This twisty thriller was fun to read. The dark family secrets were revealed at a good pace. This is a great summer book for those who love a thriller.

I enjoyed Jamie Day's debut immensely and I couldn't wait to read One Big Happy Family. While it definitely took me longer to get to this one than I would have liked, it was worth the wait, so to speak, and I loved this twist packed ride! The family drama was on point as was the tension that starts up after the entire family arrives and people start dying. There is a certain someone I was definitely suspicious of, and to some extent I was right to be though I had no idea of what was to come. I didn’t love any of the characters, but I did like Charley an awful lot and she was very easy to relate to.

The audiobook was a bit of a mixed bag for me and while I normally love Saskia Maarleveld’s narration, it was slightly off for One Big Happy Family. I didn’t find her pacing to be very consistent, and it took me a minute to figure out what speed was best to listen to her at. Once I got that figured out I really enjoyed it though I would expect a 19-year-old to sound younger than her voice. I honestly kept forgetting Charley was that young as she feels like a much older and wiser character. I loved the ending and the journey it was to get there. Another winner from Day for me and I can’t wait to read her next release.

Read this if you are looking for: A vibrant and atmospheric setting, dysfunctional families, and shocking secrets.

Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐💫

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3 STARS⭐⭐⭐

I’m giving this one 3 stars because, while it had potential, the plot just didn’t hold my attention. The pacing felt off at times, and I found myself struggling to stay engaged. There were a few moments that stood out, but overall it was just okay for me. This was not a bad read, it's just one that I wouldn't rush to pick up again.

I love this author's dramatic family dynamics and how she weaves a story with so many twists! This is a great book for thriller lovers.

This was a decent mystery, I wasn’t super caught up in the story as it felt similar to some hotel mysteries I’ve read before, but the audiobook was good and the narrators did a good job.

Just another average thriller by Jamie Day. I want impressed, but I didn't hate it either. A locked room mystery with a maid in a hotel. Seems like it's been done before. Overall, just an ok read from me.

*Thank you partners @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for the #gifted e-galley and audiobook.*

This was quite the entertaining story, even more engaging with the audio format. Featuring plenty of family drama and forbidden secrets, I was here for this popcorn thriller to the end.

*many thanks to Macmillan audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

A "closed room" family drama suspense

After the death of their father, the eccentric daughters and families gather at a coastal Maine hotel for the reading of the will. Caught in the middle, is the hotel's maid, Charley who is unexpectedly hiding a guest.

Filled with twists and turns, this was worth the listen for a summer thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ALC

Fun riveting page-turner that will keep you guessing. I could not put this book down. Perfect amount of suspense and family drama.

Jamie Day’s One Big Happy Family is a thrilling, darkly comedic suspense novel that weaves together family drama, murder, and a touch of forbidden secrets—all set against the atmospheric backdrop of a legendary family-owned hotel on the rocky coast of Maine. The novel takes place over the course of one fateful weekend, as three estranged sisters—Iris, Vicki, and Faith—reunite at the Precipice Hotel following the death of their father, each hoping to claim their inheritance. But a looming hurricane and the tangled web of family secrets threaten to tear them apart, with deadly consequences.

The tension rises quickly as it becomes clear that not everyone is going to walk away from the weekend unscathed. Each of the Bishop sisters is carrying dangerous secrets of her own, and their emotional baggage begins to collide with the precarious lives of the hotel staff, especially Charley Kelley, the 19-year-old chambermaid with a troubled past. Charley’s world grows more complicated as she navigates the threats from the Bishop sisters, her own moral dilemmas, and her connection to a mysterious woman hiding at the hotel.

Day crafts a fast-paced, gripping narrative full of unexpected twists and razor-sharp wit. The complexity of the characters—especially Charley, who is both wise beyond her years and deeply vulnerable—adds emotional depth to the story. As the hurricane intensifies, so does the drama, with dark secrets and betrayals bubbling to the surface, leading to an explosive and satisfying conclusion.

