I received an Advanced copy from NetGalley.

I'm going to jump right in and say I really enjoyed this book. I bought the first one when it came out, but hadn't read it yet so I was a little nervous going into this one first.

The narrator is Ernest Cunningham and he makes a promise right away that he won't spoil anything from his first book. He published a book from the events of that occurred in the first book and he was invited to participate in a Writers' Festival that was taking place on the Ghan, a famous train that travels from one end of Australia to the other.

Things go south and someone dies and, in a great Murder on the Orient Express pattern, pretty much everyone on board has a motive.

What I really like about this book is that it is basically a constant fourth wall break. You're not just reading from the perspective of the character, you're more involved. There are loads of breaks where Ernest stops to engage the reader and is basically having a conversation with you.

I would also say that my favorite parts about this are the times when it's pointed out to Ernest and others trying to solve the murder that they are writers and not detectives. I feel like I don't see that too often in murder mysteries even when the main character isn't an actual detective or otherwise have a career that would have them dealing with crimes.

There was one part in this book that I felt slightly deviated from the overall tone during the big revealing climax, but overall, I give this a 4.5 out of 5.

So I would say that if you like murder mysteries and the occasional silliness and lighthearted tones, and if you read the first book, read this one when it comes. If you haven't read the first book, but still like murder mysteries and lighthearted silliness, give it a chance.

Everyone on This Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson releases on January 29, 2024 and is published by Mariner Books. Happy reading!

Ernest is back, this time on a train, and there has been a murder....

Poor Ernest can't get a break. People seem to be murdered around him. Coincidence? The Australian Mystery Writers’ Society has invited Ernest and other authors onboard the Ghan, the famous train between Darwin and Adelaide. It's a time for networking and for Ernest, hopefully it will provide him with inspiration for writing his second book.

When one of the authors is found dead on board, fingers get pointed as everyone on board is a suspect. Who wanted him dead the most?

This is a locked room/locked train mystery with Ernest telling readers what is happening and what his thoughts are. I struggled with this book initially. I kept looking for other books to pick up and read. I enjoyed Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone more than this one. I was invested in the story enough to want to know whodunit. I enjoyed how Ernest broke things down at the end and exposed the motives and secrets of the other authors. I did not see the reveal coming at all. That was a shocker.

Although I enjoyed this book, I didn't love it. Most are enjoying this book more than I did, please read their reviews as well.

Well written whodunit

Ernest is back! Reluctant author and reluctant narrator solves a mystery with too many clues and too many suspects. Struggles between imposter syndrome and feeling as if he is the main character made this one fully relatable. Great humor and nice homage to the great mystery writers of the past.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Everyone on This Train is a Suspect.

Ernest Cunningham is back...and he's still annoying.

After the success of his first book and dealing with imposter syndrome, Ernest is invited to a crime-writing festival hosted by the Australian Mystery Writers' Society aboard the Ghan, a famous train.

What could possibly go wrong since no murder mysteries have ever taken place on a train before?

Yes, it's another locked room mystery but set on a train. And you know what, it wasn't that bad!

I prefer mysteries just like this, with clues dropped here and there, forcing the reader to pay attention most of the time and the detective (or Ernest) explaining how he solved the crime by referencing the tidbits and clues mentioned earlier.

There are no ridiculous revelations and twists that come out of left field that make no sense.

Some of the revelations I did guess, but as I often say, I read a lot of mysteries. It's pretty much all I read!

Most of the characters are unmemorable, and Ernest is once again his annoying, irritable self. For someone who doesn't hold himself in high regard, he sure is snotty and acts like he's the smartest person in the room.

I'm not a fan of the fakemance between him and Juliette; there's no love and chemistry between them and I wished she had a bigger role in his life. But then, this is Ernest's show, right?

Most of the male characters were deplorable and unforgettable, and just a reminder of how patriarchal the publishing industry (and every other industry) is.

I did enjoy the mystery, though the pacing was slow in getting there since exposition and background needs to be established for all the key players.

I did like the ending so I guess Ernest will be back. I'll read the third book if NetGalley is kind enough to grant my request.

