Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins Mariner Books for gifting me a digital ARC of this wonderful Christmas-themed short story by Benjamin Stevenson. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Ernest Cunningham gets a frantic call from his ex-wife saying that she needs him. Under the guise of seeing a magic show by world-famous magician Rylan Blaze, Ernest meets up with Erin in jail. Covered in blood with no good alibi or knowledge of what happened, Ernest begins investigating, and there are plenty of other suspects.

Told in the form of an Advent calendar, this is pure Ernest Cunningham fun. Believing in the Golden Age Mystery rules, Ernest "talks" to the reader, giving all the clues necessary to solve the mystery. But I'll bet no one but Ernest could solve it, even with all the clues. It's absolutely pure fun in the best of ways that only Benjamin Stevenson can pull off. While this novella could certainly be read on its own, the first two books in this series are too good to miss, so read them first! Highly recommended!

I couldn't put this latest installment in the Everyone series down. Ernest Cunningham is back in this shorter mystery set in a theater. Set up a bit like an advent calendar in honor of the season it's set in, with one clue/chapter for each of the 24 days leading to Christmas, it's fast-paced and fun with Stevenson's typical excellently written characters and a clever plot. I've loved every book in the series so far, but this is the one that has tipped me over to Stevenson becoming must-buy author for me. It was just such a fast, fun read that I could not put it down. Looking forward to the next installment in Ernie's adventures!

Happy Publication Day!

Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret is the newest in the Ernest Cunningham series by Benjamin Stevenson. I found this holiday themed novella to be a super quick, really fun, and utterly festive read.

In this book we join Ernest as he travels to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains to help out his ex-girlfriend who has been accused of murder. As with all his books there is a great cast of characters and lots of hijinks as we follow Ernest as he uncovers the clues to solve the crime. I loved the first two books and this one as well, his writing style really works for me as a reader.

I’m a big fan of holiday stories and loved that he tied this in with following the rules of a traditional Christmas Special. I also really loved that he gave us the chapters laid out like an advent calendar, with as he said in the prologue “Twenty-four chapters hold twenty-four clues and various bits and bobs that help me with the case. Well, twenty-three clues and a killer, because the best chocolate’s always behind door number twenty-four.” I felt the author loves Christmas as much as many of us do, that that came through in the book.

He even brings up the “yuletide cash grab” of other authors like Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle in the prologue, and therefore got a bit ahead of those who will dismiss this holiday novella as a yuletide cash grab. I’m all for it if it’s a holiday themed mystery like this, bring it on and take all my yuletide cash!

Thank you to the publisher Mariner Books, the author, and NetGalley for the gifted digital ARC to review in exchange for my honest review.

Let me be clear--I am not a mystery reader for the most part. Just not my bag. That's what makes Stevenson's books so fabulous--they cross that genre line while maintaining everything that makes said genre what it is. I was hooked by Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone, immediately read Everyone On This Train Is A Suspect afterward, and requested Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret from NetGalley (Thank you, NetGalley!) because I couldn't wait for it to come out.
I was not disappointed.
Everything magical and wonderful and funny and intriguing I loved about the prior books was absolutely present here. Of course, being a Christmas Special, it was required (as per the genre rules, which Stevenson, of course, adheres to with the same wit and precision) to be briefer. That, in and of itself, is a feat, because it lost nothing for a shorter wordcount. I've already slotted it for December reader for both the book clubs I belong to.
Great book, great fun, even with the murder and mayhem, which is another amazing feat by this amazing author--the squick factor is there without making the reader want to put the book in the freezer. (If you get the reference, you earn a gold star.)

This was a really fun and clever novella! It had all the trademark wit and charm of Stevenson’s previous books. I loved the way the Christmas theme was incorporated, especially treating clues like the gifts in an advent calendar! The only drawback for me was I didn’t feel 100% invested in or knowledgeable about all of the suspects. I’m not sure if there were just too many of them, or if the novella’s shorter format didn’t give enough time to fully establish their characters? Nevertheless the final reveal was super satisfying- particularly learning what I got right (and what I had missed)! I also really enjoyed the inclusion of “Ernest Cunningham’s 7 Commandments of Holiday Specials” at the end ☺️

Overall this was a really fun, quick, and satisfying addition to the Ernest Cunningham series! If you’re looking for a lighthearted holiday murder mystery, or if you’ve simply enjoyed Stevenson’s previous books, I would recommend you pick this one up!

Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

4.25 stars

Festive read, but I preferred the first two “Everyone” books over this one. The mystery elements were not too easy or too hard to figure out., I could see an entertaining movie/series adaptation coming out of all of these books.

I really should have expected that I would enjoy this 'Christmas Special' sequel in the Ernie Cunningham murder mystery series a bit less than the previous two books—it makes sense, since this book tells us it very faithfully follows the rules of the 'Christmas Special', which to be honest are always my least favorite of any TV series. As usual, the novel is extremely faithful to the bit it's doing.

i really truly loved everyone in my family has killed someone. somehow, everyone on this train is a suspect was even better than that and quickly became my new favorite. the ernest cunningham books are some of the most fun you'll ever have while reading a murder mystery. better yet, they're devastatingly clever. and (mostly) honest too!

now, don't get me wrong — everyone this christmas has a secret uses the same goofy humor we've come to expect in this series. it brings back some previous characters (ernest, juliette, erin, and a couple of quick nods to uncle andy) while rounding up a whole new crew of victims and suspects and devious masterminds. however, because there ARE so many new characters, it can be very difficult to keep track of the minor ones that matter.

i know that holiday one-offs are typically quick little asides full of tinsel-coated fluff, but i still thought this one felt rushed. the story could have easily used another hundred pages to develop characters and the mysteries and more. that said, i cannot WAIT for benajamin stevenson's next foray into full-length metafiction mysteries.

thanks to mariner books for the digital copy of this book on netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun return into the Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone universe. Even with it being a mini mystery, like all the books in this series it was very cleverly plotted. Ernest continues to be an absolute darling of a narrator - he’s personable and quippy and lays out the pieces of the puzzle in a way that’s both easy to follow and allows the reader to try to solve it before him. While it’s definitely Christmas-ish with the use of an advent calendar device, it isn’t knock-you-upside-the-head holiday focused. And I really enjoyed the magician angle because it made some of the crimes slightly fantastical.

