Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, Benjamin Stevenson

Imagine trying to solve an impossibly difficult puzzle. Now open the first page of Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson.

What you’ll get is a brilliantly constructed puzzle-novel — an exceptional combination of dark humor and classic murder mystery.

At BOOKLOVERS, we’re usually careful with superlatives when talking about books. But trust us, dear readers: our reviews are not paid for. After that clarification — one Ernest Cunningham himself would probably appreciate — let’s return to the story. The novel is narrated by Ernest Cunningham, whose family… well, “everyone has killed someone.”

Ernest makes a living giving writers advice on how to craft detective fiction, only to find himself trapped inside one when his family gathers at a remote mountain resort.

Ernie is the black sheep of the Cunningham family. Three years earlier, he testified against his brother Michael after witnessing him commit murder, sending him to prison. The reason for the family reunion is Michael’s release — and from the very first interactions, the atmosphere feels like a tense theatrical drama waiting to explode.

But shortly before Michael arrives, the body of an unknown man is discovered.

The investigating officer quickly realizes that Michael belongs to the infamous Cunningham family and arrests him as the prime suspect. Ernest is left with no choice but to uncover the real killer in order to clear his brother’s name — and perhaps regain the trust and affection of his family.

Since the story unfolds at a snowy mountain resort, I’ll allow myself one metaphorical spoiler: expect an avalanche of murders connected to the Cunningham family.

Ernest himself is one of the novel’s greatest strengths. He’s witty, self-aware, ironic, and constantly comments on the mechanics of detective fiction. Throughout the book, he references Ronald Knox’s famous “Ten Commandments” of detective fiction from 1929, repeatedly warning readers what they should — and shouldn’t — expect from the story.

That narrative approach is exactly what separates the novel from conventional thrillers and makes it so entertaining.

At the beginning of this review, we compared the book to a puzzle. And that’s precisely what it is. By the final pages, every piece falls perfectly and logically into place.

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone is anything but cliché. Written according to the classic rules of detective fiction while infused with black comedy and sharp self-awareness, it delivers suspense, humor, and genuine surprise all the way through.

And believe us — impressing seasoned thriller readers is not an easy thing to do.

BOOKLOVERS Rating: 5/5

We rarely give perfect scores, but this novel absolutely deserves one — and will likely remain one of our favorite reads of the year.