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One Big Happy Family
The newest, riveting summer suspense by the author of The Block Party, Jamie Day.
The 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.
The 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.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published July 16, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,234 reviews
July 16, 2024
2.5 stars ⭐️
Hurricane Larry is bearing down on the rocky coast of Maine, and all of the guests have cancelled their reservations at the family-owned Precipice Hotel. 🏨
But, there is a WILL to be read and an inheritance to claim, so the Bishop Sisters, Vicki, Iris and Faith, are still planning to arrive as scheduled.
The front desk manager, Rodrigo and the Precipe's nineteen-year-old chambermaid Charley, begin preparations for both the storm and the Bishops arrival.
And, to add to the challenge, they have to figure out how to hide a woman named Bree, who is on the run from an abusive boyfriend.
I really liked our protagonist, Charley-so much so that I could even forgive her petty theft from guests because I knew she was desperate to provide for the only family she had left-her Nana-who was in a care home with dementia.
BUT EVEN CHARLEY COULD NOT SAVE THIS STORY
Part One was so S L O W-and it was hard to believe that the Bishops would not even look inside the room that Bree was hidden in-especially since they all wanted to stay in that room. And, Vicki was even in the room next door!
Part Two stalls the plot even further as we learn the sister’s back stories and secrets-explaining the animosity that they had for one another.
Parts Three and Four is when the action picks up, but because of the revelations in Part Two-I had all but the little details already figured out. It’s also pretty OTT.
The epilogue: I just didn’t buy it.
I guess I am starting to realize that I am not really a fan of locked room mysteries after all-unless they are REALLY well done.
I did enjoy the author’s debut, “The Block Party” but unfortunately, I am less enthusiastic about this one.
A buddy read with DeAnn and MarilynW. Be sure to see if they enjoyed their time at the Precipice hotel by watching for their reviews.
Available Now
Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for the gifted ARC, provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review.
Hurricane Larry is bearing down on the rocky coast of Maine, and all of the guests have cancelled their reservations at the family-owned Precipice Hotel. 🏨
But, there is a WILL to be read and an inheritance to claim, so the Bishop Sisters, Vicki, Iris and Faith, are still planning to arrive as scheduled.
The front desk manager, Rodrigo and the Precipe's nineteen-year-old chambermaid Charley, begin preparations for both the storm and the Bishops arrival.
And, to add to the challenge, they have to figure out how to hide a woman named Bree, who is on the run from an abusive boyfriend.
I really liked our protagonist, Charley-so much so that I could even forgive her petty theft from guests because I knew she was desperate to provide for the only family she had left-her Nana-who was in a care home with dementia.
BUT EVEN CHARLEY COULD NOT SAVE THIS STORY
Part One was so S L O W-and it was hard to believe that the Bishops would not even look inside the room that Bree was hidden in-especially since they all wanted to stay in that room. And, Vicki was even in the room next door!
Part Two stalls the plot even further as we learn the sister’s back stories and secrets-explaining the animosity that they had for one another.
Parts Three and Four is when the action picks up, but because of the revelations in Part Two-I had all but the little details already figured out. It’s also pretty OTT.
The epilogue: I just didn’t buy it.
I guess I am starting to realize that I am not really a fan of locked room mysteries after all-unless they are REALLY well done.
I did enjoy the author’s debut, “The Block Party” but unfortunately, I am less enthusiastic about this one.
A buddy read with DeAnn and MarilynW. Be sure to see if they enjoyed their time at the Precipice hotel by watching for their reviews.
Available Now
Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for the gifted ARC, provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review.
February 6, 2024
4.5 STARS
What a fun setting! 🏩🌩️
I had a blast reading this one (after not really feeling The Block Party). I'm glad I gave the author another chance!
We have another tale with a maid. The hotel she works at is The Precipice, family owned, and full of vintage keepsakes, considered eclectic, and unusual. It is near a cliff with a steep drop. The owner is George Bishop. His collecting and antiquing habit well known in Maine, as well as his obsession with conspiracy theories.
Charley is the maid and she has her hands full as the wind wails outside the hotel. A hurricane is looming and a homicidal maniac is on the loose! It was like the weather was forecasting what would ultimately take place inside (the eye of the storm)! Walls shaking, as bone-rattling gusts hit and the Bishop sisters arrive for the reading of George's will. Oh my! Someone will NOT be happy.
Get reading for a heaping dose of chaos, family toxicity at a new level, shocking secrets, a sordid history with long grudges. I felt some strong Christie vibes in the storytelling (which I loved)! Took off half star for a few quibbles, but I devoured this and enjoyed the journey!
Thanks NetGalley for my arc. Comes OUT July 16, 2024
Thanks to NG for my arc! OUT July 16, 2024
What a fun setting! 🏩🌩️
I had a blast reading this one (after not really feeling The Block Party). I'm glad I gave the author another chance!
We have another tale with a maid. The hotel she works at is The Precipice, family owned, and full of vintage keepsakes, considered eclectic, and unusual. It is near a cliff with a steep drop. The owner is George Bishop. His collecting and antiquing habit well known in Maine, as well as his obsession with conspiracy theories.
Charley is the maid and she has her hands full as the wind wails outside the hotel. A hurricane is looming and a homicidal maniac is on the loose! It was like the weather was forecasting what would ultimately take place inside (the eye of the storm)! Walls shaking, as bone-rattling gusts hit and the Bishop sisters arrive for the reading of George's will. Oh my! Someone will NOT be happy.
Get reading for a heaping dose of chaos, family toxicity at a new level, shocking secrets, a sordid history with long grudges. I felt some strong Christie vibes in the storytelling (which I loved)! Took off half star for a few quibbles, but I devoured this and enjoyed the journey!
Thanks NetGalley for my arc. Comes OUT July 16, 2024
Thanks to NG for my arc! OUT July 16, 2024
July 11, 2024
I’m a big fan of locked room mysteries and the evil incarnation family members theme seen in the Succession series. Thankfully, this book is an amazing combination of these two themes, piquing my interest and hooking me from the beginning. It pushed me hard to decide which Bishop sister is worse than the others! My vote is still for Vicki as the craziest and most unpredictable one! Of course, the maid Charley, who might be an angel when compared with Millie the maid and less eccentric than Molly the maid (my other favorite book characters), might be the kindest-hearted character in the book, mostly kept in the dark about the real evils lurking nearby.
