. She doesn’t care who the new owner is. Her concern is making enough money to pay for her Grandmother’s care and if that means letting someone stay at the hotel and paying her to keep quiet, why not? She’s not hurting anyone.
Family arrives, the lawyer reads the will and suddenly someone is dead. No one can leave because the Hurricane is getting close. Can you trust the person sitting next to you? Can you feel safe sleeping in a hotel where the secrets outnumber the guests?

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook copy narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. A wonderful performance. I’ve followed this narrator for years. Voices are distinct and clear with emotions and tension leaving you breathless. I was comfortable with the speed at 1.4 for the best theater.

I like reading along with an audiobook. In this particular story, the printed format was helpful to keep the sisters straight with each of their backstories as the mysteries and twists got deeper.
An edge of your seat read. Definitely read the epilogue. A bit more righteous closure.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Macmillan Audio.

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/7a148bd4-c256-442d-884e-f4fd9acba853

Charley is a maid in an eccentrically decorated hotel that caters to the wealthy. Fighting off the owner’s advances proves difficult, as he takes it as a challenge. Due to known heart problems, one day he dies to nobody’s surprise. His 3 grown daughters reconvene to their childhood home along with their families just as a hurricane is expected to hit. Trapped in the large hotel, and unable to trust anyone, threats, chaos and murder begin as they try to solve the mystery and save themselves.

This book was just a little slower paced than I like, but was still very entertaining with great detail to backstories. Once the action began, the pace picked up and I was biting my nails in anticipation of where this was going and what would happen next. It was a great and intense read!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc!

I had high hopes going into the book because of the atmosphere and location. It started off strong, but the repetitive conversations and rambling made it a very slow read. The book felt more like a family drama instead of a mystery. I enjoyed the author's debut novel, but this locked room mystery fell flat for me.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Three estranged sisters reunite at the family hotel after the passing of their father all while a massive hurricane is approaching. I enjoyed the ominous sense of the impending storm that helped build tension, the family dynamics of three sisters, and a narrator that I wanted to root for, even if she was a bit naive for my taste. To say chaos ensues would be an understatement, but I am always willing to suspend disbelief and just enjoy the ride. I can count on Jamie Day for a fun domestic thriller and this one fit the bill!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the advanced readers copy of One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day.

I was a fan of the author's previous novel, The Block Party so I was excited to read this new novel and she did not disappoint. I love a good book with family members doing dark and messed up stuff. Throw in a will with interesting twists along with a hurricane, and you've got lots of ways for things to go wrong.

I think most thriller readers will enjoy this novel and not necessarily figure out all the exact details of the twists. And there are definitely a few!

After loving Jamie Day's previous book, The Block Party, I was really excited to read this, but it just didn't land for me. The characters were hard to connect with and the events were implausible. There was so much backstory that I lost interest often and the plot just dragged. I really did love The Block Party though, so maybe this was just a miss for me.

Jamie Day has once again brought together a group of seemingly self-absorbed characters, trapped in their family inn as a hurricane batters the coast of Maine. Upon their father’s death, the three sisters gather with their families for the reading of the will. When one of them ends up dead, suspicions are roused and secrets revealed. In the crossfire, is a young hotel maid, Charley who kind heartedly is trying to help a woman in danger, landing her in trouble with the sisters. Complex and intriguing characters and a locked door mystery plot with one reveal after another as the story unfolds.
Snarky and witty dialogue among characters that will surprise you added to the enjoyment of this book.

I enjoyed Jamie Day's previous book, The Block Party, so I was happy when I got an advance copy of One Big Happy Family to review. While this book is also good, I didn't care for it as much as The Block Party. The characters, while good, aren't as interesting, and the plot is not quite as engaging.

On the eve of a hurricane hitting the isolated Precipice Hotel in Maine, the three Bishop sisters, Faith, Iris, and Vicki, gather for the reading of their recently deceased father's will. A shared secret from their past binds the sisters together, but is that enough to overcome how their father divided up his six-million-dollar estate? Watching the events play out is the hotel maid, Charley, who quickly becomes embroiled in the sister's turmoil. As the hurricane increases in intensity, cutting the sisters, their families, and Charley off from the outside world, emotions run high when a death occurs. Someone among them is a murderer, but who and why are questions that arise?

I liked Day's sometimes snarky humor and the plotting of the book. The pacing is good, and some twists surprised me, but the isolated characters with a killer in their midst have been overly done. This is a thriller with interesting characters, i.e., a boy who only speaks in rhyme and a big-hearted maid who carries the world's weight on her shoulders, but the sisters themselves aren't very likable. Overall, this is a fast read that satisfies. 4/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is July 16, 2024.

