A family reunion from Hell

If you’ve ever sat through a holiday dinner wishing the ground would swallow you whole, Benjamin Stevenson has a book that will make your family drama look like a walk in the park.

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone is a riotous, genre-bending mystery that feels less like a dusty library tome and more like a night out at a comedy club. If you’re a fan of the sharp, stylized chaos of Knives Out, this should be the very next thing on your nightstand.

Ernest Cunningham, recently separated and always unlucky, gets stuck at a snow resort with his family for a forced family reunion. While they all have wildly different personalities, everyone at the reunion has a few things in common: they're Cunninghams, they're loyal, they're quirky, and they've all killed someone. And "some of us, the high achievers, have killed more than once," as Stevenson puts it.

A Narrator Who Feels Like a Friend

The standout feature of this novel isn't just the body count—it’s the voice. Stevenson opts for a unique, second-person perspective that constantly breaks the fourth wall. Instead of the typical detached narrative, the writing style feels like a close friend grabbing a beer with you and recounting a wild weekend. Our narrator, Ernest Cunningham, talks directly to you, the reader, laying out the rules of the mystery and cracking jokes along the way. It’s a bold choice that turns a standard "whodunnit" into a shared experience.

"The group of husbands on the porch decided there was a break in the sleet and made a run for it. I tapped the glass and said, 'And they're off' as if calling a horse race. 'I Should Have Gone Earlier is in the back, just shy of I'd Rather Freeze To Death Than Admit I'm Wrong, who's a few lengths behind I'm Only Out Here Because Of Outdated Relationship Archetypes and out by a nose is Are You Sure You Couldn't Live Without It Babe."

Characters You’ll (Reluctantly) Love

Writing a delightful comedy about a family of murderers is a tall order, but Stevenson pulls it off through stellar character descriptions. Despite the morbid premise, the family members don’t feel like cardboard cutouts or over-the-top villains. They are:

• Realistic: They have the same petty grievances and quirks as any other family.

• Relatable: Their motivations (mostly) make sense, even when they’re making terrible life choices.

• Distinct: Each voice is sharp, ensuring you never get lost in the crowded family tree.

  
  

The Verdict: Intriguing, if a Bit Tangled

The mystery at the heart of the story is undeniably well-executed. Stevenson manages to bake in a high level of intrigue that keeps you turning pages long after you should have gone to sleep.

However, while the plot is clever, it occasionally trips over its own shoelaces. The mystery can feel unnecessarily complex at times, with so many layers and entanglements that you might find yourself needing a corkboard and some red string to keep track of the story when everything is explained near the end.

Final Thoughts

Despite the complexity of the web Stevenson weaves, the journey is worth it for the humor alone. It is a refreshing and witty take on the golden age of detective fiction. If you want a mystery that challenges your brain while making you laugh out loud, grab a copy—just maybe don't bring it to your next family gathering.

What’s the last mystery novel you read that actually made you laugh?