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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
fast-paced
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
As the third installment in the series, Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret offers a more thrilling and entertaining mystery than its predecessors, though it still struggles with some narrative and pacing flaws.
I actually liked the way this series breaks the fourth wall. Ernest’s direct addresses to the reader—counting down clues like an advent calendar and explaining his investigative process—add a playful, meta dimension to the story. This technique makes the reading experience feel interactive and unique. However, Ernest frequently spoils key events before they unfold, which diminishes the suspense and lessens the impact of the mystery. The story would benefit from a narrator who refrains from revealing too much upfront.
The writing is more complicated than necessary, featuring an overabundance of metaphors and some confusing narrative shifts. Compared to earlier books, this volume feels more convoluted and harder to follow at times. Ernest’s deductions sometimes rely heavily on guesswork, which can feel unconvincing. While the crime itself is interesting, its execution stretches plausibility and feels somewhat far-fetched.
That said, the murder mystery successfully blends suspense and humor, providing a refreshing departure from typical whodunits. The book is shorter than previous entries, likely due to its holiday special status, but this brevity keeps the pace brisk and the story engaging. I did not guessed the “Christmas = Chris + Sam” twist, but there remained enough intrigue to hold my attention through to the conclusion. In this case, the shorter length may actually serve the story well.
Overall, Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret is a fun, quick holiday mystery with a distinctive narrative voice and quirky charm. With tighter writing and less spoiler-heavy narration, it could have been a stronger, more immersive read. Still, it’s a worthwhile addition to the series for fans looking for a festive whodunit.
Unabashedly one of my favourite authors and it’s so thoroughly delightful to read works set in places that I’m familiar with. Stevenson excels again and this is such a fun holiday special I really wish I had read it around Christmas.
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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. 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.
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. 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.
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Another fun book in this series, short this time!