Are you a fan of Agatha Christie golden age mysteries? Do you enjoy wink-wink meta 4th wall breaking movies like Clue and Murder by Death? If so, you will love Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone. Just as I did.

Ern, short for Ernest, is at a family reunion at a snowed in ski resort (because of course he is, did you not read the first paragraph of this review?) His extended family is waiting for his brother Michael’s return from prison after serving time for murder. The prison where Michael was sent because of Ern’s testimony. A body is quickly found and off we go into an amateur sleuth’s investigation because the on-site detective is woefully incompetent. No explanation is given for how, with so many murderers available, the detective could fail. But it is rather like searching for a piece of hay in a haystack, I guess, paralyzing by the sheer number of choices.

Ern is the first-person narrator, who offers frequent asides to the reader. I really enjoyed this witty approach, though I began to wonder if Ern was a bit too assertively voicing his intention to be a reliable narrator. Could he be protesting too much? You will have to read the book to see.

Overall, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone is an enchanting new viewpoint into a beloved, but rather tired, mystery sub-genre. 5 stars!

Thanks to Mariner Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone is a clever and engaging locked-room murder mystery that pays tribute to the golden age of crime fiction. It's narrator, Ernest Cunningham is a self-published author of how-to guides to writing mysteries, and is extremely chatty and quirky. He is also a member of a somewhat infamous 'ne'er do well' family that has gathered in a remote ski resort to welcome the eldest son who is newly released from prison. Earnest tell us on page one that everyone in his family has killed someone, so we have quite a few suspects when the first victim falls dead.

Stevenson's novel is extremely well-plotted and I loved his exploration of the dysfunctional Cunningham family dynamics. I read this on a cross-country flight and it made the time pass quickly. Ideally this would be read while curled up in a ski lodge with hot cocoa (unfortunately, not possible for me as I was traveling from Miami to Los Angeles). I never became particularly attached or invested in any of the characters, but this was still an entertaining read and would make a terrific film.

Thank you to Netgalley and Mariner books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was very good and from what is read by the title, very intriguing! The way it was written and had each of the family point of views kept you to your feet wondering what was next!

Ernest was also a hoot and his morals along the story and how it unraveled was amazing!

When I saw this book described as a mash-up of Knives Out, Clue, and Agatha Christie, I knew it would be futile for me to even attempt to pass it up. It definitely lived up to the description and I simply cannot recommend this book highly enough if that description also sounds like your cup of tea! It was such a fun read from start to finish. The book is narrated by Ernest (but call him Ern or Ernie) Cunningham who is heading to a dreaded family reunion at a remote ski resort. He talks directly to the reader throughout the story, informing them that he and every other member of his family has killed someone and then proceeds to present each of their dastardly deeds from the past while dealing with the mystery in the present.

Each chapter focuses on a different family member, though a couple of them make repeat appearances. Ern is a stickler for the rules of the Golden Age mysteries and pledges to stick to them all as he reveals his family's secrets. If you are a fan of mysteries that play fair with the reader, put a modern spin on the Golden Age mystery genre, are slightly tongue-in-cheek in tone, and take the reader on a wild ride along the way, pick this one up as soon as possible and get to reading right away. I, for one, cannot wait for the next one in the series, Everyone On This Train Is A Suspect, to come out in the fall of 2024.

Many thanks to William Morrow and the Book Club Girl Early Read program for the opportunity to read a NetGalley copy of this book prior to its January 2023 release in the U.S.!

I love this book! The fresh, original writing is enough to keep me reading, but it also has an intriguing mystery to solve. This book is going to make its Australian author a big name among American mystery fans.

Everyone in my Family had Killed Someone is a story told from the first person perspective of Ernest as his whole family gathers for a family reunion at a ski resort. When a body shows up dead in a mysterious way, everyone fears the Cunningham curse is rearing it’s ugly head. Can they get through the weekend without more bodies and will the family survive the secrets that are uncovered?

My favorite thing about this book was the writing style. It was so unique and fun to feel like he was actually talking to just you and assuaging your fears along the way. It was a great story with twists and turns that I didn’t see coming at all. The character of Ernest was also one of my favorites I’ve read in a long time. He wants to do right and be moral but how can he when his family is who they are? It’s his own dilemma that he grapples with the whole time. It’s a fun and entertaining read that I loved from beginning to end!

This is a story about family secrets.  At a ski resort, Ernest Cunningham's family is gathering.  From the very beginning, Ernie or Ern as he is often called, reveals that everyone in his family has killed someone, including himself.  When a body is discovered at the resort, Ern, his family, a local police officer, and the resort owner all get caught up in investigating the suspicious death.  And through the investigation, we learn more about the background of the Cunninghams, their complicated history, and the secrets they are keeping from each other as they both try to solve the mystery and figure out what relationship they want with each other.

This is a clever and modern spin on the murder mystery.  The main character identifies himself as an author who writes how-to books about how to write books. In the prologue, Ern asserts he is going to follow the "rules" for mystery stories, which are laid out at the beginning of the book.  This sets the tone for this unusual story, where the main character posits he is telling a true story -- a story in which he is a central participant -- in a way that tracks the golden age of mysteries.  From that moment, Ern regularly breaks the fourth wall to communicate directly with the reader in the guise of the author.  In this way, the book combines creative storytelling, a strong and twisty mystery, and a frequently funny take on family and writing.  I won't say more to avoid spoiling any of the mystery, but suffice it to say that this is quite unlike any other book you'll read this year.

Highly recommended!

A ridiculously fun Australian read, though I was a bit let down by its pacing. I don’t want to give too much away but this was a cozy mystery with a dark side. I would highly recommend for fans of a twisty, mischievous mystery. A fun by the fire read.

