There were some enjoyable parts to this book but it feels like the ending had an overwhelming amount of juicy parts. Overall, it was very hard to focus on this book. What I did enjoy, was feeling like I was reading a clue-inspired book. It was enjoyable trying to figure out who did what based off of behavior. For that reason, I rate this book 3 stars. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review.

I really enjoyed the authors last book but don’t feel the same about this one. I think it was a good concept but the way it was executed just didn’t work for me.

I know that characters can behave in a heightened or unrealistic way in books, but many of them were over the top in this case which pulled me out of the story. I know Charley was young but she also seemed quite naive to trust certain characters so blindly.

While I know the flashback portion of the book was necessary, I felt like it went on too long.

This will sound like a petty gripe, but it drove me bonkers that one character was constantly referred to as ‘attorney Black.’ Why??? They’re aren’t that many characters in the book and only one lawyer so why not call her by her first name of Ms. Black. By the end I was seriously ready to scream every time that appeared.

In her Sophomore book, Jamie Day brought us to the Precipice Hotel in Jonesport, Maine. Hurricane Larry is bearing down while our main character is preparing for new owners to show up. This atmospheric setup was very good.

I liked how we were introduced to our cast of characters. By arriving in intervals it seamlessly added new people to the story.

The buildup was great. The characters were interesting and awful-also good. First third of the book was so promising and then it kind of fell apart for me.

The dialogue was silly. Without spoiling anything…telling someone to “get over” the death of someone a day after they died was beyond Scooby-Doo creepy. The twists were predictable or cringey. Finally the wrap was too neat and the bow to unrealistically pretty.

I really enjoyed this book. This was my first book by this author and it didn’t disappoint. This story takes place in a hotel during a storm. Three sisters and their families come back to settle their father’s estate and Charley, the maid of the hotel, is having to deal with all the drama that unfolds. This story took so many twists and turns and it was hard to make a decision on who to trust. Highly recommend!!

Charley Kelley is a maid at The Precipice, a family-owned hotel on the coast of Maine. She lives there rent-free in a small, closet-sized room, saving every penny she earns to pay for her Nana’s care. When the owner of the hotel dies suddenly, his three daughters come for the reading of the will. The Bishop sisters—Iris, Vicki, and Faith—are all harboring potentially dangerous secrets when they arrive at The Precipice. Meanwhile, a hurricane is coming with the potential to trap everyone inside the hotel for days. Will the arrival of the Bishop sisters spell disaster for Charley? Will they learn that she is harboring a secret guest? Only time will tell.

I really enjoy locked-room mysteries and this one did not disappoint. Jamie Day does a great job with the characters, making each of them unique. The main character Charley is likable and relatable. I really enjoyed the many twists and secrets each Bishop sister harbored. I also enjoyed that the story was told from different points of view. I am glad I took a chance on this one. It was much better than the author’s first novel The Block Party. I highly recommend this one to anyone that enjoys locked-room thrillers! I give it 4/5 stars.

What do I expect when I read a Jamie Day novel? A fast paced, snark-filled, over-the-top, multi-character, let's go beach read thriller. One Big Happy Family delivers all that in spades.

A Last Will and Testament to be read (Papa was a Misogynist)
A Dysfunctional Family of Sisters (It's an unhappy reunion)
A Creaking Home/Hotel (The family homestead is now an upscale Hotel)
An Epic Coastal Storm (Yeah, and this Hotel is sitting on a cliff's ledge)
A Desperate Maid/Main Character (Isn't the main character always a bit desperate?)
Oh, and a Body! (or two) (Let them pile up, they all deserve it)

Pure indulgence and a fun, quick read.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for an early e-copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this author's first book, The Block Party. This one, not so much. It was simply too long. The 384 pages didn't bother me, it was more that it just dragged on and on. I felt like I would never get to 50% on my Kindle. And when I did, it still had a tendency to be slow reading. Not until the last few chapters did it really get interesting. The book is basically a locked room mystery, as the characters are trapped in a hotel during a hurricane. The owner has died, and his family has arrived for the reading of the will...and they all hate each other. They are all affected by something that has happened in the past that has dictated their lives ever since. Is it any surprise when the first murder happens? I am giving this three stars, mainly because of the love and the patience that Charley has with her Grandmother, no matter what. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the chance to read this book.
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Charley is 19 years old and working as a chambermaid in a renowned hotel that sits on a precipice, up a long and windy road. She works for room (closet really) and board, making pennies on the dollar trying to keep her grandmother in a home for seniors with dementia. She occasionally "finds" money in the rooms while she cleans. The owner has his eyes on her in a predatory way and when he dies Charley is grateful that the advances are over. She is worried though about the daughters who will be coming to claim their inheritance in the form of a hotel, antiques and money. Will they let her keep working?--she needs the job. Before the sisters arrive, Charley agrees to let Bree, a woman on the run from her boyfriend, hide in the hotel. A hurricane is forecast at the same time that the sisters arrive. Between the storm, the sisters, their children and Bree things get very messy. As the reader learns the history of the hotel and the stories of the sisters the storm swirls around them. The storm outside is nowhere near as bad as the storm inside. Everyone has a secret, most seem to be willing to murder to have their secrets remain secret. Suspenseful and thrilling--this family is a mess. Just when you think you have it all figured out, the story line veers off into another direction. Three stars from me. There was a little too much going on in this book and the ending didn't fit. How do nasty, violent and greedy people suddenly become generous and kind? Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for the digital ARC. This review is my own opinion.

