EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE is a fun, inventive, highly addictive whodunnit that gives us a reliable narrator who plays fair with the clues. Referencing the Golden Age of mysteries and Ronald Knox’s 10 Commandments of Detective Fiction, Australian author Benjamin Stevenson has crafted a fast-moving, snarky mystery filled with killers and family dysfunction.
Ernest “Ernie” Cunningham feels like an outsider in his family, ever since his brother showed up late at night with a man’s body in his car. Long story short, Ernie testified against his brother at trial and his brother was sentenced to three and a half years in prison. Now his brother is being released, and his Aunt Katherine has invited the family to an isolated ski resort for a “family reunion” to welcome Michael back. Ernie doesn’t know what to expect. His mother barely acknowledges him, and he’s not sure if his brother is still holding a grudge and wants the $267,000 in cash he left with Ernie.
From the start, this weekend looks like it’s going to be a killer. The snow is falling, the family is sniping, and a man ends up dead. Unfortunately (or fortunately), no one knows the man. He's not on the resort staff or one of the guests. Where did he come from, and why does the body look burned? Ernie is stumped, but he knows everyone is a suspect, including his brother, stepsister, wife, mother, sister-in-law, uncle, stepfather, aunt, and the Black Tongue serial killer. As Ernie uncovers more family secrets, the stakes get higher, and someone is determined to get their due. This is one family reunion that won’t have a happy ending unless Ernie can somehow fix it and fill his bingo card.
This mystery is just plain fun. With the narrator’s self-deprecating wit, he takes us on a wild ride, and he even gives us clues as to when other clues will show up. The mystery is tricky and complex, but the pieces fall into place nicely, and once you look back, you can see all the clues embedded so well in the story. The narrator has a nice, succinct voice that can make a point in a few words, such as when he describes his relationship with his father: “My father was footprints, residue.” There’s a lot in this mystery that will keep readers entertained: the isolated location, $267,000 cash, a father’s death, a kidnapping, a coffin, a dead brother, a sinking truck, family dynamics, addiction, a malpractice suit, and an impending divorce. Ernie’s take on his family members is funny and farcical. EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE by Benjamin Stevenson is a clever mystery that will delight readers at every turn. Highly recommended.
Knives Out and Clue meet Agatha
Christie and The Thursday Murder Club in this
“utterly original” (Jane Harper), “not to
be missed” (Karin Slaughter), fiendishly clever blend
of classic and modern murder mystery.
Everyone in my family has killed someone. Some of us, the
high achievers, have killed more than once. I’m not
trying to be dramatic, but it is the truth. Some of us are
good, others are bad, and some just unfortunate.
I’m Ernest Cunningham. Call me Ern or Ernie. I wish
I’d killed whoever decided our family reunion should
be at a ski resort, but it’s a little more complicated
than that.
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