2.25/5 stars! I felt that the premise of this book had a lot of potential. However, the writing was flat and boring and didn't keep me engaged with the story. The premise and title of the story were the best parts of it in my opinion, which felt like a huge letdown.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC! This title absolutely drew me and the first two lines really sold this book. A complex mystery with a whole host of unreliable narrators, hidden agendas and a family mystery spanning decades. I really enjoyed the way the narrator, Ernest/Ern, lead the readers through the clues and deaths as they came with each turn causing me to ask if we could even trust anything we knew so far. Despite this being a fascinating premise and some fantastic story-telling. I had some difficulties following the plot at times, there were just so many threads going at once. Overall, a complex but entertaining mystery with a new approach to the classic detective tale.

A true whodunnit mystery with complex interwoven plot lines that do not disappoint. A combination of Knives Out, and Agatha Christie novels, with the dry, comedic, approach of Only Murders in the Building. Definitely a unique read.

The story is Ernie’s retelling, through his own novel, of the events that occurred during his family reunion. Since these events have already occurred, you can assume Enrie to be an omniscient and reliable narrator (if
you choose). Throughout the story Ernie will pause his retelling to speak directly to the reader, offering additional commentary, insights, and clarification. I enjoyed Ernie as a narrator, I found him to be funny,
likable, and true to his word. At the very start of the novel, the reader is shown Ronald Knox’s 10 Commandments of Detective Fiction, which will be heavily referenced throughout the story, and serve as a set of rules for those of us who like to gamify our reads.

A solid 4.5/5, I couldn’t give it the full five stars mainly because the book has a slow start and can be hard to get into at first. This makes sense in hindsight as there is a lot that the reader has to understand in order for the rest of the plot to play out, but it did take me longer than usual to get hooked into the storyline. My advice for anyone reading and feeling this is to stick with it, once the plot picks up, it stays pretty quick paced through to the conclusion, and overall is definitely worth the read.

The title of the book captures your attention immediately and makes you want to read it. It pulls you in. I liked the mystery and the way it was written. At times I was confused because there was so much to unpack, it had me guessing the whole time. Overall I really enjoyed this book and it was a good read.

As can be deduced from the title, Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone is full of fabulous dark humor. Set mostly during a family reunion, this Australian comedic-thriller tells the tale of how each member of Ernie’s family has, in fact, killed someone. You won’t believe it! Except the narrator actually lays it all out for you, should you choose to believe him. With wit and dark humor reminiscent of the movie Clue, this book was interesting from the get-go and hard to put down. Did I mention the twist? There’s a big twist.

A quirky mystery with dark humor that breaks the fourth wall. The narrator Ernest Cunningham is at a family reunion at a ski resort when someone turns up murdered. However, as Ernest explains, everyone in his family has either killed someone or been responsible for a death, starting with his brother Michael who has just been released from prison for killing a man three years prior. As the story unfolds, Ernest introduces each of his family members and how their role plays out in the plot. Throughout this telling, he breaks the fourth wall by speaking directly to the reader and giving details about how this isn't like usual mysteries. The way the book is presented is interesting and works well, although the ultimate reveal was a little confusing and took a couple read throughs to really take in. Readers of slightly darker mysteries or books that break the fourth wall will like this one.

3 1/2 stars

I’ll be honest. This is not my kind of book. I didn’t find it at all entertaining; I did find it incredibly annoying. That’s me. You might find this a great book if you decide to give it a try.

What didn’t I like about it? The characters are at the top of my list. They didn’t seem at all realistic to me. Ernie is a smart alecky, wise-cracking main character/narrator. I disliked him from page one. The other characters I found to be equally annoying and unrealistic. Audrey stands up every time something bothers her? Who does that? Katherine is all-controlling of everyone and everything? I’d never show up for any event she planned. Nope they didn’t work for me.

I was also put off by Ernie constantly breaking he barrier between character and reader. It pulled me out of the story every single time.. It felt like the book was one long stand-up comedy routine. Yes, there’s a mystery or two or three within the pages of the book, but I can find mysteries without all the wisenheimer schtick this book is built around.

As I said, this book isn’t my cup of tea. Do give it a try if you have more tolerance for this type of fiction.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I thank them for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.

I was looking forward to this book and had heard some good things about it but I just didn't care for it. I found I couldnt stay intrested in it. Wasn't a fan of the writing style and couldn't keep the characters straight. 3 stars.

If you are looking for a unique mystery that still knows it's meta and it's be tropes look no farther that Everyone in my Family Has Killed Someone. This was a fun and thrilling novel with twists and turns that were absolutely fantastic.

A fun, quirky fourth wall breaking cozy mystery filled with dry wit and dark humor.
I enjoyed this book immensely, and am looking forward to future books in the series. The author maintained the balance between the 4th wall breaking adding to the story while not seeming cheesy or an unneeded aspect of the story.

If you're looking for the darker side of cozy mystery this is the book for you!



***Thank you to Netgalley and Mariner Books for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. ***

Stevenson has an interesting concept and enjoyable style, but the plot is so complicated it actually becomes hard to follow the various threads. He does tie it all up, but how he figures it all out remains somewhat of a mystery. Because it is so complicated it becomes a bit tedious. But it's also enjoyable because of the characters and the bits of snark. If we were allowed to slice and dice I would give the book 3 1/2 stars.

This was a very entertaining whodunit - it had humor, mystery and family drama. There were a lot of characters to keep track of but the author did a good job of managing them. There were a couple of surprising twists and I like how it was all explained in the end. I definitely will be reading more by Benjamin Steveson. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.