Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone: A Novel (The Ernest Cunningham Mysteries Book 1)

4 4 out of 5 stars | 10,800 ratings

Price: 1.99

Last update: 01-23-2025


About this item

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.

“A witty twist on classic whodunits… Stevenson not only 'plays fair,' he plays the mystery game very, very well.” -- Maureen Corrigan, Washington Post

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.

Have I killed someone? Yes. I have.

Who was it?

Let’s get started.

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


From the Publisher

AJ Finn loves this book
The Washington Post loves this book
Karin Slaughter loves this book
Wait! There are more books by Benjamin Stevenson!
Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone
Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect
Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret
Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
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4.0 out of 5 stars
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Price $12.39 $16.99 $15.99

Top reviews from the United States

  • Maria
    4.0 out of 5 stars Slow to start, but a good ending
    Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2024
    This book has a lot of good- It does feel very knives out, It's not the darkest or scariest thriller, and it had an interesting narrator. Overall I enjoyed this book
    The issues I had are as follows; This book was confusing - maybe this was just a problem specific to me but some of the details and the way it was written made this hard to follow at times. The characters were challenging to keep track of, partly because there were so many, and partly because so many weren't of great importance. It was slow to start, I wasn't fully absorbed and committed until around the halfway point.

    Like I said at the beginning, the book was good overall, and I may read the next book that this author puts out.
  • Leslie
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Thrilling Journey with Unforgettable Characters!
    Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2023
    "Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone" by Benjamin Stevenson is an absolute gem that captivated me from beginning to end. This mystery novel seamlessly combines intelligence, humor, intricate details, and unexpected twists, creating an extraordinary reading experience.

    One of the standout features of this novel is the exceptional narrator. Their wit, charm, and intelligence shine through every page, making the story incredibly engaging. The narrator's voice draws you in and establishes an instant connection, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in their world. I found myself laughing out loud at their clever observations and relishing their unique perspective on the events unfolding.

    The level of detail in this book is simply remarkable. The author masterfully paints vivid scenes, using rich descriptions that transport you directly into the heart of the story. It's this attention to detail that brings the characters and their actions to life, making them feel like real people with genuine emotions and motivations.

    But what truly sets this book apart is its twisty nature. Just when you think you've unraveled the truth, the author deftly introduces a surprising turn of events, leaving you gasping for breath and eagerly flipping through the pages to uncover what happens next. The twists are not mere gimmicks; they are cleverly woven into the narrative, creating a web of suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

    "Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone" is an outstanding work of fiction that combines intelligence, humor, and thrilling storytelling. It's a book that challenges your perceptions, keeps you guessing, and offers a fresh perspective on family dynamics and the consequences of our actions. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking a thought-provoking and immersive reading experience. Prepare to be entertained, enlightened, and utterly enthralled by this remarkable tale.
  • Emaa Wanders
    3.0 out of 5 stars This was different
    Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2024
    The author talks to the reader, a lot, and it is mostly through this that we learn about each character and each death that occurs. His sense of humor adds some salt to the story as well.

    Set in a resort where a snowstorm has trapped them all during a family reunion this is like a giant locked room mystery. I thought it mostly resembled a police procedural when that question came up in the book club meeting. Talking to all the suspects, gathering information and piecing together the who, what, and why. We're all included in that by the author's asides. I felt that it was too wordy at times and this slowed the pace but it was still interesting.

    There's a lot going on and the story is very convoluted and I did guess who did it but not the whole story. The main killer, you might say, is not revealed until the end, and the rules for a mystery which are at the beginning of the book are mostly followed.
  • Kaley Quinn
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fun & Twisty murder mystery
    Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2023
    Meet the Cunninghams — a family with skeletons in their closets, both figurative and literal. They are gathered at a ski resort in Australia for a family reunion. It’s already set up to be an awkward reunion because Michael is getting out of prison — after his brother, Ernest, had sent him there. Ernest is our narrator, speaking directly to us, the readers, in a kind of “meta” style of writing. He even tells you which chapters have someone dying. He says upfront that everyone in his family has killed someone (technically true, although I thought a couple of them were a bit of a reach to be honest).

    There are several present-day murders, and also some connected murders in the past, whose secrets are being revealed in the present. There are many delightfully unpredictable twists, all the way through to the end. It is indeed very reminiscent of “Knives Out” and a number of Agatha Christie novels, while having its own voice and a sharp sense of humor. I was happy to read that it will be adapted into an HBO series, since, as I was reading it, I thought it was quite cinematic and would make a good movie or TV mini-series.

    If you like murder mysteries with a dash of humor, if you enjoyed the “Knives Out” films, if you like the whole Agatha Christie-like setting of a snowed-in mountain resort during a blizzard, with a small group of people and one of them is the murderer— you might enjoy this book.

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