A bit shorter than his other books, or at least it felt that way, I found myself finishing this so quickly. It helps if you've read the first two books because there is not much of an intro to the main character in this book. As per usual, I couldn't deduce the culprit, or culprits, before Ernest, but I've resigned myself to being a bystander, instead of an armchair sleuth. What I am really curious about is where the author will take Ernest next, given that he is a mystery writer that seems to only write about real-life events, or ghost write other people's books. I also wish I had a chance to spend more time with the characters, this book felt too fast for me to make a genuine connection of dislike with any one of the characters. I still like this author, but the short book left me unsatisfied, compared to the other two books he has written.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for an early release copy of Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret by Benjamin Steveson.

I enjoyed Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret a lot more then Everyone on This Train is a Suspect (the 2nd book in the series), this one was more thrilling and entertained me more but compared to the second book however there are still a few things I didn’t particularly like about this book. Ernest talking to the reader directly still takes me out of the book, he would talk to the reader about the events that already happened but he literally spoils what happens in the book before it happens. Example: “but wait a cow gets stabbed and a goat hasn’t been pushed off a bridge yet”. I feel the story would be a lot more surprising and thrilling if the narrator doesn’t spoil nearly exactly what has happened in the book.

I feel the writing is more complicated then it needs to be, the addition of unnecessary metaphors and confusing narration dialogues makes it a little confusing at times (the second book is definitely more confusing compared to this one). Ernest also in my opinion and his own does a lot, a lot, of guess work in here in order to solve the crime. The actually crime and how it happened, while it was interesting it was definitely far fetched.

Benjamin Stevenson doesn’t disappoint. Readers can gift this mystery at the holidays and rest assured that the package delivered will be filled with effortless humor and a fair play mystery with a satisfying conclusion.

I look forward to reading more from this author! Grateful for the advanced copy!!

Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson

Thank you NetGalley and Mariner Books for a complimentary copy of this novel!
This is Book three in the Ernest Cunningham mystery series. Here we see Ernest doing what he does best...trying to solve what looks like an unsolvable mystery. This is his third to date and at Christmas time no less! There are 24 chapters with clues just like an advent countdown! And now the main murder suspect who has been arrested is someone from his past who needs his help! She has blood on her hands and has no idea how it got there. As Ernest investigates, he comes up with seven other possible suspects and unfortunately, they are all good at deceiving others. Benjamin Stevenson has written a brilliantly constructed and witty novel!!! You have an advent calendar filled with clues; seven devious suspects who can expertly mislead anyone (except maybe Ernest Cunningham); and not one, but two baffling and seemingly impossible murders!!! Will Ernest be able to muddle through all the misdirection and solve this murder in time for him to enjoy Christmas?
AVAILABLE October 22, 2024

"Benjamin Stevenson returns with a Christmas addition to his bestselling, "deviously good fun" (Nita Prose), Ernest Cunningham mysteries. Unwrap all the Christmas staples: presents, family, an impossible murder or two, and a deadly advent calendar of clues. If Knives Out and The Thursday Murder Club kissed under the mistletoe.

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?"

Oh Ernest, but Christmas is THE BEST time for murder!

4.5 stars rounded up. I very much enjoyed the previous two books in this series so I jumped at the chance to read an advance copy of this from NetGalley. My only complaint is that it was too short... after all, it is the 'Christmas Special'. I would have liked for it to be a little longer with a little more suspense. But that being said, it gets right into the action and keeps you moving along. In the usual style in this series, our narrator is amusing and admits his faults. If you were a fan of the other books or just want a quick cozy holiday mystery, this is the book for you. (I also want to note that you don't HAVE to read the other books to read this one but if you do, you'll be more familiar with the quirks of the recurring characters.)

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley, Mariner and Killer Crime Club..

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review

A fan of Golden age murder mysteries finds himself in his own murder mystery during the Christmas season. The suspect are numerous as the cast of character involved. It’s a murder mystery that will keep you guessing as no one is safe. An amusing Christmas themed murder mystery that will keep you turning the pages.

