If murder mysteries have rules, so too do Christmas Specials, which the universe has kindly obliged here. You’ll find ahead Santa-fied clues aplenty, and don’t rule out characters having to dress up in silly costumes for some tangentially related plot reason, which I will satisfy in a minor turn as Rudolph. And of course, by the end of these things, the detective has to learn the true meaning of the word Christmas. So we’ll get there too.

A quick festive novella for Ernest Cunningham fans, Everone This Christmas Has a Secret manages to tangentially follow all the seasonal special rules in Stevenson's witty way, while still in keeping with the Golden Age mystery rules. Ernest is called to solve a seemingly impossible mystery just before Christmas and steps into a world of professional tricksters, each with their own secret.

The plot is captivating and true to the Ernest's word, the readers get enough clues along the way to try and piece the puzzle together. The story provides a pretty strong foundation on which to build everything else, though not all characters are sketched out solidly. I enjoyed Stevenson's witty writing and sense of humor in this one; the blatant references to Christmas have to be forgiven I suppose.

And for those wondering if any aspect of formatting plays a role here -
In keeping with an accidental theme— my first case involved a full stop, my second a comma—this may well be the first mystery ever solved by Comic Sans.

Thanks to NetGalley, Mariner publishing group and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

🌟🌟🌟🌟
[3/4 star for the premise and the whole book; One star for the story arc; Half a star for the characters; One star for the writing; Half a star for the world-building and description- 3 3/4 stars in total, rounded up to 4 stars.]

I read a lot of mysteries, and EVERYONE THIS CHRISTMAS HAS A SECRET is one of the best. Ernest Cunningham is the protagonist. Ernest lives in Australia and loves Golden Age mysteries. He goes to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, Australia, to check out a magic act planned as the wedding entertainment for his upcoming wedding. While there, he gets embroiled in solving the murder of his ex-wife’s philanthropist boyfriend, Lyle Pearse. Through the use of an Advent calendar, 23 clues are revealed (each clue corresponding to a day in Advent). The solution comes in Chapter 24 (Christmas Eve).

I like the way Ernest speaks directly to his audience (readers) and lays out the rules of the game to solve the mystery in the Prologue. The inclusion of gentle humor is appreciated, as well as the author’s comments from the writer’s point of view. I am invested in the characters and their contributions to the story. The structure of the plot is unique, with each numbered piece of the Advent calendar containing a clue. What fun! The way the book is set up, it might be good to read it following the days of the Advent calendar (reading one chapter each day of Advent). This is the first book in the Ernest Cunningham series I have read, and I intend to read others. Thank you, Mariner Books and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review an advance reader copy of EVERYONE THIS CHRISTMAS HAS A SECRET.

Ernest Cunningham is back in this new Christmas Novella presenting 24 advent calendar-like chapters, each with their own clue. Days before Christmas, Ernest gets a voicemail from his ex-wife. Erin has been arrested in the murder of her new boyfriend, the very wealthy philanthropist, Lyle Pearse. Erin has no idea how Lyle's blood has gotten on her and her alibi is sketchy at best. It will be up to Ernest to find out who the true killer is.

I loved the last two books of the Ernest Cunningham series and was excited to get approved for this novella. Ernest character continuously breaks the fourth wall and brings the reader into the investigation. Even with the clues given with each chapter, I was still pleasantly surprised by the ending. I am hoping that the Ernest Cunningham series continues as these books are always a treat to read.

Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret comes out October 22nd.

Thank you NetGalley and Mariner Books for the opportunity to review an advanced copy of Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This one is so fun! A classic Benjamin Stevenson fast-paced whodunit that gives you all the clues you need to piece together the puzzle, but shorter as a "Christmas Special." Loved his 7 rules for Christmas murder mysteries at the end. A must add for Christmas-themed book lovers and really for anyone who wants a fast, fun thriller.

This novella is a wonderful edition to the Ernest Cunningham series. As always, the book was very cleverly written. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the whole story.
Ernest is such a likeable character, and I love his humor. The storytelling is so unique. I love that each chapter is a clue towards solving the puzzle.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review, I can’t wait to recommend!

Who doesn't love a good Christmas mystery? Benjamin Stevenson brings his special brand of humor to all the mysteries in the Ernest series and this one is no different. I absolutely loved this book, just like all the previous books. My only complaint is it could be longer.

Ern takes his turn as a holiday sleuth in this loving send up of the Christmas special. It's boiling hot once again during an Australian yuletide, and Ern has been called upon by his ex wife to prove that she did not kill her philanthropist boyfriend, even though she woke up inexplicably covered in his blood. Santa hats, presents under the tree, and the true meaning of Christmas all make their scheduled appearances. I am excited to see which mystery setting is next for our hero.