This book was splendid! Funny, conforting, clever and all nice things would probably fit as a description.

I didn’t read the first book of this duo - everyone in my family has killed someone - before picking this one up to read (which, my mistake! will read it asap) but the sequel made me realize i desperately want to! This style of writing was SO FUN! The way Ernest connects with the readers as he tells the story, having us play along trying to find out who was the killer, fair play and all with the set of rules he places in the beginning and keeping a tally of how many times he said the name of the murderer… Everything was so interesting and made me want to keep going and never stop!

This book is very aware of itself, making it known that the author knows sequels are usually not great, but this one definitely beats all the allegations. Also, the mystery was great. Kept me on the edge of my seat so many times and the breaking of the fourth wall was very very captivating. As an added bonus, it was incredibly funny! I cannot count how many times i laughed out loud reading it - what i CAN tell you is that i annotated variations of LOL and LMAO at least 20 times during the book.

Side note: the book/author WILL try and help you discover who's the killer, as i previously stated. It's a fair play mystery, so he will give you clues and little tells if you really pay attention. That said, i did not find out who it was until the midst of the revelations. Annoying as hell but not the writer's fault at all. All this to say that even if you have no idea who did it, you'll have the time of your life trying to beat Ernest and the others to it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in advance of publication in exchange for an honest review.

Cleverness at its finest! I really enjoyed Stevenson's first novel, but this sequel is even better. I can't even begin to express how much I loved it! The use of the first-person narrative is so eloquently done with Ernest. A perfect mixture of humor and mystery solving. I loved all of the clues and asides that he incorporated into the story. As an avid thriller and mystery reader, I can usually guess how things are going to go, but even with all of the little insights and easter eggs leading up to the big reveal, I still had no idea who done it. My mind was blown at the end. I missed so many clues!! This book is definitely next level and Stevenson is a genius! Add it to your TBR list and preorder now! I promise you will not be disappointed.

Side note: I hate that dang Oxford comma!

Thank you to the author, Mariner Books, and NetGalley for granting me digital access in exchange for my honest review!

“Sequels aren't always a disappointment, you know. Sometimes a second go at things is exactly what you need. A chance to fix up the mistakes you made the first time around.”

Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone was one of the books that stood out the most to me last year. It was fun, witty, full of dry and literal humor that matched my own perfectly. I have said many times before, I am a sucker for any Agatha Christie retelling. But Benjamin Stevenson is the pro. There will never be anyone who does it better.

Everyone On This Train Is A Suspect is probably the best sequel I’ve read. Think of the scene in Scream 2 when Randy and the rest of the film studies class talk about how sequels usually suck, and then they proceed to name sequels that are often better than the first. Everyone On This Train Is A Suspect is just that, it’s even better than Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone, and I did not think that book could be topped.

EOTTIAS (it’s too much to type out, and I’m lazy) is the perfect deconstruction of a classic mystery, and it often breaks the fourth wall. This offers such a fun and unique reading experience. I want more of Ernest - but I don’t want Benjamin Stevenson to get stuck in the same trap (opal mine shaft??) his authors from EOTTIAS. He doesn’t have to write Ernest into a dozen more mysteries just to appease us, and then resentfully desire to kill Ernest off so he can go and write some literary fiction in the way of fictional author, Paul Sheldon. And I promise I will never be Annie Wilkes or Brooke.

But please, also be serious about Life, Death and Whiskey.

This book is a mystery/thriller with different point of views from the characters and beautifully written. The timelines were also very well written.

I read this book in a day and I never looked back! The twist and the plot were pretty easy to identify but the different POV's kept me intrigued to see how everything was going to unfold. A couple of the characters were so unlikable that it made it hard to feel bad or connect with them in any way. I do wish that the ending would've given a little more, I wanted to know how the characters dealt with the aftermath.

Overall I give this 5 out 5 because it really was a great book and I will definitely read more from this Author. I enjoyed the thrill of the plot and its twists.

*I received a copy of this eARC via NetGalley*

I came into this story rooting for Benjamin Stevenson, but I left it with a bad taste in my mouth.