One Big Happy Family is a perfect blend of suspense, family intrigue, and humor. Day’s ability to mix thrills with sharp character insights makes this book a highly enjoyable read. The setting, the stakes, and the well-developed characters create a story that is as suspenseful as it is entertaining. Fans of gripping family dramas and twisted thrillers will find this novel both thrilling and hard to put down.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* i actually read this book during a hurricane lmao, added a lot to i think, overall creepy book and good read!

This is my first book by Jamie Day and it is definitely a popcorn book for me. The Precipice is a legendary, family-owned hotel on the rocky coast of Maine. When the owner, a lecherous man, dies, the Bishop sisters, Iris, Vicki, and Faith have come home to listen to the reading of the will and sort out what to do with the hotel. The problem is there is also a hurricane bearing down on the area, so is it safe? Each sister has secrets, but also wants what they think is their due. They arrive with their partners and offspring. When they arrive they meet nineteen-year-old chambermaid Charley Kelley: smart, resilient, older than her years, and in desperate straits. Charley also has secrets. To support her grandma, who is living in care with dementia, she steals from their guests, and she is hiding a young woman on the run from her abusive husband. With the hurricane approaching, a dysfunctional family, a lawyer and a hidden guest, what could possibly go wrong?

One Big Happy Family is a thriller/suspense story that starts off believably, but then goes over the top. I definitely had to suspend belief while reading this one. I loved Charley. She is one of the kindest characters doing whatever she can to support her grandmother and to help others. The 2 boys, Oliver and Quinn are interesting. Quinn and Charley become friends but as secrets are revealed, his life is totally upended. Oliver is an odd duck. He speaks only in rhyme and seems a bit dark. He also learns secrets about himself. I didn't like the sisters at all. They were all very selfish and self-centered. They were demanding and not very nice to each other, or the staff. This book is full of melodrama, secrets, lies, some humor and suspense. The ending was heartbreaking and didn't seem to fit with the rest of the story, but it does bring closure to Charley's issues. Did I enjoy this story? Yes. Was it one I will remember a few weeks from now? Probably not. If you enjoy reading or listening to a book that just takes you for a ride and has you wondering what could possibly happen next, then I recommend you pick this one up.

The Precipice is a hotel on the rocky coast of Maine and when the own dies, Faith, Iris, and Vicki and their families arrive for the reading of the will of their father, the owner. All this along with the incoming hurricane. Also in residence is Charley, the chambermaid who is fearful of losing her job which she needs to keep her grandmother in her assisted living home. She secrets in a boarder, Bree, and hides her not wanting the sisters to find her and kick them both out. When there is a murder the storm is barrelling down on them and the police cannot get to them. Make sure you read/listen all the way to the end and the epilogue as it help clear up some of those many secrets. So many twists and turns that kept this one intriguing.

OMG THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT HAPPY! Jamie Day does it again with this family of misfits and terrible humans! I did not see all the twists coming and I love that.

This was a twisted family thriller. I was initially intrigued but I quickly lost interest in it. The setting was perfect but the dynamics of the family didn't keep my gripped.

The narrator did the best to keep the listener gripped, but the storyline did not help.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for an advanced reading and listening copies of this book.

Jamie Day’s One Big Happy Family delivers a gripping tale of secrets, suspense, and family drama set against the hauntingly beautiful backdrop of Maine’s rocky coast. The story centers on The Precipice, a legendary family-owned hotel, as the Bishop sisters—Iris, Vicki, and Faith—reunite after the death of their father to decide its fate. However, as a hurricane brews outside, it’s the storm of lies, betrayals, and hidden agendas that truly takes center stage.

Day does an excellent job of giving each of the Bishop sisters distinct personalities. Iris, the pragmatic eldest, Vicki, the fiery middle child, and Faith, the enigmatic youngest, all come with secrets that could unravel their family’s legacy—and their relationships. The addition of Charley Kelley, the resilient young chambermaid with her own precarious situation, adds another layer of tension. Charley’s story intertwines with the sisters in unexpected and thrilling ways, especially as her hidden actions threaten to upend the already volatile weekend.