I was pleasantly surprised by this one as I did not love the authors debut. This book follows Charley who is a maid at a small hotel on the coast of Maine after the passing of the owner, and his daughters return to claim it. I found that this one started out really slow and I was not invested, but at about 50% it picked up and I couldn’t put it down. It has elements of mystery, thriller, and family drama. The atmosphere was one of the highlights of the book and I think added to this book in a good way. It is definitely a SLOW burn but I found the payoff to be fun and worth it in the end. Not my favorite thriller of the year but still a solidly entertaining read. Thank you to NetGalley, Jamie Day, and St. Martins Press for early access in exchange for an honest review.

3.75/5 Stars

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars

[ thank you @stmartinspress for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own! ]

PUB DATE: July 16, 2024

THOUGHTS:

This was good mystery! It kept me entertained and I liked how it was broken up into four different parts and had short chapters! 👏🏼

I love a locked room mystery! So the setting was perfect. Set at the family owned Precipice Hotel with Hurricane Larry making its way towards it. Like what more would you want in an eerie setting?!

This had a lot of family drama and sometimes that overshadowed the actual suspense. The mystery was good even though I had figured most of it out.

Overall, it kept my interest. I liked it but didn’t love it. I would try this author again in the future though!

I love books centered around maids being the main character. I’ve always loved books like that. So, I was immediately drawn into this book. There is a lot of drama and a lot going on to keep you on your toes. So many family secrets and twists.

Jamie Day likes to weave lots of secrets and intrigue into her novels. My first exposure to her writing was the book The Block Party and I really enjoyed its twists and turns. Her most recent novel, One Big Happy Family set at the legendary Precipice Hotel in Maine had lots of twists, turns and secrets. However, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The last few chapters did wrap up all the secrets but it took us awhile to get there and sometimes I found the drama to be over the top. From the perspective of who did what, I never saw how things would play out and therefore appreciated the intrigue.
The Bishop sisters and their families come together at the Precipice hotel for the reading of their father’s will. The whole family, plus Charley Kelley, a nineteen-year-old chambermaid are a captive audience at the hotel while a major hurricane barrels down on Maine. In addition to the secrets the Bishop family is keeping, Charley has her own secrets. She has been pilfering from guests and is currently hiding a woman at the hotel who is on the run from an abusive boyfriend. This woman promises the reward Charley for helping her with money. The pilfering and hiding a guest are behaviors contrary to Charley’s personality, but she is desperate for additional income so she can pay for her nana’s rent. Charley is concerned what the sisters have planned for the hotel and if they find out what she has been up, she can get fired and this would have a catastrophic impact on her and her nana’s lives. Despite, Charley’s concerns, the Bishop sisters are no strangers to their own habit of secret keeping.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

#OneBigHappyFamily #JamieDay

The Precipice is a legendary, family-owned hotel on the rocky coast of Maine. With the recent passing of their father, the Bishop sisters—Iris, Vicki, and Faith—have come for the weekend to claim it. But with a hurricane looming and each of the Bishop sisters harboring dangerous secrets, there's murder in the air—and not everyone who checks into the Precipice will be checking out.

Each sister wants what is rightfully hers, and in the mix is the Precipe's nineteen-year-old chambermaid Charley Kelley: smart, resilient, older than her years, and in desperate straits.

The arrival of the Bishop sisters could spell disaster for Charley. Will they close the hotel? Fire her? Discover her habit of pilfering from guests? Or even worse, learn that she's using a guest room to hide a woman on the run.

With razor-sharp wit, heart, thrills, and twists, Jamie Day delivers a unique brand of SUMMERTIME SUSPENSE.



I loved this murder mystery type book! It kept me on my toes and I kept trying to figure out who I thought was the most crazy!

I thought this was fast paced and witty, it had lots of suspense, family drama, secrets and I loved the perfect Maine setting!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

THIS HAIR-RAISING, AGATHA CHRISTIE STYLE WHODUNNIT WAS UNPUTDOWNABLE!!

Charley has been cleaning rooms at the Precipice Hotel in Maine since she was 15. Now 19 years of age and dedicated to supporting her Nana financially, Charley works every day and lives at the hotel in a large closet with a small bed. Her life hasn't exactly been easy. To make matters worse, the Bishop family is difficult in their management of the hotel. George, the owner, made it known to Charley that she was hired because she looked like a previous maid named Christine, with whom he was having an affair. After his suspicious death, the rest of the family arrives at the hotel with their lawyer, ready to receive their inheritance as the will is read. When the reading doesn't go as planned, there is an upheaval, turning family against family. As more deaths occur, foul play is at large. To make matters worse, ominous rhyming messages turn up in odd places, forcing the family to succumb to the demands made in them. As this crazy family begins to process their impending doom, secrets surface and drama ensues. Caught in the middle, Charley learns the shocking dysfunction within the Bishop family, as she plans her escape. The problem - she's falling for one of them......hard. As hurricane Larry threatens the hotel, more secrets emerge while the power goes out. Trust is dwindling between everyone present, they have no cell service, and several need medical attention. It's going to be a long night.

