I read block party and while it wasn't one of my favorites I was still super excited for ths arc. There is so much more to this book than just being a closed room thriller. The cover would draw my attention had i been browsing the bookstore. This is a good summertime beach read. Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for a review.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this Advanced Reader’s Copy. I enjoyed the author’s other book, The Block Party, so I was looking forward to reading this one as well. The storyline hooked me right away even if some of the characters are quite unlikeable. I did guess a couple of the plot twists correctly but still thoroughly enjoyed the book. I would definitely recommend this book and look forward to the author writing more great stories.

This was a very interesting book, so well written. I enjoyed all the characters, even the weird ones. To me, it was a slow start, but then it really pulled me in. It reminds me of the game Clue.
Thanks to netgalley, the publisher and the author for the chance to read this advanced copy.

Oooo, this was a good one! Not just because I live in Maine and that made the setting really fun. I liked the characters, even the crappy ones, and enjoyed Charley. I liked that this was totally different from The Block Party.

I’m trying to think of how to articulate my disappointment with this novel. I enjoyed Block Party, but One Big Happy Family could have been good but wasn’t. There were several points in this novel where I thought, this could end up being a decent novel, but then the next twist would just make me cringe.

Charley hasn’t had an easy life. Her mother died of an overdose, and the grandmother who took care of her is now suffering from dementia and keeps confusing Charley for her mother. Charley got a job as a maid at The Precipice, a family-owned hotel on the coast of Maine. She’s underpaid and spent years dodging the groping hands of the owner George, but it also provides her a place to stay. Between the occasional tips she gets, she also pilfers small amounts of cash from guests to help pay for her Nana’s care at Guiding Way.

After George’s death, his three estranged daughters are about descend on The Precipice at the same time the coast is about to be hit by Hurricane Larry. All of the characters have qualities that a reader could have empathy for, but then they behave so horribly, it’s difficult to care. When guests start dying, the remaining people need to figure out who is doing it and why. Many secrets emerge. I was just happy when it was over.

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this book, which RELEASES JULY 16, 2024.

I loved this book! The setting of the old hotel with the looming threat of a hurricane was so fun.. There was great character development which really made me feel like I knew everyone. Lots of fun twists! Highly recommended!!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Marten's press for granting me access to this ARC.

This novel is so-so for me. It's not a favorite but I don't dislike it. The author's descriptions drew me in. I could easily imagine the characters and area. The plot was fine and building the plot was well received.
The Bishop family is a hot mess! A family I'd rather steer clear from. There is murder, secrets, and new blood to be shed before it's over. I was overwhelmed with so many twists. Sometimes less is more. I felt it was hard to digest all the twists back to back to back.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In "One Big Happy Family," by Jamie Day, Charley, a chamber maid in a small Maine hotel, finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery, after her less-than-appropriate boss dies suddenly. Charley, who is already down on her luck, living in a converted closet in the hotel, trying to save every penny to care for her ailing grandmother, just wants to keep her job. But she fears that her boss's daughters, the Bishop sisters, will make significant changes, after they hear the reading of the will. With the murder investigation at hand and the dysfunctional relationship of the Bishop sisters, Charley worries that her goal to continue working will be harder than anticipated.

Although the surprise twists are not as surprising as one might expect, the book is still a page-turner with great suspense and interesting characters. Charley, herself, is warm and endearing and I found myself routing for her. The action is constant and the pace is fast.

"One Big Happy Family," is a fun, fast read, sure to be enjoyed by murder mystery lovers.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Publishers for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this book.

In this sophomore novel by Jamie Day, a set of sisters (and a few random staff) are trapped in their father's hotel during a hurricane as they sort out who will take the inheritance. Is it dark? yes, both literally and metaphorically. Is it twisty? yes, some of the twists I suspected and others really threw me off. Did it fully capture my attention? Eh. Was I riveted to keep moving onto the next chapter? Not really.

The characters are all varieties of awful- and not in a "gosh I want to see them get their comeuppance" but they fell flat for me- I didn't really care what happened to any of them. Not as good as Day's first novel, which I liked much better. This plot also all happens over the course of a single weekend, and has a bit of a whodunnit vibe, which I think put me off. Overall 2.75 stars.

That ending was a freaking roller coaster. A little slow to start for me, but at 25% in I binged the rest. I had correct feelings in who the culprit was but didn’t guess why/how. Oh the freaking drama! My jaw dropped, then I bawled at the end. I wasn’t expecting to cry reading a thriller. Since I just went on a ride I wasn’t anticipating at all I’ve got to give it 5 stars.

Jamie has done it again. Just like the block party, this story has plenty of secrets that need to come to light. Just when you think you may have it figured out, a new secret is revealed and the whole story changes. I did find the very beginning to be a little slow but overall enjoyed the story and the characters.