The main plot revolves around the new heiresses of Precipice Hotel: a legendary family hotel located on the rocky coast of Maine, the three Bishop Sisters who gather at the family resort to hear the will of their late father George Bishop.
Enter Charley, the chambermaid of the hotel, only 19, living in a closet in the hotel turned into a rent-free room, trapped in her job to pay for her nana’s care house. It vacuums the entire funds she’s made and forces her into pickpocketing from wealthy guests. Now she’s more desperate after the care house made a raise for her grandmother’s accommodation. When a young girl named Bree needs help in exchange for cash that can give her financial relief, Charley accepts to hide her in one of the empty hotel rooms. The poor girl is hiding from her abusive boyfriend, and she has no position to say no to her, even though this secret may threaten her job.
Enter the Bishop sisters: Vicki - vicious, bad-tempered, the elder sister, founder of a jewelry store chain, married to charismatic Todd in her 50s, greedy, money-oriented, ruthless - a match made in heaven for her (or the women he’s cheating on her with). Iris - ex-convict, troubled, ex-drug addict, middle sister, in the new religious awakening. Finally, Faith - model, stylish, addicted to the spotlight and to being admired, married to eccentric Hope who is a vegetarian cook, spiritualist, Zen person.
Vicki’s gorgeous son Quinn, who also steals Charley’s heart at first sight, and young Oliver: the son of Faith & Hope, must be on the spectrum, likes to rhyme, acting like an oracle who knows the future are the other attendants of the hotel.
After the hearing, the family members start arguing because one of them might have manipulated George to change his will. Iris and Faith are not happy with the outcome. Brenda Black, the ex-shady prosecutor, new lawyer also acting suspicious, might be involved in a scheming that the sisters wouldn’t like.
But things suddenly change when a murder occurs. All the sisters are bound with sins and dirty secrets related to the crime. A murderer is among them, leaving creepy messages about their doom. None of them can escape from the hotel as Hurricane Larry is out their door, blocking each escape way. As you can imagine, the electric circuit does not work well, just like cell phone reception. They cannot call for help, and they cannot take their eyes off each other. One of them is losing control, and he or she never intends to stop until the secrets come out, and the truth is revealed. Poor Charley has to find a way to survive, but how can she achieve this when the Bishop sisters are cooking up plans to shut her up?
Overall, this was a delicious, heart-throbbing whodunnit with Christiean vibes! I couldn’t resist it! I honestly recommend it! It’s even better than Block Party, which I also enjoyed!
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this addictive book’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.
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The main plot revolves around the new heiresses of Precipice Hotel: a legendary family hotel located on the rocky coast of Maine, the three Bishop Sisters who gather at the family resort to hear the will of their late father George Bishop.
Enter Charley, the chambermaid of the hotel, only 19, living in a closet in the hotel turned into a rent-free room, trapped in her job to pay for her nana’s care house. It vacuums the entire funds she’s made and forces her into pickpocketing from wealthy guests. Now she’s more desperate after the care house made a raise for her grandmother’s accommodation. When a young girl named Bree needs help in exchange for cash that can give her financial relief, Charley accepts to hide her in one of the empty hotel rooms. The poor girl is hiding from her abusive boyfriend, and she has no position to say no to her, even though this secret may threaten her job.
Enter the Bishop sisters: Vicki - vicious, bad-tempered, the elder sister, founder of a jewelry store chain, married to charismatic Todd in her 50s, greedy, money-oriented, ruthless - a match made in heaven for her (or the women he’s cheating on her with). Iris - ex-convict, troubled, ex-drug addict, middle sister, in the new religious awakening. Finally, Faith - model, stylish, addicted to the spotlight and to being admired, married to eccentric Hope who is a vegetarian cook, spiritualist, Zen person.
Vicki’s gorgeous son Quinn, who also steals Charley’s heart at first sight, and young Oliver: the son of Faith & Hope, must be on the spectrum, likes to rhyme, acting like an oracle who knows the future are the other attendants of the hotel.
After the hearing, the family members start arguing because one of them might have manipulated George to change his will. Iris and Faith are not happy with the outcome. Brenda Black, the ex-shady prosecutor, new lawyer also acting suspicious, might be involved in a scheming that the sisters wouldn’t like.
But things suddenly change when a murder occurs. All the sisters are bound with sins and dirty secrets related to the crime. A murderer is among them, leaving creepy messages about their doom. None of them can escape from the hotel as Hurricane Larry is out their door, blocking each escape way. As you can imagine, the electric circuit does not work well, just like cell phone reception. They cannot call for help, and they cannot take their eyes off each other. One of them is losing control, and he or she never intends to stop until the secrets come out, and the truth is revealed. Poor Charley has to find a way to survive, but how can she achieve this when the Bishop sisters are cooking up plans to shut her up?
Overall, this was a delicious, heart-throbbing whodunnit with Christiean vibes! I couldn’t resist it! I honestly recommend it! It’s even better than Block Party, which I also enjoyed!
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this addictive book’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
January 19, 2024
I want to start off by saying that I was super happy to get my hands on the advanced copy of this book, considering I LOVED the author’s debut “The Block Party”. While I gave “The Block Party” five glowing stars, this book didn’t quite make the cut for me.
This story centers around Charley, who works at The Precipice Hotel. Charley is young, broke, and trying to pay for her grandmother’s care at an assisted living home. The owner of The Precipice Hotel, George Bishop, passes away- which involves his three daughters coming to town for the funeral. The arrival of the Bishop sisters- Vicki, Faith, and Iris bring a whole set of thrills and complications to the hotel. As the author stated in the book, “these sisters definitely put the fun in dysfunctional!” I just wish that I would have had more fun when I was reading about them…
This story was broken down into Four Parts. While the chapters were nice and short (that’s always an added bonus), I unfortunately felt that this book was too long. It started off with a bang for me, but about halfway through I felt the story started to drag on. I also predicted what was going to happen and how this story would end pretty early on. Another thing that took away from my enjoyment was all the backstories on each of the characters- now normally I enjoy that, but for a thriller it just made for a super long book.
I had super high hopes and expectations going into this book, especially since I loved the author’s debut novel so much. But as you can see, this was a middle of the road read for me. Will I read more from this author? You betcha!! I just felt that this book was going in a few too many directions.
Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for an ARC of this book which I had the pleasure of reading. Publication date: July 16, 2024.
