Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

126 reviews

bzliz's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I loved this so much. Comedians genuinely write some of the best mystery books. If you enjoyed this, you may also enjoy Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series. 

A word of warning: This book is absolutely not for anyone who hates spoilers. It is full of 4th wall breaks from our protagonist- Ernest Cunningham- in a way that often made me laugh out loud. Prior to the start of the story proper, we’re treated to a list of rules for murder mysteries and a convenient list of page numbers where deaths occur. These are referenced throughout, not to mention there are several interjections from Ernest to assure readers that everything is above board. It all felt clever and fun without dipping into condescension.  

The only thing that tempted me to take away any smidge of the rating, it would be an offhand remark about someone saying ma’am in a kind of American accent and it coming out like “marm”. I still don’t get it. (But of course, I’m not actually deducting anything because I had too much fun reading this.)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child death, and Murder

Moderate: Suicide and Kidnapping

dogearedbooks's review

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Murder, Drug abuse, and Alcohol

Moderate: Suicide, Grief, Child death, Gun violence, and Kidnapping

Minor: Car accident, Child abuse, and Fire/Fire injury

themoodreader's review against another edition

mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Death of parent, Child death, Alcohol, Murder, Blood, Kidnapping, Vomit, Drug use, Violence, Infidelity, Addiction, and Injury/Injury detail

choirgirl171's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Gore

Moderate: Grief, Vomit, Kidnapping, Child death, Death of parent, Cursing, and Addiction

Minor: Infertility and Infidelity

rachel101's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I liked the writing style at first but then it got a bit tedious and I was bored in parts of the book….almost a DNF but I kept going as wanted to find out what happened but was disappointed in the ending…..I think this book is a marmite book….. not for everyone……

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Violence, Vomit, Murder, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Infertility, Medical content, Suicide, Abandonment, Addiction, Child death, Kidnapping, Death, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Car accident, and Death of parent

pucks_pups's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Addiction and Kidnapping

aliciavalenski's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Murder, Grief, Alcohol, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Vomit, Car accident, Gaslighting, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Police brutality, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Child death, Gore, Medical content, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Violence, Gun violence, and Infidelity

cerysl's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Child death, Confinement, Death, Grief, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Abandonment, Drug use, Medical content, Murder, Police brutality, Suicide, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Infertility

oxfordcommas91's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was an amazing cozy mystery that really hit the sweet spot of Agatha Christie-esque whodunnit with some fun twists along the way. In this unique book where our narrator helps authors write mystery novels (amazing mystery novel inception here…) and frequently breaks the fourth wall to talk to the reader, we are engulfed in the family drama of the Cunninghams, all of whom have killed someone. But this book isn’t quite what it appears to be on the surface. With dark humor and plenty of red herrings along the way, this book sped to its satisfying and gasp-worthy conclusion. I read this book in only a few sittings - I honestly had a hard time putting it down. This isn’t a twisty psychological thriller that will keep you up at night and instead relies on pretty straightforward murder mystery mechanics that are really good for a reason! This book just works. Can’t wait to read Stevenson’s 2024 sequel!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Blood, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Gore, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Murder, Mental illness, Drug abuse, Child death, Confinement, Addiction, Car accident, Cursing, Violence, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Suicide

Moderate: Vomit

lollymac's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death

Minor: Medical trauma, Blood, Death of parent, Car accident, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Grief, Child death, Confinement, and Fire/Fire injury