In this book, we meet up with Ernest on his trip aboard the Ghan for the Australian Mystery Writers’ Society’s annual festival. From the first words of his witty epilogue, it felt like coming back to an old friend.

Of course, it’s not an Ernest Cunningham book without a bit of murder and mystery. So, when one of the writers on the train ends up dead, we have a collection of suspects to investigate- all writers, agents, editors, and fans with a love for murder.

Benjamin Stevenson weaves such an intricate web of clues, and he has an attention to detail that elevates the reading experience for amateur sleuths. Although his character development lagged and lacked a bit in this novel, his play with the fourth wall pulls you in enough to forgive those faults.

[Spoilers ahead. TW: sexual assault]

However, what isn’t forgivable for me, is the way he uses violence against women and children. Quite frankly, it is just lazy for a writer, especially a male writer, to throw sexual assault into a story in order to create quick conflict- designating both a villain and a vengeful victim with very little nuance or commentary about power. And he does it twice!

He then pits two women against each other, partly over a sexual assault that one of them experiences, without much depth into the social dynamics that create this kind of internalized misogyny. For a writer so practiced in detail work, he took a surprisingly cheap route in the way he applied SA as a tool to advance his plot.

I’m going to give the author the benefit of the doubt, because I don’t think it was his intention to portray SA so haphazardly. I truly love his writing style and will read his next book in hopes that there is someone on his team communicating the real-world implications of writing such a triggering subject without due respect.

3.75 stars rounded up to 4 stars

My sincerest thanks to Mariner Books and NetGalley for this arc. I screamed in joy when I received this ebook, because I’ve been looking forward to it since the moment I finished Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone.

In this book, Ernest Cunningham said that ‘second books are hard’ and sometimes aren’t received as well as the first. However, Everyone On This Train Is a Suspect, proves to be the opposite. I found this second Ernest Cunningham story captivating. Even more so than the first book. I was literally on the edge of my seat the entire second half of the book. The dialogue and witty tone of this book is truly refreshing in the realm of suspense and thrillers. Every chapter I was second guessing myself as to who I believed the killer was. And to be honest, I did NOT anticipate the ending at all. Absolutely well done!! I can’t wait to listen to this as an audiobook.

I received an ARC of this book from Mariner Books via NetGalley. Thank you!!

Absolutely a blast to read!

During a Mystery Writer's Festival that takes place on the Ghan, a train that travels the Australian outback from Darwin to Adelaide, bodies begin to drop. Good thing the train is full of professionals.

Professional murder mystery writers, that is.

Back with our main protagonist, Ernest Cunningham, we once again find a dead body (or two...) on our hands.

With a fun and unique voice, this locked door, meta murder mystery, is a blast to read from front to back.

With each mystery writer attending the festival having their own sub-genre specialties (legal thriller, forensics, "popular"), we are able to see how different mystery sub-genres approach the murder, evidence, and suspects, allowing for fun and fresh perspectives throughout the book.

I love the rules that Stevenson/Cunningham adheres to throughout the book. I've been burned by "oooh it was actually a ghost the whole time" one too many times. I appreciate the dedication to the good ole fashion murder mystery rules (while also avoiding "the butler did it" trope).

I will definitely be waiting (impatiently) for the next installment in this series!

Thank you NetGalley and Mariner Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I hope these books keep alternating with the Thursday Murder Club as they come out. These series are like my summer and winter Olympics and I'm obsessed.
I thought that the first would be soooo hard to follow up (especially as it is a little gimmicky), but I think I liked this one even more.

"Everyone on This Train is a Suspect" was a 5 star read for me. It had such a unique and ingenious premise, this novel takes the traditional murder mystery and turns it on its heads, offering a fresh perspective on the genre that will leave you captivated from start to finish. There is a diverse group of characters, each with their own unique skills and secrets, adding layers of complexity to the plot. As the amateur sleuths attempt to unravel the murder, they not only reveal hidden truths about their fellow passengers but also uncover the shadow depths of their own expertise. The psychological depth and character development are truly exceptional. The novel's exploration of the fine line between crafting crimes in fiction and solving them in real life is a thought-provoking element that sets it apart from the usual murder mysteries. It challenges the boundaries of storytelling and reality, making the narrative all the more intriguing. The pacing of the book was pretty fast-paced. Each chapter had new clues and surprises that keep you guessing until the very end. The plot is rich in twists and turns, making it a page-turner.

