Author: Benjamin Stevenson
Year published: 2023
Category: Adult fiction (mystery)
Pages: 384 pages
Rating: 4 out of 5
Location: (my 2024 Google Reading map): Australia
Summary: 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
Review: The current popular genre of funny/tongue in cheek mysteries works for me and this one was fun. The author is an Australian comedian and it shows. The writing is quick, witty, and real. I like that he started the book with "rules for a detective novel" from 1929 and refers to those rules throughout the book. It's fun that he is telling a story, but also talks to the reader during the story.
Talk about a reliable narrator. Yes, he's killed. Yes, his family has all killed, but he is truthful. He promises the reader he will be and as he tells the story he reminds you that he is telling the truth, revealing things he really doesn't want to, and the reader totally knows what's going on. Mostly.
And it's a family story. Betrayal, heartache, death, revenge... they all come into play. Hey, a family that kills together stays together, right?
I liked that the ending was like an old fashioned mystery where each person's role is revealed. If you want a fun read that has a mystery to it, I recommend this one.
Challenges for which this counts:
- Cloak and Dagger
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