I ADORED Stevenson's first book, and I was thrilled that he wrote a second one about our favorite bumbling accidental detective, Ernest Cunningham. This time it's a tale reminiscent of Murder On the Orient Express, except with much more drinking and much less glamour (in a good way). I don't know what it is with this guy, but murder (and subsequent novels) seem to follow him wherever he goes, and readers are all the more delighted for it. A worthy sequel to a nearly perfect first installment.

3.75

I just finished “Everyone on this Train is a Suspect” and I don’t even know what happened! I mean I know what happened, but it was such a whirlwind.

This is a sequel to “Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone”, which I didn’t remember as much as I thought so I had to go back and brush up on some of the details, difficult since only the audiobook was available from the library and I didn’t know where to start. After that side trip I was back.

Not only is this written in the same voice as Ernest Cunningham, but he tries to make you think that he’ll be delivering the solution to you so easily that you’ll know who did it ahead of time. You won’t. It doesn’t matter that he told you that he would use the killer’s name exactly 106 times (which he technically didn’t do, technically). It doesn’t even matter that he gives updates on the number of times names were used and addresses what he assumes are your assumptions.

I was back-and-forth on this book. I had a hard time getting into it even though a murder on a luxury train across Australia?! I mean, hello!

Finally, I was getting into it, though what was that with the Range Rover and the mines and the Mission Impossible catch up onto the smoking deck? The time passed alone made that impossible. It probably could have been left out. This isn’t really a spoiler because you won’t know what I’m talking about until you get there and it’s not really gonna give you the answer anyway. If anything, it’s a red herring and you know how he feels about red herrings!

My feelings are mixed a little. I was a little slow to the uptake, but I do love a good false narrator á la Anthony Horowitz. This isn’t quite as gruesome thriller like as the first book. Don’t get me wrong, there’s definitely death, but not so much fear and having a hard time going to sleep after reading. It’s definitely worth a read and I mean, Australia! That’s a bit of a niche and it’s nice to have a change of pace, though I don’t know that I cared for all of the effort spent telling us how he’s having a hard time writing the novel and how real life is turning in to a book and how lucky he is. We already know you’re not writing a novel.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for providing an unbiased review.

I don’t really know why this was kind of a miss for me. I had a hard time keeping up with all the characters and their motives while also following our main character’s own inner dialogue. It was still a fun ride (pun not completely intended) but I don’t think it lived up to the first book. But my opinion, thus far, seems to be in the minority so pick this baby up JANUARY 30!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an advanced copy

Metafiction. Definition: “Fiction in which the author self-consciously alludes to the artificiality or literariness of a work by parodying or departing from novelistic conventions (especially naturalism) and traditional narrative techniques.” (Oxford Languages)

Stevenson writes in the first person as Ernest Cunningham, a guy who keeps getting involved in murderous situations. In the first book in the series, Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone, it’s killings at a snowed-in ski resort where his family is having a (less than amicable) reunion. Ernest’s book about that experience was published and he’s now on an author book tour by train from Darwin, at the top of Australia, through the vast desert to Adelaide.

Ern’s been paid a sizable advance for a second book, but he hasn’t got much of an idea of what to write, except that he expects it to be a novel. Even though he used to write tracts about how to write mystery novels, actually writing one is another thing. He makes notes about what he sees on the book tour; a lot of sniping among the writers, agents and publishers, and some sketchy behavior from some of the book tourists. Then a murder occurs and he’s relieved that he can write another true crime book—if he’s not killed or charged with murder himself.

I’ve read some metafiction before, but none more meta as this one. Ernest constantly talks to the reader about the rules of crime fiction and how they apply to the case at hand, gives hints about how this will all turn out and provides sort-of scorecards about suspects as we go along. At the same time, as a mystery it’s full of action, interesting characters, and neck-snapping twists and turns. It’s a hoot.

The good news if you’ve read the first book in the series is that this one is even better. I’m not wild about the schtick of Ernest constantly being insulted by everyone else in the book business, but otherwise this is a terrifically entertaining spoof of all those Golden Age mysteries set on trains.

As someone who loves donning my detective cap, I appreciate the way that these books are written out to entice the reader into participation in solving a murder - it is a fun and unique way of reading! That said, I enjoyed this locked room mystery, set on a train, with a kooky cast of characters, all authors, who’ve spent their careers writing about murder. My favorite scenes were when they came together to try and solve the various murders - talk about too many cooks in the kitchen! It was amusing to read, but I do wish there was a little more depth in the characters themselves, particularly Ern. Fast paced, witty and entertaining!

