🔪 Book Spotlight: Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone

Genre: Mystery • Dark Comedy • Whodunit • Meta Fiction

Format: Audiobook
Series: Ernest Cunningham #1
Year Published: 2023
Page Count: 384
Rating: ☕☕☕☕☕ (5 Coffees!)

☕ Coffee Pairing

Perfect Sip: Flat White with a Dash of Cinnamon
Why it Works:
Smooth and bold like the storytelling, with a touch of spice to match the dry wit and twisty plot. Just the right brew to keep you sharp while unraveling murder, mayhem, and family secrets.

About the Book

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.

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.

Have I killed someone? Yes. I have.

Who was it?

Let’s get started.

EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE

My brother

My stepsister

My wife

My father

My mother

My sister-in-law

My uncle

My stepfather

My aunt

Me

My Thoughts

I’ve never been more fascinated by a book’s writing style. Told in first person, the story is narrated and “written” by Ernest Cunningham, who often breaks the fourth wall to speak directly to us. He admits upfront that he’s an unreliable narrator at times, for various reasons, and isn’t shy about poking fun at himself along the way. Despite the detours and self-deprecating humor, he ultimately pieces together the whodunit in clever and satisfying fashion. I love the quote below because it lets us know he’s reliable unless he’s not.

“Call me a reliable narrator. Everything I tell you will be the truth, or, at least, the truth as I knew it to be at the time that I thought I knew it.”
— Benjamin Stevenson, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone

Benjamin Stevenson’s storytelling? Top-tier. He moves between past and present so seamlessly, I never once felt lost. The plot is tight, the pacing relentless, and the humor? Spot on—even in the heavier moments, there’s always a line that made me smirk. I’ll admit, I had a hunch about the ending before it landed, but honestly? He wanted us to. The breadcrumbs are deliberate, and following them is half the fun.

This book is fast-paced from start to finish. I was never bored. The action never lags. There’s always another layer to peel back, another twist to chase—and I loved every second of it.

All that to say, this one easily earned its ☕☕☕☕☕ from me.