I have seen this book all over bookstagram and I am happy to say it has lived up to the hype! This book was amazing and hands down one of my favorite books of 2022. Even though I have a digital copy, I'll be buying a hard copy to re-read at a later date.

The title really grabbed my attention from the start, but it was Ernie's narration that really sold this book for me. Ernie was such a fantastic character. The way he told the story had so much humor and he poked fun at how thriller novels are written (he writes how-to books on how to write a thriller). He divulged enough information for it all to be important, told us that information was important, and then later circled back to it. It was just such clever writing and done in such a great way that you knew a lot of thought went into the writing of this book. He reminded me a lot of the detectives on Knives Out (I know, another reference to this movie, but it's so true) or Robert Downey Junior's Sherlock Holmes.

It was so much fun to dive into this book and try and figure out how each member of the Cunnigham family has killed someone. I won't say anything more about this, as each family member's back story is slowly revealed throughout the novel, but it was just so well done.

If I haven't already given you enough reason to go read this book, I'll just come out and say that you need to go read this book! If you love a good whodunnit book, this one will be perfect for you!

I adored this book. The narrator slowly introduces you to his whole family, and you bit by bit learn their backstory... everyone has a secret, or a big bad thing in their past. My favorite part is how he actually TALKS to the reader and basically gives them a secret wink here and there. It's so engaging, and such a refreshing reading style. I really enjoyed this book!

Ern (Ernest) Cunningham is reluctantly joining a family reunion at a ski resort when we first meet him. An author whose books include a book listing the Commandments to follow when writing a classic mystery, he introduces his family, each a killer, chapter by chapter as bodies pile up. I enjoyed the dark and snarky humor and the way the story was told, although I did have to stop to take an occasional breath and run through some of the plot lines to straighten them out in my head. Fortunately, Ern did this for us, addressing us, the readers, with short recaps scattered here and there. Also, although I only followed a few, the kindle version allowing you to click on the ‘here, here, and here’ and be taken to the page being referenced was unique.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy. Sit down and enjoy it when you have some time without distractions, and a nice cup of hot chocolate.

*Thank you to @netgalley & Harper Collins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I have some thoughts on this book, so I'm going to break it down by what I liked and what I didn't like.

What you need to know: The narrator of the book is an author and he's writing a book telling his side of events.

What I liked:
💀 It's a classic whodunit murder mystery.
💀 Literally everyone was suspicious.
💀 It had some sarcastic funny moments that I enjoyed.
💀 I didn't accurately guess the final killer! I like when you keep me guessing.
💀I thought the writing was great and enjoyed the final outcome and wrap-up.

What Didn't Work For Me:
☠️ The narrator kept "breaking the fourth wall" and talking to me, the reader. Until I was able to ultimately accept that writing choice, it kept taking me out of the story.
☠️ When he would "talk to me" he'd reference past or future chapters or even page numbers and again, it was driving me insane. I wanted the story to keep moving and I felt like we kept having to halt.

I'm so glad that I decided to read an advance copy of this book thanks to the publisher and Netgalley. I thoroughly enjoyed this unique book. Not only is it a clever mystery, but it also has wonderful humor which made it more entertaining than more typical mysteries. I liked the role the narrator played being an author who has written how to books on writing mysteries, and I found his periodic recaps very amusing. It reminded me a bit of Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village combined with a locked room mystery. I was not familiar with the author, but I intend to read his previous books and look forward to his next. I highly recommend this book.

Weird way to write a book, but I think the author actually pulled it off. I think it speaks to the quality of writing when you can guess the plot twist and find that it does not detract from your enjoyment of the book at all. There are some books you read where you just know that it would make a fantastic movie, and this is one of them!! Honestly, I’m only knocking a star off because I was so confused for the first 50 or so pages that it took me to figure out that I was reading a book of a book. Very meta!

This locked vacation family murder mystery brings together a unique cast of characters and their baggage to a skin resort where the bodies start piling up! Equal parts dark and humorous, the way the author broke the third wall kept me both invested and delighted. This read like a cozy in some parts, but provided moments of family drama and the macabre that will keep most murder mystery fans entertained.