Genre~ General Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers
This story centers around Charley, who works at The Precipice Hotel. Charley is young, broke, and trying to pay for her grandmother’s care at an assisted living home. The owner of The Precipice Hotel, George Bishop, passes away- which involves his three daughters coming to town for the funeral. The arrival of the Bishop sisters- Vicki, Faith, and Iris bring a whole set of thrills and complications to the hotel. As the author stated in the book, “these sisters definitely put the fun in dysfunctional!” I just wish that I would have had more fun when I was reading about them…
This story was broken down into Four Parts. While the chapters were nice and short (that’s always an added bonus), I unfortunately felt that this book was too long. It started off with a bang for me, but about halfway through I felt the story started to drag on. I also predicted what was going to happen and how this story would end pretty early on. Another thing that took away from my enjoyment was all the backstories on each of the characters- now normally I enjoy that, but for a thriller it just made for a super long book.
I had super high hopes and expectations going into this book, especially since I loved the author’s debut novel so much. But as you can see, this was a middle of the road read for me. Will I read more from this author? You betcha!! I just felt that this book was going in a few too many directions.
Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for an ARC of this book which I had the pleasure of reading. Publication date: July 16, 2024.
Genre~ General Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers
July 14, 2024
My thanks to St. Martin's Press, Jamie Day and Netgalley.
This was some screwy arsed book, and I was here for it!
I had initially seen this on Netgalley and decided that it definitely wasn't for me, then I received an invite from the publisher and decided to read it. My thinking was that the publisher often knows what I like, and sometimes "not often" they know better than me! True dat! I ignored it initially because it was family drama. I'm not usually a fan of that genre, but every once in a while...I just stinking loved this damn book!
I loved Charley, the housekeeper and hated everyone else.
This really was one truly despicable family! But, as the story unfolds I realized that as messed up as my "un" blended family was, it couldn't hold a candle to this family.
I'll confess that I had fun reading this story. The ending though was kinda a soft landing. I did still appreciate it, but did find it to be a bit unrealistic. So for that I'm taking a star.
This is a book I'd recommend. Just because I had such a good time!
This was some screwy arsed book, and I was here for it!
I had initially seen this on Netgalley and decided that it definitely wasn't for me, then I received an invite from the publisher and decided to read it. My thinking was that the publisher often knows what I like, and sometimes "not often" they know better than me! True dat! I ignored it initially because it was family drama. I'm not usually a fan of that genre, but every once in a while...I just stinking loved this damn book!
I loved Charley, the housekeeper and hated everyone else.
This really was one truly despicable family! But, as the story unfolds I realized that as messed up as my "un" blended family was, it couldn't hold a candle to this family.
I'll confess that I had fun reading this story. The ending though was kinda a soft landing. I did still appreciate it, but did find it to be a bit unrealistic. So for that I'm taking a star.
This is a book I'd recommend. Just because I had such a good time!
August 3, 2024
**3.5-stars rounded up**
One Big Happy Family is an entertaining Summer Thriller set in a small town, Jonesport, on the rocky coast of Maine. I adore that setting, so was sold on this one by that fact alone.
This novel is an inheritance story of sorts, with murder to boot. We're transported to The Precipice, a family-owned hotel, in Jonesport. The elder, George Bishop, has recently passed and his daughters, Iris, Vicki and Faith, are arriving for a weekend to hear his Will and claim what is now theirs.
The three sisters bring with them a whole host of dangerous secrets, heavy baggage and more. Tensions are running high. It's not exactly a lovey-dovey family reunion.
Also in the mix, are a few employees of The Precipice, including 19-year old chambermaid, Charley, who desperately needs to hold on to her job.
This is the kind of book so full of drama that once you start, it's hard to stop. I found it to be incredibly fun with the toxic family relationships that I love to watch play out.
I was gnoshing my popcorn the whole way through!
The setting was fantastic, made better by the fact that a hurricane stranded the characters at The Precipice. I love inclement weather stories and I feel like Day absolutely nailed that vibe here.
I actually listened to this audio while I was on vacation in Maine, so that's a bit fortuitous. In a way, that made it extra fun, but in another way, I actually think I may have enjoyed it more if I hadn't had vacation brain at the time.
I did find the narration by Saskia Maarleveld to be a perfect fit for the story. She def succeeded in bringing it to life. I highly recommend that format should it be available to you.
Overall, I was really impressed with this. I found it to be gripping, entertaining, fast-paced and dramatic. The setting and set-up were both fantastic.
My only small gripe would be that I sometimes found it hard to distinguish between the sisters. With this being said, that could be 100% attributable to the aforementioned vacation brain. It's hard to tell. Either way, I am looking forward to more from this author.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.
I think a lot of Readers are going to love this one!
One Big Happy Family is an entertaining Summer Thriller set in a small town, Jonesport, on the rocky coast of Maine. I adore that setting, so was sold on this one by that fact alone.
This novel is an inheritance story of sorts, with murder to boot. We're transported to The Precipice, a family-owned hotel, in Jonesport. The elder, George Bishop, has recently passed and his daughters, Iris, Vicki and Faith, are arriving for a weekend to hear his Will and claim what is now theirs.
The three sisters bring with them a whole host of dangerous secrets, heavy baggage and more. Tensions are running high. It's not exactly a lovey-dovey family reunion.
Also in the mix, are a few employees of The Precipice, including 19-year old chambermaid, Charley, who desperately needs to hold on to her job.
This is the kind of book so full of drama that once you start, it's hard to stop. I found it to be incredibly fun with the toxic family relationships that I love to watch play out.
I was gnoshing my popcorn the whole way through!
The setting was fantastic, made better by the fact that a hurricane stranded the characters at The Precipice. I love inclement weather stories and I feel like Day absolutely nailed that vibe here.
I actually listened to this audio while I was on vacation in Maine, so that's a bit fortuitous. In a way, that made it extra fun, but in another way, I actually think I may have enjoyed it more if I hadn't had vacation brain at the time.
I did find the narration by Saskia Maarleveld to be a perfect fit for the story. She def succeeded in bringing it to life. I highly recommend that format should it be available to you.
Overall, I was really impressed with this. I found it to be gripping, entertaining, fast-paced and dramatic. The setting and set-up were both fantastic.
My only small gripe would be that I sometimes found it hard to distinguish between the sisters. With this being said, that could be 100% attributable to the aforementioned vacation brain. It's hard to tell. Either way, I am looking forward to more from this author.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.
I think a lot of Readers are going to love this one!
