I had no prior experience with this series and while the book was good I don’t think I will continue reading the others.
Cunningham priding himself on the rules of the Golden Ages of mysteries is honestly kind of boring.
The magician was interesting.

Ernest Cunningham is back again just as funny, just as clever, and with a murder, or two just as impossible for me to solve. Every clue was presented ahead of time, this time in the form of an advent calendar. A fun read to get you in the holiday spirit, though it may make you think twice about secret Santa.

This amuse-bouche of a Christmas read features intrepid detective Ernest Cunningham. In the first book, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, murders piled up at a family reunion; in book two, Everyone on This Train is a Suspect, Ernest is on a train trip through Australia featuring mystery authors, when – you guessed it – bodies pile up. In the Christmas version Ernest is summoned by his ex who is sitting in jail, covered in blood, accused of killed her partner.

All of these books are clever in the Golden Age tradition, on steroids. They aren’t so much tongue in cheek as Stevenson obviously loves the genre, but they are pretty funny, and as Stevenson himself is a stand up comedian, that only seems right. He also adheres quite rigidly to
the rules of detective fiction laid out by the Detection Club back in the 20’s, and in this version, he has rules for Christmas mysteries as well.

Ernest takes off without quite telling his fiancée where he’s going, arrives to find Erin a complete wreck, and begins to delve into the crime, at her request. Erin’s partner was the head of a foundation that sponsored addicts through rehab and then tries, with much success, to give them a new life through theater. This particular theater is in the natural beauty spot of Katoomba, Australia, and the reason Ernest has given to his fiancée is that he’s seeing a headliner magician at the theatre who his uncle has booked for their wedding. Technically, true.

Ernest slips right in backstage, invited by the dead man’s business partner to see what he can discover, and everyone in the backstage world is pretty forthcoming. The book is structured like an advent calendar – each chapter and its clue is like one of the little doors. The clues are certainly there to solve the crime, but this is a very cleverly constructed book and while the clues may indeed be there, they are pretty tricky.

In golden age style, the puzzle in the main thing, but Stevenson also has a gift for laying down characters on a page in a few brief strokes, and it’s the characters that make the story stick (though the fiendishly clever solution might stick as well). It’s Christmassy mostly in that it’s set a few days before Christmas and the deadline of the 24th gives the story a ticking clock type structure. This was a really fun read, and even if you are good at figuring out endings, I challenge any reader to figure out just what happened here.

Thank you to Mariner Books for a free Netgalley. 3.5 rounded down

This was fun. It did not feel as solid as the last two full novels, but it was entertaining. The narration was still very much the same-- in a good way. I almost just think this character and story need full novels.

Honestly, I cannot even pinpoint why this didn't fully work for me while the previous two did. Still recommend. BUt if this is your first by this author, read the others first.

Really awesome Christmas mystery! I just started the series by reading this book and I am already hooked! Everyone this Christmas has a secret indeed! Lol I love how the author introduces all the characters as if it was a lineup in a comedy mystery TV special!! I couldn't believe how each chapter would introduce another clue and how my mind kept turning and thinking who could it be? It was truly an well written story!!🎙️

Bravo!! 📖

“There are quite a few differences between an Australian Christmas and the stereotypical Northern Hemisphere fare seen in most books and movies. For one thing, we don’t get snow down under. ”
Here are reasons to read the Holiday Mystery book:

Third book - In this third (2.5?) book in this series
Mini Mystery - we read a mini mystery, a christmas novella
Ex-Wife’s Partner - After hearing that his Ex-wife’s partner is dead and she is accused of murder
Magic Show - Ernie must travel to a charitable magic show, to see why it might help in her innocence

This book is an extremely short read, and a really good one if you want something short during the holidays. And while it takes place during Christmas, it is clever in that each chapter is representative of an advent calendar and a clue hidden there. And while you don’t totally need to read the other 2 books to read this, it does help. I think what this book is missing is more of the tongue in cheek asides, and the mystery rules that make the previous book so fun. However, it is still a solid mystery.

What an incredible addition to this series. I am so grateful I got to read this early. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone wanting to read it, but if you've enjoyed his other books, you need to read this one!!!

Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Ernest Cunningham delivers a captivating blend of classic whodunit charm with a modern, humorous twist. Set during the festive season, Ernest, a self-proclaimed murder mystery enthusiast turned accidental investigator, finds himself at the center of another real-life murder. This time, he's backstage at a magic show, trying to untangle the suspicious death of a benefactor amidst a group of suspects who are all masters of misdirection. Each character—from the magician to the hypnotist—brings their own layer of trickery, making it nearly impossible to decipher who is truly guilty.

The book's clever use of Christmas elements, like the mysterious advent calendar, adds a playful holiday vibe to the dark murder mystery. With misdirections and illusions constantly at play, the narrative keeps readers guessing with unexpected twists and red herrings. Fans of both magic and classic detective stories will appreciate the way the novel plays with perception, turning every clue into a potential trick. If you’re looking for a festive mystery full of wit, humor, and a dash of magic, this is the perfect read!

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Ernest Cunningham is back to solve yet another murder he finds himself connected to. And yet again, a family member of his is in danger. With Ernest's unlucky streak, he won't have one murder to unravel, but two. The second seems to be premeditated, but by who? And are the two murders connected? It would only make sense, but how? Ernest must solve this mystery by Christmas. But in solving the murder, will he be in danger himself?

I've enjoyed the Ernest Cunningham series so far and was excited to be able to review this one. I'm happy this story did not take place over a full novel because it fell flat for me. Like his other books, this one was a quick read and kept you interested from start to finish. The ending, however, felt rushed and not fully fleshed out. I also forgot who was who and how they were connected to this string of events - even though the story is less than 200 pages. The whole magic aspect was kind of cheesy and didn't feel right for this series. However, I think this is a must-read for any fan of Ernest Cunningham. Just don't go into it with super high expectations.

An on-the-nose Christmas special, I've been enjoying this meta murder mystery series ever since Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, and this holiday themed novella is another home-run for fans of Benjamin Stevenson's unique mix of classic murder mysteries homage, self-deprecating humor, and the fourth-wall breaking writing style.

Despite its shorter length, Benjamin Stevenson still manages to pack a robust roster of suspects, and the reveal is just as intricate (and very holiday themed) as the series' novel entries. I wouldn't recommend starting fresh with this (there are references to events happened in previous books), but it's a no-brainer for series readers looking for something festive and murderous.

The third title in the Ernest Cunningham series finds the titular character helping clear his ex-wife's name in the murder of her rich and famous boyfriend. Much like in the previous two books, there is a full cast of characters that may or may not be involved and it's up to Ernest to narrow it down. I really enjoyed the first two books in this series and of course was looking forward to this one as well. Unlike in the first two though, this one felt discombobulated and by the end I wasn't even sure how we had gotten to the perpetrator, even after Ernest had done the reveal. I still thought it was a fun little Christmas-themed story and enjoyed the cast of characters and the story in general.

Thank you to Mariner Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

To be perfectly honest, I’m not too much into Christmas specials. As Stevenson explains at the end of the book, the rules imply that nothing that affects the overarching plot can happen in them. No recurring character can be killed or discovered to be the Moriarty. That, right there, ruled out one of the suspects. Still, despite its seasonal nature, I loved, loved, loved this charming, fair-play whodunit. Ern is at his best, making (and recognizing) mistakes and following red herrings. The victim is appealing enough that you care about his demise. The cast is quirky and fun, and the dialogues sparkle. The denouement when Ern uncovers the baddie was so much fun. As promised, all the clues are there, I just didn’t see it coming. The way a character gets covered in blood was especially inventive, and how “the detective discovers the meaning of Christmas” was hilarious and unexpected. This is a short book, truly well written and original for a Yuletide novel (everyone complaining about the heat was too funny for readers in the Northern Hemisphere). I can’t wait for the next one.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Mariner Books.

Another great addition to the Ernest Cunningham series! I love Ernest's mix of self-deprecation and bold strides when attempting to solve a murder. This time, Ernest's ex-wife, Erin, has been arrested for the murder of her boyfriend. She asks Ernest to investigate to clear her. While he attempts to do that, of course, another murder occurs. Ernest is confident the two are connected and sets about uncovering the truth in the week before Christmas.
There is the usual humor along with the twists in this novel. I was definitely kept guessing until the end which is a big plus for me. The style is so refreshing - the "reliable narrator" who gives you the truth (as he knows it) as the story unfolds. I've read all three books in the series and look forward to the next one!

"Everyone" series hero Ernest Cunningham is back to solve another mystery. When his ex-wife Erin is accused of killing her new husband, found literally with blood on her hands but no memory of the night before, she asks Ern to investigate. He soon finds himself in a remote part of Australia, looking into a charity geared towards helping recovering addicts through theater. A magician, his assistant and numerous members of the performances and charity all seem to have motive, and an advent calendar not only propels the story along, but also stands as a major clue to the murder. Ern will do his best to keep to the fair rules of a murder mystery while trying to prove that someone other than Erin is the culprit.
While I have thoroughly enjoyed this series, the first book was an entirely unique and spectacular novel, while the follow up was still very good overall, but felt like the gimmick of the first book was being forced with less successful results. Fortunately, this novel has an entirely new gimmick - the advent calendar - which successfully lightly plays a role without trying to force the narrative to go in certain directions. At under 200 pages, this story was just long enough with a great cast of likely suspects and some shocking reveals late in the book. I enjoyed this one as much if not more than the series debut.

Everyone's favorite reluctant, yet brilliant detective is back again for some holiday hijinx.

Benjamin Stevenson has a gift for writing such addicting mysteries in an incredibly funny and accessible manors. Ernest Cunningham has quickly become one of my all time favorite detectives in literary history. He is so refreshingly honest and flawed, yet smart and cunning (no pun intended) He has this distinctive voice that is unlike any I've experienced; his quick wit and candor have made me audibly laugh, with his frequent breaking of the third wall to discuss clues and foreshadow so brilliant that it's unbelievably easy to fall into any Ernest Cunningham mystery.

I cannot recommend this series enough. An amazing, well thought out mystery that will have you guessing until the very last moment told by a distinct, hilarious detective with an Australian holiday backdrop.

A huge thank you to Benjamin Stevenson, Mariner Books and NetGalley for this ARC <3

3.5 ⭐ rounded up to a 4 for Goodreads. Our favorite mystery author Benjamin Stevenson delivers a similar style mystery but this time, it's Christmas! It's cleverly split into enough chapters to read it like an Advent calendar and the pacing is similar to his other books.

If you enjoyed the previous two novels, this is right up your alley! I think I would have enjoyed this more during the holidays, so if you can wait to read it, do that!!

A suspect covered in blood with no memory of what happened, a word written in blood, and suspects around every corner. Will he be able to solve the murder by Christmas?

Thank you to netgalley for an ARC to review.

I am shook. I don’t give 5 stars for thrillers/mysteries because there is always something about them that is predictable. However, this one was so clever and totally took me by surprise, so 5 stars it receives!

I love the Ernest Cunningham series. He has a dry sense of humor that I just love and the mysteries are always well-thought out and well-laid out. This one was by far the best in the series, which was also surprising since it was novella-length.

Given that this is a Christmas story, this novella is also written in advent calendar style, meaning a new clue or tid-bit is revealed at the end of each chapter. However, I think it would be almost impossible to read only one chapter per day, as it was just too fast-paced and enthralling.

The other good thing about this novella is that you don’t need to have read the other two books in the series to understand or follow this one, which the narrator, Ernest, lets us know a few times.

I laughed out loud during this and was again, totally amazed at how the Stevenson wrapped everything up. Genius!

cozy-crime, novella, Australia, mystery-writer, mystery-fiction, situational-humor, snarky, verbal-humor, ex-wife, Australian-author, dark-humor, Christmas, secrets, fiancée, relationship-issues, relationships, local-law-enforcement*****

Christmas in Australia is in the middle of the hottest part of summer. Ernest Cunningham is engaged and happy when his ex-wife phones him for help with a problem. Seems that her wealthy boyfriend has been bloodily murdered and she is the chief suspect. The rest is nearly a farce and full of laughs. I think that I will keep this and the other books in series near at hand for any time reality gets too grim.
I requested and received a temporary advance readers' proof from Mariner Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

I'm a huge fan of the universe that Benjamin Stevenson has built around the Ernest Cunningham character. The adventures with this character as well as Ernest's family has produced so many fun stories. It's crazy to me that his first book in the series, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, only came out 2 years ago and his second book, Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect, came out earlier this year.

Now, we are presented with his newest novel in the series, Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret. This novel brings the same witty and fun adventures as the previous two entries. This newest novel is centered around another murder (obviously) of a high profile benefactor during the Christmas season. This book brings a murder into the Christmas season and of course doesn't disappoint.

If you've read the previous two novels, you will not be disappointed. If you've never read any of the Ernest Cunningham stories, what are you doing? I absolutely suggest you read them ASAP. You will not be disappointed!

Thank you Benjamin Stevenson for understanding the magic, and rules, of a “Holiday Special” and giving us this wonderful Christmas book bite with Ernest. It’s quick and engrossing with just enough drama and personalities to fill the short chapters. Plenty of suspects and clues but not so many that the reader loses track… though some are more obvious than others. Murder, mysteries, sleuthing, … a magician. It’s a great read carrying on in that style of narrator as both Watson AND Holmes and I’ll continue to enjoy the heck out of this series.