I'm a huge fan of Benjamin Stevenson's twist on murder mysteries and I was excited to see him offering us a Christmas novella. This story reads just like his others as we jump right back into Ernst's life with a new murder to solve that involves his ex wife. The humor and wit are there but I couldn't help feeling like this story was rushed. One of the things I love about Stevenson's writing is that he draws readers into the complex mystery by carefully introducing characters that we, as Ernst's fellow detectives, need to know so we can pretend like we knew who the killer was all along. In previous stories, Stevenson does this marvelously. However, in this one it felt like a half dozen or so characters are dumped on us without the benefit of understanding who they are and their role in the story. Often times I was confused about who was who and how they were connected and I think it took away from the overall story. I understand this is a novella and word count matters here but maybe a few less characters to introduce would've been better to really ground me in the story so I could follow along better. Overall the story is still a fun read but from now on I hope Mr. Stevenson will stick with the longer novels--I'm happy to pay for the extra words!

As a huge fan of Stevenson's previous two books, I was ecstatic upon seeing this book available on NetGalley. I'm not one who likes holiday-themed books, so I tried to temper my expectations. Stevenson, however, knocked it out of the park. This book was just as incredible as the first two and I was completely hooked. I finished the whole book in one sitting. I love how the narrator gives you all the clues, you just have to be smart enough to understand them. I had a suspicion about the killer based on one clue that I caught, but the ending still shocked me nonetheless. As always, I will be recommending this book, and the other books in the series, to every person I come across.
Thank you Stevenson, Mariner Books, and NetGalley for the review copy.

I adore the Ernest Cunningham mysteries. Ernie is a relatable protagonist and a halfway decent detective, considering he's learning the trade as he goes along. That he play fair with the reader, just as the Golden Age detectives he admires did, is an added bonus. His asides directing the reader's attention to points of note are one of my favorite bits of the books.

As always, the Australian setting is refreshingly adventurous and the Three Sisters rock formation provides a beautiful backdrop to the story. And the murders are pretty darn clever. This is a short one, just a bit under 200 pages. Perfect for a quick does of holiday hijinks. I've already added this to my Christmas list to add to my holiday mystery collection. This is a well plotted and super fun mystery all around!


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

This is the holiday special novella in the EIMFHKS series, and it’s just about everything you’d expect (in a good way, of course).

The Best: The book was written in a very unique format. It’s written like an advent calendar, so if you start it on December 1st, you get to open one door (read one chapter) every day. If you follow this cadence, you get the solved mystery on Christmas. It doesn’t take away from the mystery if you read the book all in one sitting, but I find this to be a really fun format that I haven’t come across before. As I’m writing this review on October 7, I obviously didn’t read it this way. If I wasn’t reading this book as an ARC, I’m not sure if I would’ve had the self control to not keep reading, as some of the chapters ended on cliffhangers, but I think it would’ve been really fun to try to read it as the author intended!

The Not Best: I didn’t find this book to be quite as funny as the previous two books in the series. However I still very much enjoyed the mystery and will continue reading this series as future books come out!

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest rating and review.

The latest Ernest mystery is filled with the same sarcastic witty humor that makes these mysteries so enjoyable. I followed the mystery along with Ernest, except for where I accused the wrong person at the end The story kept my interest from start to finish. The Christmas theme did not seem integral to the storyline, and I would have still enjoyed the story without the it. However for those holiday lovers, I can see how it could add a little pizzazz to their reading. This book would to great for those who enjoy witty humor and playing along while reading their mysteries. It would be understood without reading the previous books, but they are mentioned and I would encourage them to be read first for full clarity.

Ernest Cunningham is back. This time it is just before Christmas and again, he is needed to solve a murder. There are a list of suspects, each with something to gain and each professional tricksters. 
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the Australian setting, in the Blue Mountains. There were plenty of laughs with his dry humour and it was the perfect Christmas murder mystery. For readers who have enjoyed the author's first two novels, this will surely be a hit. It was one I flew through and I could never have predicted where it concluded. 
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Mariner Books for this gifted review copy.

