Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson (Review by Stephanie Rowitz)

Rating: 5/5

As the title of this book suggests, everyone in Ernest Cunningham’s family has killed someone, but the Cunninghams’ story is more complicated than you may think. All of the murders are linked to each other in a very elaborate, and yet, unexpected way, and it’s up to Ernie to figure out how they are all tied together.

Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone is a mystery written by a comedian so it doesn’t read like your typical, mystery novel. There are still some graphic murders, but the writer’s sarcastic musings help lighten up the dark subject matter in a way that makes you want to keep reading right up to the story’s satisfying conclusion.

At first, the comedic quips were a bit distracting, but as the mysteries (and bodies) pile up, the asides offer a bit of a reprieve that take you out of the story just enough to let you breathe, maybe chuckle to yourself, and jump back in to solve the murders right alongside Ernie. There are a lot of characters and each of them has a motive, so you definitely won’t be bored while reading this book.

My only critique is that there are just a few too many characters to keep track of. However, I can also see how including numerous characters is a practical tool for mystery writers since they can provide well-placed distractions, and keep the reader guessing until the end. So, I can understand its usefulness in a book like this.

As someone who doesn’t typically gravitate towards mysteries, I really enjoyed this book. The pithy writing and well-timed jokes dripping with dark humor made this a very engaging read. If you’re someone who has wanted to try reading mysteries, but has struggled with it for one reason or another, I suggest starting with this one. You’ll be glad you did.