We meet Ernest “Ern” Cunningham, a writer, as he arrives at the ski resort chosen by his aunt to hold a weekend family reunion. But this is no ordinary reunion, just as Ern’s family is no ordinary family: Ern has warned us right at the start of the book that everyone in his family has killed someone. As he introduces each of his relatives, the weather at the resort starts to deteriorate and dead bodies start to pile up.

This was a smart, fun read. The author delivers his story in a conversational and sometimes darkly humorous tone that immediately drew me in. The plot is intricate and requires the attention of the reader. In fact, I had to go back to reread some passages to find the clues that I had missed. Ern is a likable character (for the most part) who has proclaimed himself to be a reliable narrator, making me feel highly suspicious of him at times. The ending was unexpected although I had an inkling of the identity of one of the characters, and there was an instance where Ern’s conclusions did not seem supported by the information given. Overall, an interesting, different read that is sure to appeal to fans of themes of complex murder mysteries, dysfunctional family, and dark humor.

Thanks to NetGalley and Mariner Books for providing me with a free digital copy to review this book prior to its release.

#EveryoneinMyFamilyHasKilledSomeone#NetGalley#bookstagram#booktrovert#booklover#netgalleyreviewer#bookstagrammer#bookreviews#goodreads#netgalleyreviews#bookshelf#booknerd

Very disappointing effort from Stevenson about a family with a lot of death in its history gathering at a mountain lodge for a family reunion while the main character, Ern, tells the story of what happened on the trip (several deaths) and the aftermath as part of writing a book on the event. There's a whole lot of buildup for what ends up mostly a muddled mess, with Ern somehow figuring out the whole mystery in, like, five minutes. Yeah, ok. Some of it isn't even properly explained, with questions left as to certain events. One twist was rather easy to see coming, and one is just plain silly (yet Ern somehow figures it out with very little to go on). Just didn't buy the resolution. Interesting characters are here but they're wasted in the telling. This is one of those books that thinks it's a whole lot cleverer than it really is. Despite the issues, it wasn't a bad book until it unraveled in the second half. Interesting setup but rather lacking in the execution. Two stars is probably generous but, oh well, I've read worse mysteries. Thanks to Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone very much. It was a well crafted nod to the early mystery novels of the 1930s. The inclusion of Knox's rules of mystery as well as the Detection Club's membership oath were delightful. Ernest is an unreliable narrator who believes he is reliable. He insists from the beginning that he will follow Knox's rules for laying out the story and playing fair, giving the readers clues as the narrator comes upon them, he holds some. The first chapter where his wife's story comes up is passed over for much later in the tale. She didn't kill anyone, though she thought she did. It really is a tossup as to whom is responsible for the last death in the family. While the story didn't end quite like I expected, it was well done if a bit tedious at times.

The summary of this book compares it to Knives Out, and I'd say it definitely doesn't disappoint. From the pov of the narrator Ernest, family outcast and small time author, readers get a wild story full of gangs, various murders, a mysterious 267,000 dollars, and, as is often stated, 'spy shit.' The story actually starts three years earlier, when Ern's brother Michael comes to him late at night asking for help to bury a body. Fast forward to now, and the family is planning a reunion at a remote ski resort to celebrate Michael's release from prison. Of course, more murders happen. The way this book is written was great, I liked the narrator as both a narrator and a main character, it made for a lot of chances to be sneaky with the plot while also completely blurting out spoilers for upcoming scenes. The mystery is solved in a huge exposition scene detailing the methods and motives (much like in Knives Out and a slew of other similar stories), but I didn't mind it as much because it helped tie a lot of the random details together. The ending was well foreshadowed while still being a twist (for me). Ernest is right, he told us exactly what happened, but the way the story unfolds still held plenty of suspense and surprises.

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone was a confusing story at the start. I was not sure I would like it but as the story took hold it proved very good. It centers around the Cunningham family with Ernest (Ernie) Cunningham as the narrator of the story and a murder 25 years ago. The two stories intertwined.

