BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day from St. Martin’s Press/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

I realized as I sat down to write this Book Report that I have managed to go all year without talking about something being derivative. Admittedly, it is only January 8th……

I had high hopes for The Block Party because I’m a sucker for any sort of story set in a coastal New England hotel, and I really like reading books told from the vantage points of protagonists whose jobs or other roles seemingly cause them to blend into the background (in this case, the main character was a maid).

Alas, everything was, for the most part, wildly predictable. But I put that down to me being Of A Certain Age and having read so many books of this genre over the decades. Maybe it would’ve been a better read had I waited until I was on a beach or by a pool and had a frozen adult beverage in hand?

Or, maybe the fact of the matter is that I’ve been watching so much insanely good television here lately that I’m expecting all writing to come up to the level that has made all of Reservation Dogs and Slow Horses, and Season 5 of Fargo so great. Spoiled, I’m so spoiled…..

DESCRIPTION
The newest, riveting summer suspense by the author of THE BLOCK PARTY, Jamie Day.

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.

This was a fun story that was engaging from the start. Charley is a 19-year-old maid at the Precipice, an eccentric hotel on the coast of Maine. The owner has recently passed away and his three daughters, the Bishop sisters, are coming for the funeral (i.e. inheritance), right when the hotel is preparing for a hurricane. Charley’s worried about the status of her job as she both works and lives at the hotel. She needs to save every dollar that she can to pay her grandmother’s care home costs. If she loses her job, she’ll lose her home and her Nana will lose hers, as well. Charley is ready to do anything it takes to please the sisters in the hope that they will keep her employed. But she has no idea how dysfunctional these sisters are and how far they will go to protect their own.

Because of course, this isn’t your typical happy family gathering. The sisters bring their spouses and children, none of whom seem to get along well at all. There are constant references to dark secrets and lies that must be revealed. Even the lawyer who’s come to read the will isn’t the impartial professional that she appears to be. Pretty much no one is what they seem and that’s what makes it so enjoyable! And then the murders begin…

I loved this book – it’s the second that I have read by this author, and I knew it wouldn’t disappoint. You definitely root for Charley, but I did have an issue with her habit of stealing from guests. Sure, they may not notice and she’s desperate to have a roof over her and her Nana’s heads, but that doesn’t make it ok. You want to sympathize with her but it’s hard with her criminal behavior. I flew through the story; it was the definition of a page-turner with characters who’d fit right in with your own quirky family. And the resolution was quite satisfactory for everyone – my favorite kind!

Remote hotel in Maine, hurricane coming and strange family members arriving - yes please. Charley's story in the beginning had me concerned that this was another 'the maid knows every secret' type of book, but once the sisters arrived, the chaos began. There were some parts that I didn't like - Charley and Quinn, Charley and her secret guest, but overall a lot of creep settings and unlike able characters were good!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day due to be released July 16, 2024.
Charley Kelley had a rough life until hotel owner George Bishop gave her a break working as a maid in his hotel – the Precipice – on the coast of Maine.
With George’s passing his three daughters – Vicki (overbearing with her annoying husband, Todd), Iris (the black sheep of the family), and Faith (a former model who brings her partner, Hope) – have come to claim what is theirs at the reading of the will. As one of the sisters says, “This family puts the fun in dysfunctional.” Unfortunately, there is a hurricane looming, dangerous secrets are hidden by the sisters, and murder may be on the horizon. Not to mention the girl on the run that Charley is secretly hiding.
Will everyone who checked in be checking out? Will Charley’s “stowaway” be discovered?
I couldn’t wait to delve into this book – the reading of a will never turns out to be acceptable to everyone – I had a feeling this One Big Happy Family wouldn’t last long!
There were many twists, turns, and secrets to be told between the Bishop sisters and the guests at the Precipice Hotel – you won’t want to miss this one!
#netgalley #JamieDay #st.martinspress #onebighappfamily

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's for the opportunity to read One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day. Not a happy family and not a happy place, but what a fun read!

This is a murder mystery that will keep you on your toes with one big happy family. Maybe “happy” isn’t quite accurate.

A major hurricane is headed for the coast of Maine and it’s hard to predict where "Larry" will hit. Like all other places in town, workers at the Precipice Hotel are preparing with the necessary food and supplies. The property is beautiful with big cliffs off the coast. The hotel is packed with antiques.

This three-story building has lots of windows which need to be covered with sheets of plywood. A job like this would take some maneuvering with strong men. The desk manager, Rodrigo, is doing his best with the help of Charley, the only full-time maid. Fortunately, just about all of the guests are gone.

It isn’t just the worrisome hurricane in their path. The former owner, George Bishop, was found dead a few days ago and his three daughters are planning to stay at the hotel for a memorial service. Afterwards, his attorney, Brenda Black, will read the will. She tells the sisters that not everyone will be happy. She is right.