The atmosphere is another highlight. Day paints The Precipice as a character in its own right—majestic yet eerie, full of history and shadows. Combined with the looming hurricane, the setting becomes the perfect stage for murder and mayhem.

The audiobook is a standout, thanks to the incredible narration by Saskia Maarleveld. Her ability to bring each character to life with distinct and believable voices is remarkable, making the tangled emotions and suspense feel even more vivid. Whether capturing Iris’s sharp pragmatism, Vicki’s fiery passion, or Charley’s quiet resilience, Maarleveld delivers a masterful performance that elevates the story to new heights.

While some twists were predictable, the journey was nonetheless engaging. With its layered characters, rich setting, and suspenseful pacing, One Big Happy Family is a captivating read (or listen) for fans of domestic thrillers with a touch of mystery.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and St Martin’s Press for advanced copies in exchange for my honest review

I thought this domestic thriller started off really strong but quickly fell off the rails a bit when the conflict started. I thought it was all just a bit far fetched and dramatic but didn't quite all make sense. I did enjoy that this was broken up into multiple parts to really develop the characters and their motives but overall thought the first part fell a bit flat and that the other parts couldn't quite save it. The characters were odd and not very relatable which I think hurt the story a bit as well. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a twisty family thriller! The coastal Maine setting with a hurricane was the perfect setting. I love how Day wove all the pieces together, especially what the Bishop sisters did in their youth, I didn't see that twist coming at all! The lies this family wove were quiet extensive. If you like a familiar thriller definitely check this one out!

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day is an exhilarating, suspense-filled read that delivers exactly what fans of locked-room mysteries and family drama crave. Set in a remote Maine hotel with a hurricane looming, this book is a perfect blend of thrills, dark family secrets, and well-developed characters that kept me hooked from start to finish.

The story centers around the Bishop sisters—Vicki, Iris, and Faith—who return to the family hotel, the Precipice, after the death of their father. Each sister is vying for what she believes is rightfully hers, and the tensions between them escalate quickly, making for an incredibly engaging read. Vicki, in particular, stands out as the most unpredictable and ruthless of the three, while Faith and Iris bring their own unique layers of dysfunction to the story. The family dynamics reminded me of Succession—toxic, manipulative, and full of dark, hilarious moments that kept me guessing who would do what next.

Enter Charley Kelley, the 19-year-old chambermaid with a tough exterior and a heart of gold. Charley’s struggles to keep her job and support her grandmother add a poignant layer to the book. She’s forced into a web of lies and danger when she agrees to hide Bree, a woman on the run from an abusive boyfriend. Charley quickly finds herself caught between the scheming Bishop sisters and the dark secrets of the Precipice Hotel. I loved Charley’s character—she was the light in a very dark, chaotic world, and I found myself rooting for her survival.

The atmosphere of the novel is perfect for a summer suspense thriller—isolated, stormy, and filled with characters whose motives are hard to decipher. The mystery at the heart of the story, involving a murder and a tangled web of family secrets, is deliciously suspenseful. As the storm rages outside and the electricity fails, the tension inside the hotel builds to a fever pitch, with each sister harboring secrets and sins that tie them all to the crime.

The pace of the story is tight, and the twists kept me guessing. The book’s eerie setting and clever structure make it hard to put down, and Day does an excellent job of keeping the suspense high until the final pages. While the plot does lean on some familiar tropes, the characters are strong enough and the writing compelling enough to keep it fresh and engaging.

The only reason I didn’t give this book a full five stars is that I felt a few aspects of the plot were a bit predictable, and some of the side characters, like Quinn and Oliver, could have been developed more deeply. However, these are minor critiques in an otherwise thrilling read.

Overall,One Big Happy Family is a fantastic whodunnit with a Christiean vibe that’s sure to satisfy anyone who loves family drama, suspense, and twisted secrets. Jamie Day has crafted a compelling story with memorable characters.

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day was a fantastic whodunit reminiscent of Agatha Christie. Great plot points and twisty character ARCS and development.