A most dysfunctional family. Not a likeable character in the bunch. I may have gotten misty eyed over the relationship of Charley and her Nana, but that didn't make me care for her much more. I almost quit the book when the Tarot cards came out, but I was curious enough to see how everything was resolved. I am glad I continued. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

I'm torn on this author's books. While the atmosphere and setup is interesting enough, they tend to drag on a bit for me. Flashing back filled some blanks but took away from the moment. I think Day has so much promise and I'll always try her books but I hope she finds a way to make the transitions seamless.

I had really high hopes for this one, but it unfortunately fell a little flat for me. I felt like there was so much going on and a lot of events were predictable. I will absolutely read what comes next from Jamie Day, I just didn’t LOVE this one.

One Big Happy Family is the quintessential family secret locked room thriller. While it wasn't my favorite in terms of characters and storytelling, it was a page turner. I wanted to see if everyone got their just desserts and if anyone was redeemed after all their secrets were shared. This would make a great beach read especially with the setting in remote Maine!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

One Big Happy Family is one big dysfunctional happy with a touch of crazy.

I love both.

I am also a fan of closed door mysteries and One Big Happy Family certainly adds to that to the twisted plot.

This book has it all: crazy family, dead bodies, stormy atmosphere to add to the tension and so many suspects that you will be guessing to the end.

The Bishop family has gathered for the reading of their Dad's Will .

Also present is Charley the down and out chamber maid who accepts cash from Bree to hide out in the hotel.

Jamie Day has done a great job of presenting twists and turns, red herrings and an ending that will surprise you.

Great read to pick up and get lost in.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a roller coaster of a read.

What a fun setting and cover! This was a thrilling mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat! Thanks to Netgalley for the early #gifted copy! I definitely recommend!

Charley Kelly is a maid at the Precipice Hotal where the owner has just died. His daughters are staying at the hotel for the will reading. With a hurricane looming and the will reading having unexpected results, tensions are building - violenlty so. Will everyone make it through the storm.

This book should have been the perfect storm, (see what I did there? LOL) it had an old hotel on a cliff, a hurricane bearing down and guests keeping terrible secrets but it was a bot of a letdown. The story couldn't hold my attention for large swatches of time and I found myself scrolling social media and had to make myself finish. I wasn't a fan of the main character as she seemed dramatic and whiny. While I didn't guess the ending, the ending also didn't surprise me.

This book had a lot of promise that I feel like didn't quite hit the mark. I enjoyed it but it wasn't one I couldn't put down and pick back up later. I think the author has a lot of promise though and will still read more from them in the future.

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day
Release Date: 7/16/24
Format: ebook
Rating: ⭐️⭐️✨

Read this book if you like:
-A whodunnit bottle episode
-Old mansions
-Unlikable characters
-Family drama

I really wanted this book to work more than it did, unfortunately. At the beginning, I was getting Knives Out vibes which is always a plus, but then it just felt slow and clunky to me. The story was almost as messy as the dysfunctional family it revolved around, and that is saying something!

I do think this might read better in audio format, but overall I would not be quick to recommend.

This was a really good read with lots of twists and turns. This is a very fast paced murder mystery that take place in a family owned hotel. It covers it all humor, suspense, family drama and some laughs. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

After reading the Block Party, I was so excited for this one! But, it fell a bit short for me. I DNFd it half way thru, because of the kid who rhymes. It was just so ridiculous I couldn’t even take the story serious. It had great premise and I loved the sisters backstory, but I think there were just too many characters that it made it hard to keep up. I will read her other books whenever she releases them, this one just wasn’t for me, unfortunately.

I liked it! This is my second Jamie Day mystery, and both are fun, engaging reads, filled with vivid, dynamic characters. There's enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. Loved the Maine setting, and the impending hurricane outside matched the chaos inside. Much thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this eARC. 3.5/5 stars.