Admittedly, I had not read the first book of the series prior to reading this one. I suppose if it was Star Wars or John Wick, I would have immediately realized I was drowning in confusion and immediately sought resolution by consuming the lead tome of the series. Stevenson does a great job, however, of ensuring one doesn't have to do this. Granted, more of that "between the lines" wit and (potentially) plot points are available to the wise reader who knows well enough to start counting with the number one, but Stevenson wisely ensures this isn't required by telling the reader, literally telling the reader, this isn't required. Crisis averted. Don't thank me, thank your local literary agent and the wise publishers behind them.

I enjoy murder mysteries more than any other genre. Box checked. I enjoy just enough clues to be able to solve the mystery myself. Check. I enjoy witty dialogue, interesting characters, and a plot that doesn't confuse more than entertain. Check, check, and check.

I do not enjoy being made to feel unintelligent, unobservant, or a first time murder mystery reader. For these reasons, Stevenson's style is not for me. He evidently appeals to a wide audience, as his books sales clearly indicate. He also writes for the seasoned pro, the amateur sleuth, and the monday morning quarterback of whodunnits. The established success of this series alone is evidence enough for one to conclude he knows what he's doing.

And I LOVE tongue-in-cheek comedy. Understated, overstated, can't get enough. But this was just...too much. Quite possibly, the most self-aware murder mystery I've ever read. Just a little (and by a little, I mean an awful lot) too self-aware.

I am glad we were told that ghosts as murderers are against the rules. I hate that.

Special thanks to Mariner Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this entertaining novel.

LOVED LOVED LOVED!!!
I loved Everyone in my family has Killed Someone and I was so excited to see the Ernies' story continue! Written just like the first book, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect is witty, suspenseful, funny (plenty of LOL moments!) and held my attention from the first page!! Loved how Ernie is telling his story to the reader directly, making me feel like he's talking directly to me in the same room. He is a special character and I can't wait to see and hear more of him!! Highly recommend!!!!

The follow-up to Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone brings back amateur sleuth and mystery writer Ernest Cunningham in a witty locked-room whodunnit!

Ernest is on a crime-writing festival aboard a train that crosses part of Australia with other mystery writers when a murder occurs. All the suspects know how to solve a crime, but they also know how to get away with murder.

This was one of my most anticipated 2024 reads, and I loved every minute of it! There are nods to Agatha Christie and other Golden Age Mystery writers, with the murder occurring on a train ride being just the beginning. Ernest abides by Ronald Knox's famous Ten Commandments of Detective Fiction. But these books don't take themselves too seriously, which is fun, and Ernest often breaks the fourth wall. He addresses the reader directly and often humorously with his observations and self-deprecation, even pointing out the strictness with which he is following Knox's commandments. Yet, Stevenson writes his mysteries so cleverly that while he may have Ernest point out the rules to you with one hand, he keeps you guessing with the other.

There is a reasonably large suspect pool of writers, agents, etc., with years of history, rivalries, and secrets. The mystery is solidly plotted and well-paced, with a few red herrings and twists. Ernest is an incredibly likable sleuth who addresses the reader conversationally and is not afraid to admit when he's made a mistake or incorrect assumption or things did not go to plan. It's like sleuthing with a funny best friend who keeps it real and performs all his own stunts. An entertaining page-turner!

Mystery lovers, don't miss this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the #gifted eARC.

Whew this book took me a minute. I struggled getting into it the first 3-4 chapters. I think it had to do with so many characters being explained to me at the beginning. I waited a couple days and dug back into the story. It was a good read once I got into it. Your locked door mystery told by a first person narrator. I did not figure out the killer in the end (sigh). Apparently my detective skills weren’t quite up to par. . Overall a solid 3.5 rounded up to 4 for me.

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

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my e-ARC!

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
❤️ read and loved Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone
🕵🏻‍♂️ love a “fair-play” mystery
🇦🇺 have ever wanted to explore Australia from a train
🚂 are a secret ferroequinologist

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

When the Australian Mystery Writers’ Society invited me to their crime-writing festival aboard the Ghan, the famous train between Darwin and Adelaide, I was hoping for some inspiration for my second book. Fiction, this time: I needed a break from real people killing each other. Obviously, that didn’t pan out.

The program is a who’s who of crime writing royalty:

the debut writer (me!)
the forensic science writer
the blockbuster writer
the legal thriller writer
the literary writer
the psychological suspense writer

But when one of us is murdered, the remaining authors quickly turn into five detectives. Together, we should know how to solve a crime.

Of course, we should also know how to commit one.

How can you find a killer when all the suspects know how to get away with murder?

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

Wow! This book was beyond incredible! While I sadly haven’t been able to read book one yet, I was easily able to catch on to what Ernest was up to in his next adventure. The writing style was a bit odd for me at first because I don’t read a lot of first person, but I quickly became accustomed to it and fell into the story! So many parts had me laughing out loud and I would have highlighted them all had I been reading a hard copy ARC. All I can really say is, grab this mystery! It’s fun, fresh, and full of humor!

