Member Reviews

It’s no mystery why I enjoyed this whodunit thriller so much. Clever, witty, suspenseful, and just plain fun, Everyone This Christmas: A Festive Mystery, is a Christmas addition to Benjamin Stevenso’n’s mysteries surrounding Ernest Cunningham, also known as the Slapdash Sleuth. Caught up in murder mysteries, Ernest is the protagonist and first person narrator of his murder solving exploits, breaking the third wall to allow the reader to solve the crime along with him. Each chapter provides a new clue resulting in 24 chapters and 24 clues, the 24th exposing the killer. The story takes place in Australia at Christmas time and the holiday setting includes Secret Santas, Christmas trees, gifts, and an Advent calendar. The murder has taken place before the beginning of the story and you are immediately introduced to Ernest’s ex-wife, suspected of having murdered her unmarried partner, the philanthropist of a foundation. The victims are also quickly introduced and are well fleshed out: a magician, a company executive, a hypnotist, a counselor, a tech expert, and a counselor. The story also includes a journalist who follows the amateur detective’s cases and is along to document the solving of this murder mystery.
Clues are gently dropped in to Ernest’s dialogues and there is a bit of foreshadowing as well . As a murder mystery aficionado, I found myself having a very good time with the cleverness of the presentation of this amusing crime fiction. It was fast moving and the setting was different and quite exciting at the end.. Ernest Cunningham’s 7 Commandments of Holiday Specials upholds his mystery “fair play” rules. The epilogue ties up loose ends and offers what I thought was a clever last line that left a smile on my face. The identity of the murderer came as a surprise as did all of the details that were exposed regarding the characters.
Whether it is Christmas or any other time of the year, you are sure to find this mystery engaging. I am eager to read Benjamin Stevenson’s other Ernest Cunningham books and I look forward to his next mystery solving adventure. My thanks to NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

An advent calendar edition of my favorite mystery series? Yes please. This was so much fun, if murder can be fun. I love the relationship Ern has not only with his current love interest, but his past one. And how there is no jealousy or stereotypical women who hate each other because of a guy. This shorter book still had a surprising number of twists, and we still got to find the true meaning of Christmas—just like every good Christmas special should. I love the meta style of these books that always make me surprised and laugh.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy to form an opinion from.

Was this review helpful?

This was a quick, fun read! Perfect for the holidays. This was the first I've read from Benjamin Stevenson so I will be reading his other titles such as "Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone" and "Everyone on this Train is a suspect". I'll probably give this one another read during Christmas time! I look forward to reading future publications from this author.

Was this review helpful?

5 stars!

I read this book immediately after being approved for it because I love this series. I need Benjamin Stevenson to write like 100 of these because I fully believe these books were written with me in mind. It's incredible to me how Stevenson manages to make the story feel so unique each time but he did it again! The rules of the Christmas special made me laugh out loud and I basically read this in one sitting because I was eating it up. I don't usually connect with novellas, but this was great.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Was this review helpful?

Stevenson brings another wacky mystery mixed with a bit of Christmas holiday fun. Honestly, not as good as the prior two books, but still a thoroughly enjoyable read. Ernie's tasked with trying to save his ex, Erin, from being arrested for murder. In true 'golden age' mystery fashion, it's not long before another murder lands right at his feet. The author has a good time (I hope!) crafting these stories - giving the reader all of the clues all the while following the same formulas that he's poking fun at.

"Everyone This Christmas..." references the prior books frequently and tries to keep the same vibe, but something keeps it from being as good as the others. Perhaps it's the short length (160 pages). Maybe the lack of interaction / connection Ernie has with the suspects. And the convoluted solution had me rolling my eyes at times. Despite my complaints, I need to say, the holiday mystery is still good - absolutely. But I loved the prior books so much that this suffers a bit in comparison.

However, the real Christmas present is that he promises a new book for Ernie (more murders!) soon. Yay!

Was this review helpful?

Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret is the latest installment in the fabulous Ernest Cunningham mysteries by Benjamin Stevenson. Following the rules of both Golden Age mystery novels and Christmas specials, Ernest is recounting the impossible murder that he’s solved in order to clear the name of an old friend. When his investigation leads him to a magic show and another impossible murder, Ernest has to decipher the real clues from the sleight of hand.

In Ernest Cunningham, Benjamin Stevenson has created a mystery solver for the modern age. Ernest is an honest, self-deprecating narrator, not above consulting Google to further his investigations. Though the page count is shorter than the first volumes in this series, this is still a classic Ernest Cunningham story, packed full of twists, turns, and crazy clues. Set up like an advent calendar, each chapter reveals a clue, leading up to the reveal of the killer’s identity. Stevenson’s trademark tongue-in-cheek style shines. I cannot wait for the next Ernest Cunningham mystery, as I foresee this series becoming a modern classic mystery series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for providing me with this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Was this review helpful?

Somehow these books keep getting better! I enjoyed the first Ernest Cunningham book and adored the second, and this one, despite being a shorter “holiday special”, is just as good if not better.

The author manages to give us all the clues, providing them through an inner monologue where Ernest (Ern) breaks the fourth wall in telling us the story directly. Yet somehow the book manages to stay one step ahead the entire time, and you’re left shaking your head, impressed by how he did it.

I love the snarky humor and the way the author has turned mysteries tropes into something brand new. Here’s hoping there are more clever stories to come!

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy, this was truly a treat to read!

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book!

I read the 2nd book but not the 1st (yet!) and I enjoyed this just as much. Clever and formula based mystery with fun twists and turns. Perfect for a short page turner during the holiday season. I would recommend to anyone who likes a good mystery with a splash of holiday spirit.