What a fun read, a nice follow up to last year's Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone. I love how Stevenson takes the mystery genre, tropes and themes and all, and somehow both honors them, gently pokes at them, and makes them fun and fresh (at least for me). Trains, a group of eccentric mystery writers, Ernest's breaking of the fourth wall and winking nudges at the audience and his foreshadowing ... all come together for a fun mystery that holds up and leads for a strong conclusion.
A note to readers... this style might take a minute to get used to, the pacing at the beginning felt a smidge slow, but get into it, it's a fun read and great for mystery fans!
Thank you to Mariner books for the review copy, a definite recommend for fans of the author's previous book, Agatha Christie fans, and for readers looking for something fun, a little different, and pretty fast paced. Great for a snowy weekend or weekend get away and of course I would love to see people on trains reading this and having fun with it.

Once I got all the characters straight in my head, I attempted to guess who did it. I thought I was close a few times and then a twist did me in. Benjamin Stevenson wrote an interesting story of writers and their relationships with others. I never saw the ending coming. Thank you, net galley and Edelweiss and Mariner for this ARC.

Strong 4 stars, wavering between 4.25 and 4.5.

This was, like the first book, an absolute delight. I am not typically a mystery reader—that said, I love the quirky voice of Ernest, the nature of the FairPlay mystery, and the continual winks to form. While I think this dragged slightly in the middle and suffers from being decidedly improved by knowledge of the first book, the ending is worth five stars.

Highly recommended for fans of Richard Osman. I can’t wait to read book three.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy. Everyone On This Train is a Suspect follows on from his Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone. Reminiscent of Agatha Christie, A group of writers, agents, publishers, and fans convene on a rail trip across Australia on The Ghan for the 50th anniversary of the Australia Mystery Writers’ Festival. It’s not long before there is a dead body. Natural or murder? It becomes quickly apparent that murder is the answer and the narrator, Ernest Cunningham, and others, set out to solve it.

It’s fun to see the reasons attendees are there and to watch as the motives emerge. It is atmospheric. The story is constructed using some foretelling by the narrator yet keeps you guessing until the very end. It looks at the creative process, the use of AI, and what’s considered art. “…true art is undervalued, and commercial art can be concocted”. There are with many twists until the denouement. This was a fun read though it took a little while to get going.

What is it about trains that scream murder mystery??? Perhaps this association is just limited to readers 😂 but I swear trains always give me a bit of an eerie vibe.

Amateur sleuth Ernest Cunningham returns with an attempt at writing a second book—fiction this time—and hopes to gain some inspiration while traversing the countryside of Australia on a train for a crime writing festival. He might just get the inspiration he needs when a fellow crime writer ends up dead and everyone becomes a suspect…

If you read Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, you will absolutely LOVE the second installment of Ernest Cunningham—It seems impossible but I like this one EVEN MORE. If you haven’t read the first, do yourself a favor and grab both books, they are such a treat. Stevenson’s writing is so clever, so tongue in cheek, so entertaining, so—perfect.

Cunningham addresses the reader directly so I felt totally immersed in the story and was trying to put the clues together as I went along, but alas, I was foiled again!

Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect publishes on January 30. Thank you to @netgalley and @marinerbooks for the digital ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mainer Books for giving me an advanced reader copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.


Earlier this year, I read Stevenson's previous book, "Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone" because that's a really eye-catching title. I picked it up on audiobook and after what I thought was a slow start, really enjoyed the book. (I was a little disappointed that it wasn't about a family of assassins but it is what it is.)



When I saw the sequel on NetGalley, I immediately requested it because not only did I like Steveson's writing style but I also wanted to catch up with Ern, our (mostly) reliable narrator and protagonist.


Summary according to GJ: Approximately 2 years after the disastrous family reunion of the first book, Ernest Cunningham and his SO Juliette have both written books about their experience. Ernest gets invited to a mystery writers' convention that is taking place on the historical Afghan Express ("The Ghan" as it's often called). Caught between his Imposter Syndrome, writer's block, and the strange atmosphere between the writers, a special guest suddenly dies. Seriously, Ernest hasn't found himself among another murder mystery, right?


Right?


Review: I feel like saying if you liked the first book, you'll also enjoy this one is a copout. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely think it's true but let's go a little bit deeper.


