"If you think you don't already know the rules to writing a murder mystery, trust me, you do. It's all intuitive. Let me give you an example. I'm writing this in first person... First person equals survival. Apologies in advance for the lack of suspense when I almost bite the dust in chapter 28.

The rules are simple: nothing supernatural; no surprise identical twins; the killer must be introduced early on (in fact, I've already done that and we're not even through the first chapter yet, though I expect you may have skipped the prelims) and be a major enough character to impact the plot. That last one's important."

An unusual voice, an utterly self-conscious and somewhat unhelpful narrator, Everyone on This Train remains me of Dear Committee Members and the The Thursday Murder Club series. Once I adapted to the voice, I enjoyed it a great deal until the ending which, pun intended, went a bit off the rails.

"Out. Out. Out!' Aaron ushered us into the corridor and shut the door. 'I can't believe you're making me say this, but could you not play games around a dead body?'"

The narrator is Ernest Cunningham, a former pamphlet writer who wrote short pieces on how to write (one of the ironies of the book, of course, being that he hadn't ever written one), until a series of real-life murders befell him. He made the jump to pro leagues, published his 'true-life account' as a book (the first book in this series) and subsequently signed a lucrative contact for a fictional murder mystery. Alas, poor Ernest is suffering from writers' block; fiction is hard.

The plot starts off when Ernest and his girlfriend Juliette are invited to a writers' mystery event, held on a cross-country train (shades of Agatha Christie). Seven murder mystery writers, their various professional connections, and fans all give Stevenson the opportunity to skewer publishing, writers, fans, and the mystery genre. As someone who prefers more sincere narrators, at times it felt excessive. The trick, I discovered, was to accept that Ernest was basically an amusing ass and to realize that no matter what befell him, much like the protagonist of Dear Committee Members, he would probably deserve it.

"His eyes were slightly bloodshot. If I'm honest, he looked like he was coming down off something, and not just a high horse."

I mean that in the nicest possible way, of course, because a lot of the time he is bitingly hilarious; I didn't actually hope he will get murdered. It is just that I learned to embrace the tone by genuinely letting go of any stakes in the outcome.

"I recognized it as the same look Juliette gives me every time we reverse out of the driveway at home. That's not sexist, by the way; I refuse to be the male protagonist who makes snide remarks about his girlfriend's forgetfulness. I mention it because it's a plot point."

I did enjoy the commentary on the industry. I thought the Stevenson did a great job with Ernest's voice although bringing in compassion sooner could make him more nuanced. I do think there could be a little more smoothing out for readers who haven't read the first book, as Earnest makes frequent reference to events as if the reader is in the know.

Stevenson also uses a couple of narrative devices that initially make it challenging to understand what's going on. The book starts with a Program for the (fictional) Australian Mystery Writers' Festival, then a Prologue, which consists of an email from ECunningham, followed by a Memoir, which is the overt commentary about writing a mystery. Oh, and a map of the train and car is included, which I appreciated. The program/email weren't particularly helpful, because I didn't actually know if any of these people existed, and if we were going the reality-based fiction direction, or the strictly-imaginary type. It was excessively confusing, particularly with formatting, and I suspect starting with the Memoir would have been more than adequate.

Overall, entertaining, and once I boarded the train, I found myself excited to pick it up again. In my mind, a bit of tweaking at the engine and caboose and it'd be a five-star ride.

Many thanks to NetGalley for my advanced ereader copy. All quotes are subject to change in final publication but I think give a nice flavor of the voice. And of course, all opinions are my own.

Ernest Cunningham, the most reliable narrator in true-crime world, finds himself in yet another deadly retreat, this time surrounded by fellow writers in this locked train mystery.

After the success of his first novel, based on a true story, Ernest is tasked with writing his second book, but this time it has to be fiction. Cunningham gets invited to the crime-writing festival along with other true-crime writers, editors and fans, hoping this retreat would inspire him to write something that does not include real-life murders.

However, when one of the writers turns up murdered Ernest knows it's his time to shine - to solve this case before it turns into last year's tragedy. But how can you effectively solve the crime when most of the suspects know how to get away with murder?

Whoever said that sequels are not as good as the first installation definitely hasn't read Ernest's story. Full of witty dialogue, hilarious inner monologue of our main character and immersive story "Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect" transfers you right in the middle of the investigation.

Ernest Cunningham is one of my favorite characters of all time and I'm excited to see how his journey continues.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Mariner Books for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Benjamin Stevenson, for the last year, has been on my list of top 5 authors and after reading this book... HE STILL IS!

A good mystery that really kept me going. This is a great weekend read to escape in. Thanks for the opportunity to read as I thoroughly enjoyed.

There's just something about the way Benjamin Stevenson writes, it is witty and blunt. I really enjoyed his first book, but loved this one even more. There were a lot of characters but the author does a good job of defining them to make it easy to tell them apart. I'm awful at mixing up characters, but I felt like I knew who was who and wasn't confused at all.