August 3, 2024
Packed to the gills with family dysfunction, sordid secrets, and over-the-top fun, One Big Happy Family was nothing like what I expected but everything that I wanted. From the Agatha Christie-esque atmosphere to the setting so vibrant it felt like a character, this locked room mystery was a masterful whodunnit…mostly. After all, there were a few teeny, tiny issues that irked me just a bit. Did they ruin this fast-paced, twisty book? Thankfully, not in the least.
The plot was certainly something to behold. Told in four parts from a (mainly) omniscient perspective, I was pulled into the action right from the start. And what a start that it was. The only section narrated in the first-person, Charley won me over hook, line, and sinker. Kind-hearted and endearing, she had quite the introduction to the nutty clan of Bishops. They, however, were quite possibly some of my favorite personas. Eccentric and quirky, there was a definite Alice Feeney feel to them all mixed judiciously with a delicious Kaira Rouda crazy train vibe.
There was, unfortunately, quite a bit of unnecessary melodrama running throughout. In the beginning, I was utterly enthralled by each OTT moment, but by the second half, it became a bit much. Especially given the long-winded climax that required a definite suspension of all disbelief. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy each and every word. It just felt as though the two halves didn’t quite match up. Perhaps some editing could have rectified it. But then, that’s just this non-writer’s extremely humble opinion.
All in all, though, with gripping flashbacks and giggle-worthy humor, Day crafted a novel that I felt was even better than his debut. A mystery/thriller chocked full of multi-dimensional characters and dark secrets, I simply flew through the pages. And when I got to that finale which left me in tears? Well, what can I say—few books can muster what this author delivered. So if you love a good locked room mystery or toxic family drama, this book is for you. Just maybe be prepared for an over-the-top feel. Rating of 4 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
The 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.
Thank you to Jamie Day, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: July 16, 2024
Trigger warning: dementia, drug addiction, gun violence, mention of: infidelity
The plot was certainly something to behold. Told in four parts from a (mainly) omniscient perspective, I was pulled into the action right from the start. And what a start that it was. The only section narrated in the first-person, Charley won me over hook, line, and sinker. Kind-hearted and endearing, she had quite the introduction to the nutty clan of Bishops. They, however, were quite possibly some of my favorite personas. Eccentric and quirky, there was a definite Alice Feeney feel to them all mixed judiciously with a delicious Kaira Rouda crazy train vibe.
There was, unfortunately, quite a bit of unnecessary melodrama running throughout. In the beginning, I was utterly enthralled by each OTT moment, but by the second half, it became a bit much. Especially given the long-winded climax that required a definite suspension of all disbelief. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy each and every word. It just felt as though the two halves didn’t quite match up. Perhaps some editing could have rectified it. But then, that’s just this non-writer’s extremely humble opinion.
All in all, though, with gripping flashbacks and giggle-worthy humor, Day crafted a novel that I felt was even better than his debut. A mystery/thriller chocked full of multi-dimensional characters and dark secrets, I simply flew through the pages. And when I got to that finale which left me in tears? Well, what can I say—few books can muster what this author delivered. So if you love a good locked room mystery or toxic family drama, this book is for you. Just maybe be prepared for an over-the-top feel. Rating of 4 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
The 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.
Thank you to Jamie Day, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: July 16, 2024
Trigger warning: dementia, drug addiction, gun violence, mention of: infidelity
June 28, 2024
Every book has a dash of family drama, but when a thriller is more drama than thrills, it leaves you craving something more.
This book had a promising setup: the Bishop sisters return home to hear their father's will, with a murderer on the loose. Sounds thrilling, right? Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations.
The drama took center stage, overshadowing the suspense. It left me wanting a lot more excitement. So, it's a 2.5 stars from me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the chance to listen and review this audiobook!
This book had a promising setup: the Bishop sisters return home to hear their father's will, with a murderer on the loose. Sounds thrilling, right? Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations.
The drama took center stage, overshadowing the suspense. It left me wanting a lot more excitement. So, it's a 2.5 stars from me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the chance to listen and review this audiobook!
May 28, 2024
Rating: ⭐⭐ ½
Genre: Mystery Thriller
This mystery thriller is set in the iconic family-owned hotel, The Precipice. As the owner's passing leaves a void, his three daughters, the Bishop sisters, step into the spotlight to claim their inheritance. Little do they know, a storm of unexpected events is about to hit. A hurricane rages, revealing hidden truths! And amidst this chaos, a sinister murder mystery takes hold.
The story is narrated in the first person from the perspective of a maid named Charlie. The reader gets to feel Charlie’s insecurities and fear, especially now that there is a chance that she might lose her job after the owner's death.
The synopsis sounded amazing to me, but despite the author's great job with the setting and the overall atmosphere of the story, the tale itself felt somehow flat. Going back to the past period to understand the Bishop sisters didn’t help. It took me out of the tension that the author has built for the present.
Generally speaking, I enjoy reading about flawed characters as they represent us as humans. Unfortunately, I think the characters in this story still need a lot of work. The narrator is the eye with which we, as readers, look at the story and characters from her perspective. I couldn’t connect to her or sometimes understand her behavior. The other characters were not that interesting either.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.
Rant: When is NetGalley going to update the format of the ARCs they send to our Kindles? I need to use my Kindle Scribe to take notes, and sticky notes do not even work with the old format! I also wish the publisher would send us a decently formatted e-book. This ebook could have been more appropriately formatted. There were numbers inside the paragraphs, which really hurt the reading flow. I’m not sure who is responsible for the quality of the ebooks sent, NetGalley or the publishers; whoever is needed to do a better job.
Genre: Mystery Thriller
This mystery thriller is set in the iconic family-owned hotel, The Precipice. As the owner's passing leaves a void, his three daughters, the Bishop sisters, step into the spotlight to claim their inheritance. Little do they know, a storm of unexpected events is about to hit. A hurricane rages, revealing hidden truths! And amidst this chaos, a sinister murder mystery takes hold.
The story is narrated in the first person from the perspective of a maid named Charlie. The reader gets to feel Charlie’s insecurities and fear, especially now that there is a chance that she might lose her job after the owner's death.
The synopsis sounded amazing to me, but despite the author's great job with the setting and the overall atmosphere of the story, the tale itself felt somehow flat. Going back to the past period to understand the Bishop sisters didn’t help. It took me out of the tension that the author has built for the present.
Generally speaking, I enjoy reading about flawed characters as they represent us as humans. Unfortunately, I think the characters in this story still need a lot of work. The narrator is the eye with which we, as readers, look at the story and characters from her perspective. I couldn’t connect to her or sometimes understand her behavior. The other characters were not that interesting either.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.