When I saw the sequel on NetGalley, I immediately requested it because not only did I like Steveson's writing style but I also wanted to catch up with Ern, our (mostly) reliable narrator and protagonist. Ern spends a significant amount of the plot assuring the reader that he's not messing with us and that he stumbled over many of the red herrings that tripped us up.


I appreciate that Steveson tries to give the reader a fair shot. I'm the type of reader who will fixate on any small details in a mystery. Which is fun but can be punished by certain writers. Stevenson, however, trims the excess details and will have tallies for a specific thing to make sure you remember. It gives me a more narrow field to focus on so I can actually remember everything and when Ern does his big denouncement, I keep up with him as he goes around the room.


I also appreciate that Ern is an idiot. Not in a "YOU FOOL, THE CLUE IS RIGHT THERE!" type of way but in a "I love you but please get your head out of your butt" way. Part of this book discusses the bittersweet nature of writing a second book. To quote Linkin Park "Even a blueprint is a gift and a curse....Everybody wants the next thing to be just like the first".


The mixture of Ernest's dread of writing a second book as well as his PTSD has Ern on edge for most of the book. It's very understandable from a human prescriptive and even helps you understand the other characters on the train. The treacherous waters of the publishing industry are very much a plot point of the story. The other writers are all kind of Ernest but ones who gave into their cynicism and isolation so seeing our very flawed and squishy hero get out of his own way is rewarding.


(That said, I did reach a point where Ern's stupidity was just too much and put the book on ice for a while. It was like watching dashcam footage where you see the wreck about to happen and you're stuck stomping on your imaginary brakes. That scene was rough but well done to Stevenson for making me feel VERY real feelings.)


In the end, some of the meta stuff occasionally got too much but I really did like this book. I give this book 4.5 stars


"Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect" comes out on January 30, 2024!



TW: Mentions of sexual assault, mention of sexual assault of a minor, suicide, sexual harassment, murder, blood, vomit, handling of a dead body, alcoholism, PTSD

“So I’m writing again. Which is good news I suppose, for those wanting a second book, but more unfortunate for the people who had to die so I could write it.” Here are reasons to read the mystery book:

Australian Train - Aboard the Ghan, an Australian train that runs from top to bottom of the continent
Writers Conference - a group of mystery writers gather for a conference
Sequel - Among them is Eddie Cunningham, who has to write his sequel
Unique - And if you have read the first book by this author, you know how unique his voice is, and that there will be at least one murder

If you have been following my posts throughout 2023, you know that the first book, Everyone in my Family Has Killed Someone, was in my top 5 for the year and I actually read it twice. That being said, this book took me awhile to get the same feel as the first. Same fun author voice, but the cliffhangers are not as great. However, the ending is genius yet again, so it still ranks pretty high for me.

4 stars! Everyone in my Family Has Killed Someone was SO good, that I was both very, very excited, and also a little bit nervous to pick up Benjamin Stevenson's second book — I did not want to be disappointed, and I wasn't!

This time, Ernest Cunningham finds himself on the Ghan, a luxury train traveling Australia from top to bottom, with other writers and guests invited for a mystery writers festival. Just like with the first book, I have to say I've never read a mystery novel quite like Stevenson's. It's impressive that the narrator can tell you exactly what's going to happen, and as the reader, you're still surprised and captivated as the story unfolds. There's also a comedic element that makes it really fun, and the story feels so easy to connect to as Ernest breaks the third wall, speaking directly to the reader and candidly admitting that he's writing this story, telling it as it unfolds. I might be slow to follow, but true to his word, Ernest did give you all the clues you need to solve it yourself! I just prefer the surprise of the reveal at the end :)

I also think Ernest grew a lot as a character in this book! It's a bit more reflective and there's more relationship building. The new cast of characters is fun, and each character is unique and well developed.

Overall, this was really fun! I will definitely be picking up anything else to come from Stevenson, though I would be open and excited to a new narrator.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Collins for a DRC in exchange for my honest review!

I wondered if Stevenson could meet the high standard he set with Everyone in My Family has killed Someone, but he has, and then some. Ernest Cunningham returns to narrate the second book, as one of six mystery authors attending a major Australian conference held, of all places, on a train that’s crossing the country. The writers have history, sometimes contentious, with each other. When one of them is killed, police have five suspects with motives — and they all know how to mislead the cops and get away with murder. I love the humor and the sharp portraits of a bunch of flawed and competitive authors. Highly recommended to readers who enjoy a quirky mystery that doesn’t fit the standard mold.