I love that the entire book takes place on a train and that I had no clue where it was going. Surprise. Then another surprise. Then another one. 🫠 You definitely don't get the feeling that the book was due and he made up a 5 second ending to get it done in time! It's well thought out and makes sense while also not being super obvious.

I look forward to reading more books from this author! Definitely worth a read if you enjoy mystery! (Or just a good book!)

I loved this book just as much as the first one. Ernest is back, this time on a train through the desert surrounded by fellow authors invited for a literary festival instead of his family, and he's desperately in need of inspiration for his next book. Much to his horror (but also relief) someone dies on the train.

I found myself laughing out loud multiple times, and spent a solid hour theorizing about the mystery with a friend. Would definitely recommend for anyone who loves a good mystery.

I enjoyed the authors previous "Everyone in My Family...", so of course I just had to read the next installment of Ernest's adventures! And "Everyone on this Train.." is a very worthy follow-up, indeed! Cunningham's on an Aussie train full of writer's & someone get's whacked, yes! Love me a "locked room" type mystery & the dark humor is also on point! Loved it & recommend - ALL THE STARS!! My sincere thanks to the publisher & Net Galley for the complimentary DRC, my most sincere pleasure to review it!

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC of this book. Benjamin Stevenson has done it again. This is his second locked room mystery (this time on a train). It represents the best of the Golden Age British mysteries, with a dose of postmodern self-awareness to prevent eye rolling or claims of fan fiction. Just like his first novel, the mystery is multi-layered and exquisitely crafted. Even if you figure our a couple clues, you will not figure out the whole thing. To top it off, he is funny. His books are a pleasure to read. Not a word out of place.

I love a book about a book. An entire cast of writers? Even better! Written in the same format and style as Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, this fun and entertaining whodunnit is an excellent sequel to Ernest Cunningham's ski resort adventure. While the author offers some background, I highly recommend reading the first book before starting this one.

As a new bestselling author, Ernest is invited to attend a writer's festival aboard the Ghan train. In addition to (hopefully) gaining notoriety amongst his peers and fans, Ernest hopes this cross-continent adventure will help spark an idea for his next book. Luckily for Ernest (and perhaps unlucky for the other passengers), the amateur detective/writer finds himself amid yet another murderous vacation that soon becomes the focus of his new manuscript.

As expected, the second installment of the Ernest Cunningham series did not disappoint! Stevenson's writing style continues to be engaging, witty, and addicting. I didn't want to put this book down and am so thankful to have the opportunity to read an advanced copy courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me this opportunity!

This was so much fun to read!
It is a locked room mystery . And it was set in a train. I loved this story. It is so easy to read and i was actually surprised by it. I’ve read it in couple hours and loved it.

He’s back! Ernest Cunningham is back in this this locked room thriller, only on a train this time.

Ernest has been invited to a crime writer’s festival, The Australian Mystery Writers Society. The festival is on the Ghan. Six writers have been invited. One being a huge name in the genre, who Ernest is dying to meet.

While on the trip, Ernest is hoping for inspiration as he has a new book to work on. He has been given an advance of $100,000. That alone should be motivation enough right. This time it’s supposed to be fiction, which he is hesitant to write.

When one of the authors has been murdered, everyone becomes a suspect. Who did it and why?

One thing I enjoy about Ernest is his witty banter. The guy is quite funny. However, it just didn’t save this one. I had a rough start and had to keep randomly going back to this. I enjoyed the first one much more.

I’d like to thank Mariner books, NetGalley, and Benjamin Stevenson for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own. Expected publication date January 30, 2024

This was what I was hoping the first in the series would be like! It was quirky and fun. Though there was one small part where it got a little muddy and confusing, it was overall a bit cleaner. I think the author works to try to keep the reader guessing which can be tricky to do without losing them

I've been looking forward to the new book because I loved Everyone in my family has killed someone. The author is a comedian and you can tell by the way he tells stories.
In this book, Ernest is tasked with trying to solve a locked room mystery on a train. Just like in the last book. I got to learn things about Australian geography that surprised me. It would be great to do a literary tour of the places Stevenson writes about.
I love how clever the mystery is, and how many other moving parts are integral to the story. Nothing feels extra though; the story seems organic as is.
Thanks so much to NetGalley for letting me read this

3.5 stars ⭐️

For some reason, I initially had a hard time getting into this one. Maybe, I should have waited for the Audible, because that format really worked for me, with the first book in the series.

Ernest Cunningham survived a serial killer in book one, and lived to write about it-penning his novel, “Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone”.

The book earned him an invitation from the Australian Mystery Writers’ Society to join them aboard the Ghan, the famous train that runs between Darwin and Adelaide. He was hoping for some inspiration for his second book-Fiction this time-as he needed a break from real people killing each other.

Obviously, that didn’t pan out.

Still playing by Ronald Knox’s Ten Commandments of Detective Fiction, written in 1929, this will also be a “fair play” mystery, where the narrator will be RELIABLE, and if you follow the clues, you may solve the crime.