This was a quick read that fits well into the “Everyone I Know…” series. I find myself getting a bit tired of the overly wink-wink nature of mysteries, which is why I think this one isn’t totally for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the actual murder mystery of this one, but the look behind the curtains nature of the narrative got semi-tiring by the end. This is a personal criticism and one that I think most people would consider a feature, not a bug. I do like our detective in this series, and it’s an extremely fast-paced, well-thought out mystery. Just a bit too aware for me.

Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret is the third in the Ernest Cunningham series. And as he admits, even the golden mysteries' favorite authors weren’t “immune to a little Yuletide cash grab”.
If you’ve read the prior two books in the series, you know that Ernest believes in fair play. He wants the reader to come to the “lightbulb moment” at the same time he does. The book is structured like an advent calendar with 24 chapters and a clue in each of the first 23.
It’s as entertaining as the two prior books and had me equally as baffled. I did not guess the who behind the whodunit although I did find a hole in the method. I got a big kick out of the rules for holiday specials.
This is perfect for fans of cozy mysteries that want a dose of humor. But I would not recommend starting with this one. Save this for after you’ve read the prior two.
My thanks to Netgalley and Mariner Books for an advance copy of this book.

Detective Ernest Cunningham has quickly become one of my favorite characters, so I couldn’t wait to read his Christmas special!

‘Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret’ is a holiday-inspired sequel to the books ‘Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone’ (which is currently being developed into a television series) and ‘Everyone on this Train is a Suspect.’ This novella follows Ernest solving another murder, setting out to prove his ex-wife’s innocence while wearing a Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer costume, of course.

This novella is for fans of classic mysteries with a twist. I’ve always loved a good mystery, and this book gets so many bonus points for making me laugh! Breaking the fourth wall and poking fun at some of the secrets behind a run-of-the-mill mystery made this such an enjoyable read.

It was also so much fun to have each chapter representing each day of an advent calendar to keep readers on top of all the clues, and even though it was all laid out for me, I still was surprised by who the killer was! Author Benjamin Stevenson has truly mastered writing a witty mystery — and this one is all about Christmas! How could it get any better?

Thank you so much to Mariner Books and NetGalley for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. As instructed, I will be posting my review via social media on the title's publication date (October 22).

I love this series. The author always surprises me with the ending. I will definitely be reading more from this author. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret is the 3rd book by Benjamin Stevenson following the "cases" of Ern Cunningham. Stevenson has a unique narration and writing style that lends itself perfectly to using a chocolate Advent calendar to structure the book's chapters and advance the plot. Once you start reading, this book is hard to put down as it opens with Ern's ex-wife waking up from sleep covered in blood and discovering her husband's dead body in a bloody pool of blood on the floor. Add in humor and a cast of quirky suspects, and you will be asking when is the next book coming out.

I was so excited to get this e-Galley! I actually ended up reading the book instead of working on a couple of projects with looming deadlines, which should tell you something about how much I like the Ernie Cunningham books. This book was slighter than the others as “Holiday Specials” tend to be, but just as fun and self-referential. This was the closest I’ve come to solving a Cunningham fair-play mystery before Ernie gathered all his suspects and started sharing his “deductions,” with the usual results of mayhem, confessions, and bodily harm to himself. I missed Ernie’s family and Juliette and can’t wait to have them feature in the next full-length book. 4/5 stars; would recommend as a fun, funny, and quick holiday read (for reference the first book in the series got a 4.5/5 stars and the second a 4/5 stars.)

Thanks to NetGalley and Mariner Books for letting me read an eGalley of this book.

After Ernest's second outing as a detective in Everyone On This Train Is a Suspect, I have carved out a special place in my heart (and my bookshelf) for Benjamin Stevenson's Ernest Cunningham mysteries. And the latest of Ernest's adventures in sleuthing does not disappoint. Once again, Stevenson leans into "annotated" storytelling to tremendous effect. The Cunningham mysteries spool out almost like a radio play, where a good part of the fun is the conversation between the narrator and the listener (or in this case, the reader). Ernest proves himself, yet again, a chatty, humble, somewhat nerdy interlocutor, quick to point out and explain (sometimes in hilarious detail) critical plot points (often his own mistakes). The effect is a mix of adventurous romp and hilarious lecture on the finer aspects of the literary mystery genre. Sure, the gimmick of one chapter for each of the days of Christmas would usually feel like pandering. But Stevenson's meta approach to the whole endeavor turns the gimmick into a clever in-joke that only serves to add a layer to the enjoyment. Love, love, LOVE!