I was on the edge of my seat with this thriller. Not only is it a nail-biter, the profundity of all characterization lured me in and held me hostage. Jamie Day has an incredible ability to keep the reader in the moment at all times. Her capacity for timing in revealing crucial information for each character without leaving the reader confused is spectacular. I felt as if I had known these characters for years after I reached the end! There are clever twists and turns that left my jaw dropped and heart racing.

Heartfelt thanks to NetGalley, Jamie Day, and St. Martin's Press for this captivating eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Pulls you in right away.

Charley, a maid at a hotel in Maine, is to make ready the hotel for the owners daughters for the reading of his will. All sorts of horridness ensues once the family is together. Many secrets laid bare as well as a few murders and deaths.

I could not put this down, once I got into it. Bit of a slow burn for me, things that I didn't care about only to find out that I should have. I loved the end. Quite a few twists in the story, many that I didn't see coming.

One Big Happy Family is the latest domestic thriller from Jamie Day. The Precipice is a not-so-nice, family owned resort on the coast of Maine. When the father passes away, his three estranged daughters move back to take over the inn. There is contention, jealousy, deceit and trouble brewing, along with a hurricane! It’s a dangerous combination and not one everyone will survive.

This story featured unlikeable characters, a fairly clueless but kind protagonist, countless arguments and family drama, and predictable, traumatic events, and it’s all a bit over-the-top. That said, there is a clear sense of foreboding and an eerie atmospheric setting that you will feel on each page. There is a lot that takes place in a short period of time and the tension is palpable. There are twists, turns, shocking revelations and fewer characters at the end of the story, than the number we started this sordid tale with.

** spoiler alert **


One Big Happy Family
Rating: 4 stars
Thank you to the publisher for ARC given through NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.

This is my first time reading this author and I'll say that One Big Happy Family is like no other mystery I have ever read. For some reason it reminded me of the movie Clue because there were times I couldn't take what was happening seriously. Some of the decisions the characters were making made me question if they actually were taking themselves seriously.
Overall it was an entertaining story, but like in real life the wealthy got away with many things.

I thoroughly enjoyed this locked room mystery (a trope I do not usually enjoy), likely due to the pre-existing relationships between half of the core characters/suspects as well as the secrets they and the rest of them hold. I was drawn into the author’s clever development of these characters, their pasts, and their attempts to work with (and at times against) each other to explore how the choices of one can drive others into actions that conflict with their own moral code. Sympathetic characters, despicable behaviors, and fast paced scenes made this an exciting escape from my own reality.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Netgalley, and the author for early access to this captivating thriller.

The Short of It:

A tense, closed door whodunit type of story. Rich family, loose morals, and lots of secrets.

The Rest of It:

You should know that this book will be released July 16, 2024 but I needed to write the review while it was fresh in my mind. This is a super fun read.

The Precipice is a legendary, family-owned hotel on the rocky coast of Maine. With the recent passing of their father, the Bishop sisters–Iris, Vicki, and Faith–have come for the weekend to claim it. But with a hurricane looming and each of the Bishop sisters harboring dangerous secrets, there’s murder in the air– and not everyone who checks into the Precipice will be checking out. ~ Publisher

The Precipice hotel has plenty of history. Not all of it good. After the death of their father, the Bishop sisters arrive to hear the reading of the will but this is not a tight-knit, close family. The three sisters have plenty of secrets and unchecked jealousy so for them to be shoved into a room during a dangerous storm that literally holds them hostage, the outcome cannot be good.

Enter the hotel’s staff. Charley is the housekeeper. A housekeeper who was very familiar with the previous owner and his unwelcomed advances. She’s not thrilled to be expecting the sisters. She’s heard plenty about them and guess what? They don’t really care to know or be around Charley either.

Charley has some issues. When the guests are plentiful at the hotel, she skims from them as much as she can to take care of her grandma, who is tucked away in assisted living. Yes, she steals for a good cause but when her loose morals commingle with that of the sisters a tug of war ensues. Plus, with all the guests gone, due to the storm, how will she earn the living she needs to earn to support her grandma?

No one can be trusted in this story! That’s what makes it so readable. Someone goes missing, then someone turns up dead. Secrets are revealed and that nasty storm keeps them all inside, with each other. Alliances are formed and broken. It’s a crazy story with a hectic pace.

Suspicion is everywhere and the finger is pointed this way, and then that way, keeping you guessing. There are a lot of red herrings and in the end I did figure it all out but it was fun getting there.

I read Day’s last book, The Block Party and it had the same relentless pace so I was sure to pick this one up. If you want something to help you through the week, pick up a copy. I pretty much read it straight through.