Wonderful wit & I loved the breaking of the 4th wall. The anticipation was real!!

Thank you NetGalley for this fabulous EARC!!!

This sequel is just as funny and charming as its predecessor.

I love Ernest’s narrative voice and the way that this novel feels like something from the Golden Age of detective fiction.

I thoroughly enjoyed the premise of crime writers at a literary convention on a remote train journey.

I read a lot of mysteries and I’m usually pretty good at guessing the solutions. I figured out the biggest side plot, but I did not correctly guess the murderer or the motivation here. I did feel like the solution made sense and had the proper clues to back it up, so it didn’t feel like it came out of nowhere just to get ahead of the reader.

I really hope that Stevenson writes a third book in this series!

Yes I know I rated it a 4* but upon re-reading some parts I just couldn't give it that extra star. A 3* doesn't mean it's a bad book, just that it wasn't really the right fit for me. I don't think I'll remember it a month from now!!

PROS:
*The setting of the train and the descriptions of Australia were wonderful

*The second half of the book did pick up pace and the ending was a twist I hadn't quite figured out

*There are fewer characters in this book than the last one

CONS:

*The first person narrative, that this author favors, grew tiresome. I know that he is a stand up comedian and I can see him pulling this off in person. Maybe a play?? Don't know but he is a
tiresome narrator.

*Repetition was rampant throughout

*There are fewer characters - but they really aren’t very well described. We know them as authors, publishers, etc and by their actions on the train and that’s about it

*The ending was a bit over the top and felt rushed

I think if you loved “Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone” you will probably enjoy this one also.

I hope that this author’s next book will feature a different format. First person narrative is very hard to pull off. I enjoyed Juliette’s epilogue which was fun. I would have enjoyed reading more from her as a second narrator.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to reed and review this title.

Expected publication date is January 2024.

I was excited to get an early copy of the second book in the Ernest Cunningham series. I enjoyed the first book in the series and thought it was very original. Unfortunately for this one, the schtick of the first grew stale and it didn’t quite hit for me. Ernest’s narration was a little too coy and “I’m so clever” that he was just obnoxious. Despite all the mystery rules he professes to write by, it seems like the best way to predict the identity of the murderer is to look for the only person who doesn’t have any motive and barely any description and pick them. I even took notes while reading this to keep all the characters straight. With one tiny clue and this method, I was able to guess the culprit in this installment. And finally the ending reveal scene was fun, but then it just went off the rails (pun intended) as far as believability goes and that took it down a notch for me. Overall I can’t give it a five star “tremendous” and I don’t think it deserves a one star “ghastly,” but I’m giving it a solid 3.5 stars.

I was excited to read this book after reading the first book. This one didn't feel as exciting as the first book, but it still had a great style of keeping you on your toes. It felt a little rushed at the end trying to tie all of the loose ends and I still wasn't sure what happened to one of the main characters. I liked the different twists and how it relates to social issues found today.

This series is just so much fun! A meta whodunit where the narrator breaks everything down for you and you are still surprised by the ending. So well done. I am looking forward to Ernest and Juliette's next story.

3 1/2. This sequel finds Ernest on a writer’s panel on a train across Australia. Only Juliette and Andy also returned. This book tried hard to recreate the magic of the first. Overall it ended up falling flat. In the first book, Ernest is plagued by the past and trying to save his family and improve the future. In this book, Ernest is trying to prove himself to…..himself. The characteristics that made Ernest such a strong protagonist, the snark, the heart, the intellect, are all missing as we follow Ernest’s journey. He makes some comments about wanting to prevent a repeat, but his actions show his true motives. On its own, this book was entertaining and a decent mystery. Compared to the original, it just doesn’t do it for me.