Infinite Books

The setting of ‘One Big Happy Family’ is a unique luxury hotel on the shores of Maine, a place that immediately brought to mind the iconic Burgh Island Hotel off the coasts of Devon – the setting of Agatha Christie’s renowned novels. “The Precipice” is family-owned, with themed rooms where the Bishop’s three sisters spend their childhood. Now, they returned because their father died in suspicious circumstances, and his will is to be read. The hotel has no guests, chased away by the upcoming hurricane. Only the 19-year-old maid,  the hotel manager Rodrigo, and the cook Olga remain, preparing the hotel for the hurricane.  The last two also fleet, so now we have the Bishop family – the sisters, one of the sister’s husband, and another sister’s wife, plus a precocious son and the older son. There is also one unexpected guest, Bree, hiding from her abusive boyfriend. The novel exudes a palpable sense of suspense from the ‘locked room mystery’ setting and the intense confrontational dialogues. The occasional appearance of a drawn gun and the revelation of old secrets add to the tension. The past is unveiled through chapters that read slightly like reports.

I did like the book, although (perhaps because I have read so many psychological thrillers) the twists didn’t surprise me. Somehow, I couldn’t really get immersed in the characters. I also could not escape comparing the protagonist Charley to another maid, Molly, featured in different mystery novels. It’s a solid thriller, and after reading two of Jamie Day’s mysteries, I’m curious about what she’ll write next.

ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY, by Jamie Day, published by St. Martin’s Press, 2024