Rant: When is NetGalley going to update the format of the ARCs they send to our Kindles? I need to use my Kindle Scribe to take notes, and sticky notes do not even work with the old format! I also wish the publisher would send us a decently formatted e-book. This ebook could have been more appropriately formatted. There were numbers inside the paragraphs, which really hurt the reading flow. I’m not sure who is responsible for the quality of the ebooks sent, NetGalley or the publishers; whoever is needed to do a better job.
July 16, 2024
Let's talk about that Cover!!! I chose the book because of this colorful beach scene and of course, I loved The Block Party!! The setting is a coastal scene in Maine and a legendary family hotel The Precipice. When the owner dies, his three daughters return to claim part of the dynasty. They are a hoot with their dysfunctional family dynamics. Each one of them is keeping secrets and those bleed into their lies. There is a character that I loved and she is the maid. Sweet and kind Charley makes this book as she pilfers and steals from the guests to provide for her mom who needs around the clock care for dementia. She is also hiding away a stowaway guest, Bree, her best friend running from her abusive boyfriend.
As a hurricane moves closer to shore, a storm is brewing much closer inside. The guests are tucked away and shielded from what is outside, but not everyone will make it alive as a killer is tucked away too.
The only drawback is the climb to get there, but when the bottom falls out of the climax you will love this Agatha Christie style mystery. It is very entertaining and it is a must-read to learn about Charley.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
As a hurricane moves closer to shore, a storm is brewing much closer inside. The guests are tucked away and shielded from what is outside, but not everyone will make it alive as a killer is tucked away too.
The only drawback is the climb to get there, but when the bottom falls out of the climax you will love this Agatha Christie style mystery. It is very entertaining and it is a must-read to learn about Charley.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 4, 2024
Wow! What an intense family. Loved the concept of this book. Perfect Maine setting. Creepy guests and family members. Seemingly innocent (tho she does steal from time to time) protagonist. Supporting cast who many be integral to the plot or just background fodder. Then there's the hurricane. Tons of good things, but I unfortunately think the plot unwound itself and too many opportunities were missed to make this from a good book to a fantastic one. I enjoyed it, don't get me wrong, but it had moments where it was excessive and then some that were too vague or left unused in the best way possible. From a character perspective, some of the most multi-dimensional I've seen in a while. Wish it tied more things together across the board, but certainly kept me guessing for most of the time. The true culprit is mostly obvious but there were lots of paths it took before getting there.
January 8, 2024
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.
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.
March 25, 2024
I really enjoyed the author’s previous book The Block Party so I was happy to have received this through Goodreads Giveaways.
I could describe One Big Happy Family as a closed room thriller but there’s more. Action, murder, and mayhem combined with fully rounded protagonists also made this a character study in my opinion.
We’re introduced to everyone slowly which allowed me to get acquainted and absorb the individual personalities. And what colorful people they were! Some despicable and others I could empathize with and get behind.
Combined with numerous plot twists, I was entertained throughout.
Thank you to McMillian Publishers for my advance printed copy.
I could describe One Big Happy Family as a closed room thriller but there’s more. Action, murder, and mayhem combined with fully rounded protagonists also made this a character study in my opinion.
We’re introduced to everyone slowly which allowed me to get acquainted and absorb the individual personalities. And what colorful people they were! Some despicable and others I could empathize with and get behind.
Combined with numerous plot twists, I was entertained throughout.
Thank you to McMillian Publishers for my advance printed copy.
June 4, 2024
This is a well-written, entertaining, murder mystery novel. It is fast paced and has wit, a touch of humor, a diverse group of interesting characters, suspense, intrigue, family drama, secrets, a beautiful, vividly described setting, twists and turns, and a satisfying conclusion. Many thanks to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and Jamie Day for the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy of this fantastic novel. This is my honest opinion.
January 23, 2024
I had such high hopes for this one because of the blurb. High thrills stakes, a dead body, family secrets and a hurricane bearing down on an out of the way coastal hotel. Sign me up!
I liked the atmosphere and the location as they were described well but the actual story wasn't as thrilling as I expected. It had more than a few things that were, to me, predictable and this just went on longer than it needed to. In the end, this felt less psychological thriller and more family secrets saga (and some of the sisters' stuff was eye-rollingly petty). Not bad but not exactly what I was looking for. This is the first I've read by Day and I would definitely read another.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the Advance Reader's Copy.
I liked the atmosphere and the location as they were described well but the actual story wasn't as thrilling as I expected. It had more than a few things that were, to me, predictable and this just went on longer than it needed to. In the end, this felt less psychological thriller and more family secrets saga (and some of the sisters' stuff was eye-rollingly petty). Not bad but not exactly what I was looking for. This is the first I've read by Day and I would definitely read another.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the Advance Reader's Copy.
January 13, 2024
Charley Kelley is a young maid working at the Precipice Hotel. The perverted owner suddenly dies and his 3 daughters come back to see what they inherit. Family dysfunction and discord abounds. Many secrets and lies are revealed.
Not all will make it out alive.
This was a great book with enough twists and turns to give whiplash.
Thanks NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read this eARC!
Not all will make it out alive.
This was a great book with enough twists and turns to give whiplash.
Thanks NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read this eARC!
July 15, 2024
Have you ever had the feeling of relief when a book is over? That is exactly how I feel now that I have finished One Big Happy Family. It pulled me in slightly at close to fifty percent, but never fully hooked me. The plot is very layered with multiple characters. I was extremely thankful to be listening to the audiobook while also reading it. The audiobook helped bring the characters to life while helping me distinguish the various characters. I enjoyed the setting of the isolated hotel while trying to figure out the identity of the murderer. For me, this was just OK. There was nothing extremely memorable or overly interesting. I was satsatisfied with the conclusion and it did add a surprise at the ending that bumped my rating up a point. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my copy.
July 21, 2024
Jamie Day is a new author for me. The cover of this book caught my attention first, as the cover immediately says beach read, but when I read the description it sounded more like a family dispute book. I was still interested.
Description:
The 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 Precipice'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.
My Thoughts:
My heart went out to Charley as she was in a tough situation. She really needed the job in order to take care of her Grandmother and to have a place to live herself. With murder and being trapped in the hotel with the Bishop family while the hurricane raged outside the situation went from bad to worse. Secrets and past cover ups were revealed with surprising results. I liked the plot and the way the story progressed. Charley was a good character and it was easy to relate to her situation. It was an enjoyable mystery, and, in the end, I think it would make a good beach read.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy.
Description:
The 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 Precipice'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.
My Thoughts:
My heart went out to Charley as she was in a tough situation. She really needed the job in order to take care of her Grandmother and to have a place to live herself. With murder and being trapped in the hotel with the Bishop family while the hurricane raged outside the situation went from bad to worse. Secrets and past cover ups were revealed with surprising results. I liked the plot and the way the story progressed. Charley was a good character and it was easy to relate to her situation. It was an enjoyable mystery, and, in the end, I think it would make a good beach read.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy.
July 9, 2024
One Big Happy Family by Jamie Waters
Mystery, suspense thriller.
The Precipice is a family owned hotel on the Rocky coast of Maine. With their father dying, the Bishop sisters have returned to the hotel for the reading of the will. They each want their piece of the estate regardless of the secrets that should have kept them away.
Charley Kelley just wants to keep her chambermaid job. She doesn’t care who the new owner is. Her concern is making enough money to pay for her Grandmother’s care and if that means letting someone stay at the hotel and paying her to keep quiet, why not? She’s not hurting anyone.
Family arrives, the lawyer reads the will and suddenly someone is dead. No one can leave because the Hurricane is getting close. Can you trust the person sitting next to you? Can you feel safe sleeping in a hotel where the secrets outnumber the guests?
🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook copy narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. A wonderful performance. I’ve followed this narrator for years. Voices are distinct and clear with emotions and tension leaving you breathless. I was comfortable with the speed at 1.4 for the best theater.
I like reading along with an audiobook. In this particular story, the printed format was helpful to keep the sisters straight with each of their backstories as the mysteries and twists got deeper.
An edge of your seat read. Definitely read the epilogue. A bit more righteous closure.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Macmillan Audio.
Mystery, suspense thriller.
The Precipice is a family owned hotel on the Rocky coast of Maine. With their father dying, the Bishop sisters have returned to the hotel for the reading of the will. They each want their piece of the estate regardless of the secrets that should have kept them away.
Charley Kelley just wants to keep her chambermaid job. She doesn’t care who the new owner is. Her concern is making enough money to pay for her Grandmother’s care and if that means letting someone stay at the hotel and paying her to keep quiet, why not? She’s not hurting anyone.
Family arrives, the lawyer reads the will and suddenly someone is dead. No one can leave because the Hurricane is getting close. Can you trust the person sitting next to you? Can you feel safe sleeping in a hotel where the secrets outnumber the guests?
🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook copy narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. A wonderful performance. I’ve followed this narrator for years. Voices are distinct and clear with emotions and tension leaving you breathless. I was comfortable with the speed at 1.4 for the best theater.
I like reading along with an audiobook. In this particular story, the printed format was helpful to keep the sisters straight with each of their backstories as the mysteries and twists got deeper.
An edge of your seat read. Definitely read the epilogue. A bit more righteous closure.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Macmillan Audio.
July 13, 2024
I really enjoyed the Block Party so I was excited to get this one. I read most of it on audiobook and it wasn’t until the last 15 percent or so that I became impatient enough to switch to kindle to get through it faster. I found the twists and turns to be pretty predictable once they came and I do wish the book had moved a little faster. I thought the characters were interesting and I loved the way the narrator brought them to life. Charlie works as a maid with an old closet for a room as part of her wages. She struggles to get enough money each month to support her Nana who has dementia and is in assisted living. The likely new owners of the hotel, three sisters, are coming for the will reading after their father dies despite the fact that hurricane is on its way in. Soon the three sisters, the attorney, Charlie, her friend Bree, and the sisters’ families are trapped in the hotel, but there are a lot of secrets and not everyone is ok with them all being kept. I enjoyed this book a lot even if it was a little more drama and not quite as many twists and turns as I was hoping for.
July 16, 2024
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.
Pub Date: 7/16/24
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.
Pub Date: 7/16/24
July 16, 2024
A reading of their father's will at the Bishop family’s luxurious hotel brings everyone together.
They really do not like each other, have secrets, and haven’t seen each other for a while.
Most likely it will be a stormy reading along with the hurricane that is predicted to arrive in a few days.
As the family waits for the attorney to arrive they can hear the wind howling and the waves crashing outside.
There is also a lot of noise inside with the feuding siblings and a maid who is hiding a guest that happened to appear out of the blue and says she needs a place to hide from her abusive boyfriend.
When the will is read, there is a huge outburst because of the distribution.
How will it all turn out? Or should we say: Who will win out - the storm, the siblings, or neither one?
Things get crazier as the family gets crazier, and a few of the group won’t be leaving.
ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY was a little slow at first, and I lost interest when the book gave background information on the characters, but the current-day storyline is intense and good. 4/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
They really do not like each other, have secrets, and haven’t seen each other for a while.
Most likely it will be a stormy reading along with the hurricane that is predicted to arrive in a few days.
As the family waits for the attorney to arrive they can hear the wind howling and the waves crashing outside.
There is also a lot of noise inside with the feuding siblings and a maid who is hiding a guest that happened to appear out of the blue and says she needs a place to hide from her abusive boyfriend.
When the will is read, there is a huge outburst because of the distribution.
How will it all turn out? Or should we say: Who will win out - the storm, the siblings, or neither one?
Things get crazier as the family gets crazier, and a few of the group won’t be leaving.
ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY was a little slow at first, and I lost interest when the book gave background information on the characters, but the current-day storyline is intense and good. 4/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
July 13, 2024
When the publisher offered me a widget for an arc of this new thriller via NetGalley, I accepted with delight because I enjoyed Jamie Day's previous book, The Block Party. This one I had mixed feelings about however as I read. It's part family drama and part mystery but I feel like I've read so many of these 'locked room' mysteries set in remote locations cut off from civilization by Mother Nature with a murderer in their midst. Although the characters are interesting with all their flaws and secrets, the plot itself just didn't seem all that fresh to me.
This story is set in a vintage family-owned hotel called the Precipice, situated on the coast of Maine. George Bishop, the long-time owner, has died suddenly and his three daughters, their spouses and children, along with the family lawyer, are all coming for the reading of the will. But also heading towards them is Hurricane Larry.
The story is told mainly from the pov of the 19-year-old chambermaid named Charley who has been living in a closet-sized room at the hotel free of charge for the past two years. She is desperately trying to earn enough money to keep the grandmother who raised her in eldercare. But the rates keep going up so Charley is not above doing a little pilfering from guests to make ends meet. And when a woman named Bree approaches Charley, asking if she can hide in the hotel to escape her abusive boyfriend, Charley sees an opportunity to earn some extra cash under the table.
As soon as the sisters and their families arrive, the bickering begins. One big happy family alright, with lots of secrets and grudges. Not long after the will is read, someone dies. Is it a natural death or is there a murderer in their midst? And of course, as the problems escalate, they realize it's too late to leave and they are cut off from any help.
This is entertaining for a quick summer read but Jamie Day didn't knock it out of the park for me this time around.
This story is set in a vintage family-owned hotel called the Precipice, situated on the coast of Maine. George Bishop, the long-time owner, has died suddenly and his three daughters, their spouses and children, along with the family lawyer, are all coming for the reading of the will. But also heading towards them is Hurricane Larry.
The story is told mainly from the pov of the 19-year-old chambermaid named Charley who has been living in a closet-sized room at the hotel free of charge for the past two years. She is desperately trying to earn enough money to keep the grandmother who raised her in eldercare. But the rates keep going up so Charley is not above doing a little pilfering from guests to make ends meet. And when a woman named Bree approaches Charley, asking if she can hide in the hotel to escape her abusive boyfriend, Charley sees an opportunity to earn some extra cash under the table.
As soon as the sisters and their families arrive, the bickering begins. One big happy family alright, with lots of secrets and grudges. Not long after the will is read, someone dies. Is it a natural death or is there a murderer in their midst? And of course, as the problems escalate, they realize it's too late to leave and they are cut off from any help.
This is entertaining for a quick summer read but Jamie Day didn't knock it out of the park for me this time around.
July 19, 2024
ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY is a domestic thriller that takes place in a famous family-owned hotel sitting high on a cliff in Maine. With a hurricane brewing in the Atlantic, the three troubled Bishop sisters return to the hotel to claim their inheritance after their father's death. All three are concealing dark secrets and are anxious for the reading of the will for their own sordid reasons. Anxiously watching everything go down is chambermaid Charley Kelley who lives and works at the hotel and is desperate to keep her income to continue caring for her grandmother. Not entirely innocent, Charley has a few secrets of her own that she'd just as soon not become exposed. She may or may not have developed a bad habit of pilfering through the guests' belongings, and it's minutely possible she's hiding a darker, more dangerous secret too. In her defense, she has a good reason for everything she's done, not that the greedy sisters will understand. What will happen to her if she loses her job? Or the hotel closes? She can't allow that to happen.
When the reading of their father's Will doesn't go as expected, nasty accusations are tossed around, and fingers pointed. Someone manipulated their father into changing his Will. Was it one of the sisters or someone else? Maybe the seedy lawyer? If that's not enough, just as the hurricane closes all escape routes and all communication with the outside world is cut off, a body is discovered. Stranded with a murderer walking among them, nerves are frayed, patience is thin. One of them is a murderer. Who is it?
Author Jamie Day expertly manipulates characters and readers through another domestic thriller in ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY. A locked room style mystery, the threat of a killer hidden somewhere within the hotel and the storm raging outside combine to drive a swift pace as the story unfolds. Tension escalates as skeletons are rattled and one by one, secrets start slipping out. While the sisters' greedy behavior is unattractive and highly questionable, a couple of the support characters deserve readers empathy. Although I tuned into the real villain incredibly early on, it didn't diminish my reading pleasure as I kept turning pages just to watch the drama play out.
ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY is a highly atmospheric, convoluted domestic thriller in which readers and characters are charged with solving a mystery by identifying a killer. While a bit predictable, I found it to be a well plotted, witty and entertaining mystery. Highly recommended to fans of locked room style mysteries and domestic thrillers.
Special thanks to St. Martins Press for an arc of this title. All opinions expressed are my own. This review was first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine and is now available on my blog Cross My Heart Reviews.
When the reading of their father's Will doesn't go as expected, nasty accusations are tossed around, and fingers pointed. Someone manipulated their father into changing his Will. Was it one of the sisters or someone else? Maybe the seedy lawyer? If that's not enough, just as the hurricane closes all escape routes and all communication with the outside world is cut off, a body is discovered. Stranded with a murderer walking among them, nerves are frayed, patience is thin. One of them is a murderer. Who is it?
Author Jamie Day expertly manipulates characters and readers through another domestic thriller in ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY. A locked room style mystery, the threat of a killer hidden somewhere within the hotel and the storm raging outside combine to drive a swift pace as the story unfolds. Tension escalates as skeletons are rattled and one by one, secrets start slipping out. While the sisters' greedy behavior is unattractive and highly questionable, a couple of the support characters deserve readers empathy. Although I tuned into the real villain incredibly early on, it didn't diminish my reading pleasure as I kept turning pages just to watch the drama play out.
ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY is a highly atmospheric, convoluted domestic thriller in which readers and characters are charged with solving a mystery by identifying a killer. While a bit predictable, I found it to be a well plotted, witty and entertaining mystery. Highly recommended to fans of locked room style mysteries and domestic thrillers.
Special thanks to St. Martins Press for an arc of this title. All opinions expressed are my own. This review was first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine and is now available on my blog Cross My Heart Reviews.
March 1, 2024
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: July 16, 2024
“One Big Happy Family” by Jamie Day, author of “The Block Party”, is a locked room mystery with so many family secrets at its core there is only way it could play out- with murder. Epic suspense and constant twists and turns fill the pages, and the plotline is deliciously addictive.
Charley has worked (and lived) at the Precipice Hotel for years, since her beloved grandmother was admitted to a nursing home. Tolerating abuse from the guests, and from the owner himself, Charley has become resilient, brave and determined. But after the death of the owner, George, Charley’s fate is in the hands of his daughters- Vicky, Iris and Faith- but once they show up, things only get worse. Once the will is read, Vicky’s husband is discovered, dead, and the women instantly turn on each other. Charley is soon fighting for more than a roof over her head as she starts to discover that the Bishop sisters have secrets worth killing for.
I am a fan of locked room mysteries and this genre is overflowing as of late, as it seems most of the new books I’ve read have a locked room mystery vibe. Somehow, though, Day manages a creative and refreshing story, and I was not disappointed.
Charley is young but hardened by life and not all naïve, which made her instantly likable. I wanted her to succeed and I cheered for her from the first page. As an avid reader of this genre, I guessed some of the plot points, but that did not put a damper on my enjoyment. It’s obvious something is up with the Bishop family, but Day manages to keep these secrets until the last moment. “Family” flowed well, building tension until the final pages, when the ending provided a satisfying release.
I was a fan of “The Block Party”, and I was excited to get another chance at a Jamie Day novel. Day’s writing is razor sharp, clever and intriguing, and I will eagerly read anything else she puts to print. “Family” is far more than another locked room mystery, and I highly recommend it!
Expected publication date: July 16, 2024
“One Big Happy Family” by Jamie Day, author of “The Block Party”, is a locked room mystery with so many family secrets at its core there is only way it could play out- with murder. Epic suspense and constant twists and turns fill the pages, and the plotline is deliciously addictive.
Charley has worked (and lived) at the Precipice Hotel for years, since her beloved grandmother was admitted to a nursing home. Tolerating abuse from the guests, and from the owner himself, Charley has become resilient, brave and determined. But after the death of the owner, George, Charley’s fate is in the hands of his daughters- Vicky, Iris and Faith- but once they show up, things only get worse. Once the will is read, Vicky’s husband is discovered, dead, and the women instantly turn on each other. Charley is soon fighting for more than a roof over her head as she starts to discover that the Bishop sisters have secrets worth killing for.
I am a fan of locked room mysteries and this genre is overflowing as of late, as it seems most of the new books I’ve read have a locked room mystery vibe. Somehow, though, Day manages a creative and refreshing story, and I was not disappointed.
Charley is young but hardened by life and not all naïve, which made her instantly likable. I wanted her to succeed and I cheered for her from the first page. As an avid reader of this genre, I guessed some of the plot points, but that did not put a damper on my enjoyment. It’s obvious something is up with the Bishop family, but Day manages to keep these secrets until the last moment. “Family” flowed well, building tension until the final pages, when the ending provided a satisfying release.
I was a fan of “The Block Party”, and I was excited to get another chance at a Jamie Day novel. Day’s writing is razor sharp, clever and intriguing, and I will eagerly read anything else she puts to print. “Family” is far more than another locked room mystery, and I highly recommend it!
May 6, 2024
Charley has been a live in maid at The Precipice on the coast of Maine ever since her single mother died and her grandmother began developing dementia. The lecherous owner of the inn has passed away and now his three daughters, the dysfunctional Bishop sisters are coming for the reading of the will. With all of them hiding secrets, including Charley, and a hurricane fast approaching, the situation for Charley is made worse when a young woman hiding from an abusive boyfriend shows up penniless seeking refuge. What could possibly go wrong in this suspenseful thriller from the author of The Block Party?
There are twists and turns here in this toxic family drama, some of them predictable. The story unfolds in four parts, with different timelines and points of view, providing backstories for the various characters. All of the sisters and even the family attorney who turns up are pretty despicable. Atmospheric, eerie and with twisted characters, this was a fast read.
Thanks to #netgalley and @stmartinspress for the DRC
There are twists and turns here in this toxic family drama, some of them predictable. The story unfolds in four parts, with different timelines and points of view, providing backstories for the various characters. All of the sisters and even the family attorney who turns up are pretty despicable. Atmospheric, eerie and with twisted characters, this was a fast read.
Thanks to #netgalley and @stmartinspress for the DRC
July 8, 2024
If you enjoy locked room thrillers where the characters are basically stranded with a killer in the midst, then I think you’ll enjoy this one. Personally, I enjoyed the author’s previous novel The Block Party better because it was a clever domestic thriller, but this one still has its perks. For one, there’s lots of family drama and I LOVE reading about family drama. Secondly, I love books where characters are stranded in a location and here, they are stranded during a hurricane. There’s just something so intense about being stranded without help that brings chills to my body. Finally, there’s a few good twists that I didn’t see coming. Not all, there was some predictability, but there were certain parts that shocked me.
Overall, I enjoyed this one and think many other readers will too, so I recommend giving it a try especially if you enjoyed the writing style of Jamie Day’s previous novel.
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙
❥ Locked Room Thrillers
❥ Books where characters are stranded
❥ Family Drama
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐ (3.5)
Overall, I enjoyed this one and think many other readers will too, so I recommend giving it a try especially if you enjoyed the writing style of Jamie Day’s previous novel.
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙
❥ Locked Room Thrillers
❥ Books where characters are stranded
❥ Family Drama
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐ (3.5)
July 19, 2024
This one was slow going. I enjoyed it enough, but would have liked it more if it was faster paced. The last 80% was action packed and I flew through that part. The characters were mostly unlikeable. Family secrete galore, a couple of murders and a hurricane should have made for a more exciting read than it was.
January 14, 2024
Imagine being trapped in a hotel on the coast of Maine during a major hurricane. Now imagine that each of the guests are hiding secrets and the only way to survive is to uncover the truth. What follows is an intense thriller with lots of twists and action!
Charley lives and works at the hotel. When the owner dies and the three daughters come to the hotel to hear who will inherit what, she is worried that her life might change drastically. She needs this job to support her grandmother in her nursing home. The same day that the three sisters are coming to the hotel she meets Bree, who needs a place to hide from her abusive boyfriend. Charley, decides to help Bree but is risking her job to do it. After meeting the three sisters and their families things only get more intense as we find out that each sister has her own baggage in more ways than one.
This book was told from multiple points of view which helped keep me glued to the pages. The author did an excellent job keeping the reader on their toes. Lots of action, mystery, and even murder. This is one thriller fans won't want to miss.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Charley lives and works at the hotel. When the owner dies and the three daughters come to the hotel to hear who will inherit what, she is worried that her life might change drastically. She needs this job to support her grandmother in her nursing home. The same day that the three sisters are coming to the hotel she meets Bree, who needs a place to hide from her abusive boyfriend. Charley, decides to help Bree but is risking her job to do it. After meeting the three sisters and their families things only get more intense as we find out that each sister has her own baggage in more ways than one.
This book was told from multiple points of view which helped keep me glued to the pages. The author did an excellent job keeping the reader on their toes. Lots of action, mystery, and even murder. This is one thriller fans won't want to miss.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 16, 2024
As much as it pains me to say this I struggled to connect to the story and characters, was very slow going, and I found myself skimming through the majority of it. 2 stars — Pub. 7/16/24
I received an advanced copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I received an advanced copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
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