The story opens with Michael, Ernie's brother arriving at his house with a body of Alan Holtan in the back of his car which they take up into the hills and murders. There is a bag of money on the floor. Michael is convicted and sent to prison. Three years later his aunt, Katherine sends out invitations to a Cunningham/Garcia family reunion at the Sky Lodge Mountain Retreat ski resort which everyone is expected to attend. Ernie is on the outs as he was the one who testified against his brother. The family consists of his aunt Katherine and her husband, Andy Millot, his mother, Audrey and her husband, Marcello Garcia, step-sister, Sofia, a doctor, ex-wife, Erin and Michael's ex-wife, Lucy. They all arrive at the resort for the reunion. They are all staying in different small chalets. Ernie's is at the very end, He awakes the next morning and sees lots of people and police lights on the hill near his chalet. There is a dead body which is taken to a shed as there is a storm coming. The policeman is Officer Daris Crawford, Michael arrives at the resort in a moving truck along with Erin. Upon his arrival he is arrested by Officer Crawford and put in a dry room. Juliette is the owner of the resort. Sophia has made two bingo cards for her and Ernie about the family reunion.

The story goes back and forth between the present and the past. There is so much about the past that is hard to put all on paper. I will leave this to the reader. Much also happens in the present that I will also let the reader read. Ernie's narration helps the reader follow both stories. There are two other murders, Michael and Lucy which Sophia thinks is the work of the serial killer, Black Tongue. The story builds up to an exciting climax with a surprise ending.

Once I got into the story I really enjoyed it. It is filled with espionage, murders, a coffin, a picture above the fireplace, betrayals and most important the Bingo cards.

Thank you NetGalley, Mariner Books and Harper Collins Publisher for this ARC.

Sometimes when you can't follow along the plot of the book, it's important to remember it might not be you, the reader, who is at fault.

Still, the egregiously wordy wrap-up at the end helped a lot.

Okay y’all. I will be recommending this to EVERYBODY. First, I want a copy for my bookshelf because the cover is incredible.

"Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone" was a fun read. The book had many twists and turns, including one major one that I did NOT see coming! There was one major plot element that seemed rather far-fetched, however the author made it work. The characters were all fairly well-developed given the nature of the narrator revealing more and more about each character's backstory as the book progressed.

I would definitely read more from this author!

(NetGalley provided me with an advanced reader copy of the book and I am not being compensated for this review.)

I couldn’t get into this book. I had no interest getting to the end so I gave up. I have a hard time reading books when I don’t like the narrator. There was something annoying about the way it was told- might be because the character wrote a how to book on writing books and he talks about it. Either way, I’m skipping this one.

I really wanted to enjoy this book as the synopsis sounded great, but I just couldn’t get into it. I found the main character grating and annoying so I really didn’t care about home at all. I think that some people will love this book - it just wasnt for me

What a interesting page turner. As someone who loves a good mystery with lots of Easter eggs and chapters that end on needing to read the next page to find out more, I couldn’t put this book down. Ernest and his family have all committed murder or been Addie with crimes, how will it all come to a head and be exposed? This is a great read if you like Clue or Knives Out, you will be guessing til the last page. Enjoy! One criticism is I am one who this genre is meant for, but if you don’t enjoy mysteries, I can see this being hard to follow.

Thank you NetGalley for my free ebook :)

A follow the clues mystery with a whole lot of snark and an unreliable narrator. Other reviewers found this novel funny, but I thought it was more snarky than humorous. The tone sort of killed my interest, TBH.

Halloween 2022 Read #20

"Do you promise that your detectives shall well and truly detect the crimes presented to them using those wits which it may please you to bestow upon them and not placing reliance on nor making use of Divine Revelation, Feminine Intuition, Mumbo Jumbo, Jiggery-Pokery, Coincidence, or Act of God?"

Witty, clever, entertaining, and quirky. Cheeky, snarky, irreverent, and snappy. An instant classic in the whodunit humor section.

The Cunningham's are having a reunion and, you guessed it, there's a mysterious murder. Gasp. The narrator is part of the fam as well as a how-to-write-mysteries author. He sets out to solve the case but . . . everyone in his family is a suspect. They've all killed before. Not to mention, despite his many claims to being honest and reliable, he's neither.

A must read!