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A review by justinkhchen
Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
5.0
A mind-bending meta murder mystery that is both nostalgic and fresh, I'm happy to say not only is Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect a worthy follow-up to Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, it also manages to build upon its established formula by exploring new territory and subject matter. I highly recommend reading the series in order, as events of Book 1 plays critical role for these characters.
Benjamin Stevenson manages to make this novel even more self-aware than its predecessor—by utilizing publishing as the story's backbone (comparing to analyzing the structure of a murder mystery plot in the first novel). Swapping family members for mystery writers, there are ample discussions regarding imposter syndrome, plagiarism, and business manipulation—in some ways an even juicer topic than family secrets. (You'll even find an Easter egg 'review' on the Goodread website that's linked to a specific plot point). I also appreciate the continuing development of Ernest Cunningham as a character, who's struggling with the irony of his success—by publishing the account of his family deaths as a marketable item.
I also love the train setting; not only does it echoes the iconic murder mystery of Agatha Christie, it being The Ghan is another nice touch, providing realism as well as adding a 'travelogue' flair for those readers who doesn't reside in Australia. Same praise as the previous effort, I appreciate the story doesn't rely solely on the meta gimmick, but ensuring the mystery is layered like an onion. If I were to be nitpicky, the deduction in this one doesn't feel as 'clean' as Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, but it is still gripping with some very imaginative revelations.
If you are already a fan of the first book, Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect is an unquestionable recommendation; even though its meta voice is no longer a novelty this time around, there are enough new factors mixed in to keep it cozily familiar yet entertainingly unpredictable. I hope the work on the third book in the series is well underway, as the ending hints at a new element to the setup that already intrigues me tremendously!
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
Benjamin Stevenson manages to make this novel even more self-aware than its predecessor—by utilizing publishing as the story's backbone (comparing to analyzing the structure of a murder mystery plot in the first novel). Swapping family members for mystery writers, there are ample discussions regarding imposter syndrome, plagiarism, and business manipulation—in some ways an even juicer topic than family secrets. (You'll even find an Easter egg 'review' on the Goodread website that's linked to a specific plot point). I also appreciate the continuing development of Ernest Cunningham as a character, who's struggling with the irony of his success—by publishing the account of his family deaths as a marketable item.
I also love the train setting; not only does it echoes the iconic murder mystery of Agatha Christie, it being The Ghan is another nice touch, providing realism as well as adding a 'travelogue' flair for those readers who doesn't reside in Australia. Same praise as the previous effort, I appreciate the story doesn't rely solely on the meta gimmick, but ensuring the mystery is layered like an onion. If I were to be nitpicky, the deduction in this one doesn't feel as 'clean' as Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, but it is still gripping with some very imaginative revelations.
If you are already a fan of the first book, Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect is an unquestionable recommendation; even though its meta voice is no longer a novelty this time around, there are enough new factors mixed in to keep it cozily familiar yet entertainingly unpredictable. I hope the work on the third book in the series is well underway, as the ending hints at a new element to the setup that already intrigues me tremendously!
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**