Here is your first clue: the killer’s name will be used 106 times.

There will be six writers on the Ghan- 5 will become “detectives” and one will be the murder victim.

Can you figure out who is who? I didn’t.

Here is one more clue to help you out-with both the first case, and now this one, the case is solved by a piece of punctuation. Last book, it was a full stop. This time, a comma saves the day.

Good Luck solving this very CLEVER crime! 🕵️‍♀️

Expected publication date: January 30, 2024

Thank You to Mariner Books for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

Benjamin Stevenson's books are frequently touted for those who enjoy Richard Osman's mysteries. I don't really understand why in that Osman's works are gentle, cozy mysteries where the key is the relationships between the murder-solving senior citizens and their friends. In contrast, s, Ernest Cunningham is the focal point of both Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone and this new work, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect. Just like in Stevenson's first novel, Cunningham is surrounded by a large, eclectic group but Cunningham is the narrator and the "I" through which all of the events are processed. But that's ok!

Cunningham remains funny with a touch of introspection even if it sometimes comes a little late. And he applies his rules of mysteries to solve the newest murder(s) as a participant in the Australian Mystery Writers’ Society's festival that takes place aboard the Ghan, a famous train shuttling between Darwin and Adelaide, Juliette returns too along with some cameos from Uncle Andy and Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone (the fictional work by Cunningham within the real works by Stevenson, just to keep everything straight). If you liked the first book, you will like the second!

This was so good! I loved the writing style. I loved Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, and I was hoping this was going to be just as good, and it delivered. Loved the character development and the twists and turns.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner books for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.


Pay no mind to "Henry McTavish's" 1 star "ghastly" review on Goodreads - this was another fun one featuring Ernest Cunningham, back for a "locked-room" murder mystery on a train full of mystery writers. I love how this author gives us all the clues and rules upfront but still leaves us guessing until the very end.

I loved the first and LOVED this sequel. One of my favorite literary tropes is the writer acknowledging the reader - in essence making us a part of the story. I got to step into an Agatha Christy-esque thriller with tons of humor, red herrings, and fun.

Ernest Cunningham is back! Having published his first book about the horror he and his family experienced on a family reunion skiing trip, he is now writing about his experience at a crime writers festival held on a train. And not just any train. This is the Ghan, the famous train named after the Afghan cameleers that would carry mail and other essential goods to from rail depots to outback communities in the early 20th century. Transecting Australia from Adelaide to Darwin, the railway is almost 3000 km long. With up to 30 carriages and two engines, the Ghan itself is almost a kilometre long and Ernest’s journey will take four days including stops and excursions at Coober Pedy, Alice Springs and Katherine Gorge.

Ernest is one of six authors invited to the 50th Anniversary of the Australian Mystery Writers’ Festival, along with a group of guests, to be held in several carriages at the back of the train. The biggest drawcard of the festival is Henry McTavish, author of a series of popular murder mysteries featuring a taciturn Scottish detective. Accompanying Ernest is his girlfriend Juliette, who we first met as the owner of the ski lodge where Ernest’s family had their harrowing experience on the ski fields. She has also written a bestseller about those events, but has come along to the festival as Ernest’s guest. Also on the train is McTavish’s publisher Wyatt Lloyd and Ernest’s agent, Simone, who has some undisclosed business of her own to conduct.

The novel is similar to the conversational style of Stevenson’s previous novel (Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone), with everything seen through Ernest’s eyes. This does mean that the other characters are not as fully developed and we know little of their backstories, but we do learn more as the plot moves along and it turns out that most of the writers have met before. Ernest has already told us that some people present have more than one persona and that of the seven writers who board the train, only five will leave alive, one of those will be in handcuffs.

This is just as cleverly written as the previous book, with wit, laugh out loud moments and humorous asides and observations on the nature of writers and festivals. When one of the writers is murdered and the police can not immediately get to the train, Ernest and the other writers become amateur detectives (they are crime writers after all). Although, Ernest drops many clues along the way to point at the murderer and their motives, he is always one step ahead and the final revelations caught me by surprise. If you enjoy meta fiction and Stevenson’s previous novel featuring Ernest, then you will surely enjoy going along on this wild and deadly train trip with him.

Ernest Cunningham is back, baby! This book shot straight to the top of my TBR as soon as I saw this was a sequel to on of the best books I read in 2022, Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone. You don't need to have read the first one to enjoy this one, but somethings will make more sense if you had. Plus, its just a phenomenal book that deserves to be read regardless.

I am a huge fan of locked room thrillers and this was a perfect rendition. It felt fresh and new and had so much humor to it. This whole book makes fun of itself and the layout/timeline of traditional murder mysteries, which adds a whole new level of enjoyment. It's one of those books you immediately want to read again as soon as you turn the last page just to see if you can catch all the little clues sprinkled throughout. And that ending?! Holy smokes! That took a turn I didn't see coming!

This book drops January 30th, 2024 and I PROMISE it will be one of the best books you read of the year! I give this one an easy 5/5 stars!