Jamie Day is my new favorite author!!!! I loved her debut book and this new one as well! What a fun way to start the new year! A plot that is set over the course of a long weekend, during a hurricane in an old Inn - it is reminiscent of the movie Clue and so fresh and unique! The characters are all suspect as the weekend continues, and bodies pile up - but the surprise twist in the end is the best part!!! I am so grateful for the advance copy and can't wait for the next book from Jamie Day!

The Bishop family is certainly not a happy family. George Bishop, the now deceased father, was a pretty despicable person, as Charley, our protagonist, can attest. Charley is the live-in maid at the Precipice Hotel, an eclectic oceanside hotel in rural Maine. George Bishop, the owner, was somewhat eccentric and collected a wide variety of items which are displayed in the hotel. This assorted collection of antiques should be unsightly and overwhelming, but somehow the items work together, producing the charm that makes this hotel a popular tourist destination. With George dead and his three daughters showing up for the reading of the will, Charley is just hoping she still has a job, as she needs the money to take care of her grandmother. However, the arrival of the sisters and their families will bring a lot more chaos for Charley, and each other, especially as Hurricane Larry is bearing down on coastal Maine and will soon temporarily cut off the hotel from the outside world. Vicki, Iris, and Faith, the three sisters, do not get along, and things only get worse following the reading of George Bishop's will, as it contains numerous surprises that further antagonize the family members. When Vicki's husband dies in mysterious circumstances the first night at the hotel, the tension gets ratcheted up even higher. And his death brings about the discovery of Bree, a woman fleeing an abusive boyfriend, who Charley has somewhat reluctantly agreed to hide in the hotel temporarily.

It that was not crazy enough, Faith and her wife Hope have a son, Oliver, who speaks in rhymes, and who most of the family believes is behind cryptic messages indicating that the sisters have secrets that must be revealed or more people will die. And the sisters have quite a few secrets, some of which they have been hiding from each other and some of which they have been hiding together. The revelation of these secrets will cause further family breakdown and chaos. Some of the secrets are shared with the reader early on or are hinted at or are not particularly surprising given what we know of the characters. However, there are some pretty surprising secrets; the most explosive secret is one I never saw coming (nor did most of the characters in the story).

The story has plenty of action and intrigue, with an interesting and eclectic cast of characters, and it will keep readers on their toes. Make sure your phone has power and your flashlight has working batteries, as bad things happen in the dark.

I read the book this author came out with last year and it was my favorite of the year. So needless to say I devoured this one as soon as I could get my hands on it. I freaking love it! You really get to know each and every character and it feels like every time the smallest thing about a character is revealed you just unlocked some new twist. The story was woven together perfectly

This book had a lot to offer and I wanted to love it! The premise was well thought out and overall was executed well but I just did not love it. I had to make myself keep reading because I did want to see what happened! I’m giving this 3 stars because it was good but not my favorite.

This is the 2nd book I've read from the author, and it didn't disappoint. There were several twists and turns that I didn't see coming, and I appreciate the fact that the main character was flawed -- it was realistic. Sure, sometimes making all the disparate threads come together in a cohesive story means straining credulity, but it worked pretty well in this case.

Recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being given freely.

I will start off with what I liked about this book.
Setting: coastal hotel in Maine
Mood: mysterious, moody, impending doom (hurricane incoming)

What I didn't like: Any of the characters, the romantic interaction that Charley had with one of the guests, the constant talking about looks and how beautiful they all were and likened them all to model like looks.

Also when Bree comes along, this was all too forced and I felt right away that this was suspicious and didn't fit into the story. Charley was way too trusting right off the bat. Also, the hotel has 13 rooms if I recall correctly....why not put her in the smallest/most unused room, or have her bunk with Charley? So stupid.

I felt like this book was trying too hard. It all wrapped up a bit too conveniently in the end as well which was not believable in my opinion. This all felt more like a family drama than a thriller. IMO thrillers tend to have a bit more suspense which this book did have, but I felt the family drama took front and center.