I had no prior experience with this series and while the book was good I don’t think I will continue reading the others.
Cunningham priding himself on the rules of the Golden Ages of mysteries is honestly kind of boring.
The magician was interesting.

Ernest Cunningham is back again just as funny, just as clever, and with a murder, or two just as impossible for me to solve. Every clue was presented ahead of time, this time in the form of an advent calendar. A fun read to get you in the holiday spirit, though it may make you think twice about secret Santa.

This amuse-bouche of a Christmas read features intrepid detective Ernest Cunningham. In the first book, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, murders piled up at a family reunion; in book two, Everyone on This Train is a Suspect, Ernest is on a train trip through Australia featuring mystery authors, when – you guessed it – bodies pile up. In the Christmas version Ernest is summoned by his ex who is sitting in jail, covered in blood, accused of killed her partner.

All of these books are clever in the Golden Age tradition, on steroids. They aren’t so much tongue in cheek as Stevenson obviously loves the genre, but they are pretty funny, and as Stevenson himself is a stand up comedian, that only seems right. He also adheres quite rigidly to
the rules of detective fiction laid out by the Detection Club back in the 20’s, and in this version, he has rules for Christmas mysteries as well.

Ernest takes off without quite telling his fiancée where he’s going, arrives to find Erin a complete wreck, and begins to delve into the crime, at her request. Erin’s partner was the head of a foundation that sponsored addicts through rehab and then tries, with much success, to give them a new life through theater. This particular theater is in the natural beauty spot of Katoomba, Australia, and the reason Ernest has given to his fiancée is that he’s seeing a headliner magician at the theatre who his uncle has booked for their wedding. Technically, true.

Ernest slips right in backstage, invited by the dead man’s business partner to see what he can discover, and everyone in the backstage world is pretty forthcoming. The book is structured like an advent calendar – each chapter and its clue is like one of the little doors. The clues are certainly there to solve the crime, but this is a very cleverly constructed book and while the clues may indeed be there, they are pretty tricky.

In golden age style, the puzzle in the main thing, but Stevenson also has a gift for laying down characters on a page in a few brief strokes, and it’s the characters that make the story stick (though the fiendishly clever solution might stick as well). It’s Christmassy mostly in that it’s set a few days before Christmas and the deadline of the 24th gives the story a ticking clock type structure. This was a really fun read, and even if you are good at figuring out endings, I challenge any reader to figure out just what happened here.

Thank you to Mariner Books for a free Netgalley. 3.5 rounded down

This was fun. It did not feel as solid as the last two full novels, but it was entertaining. The narration was still very much the same-- in a good way. I almost just think this character and story need full novels.

Honestly, I cannot even pinpoint why this didn't fully work for me while the previous two did. Still recommend. BUt if this is your first by this author, read the others first.

Really awesome Christmas mystery! I just started the series by reading this book and I am already hooked! Everyone this Christmas has a secret indeed! Lol I love how the author introduces all the characters as if it was a lineup in a comedy mystery TV special!! I couldn't believe how each chapter would introduce another clue and how my mind kept turning and thinking who could it be? It was truly an well written story!!🎙️

Bravo!! 📖

“There are quite a few differences between an Australian Christmas and the stereotypical Northern Hemisphere fare seen in most books and movies. For one thing, we don’t get snow down under. ”
Here are reasons to read the Holiday Mystery book:

Third book - In this third (2.5?) book in this series
Mini Mystery - we read a mini mystery, a christmas novella
Ex-Wife’s Partner - After hearing that his Ex-wife’s partner is dead and she is accused of murder
Magic Show - Ernie must travel to a charitable magic show, to see why it might help in her innocence

This book is an extremely short read, and a really good one if you want something short during the holidays. And while it takes place during Christmas, it is clever in that each chapter is representative of an advent calendar and a clue hidden there. And while you don’t totally need to read the other 2 books to read this, it does help. I think what this book is missing is more of the tongue in cheek asides, and the mystery rules that make the previous book so fun. However, it is still a solid mystery.

What an incredible addition to this series. I am so grateful I got to read this early. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone wanting to read it, but if you've enjoyed his other books, you need to read this one!!!