Title: Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone
Author: Benjamin Stevenson
Publisher: Michael Joseph
Synopsis:
I was dreading the Cunningham family reunion even before the first murder.
Before the storm stranded us at the mountain resort, snow and bodies piling up.
The thing is, us Cunninghams don’t really get along. We’ve only got one thing in common- we’ve all killed someone.
My brother.
My step-sister
My wife
My father
My mother
My sister-in-law
My uncle
My stepfather
My aunt
Me
My review:
Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone is a clever, entertaining mystery novel with a title that is bound to intrigue!
Our narrator Ernest talks us through the Cunningham family reunion in a snowy holiday resort, during which time a dead body appears. Suspicion soon falls on one particular person – and it’s up to Ernest (or ‘Ernie’) to find out who they are and what happened to them.
As the murder mystery novel continues, we find out more about the Cunningham family’s background. They’re a truly unique mix of characters, and Benjamin Stevenson adds a real injection of dark humour into these pages. I found the story really entertaining and such good fun.
I loved the way the novel is told as if it’s a real story, with Ernie referring to the 10 Commandments of Detective Fiction which of course soon become apparent in this murder case. There are lots of secrets in this novel, with plenty of misdirection and a hearty nod to the Golden Age of Crime Fiction throughout, particularly with the end-of-the-novel ‘revelation gathering’ as the killer is revealed!
A fair amount of this novel feels ridiculous and over the top, but that’s what you expect from a book like this – and it certainly adds to the fun
I really enjoyed this rather unique novel and would highly recommend it.
My rating: 4/5
Many thanks to the publisher, Michael Joseph, for providing a copy of this book on which I chose to write an honest review.
Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone is out on 18 August 2022.