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A review by perfictionist19
Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson
4.0
EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE.
My brother
My stepsister
My wife
My father
My mother
My sister-in-law
My uncle
My stepfather
My aunt
Me
For someone who makes it her life mission to follow by the rules, I was quite surprised myself when I decided to pick the second book of the Ernest Cunningham series (Everyone on the train is a suspect) early this year! And it was the perfect mashup between a AGATHA CHRISTIE and ANTHONY HOROWITZ's whodunnit- And I was immediately converted into a Stevenson girlie!!
I am nothing if not a curious cat so of course I had to pick up the first book after all the foreshadowing Ernest does in the first book of his family!
Ernest, the narrator, breaks the fourth wall by addressing the reader directly- creating a meta-textual commentary on the genre itself, giving nods to the classic detective tropes while at the same time, the tension of a murder mystery plays out in the background. The novel begins with a family reunion, but unlike typical gatherings, this one is filled with members who have all, at some point, committed murder. Ernest’s role as both narrator and character situates him as a guide for the reader, leading us through the intricacies of his family’s crimes.
Ernest's dry, sardonic wit brings a fresh voice to the story, keeping you entertained even as you try to untangle the various threads of the mystery. This tone contrasts with the escalating tension of the mystery itself, creating a balance between suspense and entertainment.
The pacing is just right, with enough as literary Easter eggs—subtle enough to keep readers engaged, yet not so overt as to spoil the surprise reveal :) I might've guessed the whodunnit but the why-dunn-it was definitely not what I was expecting!!
My brother
My stepsister
My wife
My father
My mother
My sister-in-law
My uncle
My stepfather
My aunt
Me
For someone who makes it her life mission to follow by the rules, I was quite surprised myself when I decided to pick the second book of the Ernest Cunningham series (Everyone on the train is a suspect) early this year! And it was the perfect mashup between a AGATHA CHRISTIE and ANTHONY HOROWITZ's whodunnit- And I was immediately converted into a Stevenson girlie!!
I am nothing if not a curious cat so of course I had to pick up the first book after all the foreshadowing Ernest does in the first book of his family!
Ernest, the narrator, breaks the fourth wall by addressing the reader directly- creating a meta-textual commentary on the genre itself, giving nods to the classic detective tropes while at the same time, the tension of a murder mystery plays out in the background. The novel begins with a family reunion, but unlike typical gatherings, this one is filled with members who have all, at some point, committed murder. Ernest’s role as both narrator and character situates him as a guide for the reader, leading us through the intricacies of his family’s crimes.
Ernest's dry, sardonic wit brings a fresh voice to the story, keeping you entertained even as you try to untangle the various threads of the mystery. This tone contrasts with the escalating tension of the mystery itself, creating a balance between suspense and entertainment.
The pacing is just right, with enough as literary Easter eggs—subtle enough to keep readers engaged, yet not so overt as to spoil the surprise reveal :) I might've guessed the whodunnit but the why-dunn-it was definitely not what I was expecting!!