In One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day coming out July 16, Charley Kelley is the chambermaid for the Precipice Hotel in Jonesport, Maine. The owner has recently died, and his three daughters, Iris, Vicki, and Faith, are arriving on the weekend to claim their inheritance. On top of her cleaning duties, Charley and the front desk manager are working to put up plywood and plastic as they brace for a hurricane.

The Bishop sisters are a force to be reckoned with as they are concealing secrets that will be unveiled as the weekend goes on. Each sister wants her share, but their father’s will comes as a surprise. Vicki is a take charge person, and she wants to renovate the entire place. She has Charley take notes while they tour the property and determine the projects to be completed.

After her detailed inspection, Vicki considers tearing down the hotel and building condos which would be a low blow for Charley who has been able to live at the hotel rent free, helping her afford the elder care her grandmother needs. Charley has already been making a practice of taking money from guests to help ends meet. Worse, she is using one of the expensive rooms to hide a woman on the run from her abusive boyfriend.

The story is told from Charley’s point of view as she tries to accommodate the sisters and their families that include a wife, a husband, and two children. In this Agatha Christie-like tale, one by one people are winding up dead. Who will be next? How will the hurricane impact the weekend? How many secrets will be revealed before the weekend comes to a close?

Jamie Day follows up her debut novel Block Party with this thriller. She lives in a New England town. In addition to writing, she enjoys reading, yoga, the ocean, cooking, and long walks on the beach.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting April 15, 2024.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

I loved this family, locked door thriller! It would be a fun summer/spring break book while still be exciting and engaging. Highly recommend!

Once I started reading this book I seriously couldn't put it down!
At first I got overwhelmed with how many characters were introduced all at once! But after a few chapters you got to know each and every person on a personal level!
I was not expecting this many twists, affairs or scandals!
I love Ollie, and how he mostly spoke in rhymes! It added a very funny element to the story!
This is an easy 5 star read for me!
I am still in awe after finishing it!
Jamie Day has become one of my favorite authors!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book. I was lucky enough to also get an ARC of her first book, "The Block Party" and I really enjoyed it. This read was a tad bit off for me. I felt it was a very slow start with characters that weren't well developed. There definitely was some good twists and turns with some family member relations and the painting. Overall it was ok read for me. I hope others enjoy it.

One Big Happy Family is definitely one to throw in your beach bag this summer! It's a fast-paced page-turner with short chapters and will certainly hold your attention. The Bishop family, proprietors of the Precipice hotel on the coast of Maine, are dealing with the death of their father and an impending hurricane. Charley, the hotel chambermaid, is trying to hold it all together and keep the three Bishop sisters from killing each other after their father's will is read. How many people will die before the hurricane subsides and the police can rescue them? Read this twisty, locked room mystery full of family secrets to find out! Thanks so much to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and author Jamie Day for the librarian preview copy.

One Big Happy Family is such a fun read!! It is completely captivating from the very first page until the end with lots of twists and turns. Jamie Day never disappoints in delivering a fun easy read that will keep you hooked. I really enjoy the way she weaves a story throughout. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to net galley for the arc in exchange of an honest review.

To use a cliche: I didn’t see that one coming! Jamie Day has written a novel with more twists than the road that leads up towards The Precipice Hotel, the scene for this mystery. Its owner, the odious George Bishop has died of a heart attack. In come his three villainous daughters, one money hungry son-in-law, a new age daughter-in-law and his two grandsons who are unique. Add to the mix, the general manager Rodrigo, the Bishops’ attorney Brenda Black, the “stowaway “ Bree and the live-in maid Charley.. Family secrets, crimes and true colors come to light along with revenge during a vicious hurricane named Larry. A good summer mystery for sure!

At about 60% of the way through, I started to have my suspicions. At about 90% of the way through, some of my suspicions were confirmed, HOWEVER, there was a huge twist that I didn’t see coming.

Thoughts:
-loved the setting - so vibey
-made me wanna read it while it rained
-relationships are complicated
-reminded me of that quote that talks about your worth… I can’t totally remember it but basically if you don’t feel worthy you’re in the wrong surroundings? Or something like that. You are not your circumstances. Sometimes things go wrong and nothing seems to go right (talking about Charley here - not the other situations in the book) but then sometimes, everything seems to work out.

Read this if you like:
-that Spider-Man meme where he’s pointing his finger at other versions of himself
-cozy hotels with dark secrets
-books that have stormy scenes that make you want to read when it rains out under covers in bed
-playing clue

Thank you to NetGalley, Jamie Day, and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Love this. Great suspense, several possible suspects. I couldn't put it down! The added drama of a hurricane made the story even more ominous