I received a free copy of, Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret, by Benjamin Stevenson, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Ernest Cunningham has a murder to solve, with a few clues, will he be able to solve the mystery by Christmas? This was a different kind of mystery then Im used to, but an enjoyable read.

Superbly clever Christmas mystery!

“In keeping with an accidental theme—my first case involved a full stop, my second a comma—this may well be the first mystery ever solved by Comic Sans.”

Your ever intrusive narrator, Ernest Cunningham, is on his third case when his ex-wife’s boyfriend is murdered during the Christmas holiday. When Erin is arrested, Ernest must prove her innocence by uncovering the real murderer.

The Ernest Cunningham series has long been a favorite of mine because the mysteries are expertly plotted and flawlessly executed. Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret is no exception. While it helps to have read the previous two books, I think that a newbie reader will still enjoy it. This is a fantastic mystery to read a chapter a day (like an advent calendar) during the upcoming holiday season - if you can resist flipping the pages for a whole day!

I did find that the ARC may have included a few rather major issues (Ernest refers to the killer’s pronoun during the reveal and then reveals the killer as the opposite and forgets that one suspect is still under suspicion). However, I still thoroughly enjoyed this meta-fictitious mystery and highly recommend it!

5/5 stars

Expected publication date: 10/22/24

Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the ARC of Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret in exchange for an honest review.

Just like the first two installments of the Ernest Cunningham mysteries this third installment held up to the reputation. This installment was fast-paced with twists and turns at every corner as Ernest takes us through the advent calendar doors throughout the book in order to find the killer. I really enjoyed how Benjamin Stevenson was able to take pieces from the first two books and continued to weave previous plot lines into his newest edition. I also liked how this edition was a 'Christmas Special' since this book was shorter than the previous two which gave Stevenson a lot of room for wherever Ernest will go next in the series.

A big piece of why I've enjoyed every book in the series is because of the main character, Ernest, being both our narrator and "author" of the book while we're reading. Yes, Ernest always alludes to that he will find the killer because if not there wouldn't be a book, but this factor does not stop Stevenson from keeping us on our toes throughout the entirety. The ending especially of the Christmas Special left me wondering what will come next and how Ernest will solve the next murder. The Ernst Cunningham book always leave the reader questioning who is guilty, but even with all of the clues being laid out in front of us the whole time the books are always one step ahead which makes the endings more thrilling when all the facts are laid out.

Benjamin Stevenson has such a distinctive voice when it comes to mysteries. I love the sarcasm, the fun, and the way he brings it altogether for a delightful read while solving a mystery at the same time. This is a cute, easy read to bring the holiday spirit into your life (with or without snow).

The Christmas setting made me want to hoard this book until the perfect December day. Maybe I captured the spirit of southern-hemisphere Christmas better by reading it in a summer heat wave, though. The format lent itself well to a holiday novella style - I think Ernest's fourth-wall-breaking style works well with every type of story. I love how Stevenson uses all the familiar, comforting mystery tropes and makes them fresh.

Thank you the publisher and Netgalley for my e-ARC of Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret!

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
🏜️ once spent Christmas in the desert
🩸have ever gone to bed and woken up covered in blood
☎️ called in a murder before it occurred
📖 enjoy mystery novellas

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

My name’s Ernest Cunningham. I used to be a fan of reading Golden Age murder mysteries, until I found myself with a haphazard career getting stuck in the middle of real-life ones. I’d hoped, this Christmas, that any self-respecting murderer would kick their feet up and take it easy over the holidays. I was wrong.

So here I am, backstage at the show of world-famous magician Rylan Blaze, whose benefactor has just been murdered. My suspects are all professional tricksters: masters of the art of
misdirection.

THE MAGICIAN

THE ASSISTANT

THE EXECUTIVE

THE HYPNOTIST

THE IDENTICAL TWIN

THE COUNSELLOR

THE TECH

My clues are even more abstract: A suspect covered in blood, without a memory of how it got there. A murder committed without setting foot inside the room where it happens. And an advent calendar. Because, you know, it’s Christmas.

If I can see through the illusions, I know I can solve it.

After all, a good murder is just like a magic trick, isn’t it?

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

Another hilarious and well executed story from Stevenson! I don’t know how he does it, but his mysteries are a true work of art, and this short Christmas novella didn’t disappoint! Cunningham is someone who really takes in all of the little details which come together in the end to reveal a killer. Even though he continually gives us, the audience, clues, I still fail to make the connections, and was 100% shocked by the end. I prefer this as I enjoy a good surprise! You won’t want to miss this fun Christmas special!