This book was an absolute delight - a modern take on a Golden Age mystery with a fourth wall breaking narrator, who is aware, not only of all the rules of good fairplay detective novel, but also that he is writing a sequel. "My publisher tells me," he writes. "that sequels are tricky. There are certain rules to follow, like doling out backstory for both those who've read me before and those who've never heard of me. I'm told you don't want to bore the returnees, but you also don't want to confuse the newbees by leaving too much out...My publisher also warned me to work in enough tantalizing references to the previous book that readers will want to buy that one also, but not to spoil the ending. She calls that "natural marketing."

Well, as one of those "newbees" who has not yet read the previous novel, it worked. If it's half as fun as this one, it's worth a buy, and I ordered it as soon as I put this one down.

Stevenson does a great job playing with the cliches of the genre, while also creating something that is very much it's own book - set on a long train journey that doubles as a mystery writers' convention, with each author specializing in the main subgenres - psychological mystery, forensics, blockbuster, memoir, legal thriller, etc. Our narrator (memoir) promises a completely fair play novel, and it is - in the very literal sense, but he's not above playing a few tricks on the reader.

An absolute great time. Highly recommend.

Benjamin Stevenson follows up his breakout novel Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone with Everyone On This Train Is A Suspect publishing January 30th.

Narratives Ernest Cunningham is basking in the unexpected success of his first book. He has been invited to the Australian Crime Writers Association meeting which is taking place on the Than train traveling through the heart of Australia. He is hoping to find inspiration for a new book while avoiding murders at the same time. Unfortunately for Ernest, homicide is on the docket and once more he is drawn into amateur sleuthing. But murder isn't the only mystery to be solved as his fellow passengers (including several other crime writers) have secrets of their own to be uncovered.

Ernest frequently breaks the fourth wall with the reader to provide clues and insights of the events of the book. This is another wonderful tribute to Golden Age Detective Fiction with a thoroughly modern touch. It's a highly enjoyable read and one of my favorites of the new year.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book.

Benjamin Stevenson's "Everyone on This Train is a Suspect" takes a clever, almost cheeky approach to the classic whodunit genre. Set against the backdrop of a writers' conference aboard the Ghan train, Stevenson crafts a narrative that's as self-aware as it is engaging.

Ernest Cunningham, our protagonist and a crime writer himself, finds himself amidst a bevy of fellow mystery writers when fiction turns to reality: a murder on the train. The concept is intriguing: authors who know all the tricks of the mystery trade now have to apply them in real life. It's a setup rife with potential for both humor and intrigue, and Stevenson delivers on that promise.

While the book's playful self-awareness often charms, it walks a fine line, at times bordering on cloying—a trait that some readers may find somewhat off-putting. Unlike its predecessor, "Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone," which balanced the plot with deeper dives into character dynamics, this novel strips back much of that to focus squarely on the mystery. The result is a story that moves swiftly, though it does take its time to gather momentum.

While the book may not be as twist-laden as some might hope, it doesn't detract significantly from the enjoyment. Stevenson's writing is sharp, and the plot, though streamlined, is still engaging. The book's strength lies in its ability to not take itself too seriously while still delivering a satisfying mystery.

I enjoyed the journey Stevenson took me on but found myself yearning for a touch more depth and a bit less whimsy. The book is a delightful read, but for the next installment, a return to the heart and complexity of the first would be welcome. A little less reliance on its meta-nature and more fleshed-out characters could make Stevenson's next book not just a good mystery, but a great one.

Thank you to Netgalley and Mariner Books for the advance copy.

Loved this whole story! A locked room mystery set on a scenic train ride through the Australian desert? Amazing. I also really love Ernest as our droll narrator throughout.

I hope this series continues!

Omg this book is freaking amazing!!! I snorted laughed, my mouth fell open, I audibly gasped! This is a must read! Don't miss it!

Requested this ARC immediately after finishing Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, and it did not disappoint. Told in the same first person, direct to reader style, our reliable narrator Ernest Cunningham is back at it with this could-be-a-stand-alone novel.

Audiobook narration is excellent, but if you're looking to solve the mystery along with the characters, I suggest reading the print version. There are so many clues that are relayed better in print, and you'll want the ease of referring back to previous chapters.

Recommended for those looking for a fresh narration style with a classic, rules of mystery writing adhering story.

‘Besides, everyone hates sequels:they are so often accused of being a pale imitation of what’s come before’. In this one instance the narrator told us the readers something false.

Benjamin Stevenson’s sequel to ‘Everyone in my Family Has Murdered Someone’ is every bit as good. With the classic feeling of a locked room/scene story in the style of Agatha Christie, this book will keep you guessing and the killer is not likely who think it is!

Aside from an engaging plot, the witty and self deprecating narrator will keep you entertained. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy!

Everyone on This Train is a Suspect is reminiscent of an Agatha Christie story but told in the first person and with more than a touch of humor. It's a locked room - well, a train crossing the interior of Australia - mystery taking place during a mystery writers conference (yes, held on the train, which I found hard to envision). I did not read Stevenson's first book, which might have helped me understand some of his references to it, but in the end I don't think it mattered. This novel is a smart mystery with enough red herrings to keep the reader guessing despite the clues the narrator offers throughout the story. Readers in search of a "light" read with some meat on the bone will be pleased by Everyone of This Train is a Suspect.