Ernest Cunningham has returned. Who doesn't go into a sequel of a beloved book without a healthy does of trepidation? I certainly do. But do not fret, Everyone on This Train is a Suspect hits it out of the park securing my admiration for author, Benjamin Stevenson. He has done the impossible. Book Two has lived up to Book One, Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone.
Ernest Cunningham, the accidental solver of crimes, once again is besieged with dead bodies and a seemingly impossible book to write. This outing has Ernest on a touring train which is hosting an annual Book Festival. Sounds good except for the attending authors have history with one another and a great disdain for the work of Ernest. Ernest is insecure in his place amongst his literary heroes and experiencing writer's block at the same time.
When one of the author's is found dead, Ernest once again is forced to break the 4th wall of writing to bring us, the readers, into his world. And, his world is an amazing plot and twists and clues that all neatly come together for a smash ending and epilogue. All of this is to say, Ernest is one of my favorite characters out there and he just gets better.

Thank you to Mariner Books and Netgalley for access to an early e-copy. All opinions are my own.

huge thanks to netgalley & mariner books for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

What an absolute joy! I'm so happy with this sequel and it really cements Stevenson's Ernest Cunningham series as one to watch. You've definitely got to read the first one. While the mystery here isn't connected to the mystery in Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, Ernest's narrator voice is so specific it is worth the introduction. So definitely go read that if you haven't already. I can wait.

Okay, now that you've read the first book we can continue. One of my favorite facets of the first book was the way in which, underneath the novelties of the narrator style and some very funny writing, there was an emotionally resonate story about how Ernest connects with his family and experiences grief. I love that Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect continues that and, without being overly beholden to the previous book, naturally considers how he would have been impacted by the events depicted there. (I kind of want the next book to somehow be about Ernest going to therapy...)

Similar to the first, this is a mystery through and through. There's a lot of affection for the genre here and for writing in general. (I was especially amused by the references to Goodreads!) If you are a reader that enjoys trying to puzzle out a mystery, I think you'll like a lot of the elements in this series, especially this book. I typically don't try to puzzle it out, but found myself pulled into coming up with theories and trying to fit the various pieces into place.

I would easily recommend this. I will definitely get the next in the series. This is one of those series that will become the frame of reference for books published in years to come. As an aside - I also think the audiobook is probably really cool to read. Get that Australian accent really coming through!

What a trip (pun fully intended!). I may be one of the few readers left on Earth who hasn’t read Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, but that fact did not hinder my enjoyment of Stevenson’s second work of meta-fiction. With delightful callbacks to the Golden Age of mysteries, this is a delightful and playful romp through a locked room mystery. The characters are nicely realized, and the author shows a real flair for painting a scene. There were moments where I was sure I was on the Ghan alongside him! I would highly recommend this read, even if you haven’t Stevenson’s first work. I’m certainly thankful I was approved for this ARC from Mariner Books – not only did I enjoy the read, but I’m pretty sure I discovered one of my new favorite authors!

Loved it and amazing as a follow-up, feel the author navigated and regarded it as a sequel in great ways. The self-aware style remains on point (and if you haven’t read book one yet, you should), it’s almost annoying how insightful the commentary is on people, books, and the story itself. The few sentences on authors, popularity/sales, and talent/authenticity was particularly apt.

And it’s also wildly entertaining. The cast of characters filled in a variety of writer/publishing caricatures, but in a good and thoughtful way. The interactions are varied degrees of fun, funny, frustrating. I could guess some things but I also just wanted to see it play out and discover all the hows and whys.

I only had a couple issues which I won’t detail since it’s all spoilers but boiled down to the genre tropes we saddle on women. It’s still far superior to most murder-mysteries I’ve read and I highly recommend this series. I am a huge fan and can’t wait to see if another believable addition can be added to this series. I hope so.

CW: Mentions of child molestation and adult rape. Murder and death. Violence.

This was a fun read! I did struggle to keep all the characters straight, but it eventually sunk in. I was not able to guess the murderer, even with all of Ernest's clues ;)

The premise was great while the execution proved confusing. As I read this book I thought, more of a draft for a screenplay than a book so I wasn’t surprised that the earlier title by this author, which I didn’t read, was picked up by HBO. I didn’t care for the narrator, the number of suspects confusing. I know it was purported to be like an Osman book however except for the attempt at “breezy” writing ✍️ don’t see the comparison. Definitely didn’t live up to the hype.