I guess I'm in the minority here with not loving this one. It was ok, and I did finish but I wasn't in love.

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

A great thriller that pulled me in from the very beginning! I didn't predict any of the twists and they just kept coming! This was such a fun read, but the ending was a bit too perfectly wrapped up, happily ever after for me. Other than that, this is a fantastic thriller!!

The Precipice stands as a storied, family-run establishment nestled along the rugged coastline of Maine. Following the recent demise of their father, the trio of Bishop sisters—Iris, Vicki, and Faith—converges for the weekend to stake their claim on the property. Yet, as a hurricane threatens, and each sister guards perilous secrets, a sinister atmosphere pervades, with the ominous specter of murder hanging in the air. Not everyone who enters the precincts of the Precipice will exit unscathed.

Driven by a desire for their rightful inheritance, each sister entwines herself in a web of intrigue. Amidst this turmoil is Charley Kelley, the nineteen-year-old chambermaid of the Precipice—a sharp, resilient soul wise beyond her years, grappling with dire circumstances.

The arrival of the Bishop sisters casts an ominous shadow over Charley's future. Will they decide to shutter the hotel? Terminate her employment? Unearth her penchant for filching from guests? Or, in a more sinister turn, discover her complicity in harboring a fugitive in one of the guest rooms?

2.5 stars but no half stars, so it’s a reluctant 3.0 stars. Although described as a mystery/thriller, I’d slot this book into family drama or women’s drama. The pace is more than leisurely, and by the time I was a third of the way into the book, the plot was predictable.

I loved the newest Shari Lapena thriller. It’s about a beautiful high school girl who has her whole life in front of her gets murdered and left in a field in a tiny town in Vermont. Did a stranger do this or could it be someone they know? Told from alternating povs, you aren’t sure if they are telling the truth or lying. I devoured this book in two sittings.

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley. I don't read a lot of suspense books, but occasionally I will pick one up that looks like it isn't too scary. This one focuses on 19-year-old Charley who works as a maid in a lonely hotel in Maine during a hurricane and a will reading. It kept my attention and was hard to put down. I would recommend it for people who like some light thrills, but nothing too scary. The characters were fun and well-fleshed out.

This was a predictable thriller to me. I found myself guessing the twists early on, which put a damper on this story for me. Overall, I like Day’s style of writing, and appreciate her ability to weave some humour into her stories. I did prefer her 2023 release The Block Party to this novel.

A new thriller from Jamie Day!

The Precipice Hotel is located on the rocky coast of Maine in a small town. Charley has been the cleaner at the hotel for a handful of years in order to pay her Nana's housing. She is stuck between a rock and a hard place and unable to leave the job that she hates. When the owner dies, his three daughters rush back to read the will. Iris, Vicki and Faith and their families flood the hotel.

The will provides surprises and a hurricane bears down. Suddenly Charley is stuck in the hotel with the sisters and at least one of them is out for blood. Can Charley survive the weekend? Can she keep her job?
Who is the most dangerous? What do they really want?

I enjoyed the novel, it was interesting and different. I felt the ending was rushed but it didn't completely detract from the story. If you like a stormy night thriller, this is a book for you!
#stmartin #jamieday #onebighappyfamily

One Big Family is the next winner by J. Day. The author of The Block Party did it again.
An unfoirgettable read that gives all the feels. A story that stubbornly stays with me, gripped me with both hands and doesn't let go anymore.
Charley's life is a mess. She works as maid at the hotel , works hard to make ends meet, to help her gran. In short, she drew the short stick. And now the hotel's owner died and his heirs are on their way.
A wonderful complex, complicated story that I couldn't put down. 5 stars.

I really enjoyed this book but not quite as much I enjoyed her previous title that I’ve read. I found the premise interesting but it lost me a bit of the way through for sure. I could definitely see other people enjoying this.

Family drama on the coast of Maine- with sisters, secrets and a wayward chambermaid adding to the intrigue!
I’ve loved Jamie Day’s previous exploration of affluent domestic dysfunction, and the locale gave a fresh take. Easy five stars.