First person narrative can be hard to pull off but, for the most part, it works in the Ernest Cunningham books.

Ern sets the reader up with Ronald Knox’s Ten Commandments of Detective Fiction, letting us know that this will be a fair play mystery, nothing supernatural, no “the butler did it” type ending, and assures us that if we follow the clues, we can figure it out

Ern is invited to the Australian Mystery Writers’ Festival. He is excited to be in the company of other writers and is hoping to find inspiration for his 2nd book before his agent loses patience. When one of the writers dies during an author talk, Ern can’t help but investigate.

This was a good follow up to his first book, “Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone:.

What I liked:
*Ern is funny, down to earth, quick with a joke and to point out his own foibles., sometimes bumbling but in a charming way.
*Juliette; I hope we see more of her in future novels.
*The clues are there for you to find.
*It was very cleverly done, with several twists and misdirects.
*The very, very end was a big surprise.

*There were several witty lines in this book, including:
“It’s the trendy thing right now. The Eleven Orgasms of Deborah Winstock, The Five Live’s of Erin O’Leary, The Four Cousins of Barbara Who-Gives-a-Toss.”
And
“I made my way there for a drink too, intending to drown-no, that wasn’t severe enough, waterboard-my sorrows.”

What I didn’t really love:
*While first person narration works for these books, I think it went too far at times and it was a bit distracting.
*So much repetition, like a lot, a whole lot, a lot, a lot.
*Some of the characters weren’t really well defined and I had to keep reminding myself who was who.

3.5 Stars, rounded to 4
Thank you to NetGalley and to Mariner Books for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Mariner Books for providing this ARC for a review.

I read the last thriller mystery by Stevenson, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone. I was unsure about the narrator breaking the fourth wall and addressing the audience so often, but now that I’m on the second book by “Ernest Cunningham” I love his self-referential humor to the mystery genre and writing in general.

In the last installment, Ernest was a self-published writer of rules for mystery novels. He was not a successful thriller writer, but created lists for others to write their own crime novels and published these books online for less than five dollars each. His self-deprecating knowledge of how to commit murder and stage an escape helped him solve a murder mystery in a secluded skiing chalet.

This time, Ernest is on a train across Australia with a group of other mystery writers. A murder is committed and everyone on the train has the knowledge to get away with murder as a celebrated group of writers. It’s a funny dive into the process of writing and how these writers all differ.

Ernest gives you the opportunity to solve the mystery before him, but I’m too lazy of a reader to ever want to beat the writer to their suspect. I just enjoyed the ride through all the twists, red herrings, and obvious nods to classic mystery writers’ capers. It’s not Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, but it’s certainly Christie adjacent.

If you’re a fan of mystery comedy and of the genre, in general, I think you’ll like the style of writing and story. I’d recommend both books.

This locked room murder mystery takes place on a train full of mystery writers, agents, editors, and fans during the Australian Mystery Writers’ Society festival. When someone is murdered, the remaining authors try to solve the mystery.

Sequels are very hard to do and I think Benjamin Stevenson did a great job with this follow-up to Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone. Its much more complex but still entertaining. Without spoiling anything, one of my complaints is just that I wish there had been more character development. Overall I still very much enjoyed this and give it 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for this ARC.

Author Ernest Cunningham's first book, a memoir detailing the time he discovered his family's dark, murderous secrets, was a big success. Now he is working on his second big writing project, a fiction novel. Without any dead bodies around for inspiration, however, Ernest is facing writers block. When he is invited to participate in a writers festival onboard a train traveling across Australia, he accepts hoping a change of scenery will inspire him. When the festival's featured author unexpectedly drops dead, Ernest races to find the killer and to document the experience.

I enjoyed this second installation from Benjamin Stevenson. Ernest Cunningham again plays a straightforward and cheeky narrator, resulting in a mystery with a fresh and entertaining feel. The train setting, onboard the Ghan, provides fun adventure and also the classic "locked-door" element. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy classic mystery tropes that have a bit of a twist told by non-traditional narrators.

Everyone On This Train Is a Suspect is another fantastic mystery novel from Benjamin Stevenson and I believe it is even better than Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone. Stevenson brings more wit and intrigue to this Orient Express style story that continues with his strengths of characters, humor and playing on mystery tropes. I loved this book and I am excited to see where Stevenson goes next!!

I did not enjoy this as much as his first book, it felt like the author was trying to be clever but he failed to come up with the goods. (The ending was farcical!)

Too many characters who were literally introduced in bullet point form in an early chapter and I was confused for the entire story as to who was who and how they were connected. (thus leaving me with little interest as to the fate of the characters!)

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Benjamin Stevenson does it again! The second installment in the Ernest Cunningham series is a triumph. Although the idea of the second book being lackluster in comparison to the first is broached in this novel, it was equally as charming and interesting as Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone.
The atmosphere was well adapted and the characters interesting. I will continue to read this series as long as it is published.