Benjamin Stevenson, Everyone in My Family
Has Killed Someone
reviewed by Alison McBain
Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone Publisher: Mariner Books Date: January 2, 2024 Length: 384 pp. ISBN: 978-0063279032 |
I'm a big fan of libraries, and Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson was recommended to me by my local librarian. I'm happy to read any genre, and it's been a while since I've read a fast-paced, humorous murder mystery, and this book fits the bill nicely. For readers who enjoy mystery with a lighter touch and a closed-room scenario where everyone's a suspect, this would be a good book to pick up.
I have to say that sometimes writerly tricks in a book can annoy me-it might feel like the author is trying to be too clever. I wasn't sure if that would be the case for this novel, but I was willing to dive in sight unseen. And it was quite a dive.
First off, the author plays with the format of the book, both in order and structure of the story. The first page of the book drops you right into Chapter 1. Not the title page, not the copyright page or anything else normally found at the front of the book. Instead, you read about a murder and don't understand exactly why or how the characters got in the situation they did.
And then the chapter ends and we get those “normal” things at the beginning of the book-the title page, copyright, dedication, etc. All of that appears after the first chapter. Following that, we are given a series of archaic rules about writing mystery, then finally back to the... prologue.
So, things are sometimes told out of order in this book, and it's all part of the lighthearted tone and tongue-in-cheek playfulness with which Stevenson hooks his readers into feeling immersed in the family reunion of the odd and cutthroat Cunningham family. Because it's not a normal family reunion, by any means-especially when people start dying.
I'm not going to give away too much about the story because there are so many twists and turns. Perhaps mentioning any of the plotline would immediately diffuse the book's impact on the reader. I'll just reveal a few interesting points: the book is set in Australia, the style of the narration breaks the fourth wall constantly (so if you don't like this literary device, this book would not be for you), and it's told in a chatty, familiar style that invites the reader into the story while simultaneously doing a masterful job of walking the balance beam between revealing just enough and not too much.
I do have to mention one negative, as well. This book is what I'd call a “fantasy mystery.” There isn't magic involved, but there are elements to the story that are unrealistic. It's more along the lines of a James Bond spy story than one told by someone who's worked in an intelligence agency. The narrative is inventive and theatrical, but not always accurate-people can undergo injuries that hurt, but might not incapacitate as they would in real life, for example. So, if you're looking for something that's 100% on the realistic side, this might not be the best fit. But if you like adventure, humor, and numerous plot twists even if it leaves some real-life accuracy behind, this will be an entertaining romp from the first page to the last.
The snarky tone reminded me a bit of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, where the hero muddles her way through figuring out the crime and criminals, with a little help from her friends/family. Similarly, this is a fast read with the anticipated big reveal at the end. And it's the first of a series, so if you enjoy the protagonist and writing style, you can grab one of the next three books in the series. Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone is a fun read, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Copyright © 2026 by Alison McBain