The three Bishop daughters -- Vicki, owner of jewelry and gift stores, Iris with a history of taking drugs, and Faith who worked as a model – are expecting to have a share of the $6 million property along with the treasures and art on the walls. Black starts to read their father’s will and testament slowly and Vicki told her to just get to parts they want to hear. That’s when the fun begins.

It's fast paced with some unexpected twists. Most of the characters are vindictive and this is not the happy place to be during a wild storm. With the exception of a few holes in the plot, it’s an entertaining whodunit and it’s cheating to look at the epilogue first. This was gripping, suspenseful and imaginative with layers. I can’t wait to read whatever she writes next.

My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of July 16, 2024.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this digital ARC!
I was excited to jump into this book as I read Jamie Day’s book The Block Party a couple months ago and enjoyed that one. With that said, I liked this one even more!
I loved that the main character was relatable in that she wasn’t perfect and had flaws and I enjoyed the setting of being trapped due to a storm.
I did feel the story got a little predictable at times, however, even though I felt like I knew what was going to happen, I wasn’t always correct, and that is always great!
Definitely a solid read and great writing by Jamie Day!

Review on GoodReads

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC I just finished.

Murder in a remote hotel on the coast of Maine that happens to be cut off by a hurricane? Yes, please!

This book not only starts with one of my favorite tropes, but is filled with twists and turns. It definitely kept me guessing and turning pages. Even the few things I thought I had figured out were only partially right.

If you enjoy a good thriller this is one to check out. It made me think of Riley Sager a bit.

Jamie Day’s previous book, The Block Party, just moved to the top of my TBR pile.

You know when you finish a five-star read and have to pick your next book? Yep, it’s usually so hard to choose, knowing you might not pick another winner. Well, Erica at Saint Martin’s Press has never let me down, so when she said she loved One Big Happy Family, I jumped on the opportunity to read an early copy.
The story begins with 19-year-old Charley. She works night and day to be able to afford her nana’s care. Her boss, George Bishop at The Precipice Hotel in Maine has recently died. His three daughters are coming any moment now for the reading of the will. But so is a hurricane that will cut everyone at the hotel off from the outside world. Let me just say that this is not a family you want to spend a harrowing or even a perfectly sunny weekend with.
Three sisters, one husband, one wife, two teenagers, one overworked and underpaid maid, a woman hiding from her boyfriend, and a lawyer bring all the secrets, lies, murder, and ‘what’ moments you could want in a book (especially one publishing in July, a perfect beach read).
The book is broken into four parts with Charley having the largest role. There was one character (only one!) who I was suspicious of from the beginning. I was right, but there were also a lot more people hiding a lot more secrets. Every character, even the secondary ones made me feel something, though most of my feelings landed on the ‘you’re a terrible person’ side. I don’t want to make it sound like everyone was cray cray since there were a few really good characters too. Not everyone was the spawn of a demon!
The epilogue tied everything up nicely. I actually enjoyed this a little bit more than The Block Party.

Fun thriller for fans of the genre! Slightly predictable but I still found myself thinking about the story when I wasn't reading.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for this digital ARC. It was perfect timing with a cold, overcast weekend to read about this beautiful setting in Maine where the torrential rains played a major part in this thriller. This story sucked me in, and with the detailed writing, I could picture it playing on the big screen. It has all the elements: family discord, reading of the will, no cell phone service and several characters to keep you guessing who is killing who.

I DEVOURED this book!!It was twisty goodness that kept me guessing until the very end. The picturesque setting of Gull Hill & the Precipice had me transported instantaneously & the multiple storylines consumed me to no end. Bree & Charley are such interesting characters - but surprisingly relatable on multiple fronts.

Highly recommend for your summer reading!

Thank you to St. Martins Press & NetGalley for this ARC!

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC. This one was just middle of the road for me. It had a lot of characters and I found myself somewhat confused at times. The story itself was interesting, but a little predictable. I just reviewed One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day. #NetGalley

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book in a 48 hour time period! I had no trouble doing it because IT WAS SO GOOD! I love the Maid, Charley, and her tenacity as she supported not only herself but her nana! The hotel she worked at was a visual treat and I could see the action as it unfolded as the family who owned it grapples with the death of their wicked father. There are lies piled on top of lies in this story and even though I didn’t like some of the characters I loved their quirky personalities and things they pulled off in this novel. Well done! This book comes out in July and I would definitely recommend it!