Was this review helpful?

As a big fan of the Ernest Cunningham series, I was delighted to be able to read an advance copy of this novella. I did not feel at all short-changed by the length of the book. It was completely satisfying and entertaining for me. As usual, there was plenty of humor to offset the mysterious deaths, and Stevenson, again through Ernest, gives readers his rules for writing mysteries and additional rules for holiday "specials". To fully appreciate the series, the books should be read in order. I love the characters and the twists and turns of solving the cases. I highly recommend this book and the series.

Was this review helpful?

In general, I don’t like direct address from narrators in books. I find it cheesy and patronizing. Yet, Stevenson manages to make me not hate Ern. I still don’t always love it, but he always wins me over. He’s a likeable character with such a guise of honesty that it feels candid, not placating. Stevenson also writes compelling mysteries that keep me guessing, which certainly endears me to him, regardless of his odd framing devices.

Was this review helpful?

I love this series. This isn't my favorite Ernest Cunningham but it's fun and interesting! A good addition to the series.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

It’s great reading the author admit that this slim volume is a cash grab, capitalizing on the enormous success of the first two Ernest Cunningham books by coming out with a “half” mystery just in time for the holidays. After all, he figures, if Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle did it, he’s certainly not above it.

The book is set up like (and contains) an advent calendar that allows readers to keep track of twenty three clues in twenty three chapters, leading to chapter twenty four, and the solving of the mystery…and there are no spoilers for the earlier books.

Here the benefactor of magician Rylan Blaze has been murdered, leading to the following suspects: the magician (natch), the magician’s assistant, the executive (always slimy), the hypnotist, the identical twin (oh no! What about the rules?!?!) and the tech person.

This was cute, and exactly what it’s meant to be, very tongue in cheek. Fans of the series will enjoy immensely and may want to draw out by reading only a chapter a day.

Was this review helpful?

If Benjamin Stevenson writes it, I read it. Ernest Cunningham is back to help solve another mystery this holiday season. I had so much fun with this novella. It was clever and kept true to the holiday theme. I particularly loved The 7 Commandments of Holiday Specials. I can't wait to read more in the series. 5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Mariner Books for this arc

Was this review helpful?

Ernest Cunningham returns to save his ex-wife from being framed for her new lover's murder, after she awakens covered in blood with no idea how it got there.

This on-the-shorter-side read truly was a gift. Though Ernest is honest, the plot and his narration does an excellent job of gently misdirecting readers who are familiar with the staples of the genre as Ernest is. However, the chain of events and plausibility is never stretched to the unbelievable. Reminiscent of some Agatha Christie mysteries, it's a satisfying holiday interlude.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you Mariner books and NetGalley for this e-arc. I loved this authors previous books so I was excited to read this Christmas novella. It was a fun, clever who done it with a holiday theme. I liked how they used the advent calendar as the chapters/clues to catch a killer. This one was two murders and his ex-wife is in custody and he plays detective to figure out who did it and why? Everyone had a reason and it reminded me of murder on the orient express. Just buckle up and enjoy the ride as this is one holiday read you don't want to miss!

This one was intense as so many had motives to kill them but who actually did it? This was so cleverly done and executed. The part where he gathers everyone on a cable car caused my heart to race as he knows one of them is a killer and feared what was going to happen.

I loved this brilliant, quick, holiday read of secrets and murder.

Was this review helpful?

4 stars for Ernest's holiday outing novella, "Everyone This Christmas has a Secret"!! I've enjoyed all three of these "meta" type mysteries, they're FUN! And this one is no exception, and was a quick & easy read, cause it's a novella and the whole "advent calendar" format is a real winner!! Recommend this and the whole series highly! My sincere thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the DRC, my pleasure to review it!

Was this review helpful?

Just the right length for a Christmas story. I think the author choosing to write a shorter story is the perfect choice here. Using the advent calendar premise for the chapters is also very smart.
Follows all the rules of mysteries just on a smaller scale. I liked this better than his second book and felt it was more in line with the first novel. The train ride story just didn't work for me, and the story seemed messy and forced.
Readers who follow this author will enjoy it, and hopefully, the Christmas theme will shed light on him for some new readers.
Bravo! Encore!

Was this review helpful?

Ern's family has become involved in yet another murder, this time ex-wife Erin is arrested when her boyfriend is found dead. This was the self-proclaimed "Christmas special" of Ern's mystery arc, and if you enjoyed the first two books, this shouldn't disappoint, although it was not the best of the three and felt a little easier to predict (partly). 4 stars.

Was this review helpful?

The Ernest Cunningham series is one of my all time favorites, so I lost my mind when I saw this available on NetGalley without even knowing it existed.

Ernest now has 7 Commandments of Holiday Specials to go along with his normal murder mystery rules, and they were everything I could have dreamed of and more. I truly feel like any book in this series should be read with as little knowledge as possible going in, so I'm not spoiling anything.

I was a little bummed that it was a shorter novel, but I loved it just the same! It's still just as wonderful as the other two novels and will hold me over while I wait for more :)

Was this review helpful?

It is no secret that I’m not a huge fan of novellas. I always feel like there is something missing or the story isn’t all the way fleshed out. However, that is not the case in this book! I have loved Stevenson’s other two books in this series so when I saw this one I jumped at the chance to read it! I love how it is different and quirky enough to hold my attention. It was fun to see the twist this book took when it was also a Christmas special and how Ernest threw in some rules for the specials! It’s always interesting to try to follow the twists and turns and try to solve the crime right along with Ernest!

Thanks to NetGalley and Mariner Books for an eARC in exchange for my review!

Was this review helpful?