Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret

A Festive Mystery

By: Benjamin Stevenson

Narrated by: Barton Welch

Benjamin Stevenson returns with a Christmas addition to his bestselling, “deviously good fun” (Nita Prose), Ernest Cunningham mysteries. Unwrap all the Christmas staples: presents, family, an impossible murder or two, and a deadly advent calendar of clues. If Knives Out and The Thursday Murder Club kissed under the mistletoe.

My name’s Ernest Cunningham. I used to be a fan of reading Golden Age murder mysteries, until I found myself with a haphazard career getting stuck in the middle of real-life ones. I’d hoped, this Christmas, that any self-respecting murderer would kick their feet up and take it easy over the holidays. I was wrong.

So here I am, backstage at the show of world-famous magician Rylan Blaze, whose benefactor has just been murdered. My suspects are all professional tricksters: masters of the art of misdirection.

THE MAGICIAN

THE ASSISTANT

THE EXECUTIVE

THE HYPNOTIST

THE IDENTICAL TWIN

THE COUNSELLOR

THE TECH

My clues are even more abstract: A suspect covered in blood, without a memory of how it got there. A murder committed without setting foot inside the room where it happens. And an advent calendar. Because, you know, it’s Christmas.

If I can see through the illusions, I know I can solve it.

After all, a good murder is just like a magic trick, isn’t it?

©2024 Benjamin Stevenson (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers

Festive Fun!

I loved this little novella, while at the same time I wished it was a full length novel!

Still, I’ll take anything I can get in this excellent and unique series. Love the audiobook narrator as well!

So Fun!

Even after the novelty of Benjamin Stevenson's approach has worn off, these books are still fun. The themes are clever, the mystery is crazily complicated, the characters are engaging, and Barton Welch's performance is outstanding. I will gobble up every book Stevenson adds to this series.

Disappointed

Where do I start?
Too short.
Weak character development.
Not remotely funny.
Nor was there a believable explanation as to how Erin got blood all over her.

I can not believe I waited for this book for months, and woke up [with the excitement of a child on Christmas morning] on October 22nd. Feel cheated, let down, and robbed at the same. Not just because the two previous books were great but because all the literal bells and whitles on the audio book were simple time-fillers. Narrator still has two vocal ranges: constipated and unconvincing, which would have been okay if the book was anywhere near as funny as Everyone in my family has killed someone or clever as Everyone on this train is a suspect.

Hope the next one disappoints less. This was neither the money I spent on it, nor a great birthday present to myself.

Worth the read if you like the series

While it wasn't as good as the other two books, it's a short little story that's a fun side story in the series. Emphasis on SIDE STORY! He explains the rules of a "Christmas Special" in the book and so if you apply that to this story, it helps you appreciate it for what it is. The explanation of how someone becomes covered in blood is very weak and it's the only explanation I really didn't LIKE. Overall, a fun read if you've enjoyed the other two books.

Love Holidays addition

Very cool hearing about Australian Christmas . Plus new interesting characters. Love the narrator very cool addition. More please.

My Favorite of The Series

This one was genuinely enjoyable! Maybe the problem with the others is that they were too long. This was delightful!

Firecracker!

I love the style of writing and look forward to many more to come. Be kind to Earnest... He doesn't have many more body parts you can damage... and we need him.

Holiday Murder Mystery with Ernest Cunningham

I am really enjoying this series and this book did not disappoint. Complex murder mystery with the narrator/main character who actively involves the reader as he is solving it. This book was missing some of the comedic elements & character development that I really enjoyed about the last 2 books but a great plot nonetheless. Looking forward to the next book!

Eh

I didn’t love it because there was literally nothing about Christmas other than every so often the author would “it’s Christmas time”.
And I was not expecting the setting to be in Australia. The narrator had a strong accent but still did great.