I found this book solidly middle of the road. It was well written. The author is very talented with her words and there were some passages that read poetically, which I enjoyed. The vivid descriptions of the characters and the physical spaces allowed me to visualize who was who and what was happening where. The characters were well developed and I enjoyed the parts of the story told from Charley's perspective. I did not enjoy the lack of creativity in the story. The inconsistency in narrators was disconcerting and really took away from reveals later in the story. The "twists" were very predictable and the exposes felt like the end of a Scooby Doo episode where the villain monologues, explaining everything clearly and there's no need to come to your own realizations. I did not enjoy the end of the book, which felt a lot like an easy, cop-out wrap up to what otherwise attempted to be a complex story with reveals that tried to keep the reader engaged. I appreciate the opportunity to read this ARC from Netgalley!

One Big Happy Family
by Jamie Day

I do love this cover! It has the right amount of intrigue with a splash of colour. It’s fabulous.

This is my second novel by Jamie Day. I was not the biggest fan of the Block Party, but Fomo got me once again and the story sounded good, so here we are!

A legendary family owned hotel on the coast of Maine (love the setting!). As their father recently passed away, the Bishop sisters came to claim their inheritance. Little did they know that not everyone who visits a the hotel this weekend will come out alive. Plus, there’s also a hurricane coming. This makes for an excellent, eerie setting.

Not only do the sisters have their secrets, so does Charley, a young chambermaid. Maybe hiding a woman on the run is not the most spectacular idea?!

You have to admit, the sound of all of this makes for a perfect novel! Jamie Day is a master at crafting an eerie and suspenseful atmosphere. I love the setting of the hotel and all the characters with their secrets. It’s such a mix of things which blend together perfectly! I enjoyed this so much more than the Block party! I felt a much bigger connection with the characters. There were also some really good twists. I don’t need a twist in every novel I read but I appreciate a twist well done! So all in all, I was happy to have read this, it was well worth it!

Publication : 16 Jul 2024 by St. Martin's Press
ARC received courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own, I was under no obligation to review.

Charley works as a chambermaid at the Precipice Hotel, which is located on a cliff in a remote area of Maine. The owner of the hotel has recently died and his three daughters are en route for the funeral services and reading of the will. Charley is hoping that she retains her position because she desperately needs it to take care of her ailing grandmother. Timing is not the best as a hurricane is expected to land and Charley has gotten mixed up with Bree, a woman running from an abusive ex-boyfriend. Soon everyone is under one roof and, after a murder occurs, they have to face secrets from the past to figure out who is exacting revenge. Very suspenseful and hard to put down!!

Thank you, St. Martin's Press, for the opportunity to read/review this ARC!

In this riveting tale set against the backdrop of a coastal Maine hotel on the brink of a hurricane, Jamie Day masterfully crafts a mysterious and moody atmosphere, steeped in impending doom. While the setting and suspenseful mood captivated me, some of the characters backstories fell a little short, with an introduction to a character that felt contrived, disrupting the natural flow of the narrative, even though they were incredibly important later. Despite these drawbacks, Day's storytelling prowess shines through, weaving unexpected twists that add depth to the flawed main character. This marks my second journey with the author, and once again, the unexpected plot turns and realistic flaws of the protagonist resonated with me. One Big Family, much like The Block Party, showcases Day's ability to grip readers with complex, compelling narratives. While not flawless, the novel offers a thrilling experience, making it a recommended read for those seeking suspense with a touch of realism. I binge read this book in under six hours because I was invested and needed to see how it would end!!

I love Jamie Day! The Block Party was one of my favorite reads last year and One Big Happy Family is my first 5 star of 2024. Jamie is SO good at setting the scene in these thrillers and they are always impossible to put down.
Charley has been cleaning the Precipice Hotel for years to make ends meet and pay for her nana’s monthly housing costs, but ends are never really meeting and she’s got a habit of stealing from guests.
When the owner of the hotel dies his daughters make their way to town for the will reading. Charley has no idea what her fate will be with her job if and when one of the sisters takes over. Tensions are high and they only get higher after the will reading. Now Charley is stuck in the hotel, due to the hurricane, with three sisters who aren’t her biggest fan and who knows if she can even survive the weekend, let alone worry about if she still has a job.
This was SO good. I’m such a sucker for a good twist and the twists in this book did not disappoint. The hurricane provided that sense of impending doom, the characters pull you in, and the secrets and family drama tie everything up with a nice, thrilling bow.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin Press for providing me a copy of this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Quirky fast paced suspense. Thank you Net Galley. The perfect read for the cloudy and cold weather in Florida. The story has all the ingredients for a movie. A storm and hurricane threatening the Precipice Hotel on a remote cliff in Maine. The suspicious death of the father of the Bishop sisters, three frightening women hiding a multitude of secrets and sins. I must say that at times I laughed at how bizarre these sisters were. And the good characters were a little too naive. In this world today even the kind and naive characters should be suspicious sooner, even if their suspicions are misguided. I liked the descriptions of the characters, a good visual so I could identify with each of them. There is a lot going on and some very surprising twists and turns. Action that is well written ad gripping. Well worth reading. And an author worth following.: