Review copy was received from Library. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson Narrator: Barton Welch
Series: Ernest Cunningham #1
Published by HarperAudio on January 17, 2023
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
Length: 9 hours, 30 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library
Goodreads
Amazon,Ā Audible,Ā Libro.fm,Ā Barnes & Noble,Ā Apple
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.
I might be showing my age here, but I normally mistrust analytical algorithms and AI-type thingys.Ā (I am not a tech person, obviously.)Ā I like to choose books based on personal recommendations and reviews (thanks Books of My Heart!) rather than what the library thinks I should read next.Ā To be fair, it isnāt like Libby is trying to get me to listen to fringe political dissertations, it is just suggesting books based on my previous searches and reading history (at least I HOPE that is the case).Ā Regardless of my disinclination to take āBig Brotherāsā advice, when I wrapped up a cozy-type mystery series and was looking for my next read, I selected the first book on the list suggested to me by the library app: Ā Benjamin Stevensonās Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, the first book in the Ernest Cunningham series.
Ernest Cunningham writes books about how to write mysteries.Ā However, when he finds himself and a small group of people snowed-in at an upscale ski-resort, heās actually the star of his own murder mystery.Ā There is family drama, a bag of money, a beautiful stranger, and plenty of dead bodies to keep the reader guessing until the very end.
Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone felt like a modern interpretation of the classic murder mystery.Ā It had all the elements one would expect from the genre, but at the same time felt fresh and meta.Ā I had to remind myself while reading that this was fiction, not true crime.Ā I thought of the author, the narrator, and the audiobook narrator as a single person.Ā Benjamin Stevenson (or is it Ern?) kept to the ārulesā of writing classic mysteries outlined in the epigraph. (This is such an essential part of the story’s framework that the author prompts the reader to go back if they skipped over it when starting.) He even goes so far as to name the precise points in the book where the murders will occur, to prove he is playing fair.Ā While it could be argued that he bends the rules a little bit, I believe a few clever twists to the plot made the story that much more interesting.
I loved Benjamin Stevensonās humor and self-deprecating style of writing Ern.Ā In the prologue, Ern promises to be āreliable, not competent,ā and often makes jokes at his own expense.Ā Listening to the book, the narrator clearly expresses this in his performance.Ā Ā Without the tongue-in-cheek delivery, Ern might initially come across as arrogant or self-involved rather than dry-witted.Ā The light-hearted style of story-telling does not hide the fact that the plot is about violent and horrific crimes, but it does make them digestible.Ā I know I’d find the subject matter too heavy if it had been recounted without the humor and writing style.
I did read this book twice, listening first in audio, then following up on my eReader.Ā As with any great mystery, the clues were all there, but I wasn’t paying close enough attention to have caught them all the first time around.Ā Hindsight is 20/20, but I still love going back and seeing where I passed over key plot points.
Overall, I think that humor and clever story-telling made a very complex story easy to follow and a pleasure to read.Ā In the authorās note, Benjamin Stevenson alludes to this being a āGolden Ageā of mystery writing in Australia.Ā If Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone is any indicator, this has opened up a slew of new books for me to explore.Ā No algorithm needed!
Narration:
Believing Barton Welch was actually the storyās narrator is probably the biggest complement I can give to the reader of an audiobook.Ā I definitely think this book was enhanced by listening, especially when it came to Ernās sense of humor.Ā This is also the first audiobook Iāve ever encountered that modifies the actual text to apply specifically to a listener. Ā I think the pace and my understanding of the Aussie-accent was perfect at 1.20x speed.
Listen to a clip:Ā HERE
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I've developed a preference for audiobooks over the last few years, which allow me to complete chores, run carpool, or work on my many building and craft projects while 'reading.
My all time favorite selections include Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, Karen Marie Moning's Fever series, and all of Robin Hobb's books set in the Farseer world. Ā Honorable mentions to Elle Kennedy, Penny Reid, Meljean Brook, Ann Aguirre, Krista and Becca Ritchie, Jeaniene Frost, and Kristen Callihan.
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- š§ Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson #BenjaminStevenson #BartonWelch #HarperAudioā¬ā¬ #LoveAudiobooks #KindleUnlimited @4saintjude - July 4, 2025
- š§ We All Live Here by JoJo Moyes @jojomoyes.bsky.social #JennaColeman @penguinaudio.bsky.social #LoveAudiobooks #JIAM @4saintjude - June 6, 2025
- š§ The Time Traveler’s Guide to Restoration Britain by Ian Mortimer @ianmortimer.bsky.social #RogerClark @tantoraudio.bsky.social #LoveAudiobooks @4saintjude - May 2, 2025
I’m like you, I rarely pay attention to those other recs because I already know all the other things I want to read or I get recs from my fellow bloggers. Glad this one was a winner for you. I love the title!
The title of the book sure caught my attention. It sounds interesting for sure .
“I might be showing my age here, but I normally mistrust analytical algorithms and AI-type thingys.” I’m with you. I esp have my doubts on TikTok populars. Sure a couple have been good or okay, but mmm.