Tag Archives: Author Benjamin Stevenson

Amy Caudill’s Reviews : Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect

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Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson

Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect (Ernest Cunningham, #2) by

Benjamin Stevenson (Goodreads Author)

Amy Caudill‘s review

In this sequel to Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, the hero/survivor Ernest Cunningham has turned the trauma from the first installment into a book. As the novel opens, he is about to board “The Ghan,” Australia’s modern day answer to the Orient Express for a writer’s festival.

From the beginning of the story, Ernest is plagued with survivor’s guilt and feelings of inadequacy, even as he tries to romance his fellow survivor, the owner of the ski resort, Juliette. Ernest is also feeling the pressure to produce a new book by his publisher and agent Simone, who is on the train for her own reasons.


In an attempt to find inspiration, Ernest begins observing and investigating events that happen on board the train. Of course, there is a murder, multiple suspects and red herrings as the plot becomes more convoluted. A second murder, and rival authors who are also trying to capitalize on the events for their future publications, leads to Ernest being unsure if anyone is innocent, and who could he possibly trust to help solve this mystery that is stranger than fiction.


Author Benjamin Stevenson writes this series in the first person, so most of the story is told through Ernest’s eyes, although there are parts where he deviates to another character. Ernest is not a detective, per say, but his former career was writing books on how to write mystery stories, so he uses his dubious skills, obtained from studying golden age masters of the craft, like Agatha Christie, to assist and lead him forward.


This somewhat unique point of view from the main character allows him to address the fourth wall, i.e. the reader as he seemingly gives away plot points long before they happen, all the while surprising the reader with the twists the story actually takes. These interludes are both humorous and slightly irreverent, showing the author enjoys playing with his characters as much as this reader enjoys his story.


I award this book five stars, and look forward to reading the next installment in the series.

Amy Caudill’s Reviews : Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone

Book Reviews, , ,

Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone (Ernest Cunningham, #1) by Benjamin Stevenson (Goodreads Author)

Amy Caudill‘s review

Not your usual cozy murder mystery, this novel is actually a satire of so many of the typical tropes.  Let’s start with the narrator- Ernest Cunningham, an author of books on how to write books, currently on the outs with most of his family because he testified, honestly, in a murder trial against his own brother.

The extended clan has gathered in an isolated ski lodge for a family reunion, and to welcome the aforementioned brother home from his prison sentence.  Of course, no family reunion is ever perfect, but most do not include a  slew of murders, some of strangers and others familial, in a setting where the year’s biggest blizzard is underway and only one local cop is able to get through the weather?!

Ernest spends much of the book trying to reconcile with his brother, who gave him a large bag of money to hold for him before he went away, his mother who won’t speak to him because he testified, his estranged wife who has been seeing his brother in prison, and an assortment of other relatives who are not entirely what they appear.

When he’s not trying to improve his family relations, Ernest is talking to the fourth wall; the reader.  He tells us exactly which chapters contain a murder, in a completely  matter of fact way.  (I chose to not skip ahead and let myself be surprised.)   He let slips out exactly who has smoked their last cigarette, but not exactly why, until the very second he tells you, see I told you this was about to happen.  

Ernest’s tone, which is deeply honest, and a little depreciating, also contains just enough humor to keep the reader engaged, as if the reveal of twenty-five year old family mysteries, the appearance of a dead brother who is actually not dead but a famous serial killer and the details of a tortured romance are not enough to do the job.

I admit, I was tickled by just the premise of this book; because I love cozy mysteries I just couldn’t resist a spoof of the same.  This book actually does contain several mysteries wrapped up into one, with a lot of humor poking fun at the genre.  I think it’s very cleverly done and can’t wait to read more from author Benjamin Stevenson.  I give this book five stars.