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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
3.5/5
I loved reading more Earnest. A fun, festive, clever, short read. A part of the wrap up bugged me so I couldn’t rate it higher, but overall still enjoyed. I’ll read #4 if it’s coming!
I loved reading more Earnest. A fun, festive, clever, short read. A part of the wrap up bugged me so I couldn’t rate it higher, but overall still enjoyed. I’ll read #4 if it’s coming!
Benjamin Stevenson seems to have perfected this art of the Honest Narrator. It's amazing he literally throws clues at us and even tells us at time, "Hey this is a clue." Nice little novella though a little short on the weird humour of his previous books in this series.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
These books have me in a chokehold.
I just love the world and characters that Stevenson creates! It's both real and funny, with a very intriguing crime and then explanation.
This is a Christmas novella, but it's not overboard on the festive aspect. Especially considering that this book is Australian, where it's HOT come Christmas time!
This book can be read separate from the others, but I still recommend checking out the other two books first!
I just love the world and characters that Stevenson creates! It's both real and funny, with a very intriguing crime and then explanation.
This is a Christmas novella, but it's not overboard on the festive aspect. Especially considering that this book is Australian, where it's HOT come Christmas time!
This book can be read separate from the others, but I still recommend checking out the other two books first!
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Gun violence
Moderate: Blood
3 stars
As a fan of the Ernest Cunningham series, I did jump on the Christmas special even though I generally think these are a cash grab and not as good because they try to fit all the existing characters into one shorter novella. However, he immediately starts the book acknowledging that these are cash grabs so I have to give him credit.
I think ultimately this book was weaker than his others because of the length so I rated it lower but I thought it did a pretty good job for a holiday special novella. He created a whole separate plot line with enough characters and suspects, made the setup intriguing enough that we would be invested, and wrapped it up neatly in the previously mentioned chapter length, all without compromising his style. However, because of the shorter length I found it quite rushed and the large amount of characters was good for the plot because it made it confusing who was the culprit but it was hard to remember who was who because we didn't get to connect with many of them.
The setup being teased with Erin's involvement and then she ends up being irrelevant for most of the book which I get is kind of necessary to expand the universe but it was just overwhelming to have like 8 different people we don't know in quite a short book.
As a fan of the Ernest Cunningham series, I did jump on the Christmas special even though I generally think these are a cash grab and not as good because they try to fit all the existing characters into one shorter novella. However, he immediately starts the book acknowledging that these are cash grabs so I have to give him credit.
I think ultimately this book was weaker than his others because of the length so I rated it lower but I thought it did a pretty good job for a holiday special novella. He created a whole separate plot line with enough characters and suspects, made the setup intriguing enough that we would be invested, and wrapped it up neatly in the previously mentioned chapter length, all without compromising his style. However, because of the shorter length I found it quite rushed and the large amount of characters was good for the plot because it made it confusing who was the culprit but it was hard to remember who was who because we didn't get to connect with many of them.
The setup being teased with Erin's involvement and then she ends up being irrelevant for most of the book which I get is kind of necessary to expand the universe but it was just overwhelming to have like 8 different people we don't know in quite a short book.
adventurous
funny
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
After reading Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone two years ago , I’ve been on a lookout for Stevenson’s work. This is my 4th book and 3rd of Cunningham series and love all his books.
This is sort of a Christmas book, but since it’s winter here down under and they have the Christmas in July thing, this is just a perfect read.
When world famous magician, Rylan Blaze died on the stage while performing, Ernest Cunningham finds himself at the backstage of the show. He has a list of suspects, the magicians, the assistant, the executive, the hypnotist, the identical twin, the counsellor and the tech. He also some clues to work on, a suspect covered in blood with no memory how it got there, another murder committed with our nobody setting foot inside and an advent calendar, because yes it’s Christmas. If Ernest can work on the magic, he can pretty much solve it. -
I love how creative he can still get with murders and the very interesting book format with a holiday touch of the advent calendar and secret santa. The clues are also there for readers to solve, not that I’m good at it. His characters are very entertaining and his amateurish sleuthing skills is simply brilliant. Though there are times that he tends to over analyze things but otherwise it’s still an enjoyable read.
He has another book, Everyone In This Bank Is A Thief, coming this October and January, in Australia and US respectively and can’t wait to read it.
Have you read any of his book?