My only critique is that it was a very quick read so it was hard to get fully invested in the new characters. But over all this was delightful. Thank you to Mariner Books and Netgalley for this ARC, which comes out tomorrow!

4.5/5

I love joining Ernest in these adventures. He would be a great television character. Quick mystery that kept me in suspense until the end, with a tip of the hat to Agatha Christie novels.

At this point, I eat these novels up with a spoon, they're so funny and snarky. My only complaint about this one is it's short and feels rushed.

The setting is Christmas time but it's Austrailia so it's hot, that was a nice switch up from other holiday novels with a winter Christmas. As usual, this had a great cast of characters and our narrator Ernest is fantastic. The mystery is super interesting and compelling from start to finish.

I highly recommend this series but you have to start at the beginning.

Benjamin Stevenson jumps on the trend of Christmas novellas with his new book - Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret.

"Ernest Cunningham is no stranger to murder. His ex-wife calls him for help when she is arrested for the murder of her current husband, Lyle Pearse. Lyle was a millionaire and philanthropist but now he's dead - and his wife is covered in his blood with no idea how it got there. Ern goes to help her and ends up with a cast of characters with secrets and motive - and a murder in front of an audience."

Stevenson tells this story in 24 short chapters. He describes it as a fictional advent calendar. (An advent calendar does play a role as a clue) He breaks the fourth wall right away telling readers what to expect. All the clues are there. Ern does find the killer in an unusual place. It's a pretty wild cast of characters.
Christmas in Australia (or anywhere in the Southern Hemisphere) has to be odd. There's a big heatwave in this story - no white Christmas here.

Fans of the first two books will enjoy this one or if you're looking for a different type of holiday story.

Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret delivered all of the fun, wit and mystery I've come to expect from a Benjamin Stevenson novel. There was a shocking twist early on that had me hooked. I read eagerly, trying (and failing) to solve the murder mystery. This book is set in the days leading up to Christmas and is themed as a "Christmas Special." Each chapter is even set up like an advent calendar of clues. Yet while reading, I kept affectionately thinking of the ultimate debate: is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Is this a Christmas book? You'll have to read it and tell me what you think. And I definitely recommend that you do read it. It is certainly an incredibly fun book to read for the holiday season. You can read it as a standalone, but I think you'll have more fun if you go ahead and start with the first book: Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone.

As always, I really enjoyed this book! I loved the humor, mystery and trying to figure out who did it. I also loved that this was focused around Christmas time!

I would rate this one as stronger than book #2, but maybe not as strong as book #1. I loved the Christmas backdrop, and how an advent calendar factored into the clues and tracking the mystery. The magic also added another fun element that kept the reader guessing as to how the murder could have unfolded. I appreciate the subtle humor that Stevenson has employed throughout the series, and I will definitely check out what's next for Ernest!

The third installment of the Ernest Cunningham series delivers on the Christmas mayhem. A fun read with just enough holiday clues to make it a Christmas book. When I read the first book in the series, I fell in love with the “reliable” narrator aspect and how our non-detective detective interacted with the reader. This book keeps up the premise set in book one for a wonderful read.

This is a quirky whodunnit that is actually fun to read. If you like trying to solve murder mysteries, this book will entertain you!

Rating: 3.5 stars rounded up

Releases: October 22

Review: Just like the first two books in this series, I enjoyed this. I thought it was funny, quirky, and I still very much so enjoy the way Stevenson writes like he's constantly breaking the fourth wall. Definitely worth reading this fun little Christmas episode.

Synopsis: 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?

EVERYONE THIS CHRISTMAS HAS A SECRET by Benjamin Stevenson (Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone and Everyone on this Train is a Suspect) is pure delight. Readers will once again enjoy the wry wit and clever asides as amateur sleuth Ernest Cunningham has more murders to solve. In this latest "Christmas special" (complete with its own set of governing rules), Stevenson uses an Advent calendar to help provide clues. At least half a dozen suspects are related to the death of a philanthropist, Lyle Pearse, who establishes theatre programs for young people who were previously addicts. Due to her romantic involvement with Lyle, Cunningham's ex-wife, Erin, is the primary suspect and he sets out to clear her name. One big source of information is a magic show where yet another death occurs; are they related? Why? Set in the Blue Mountain region of Australia, EVERYONE THIS CHRISTMAS HAS A SECRET conjures both the holiday season and natural beauty. Stevenson's latest title received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. Enjoy! I am already eagerly anticipating book four – Stevenson's Acknowledgments section says, "Don't worry: Ernest is back in a big way soon." 4.5 stars

A "Golden Age" PI Ernest Cunningham Christmas novella. Or holiday special, if you will. Ern gets a frantic call from his ex-wife, Erin, who is being accused of murdering her partner, charity foundation CEO, Lyle Pearse. She did not commit this murder, but ending up pretty much bathed in Lyle's blood, the police are taking no chances. So Ern heads off to discover what really happened to Lyle through the people that knew him best and worked with him at the Pearse Foundation. And of course, there's another murder...

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Mariner Books for this e-arc.*