"Everyone on this train is a suspect" is the follow up to the brilliant "Everyone in my Family Has Killed Someone", from 2022 by Benjamin Stevenson. While the books work effectively as standalones, in order to understand the dynamics between Ern and Julie, along with their backstory, I would recommend reading both books - also "Everyone in my Family Has Killed Someone" is ingenious and funny, and well-worth your time.
Now, Ernest is invited to attend the Australian Mystery Writers Festival on board the luxury Ghan train. The other authors include:
a psychological profiler,
a fine Legal mind
an experienced mystery author
and a Literary Heavyweight
Ernest has completed his successful novel, based on his recent family holiday and has also self-published a number of books (pamphlets) on the topic of writing. He refers to his advice and guidance on the best procedure for writing throughout the novel, frequently referencing Poe, Conan Doyle etc. Such references acting as "Easter eggs" fir fans of these authors.
The story is fast paced and Ernest is occupied with solving another dastardly murder mystery while trying to save himself from becoming the next victim.
Make sure you don't miss out and read this book. And now, as I've been inspired I'm off to look up a trip on the Ghan!

I'm not sure why there's so much hype surrounding the release of this; it's very average 😕. Half of the book is spent telling you how to write a "Golden Age Murder" book, and referencing the rules that were followed. It's an unusual point of view but I don't think it's quite pulled off. I'm not rushing to read the previous book.

3.5

Ernest Cunningham returns in this follow up to last year’s debut and once again he’s slap bang in the middle of a murder. He’s been invited to a festival by the Australian Mystery Writers’ Society and it’s taking place aboard the Ghan, a train which travels from Darwin to Adelaide. He’s hoping that being amongst other crime writers will help get his literary juices flowing and he’ll be able to write his second book.

Just like the first one this book is full of Ernest breaking the fourth wall and speaking directly to us, the reader. He continues to give us little clues about what’s to come and teases us with details about the murderer. The setting is incredibly claustrophobic, with not only the enclosed setting of the train carriages restricting peoples’ movements but with the intense heat of the desert bearing down on them.

The fellow characters were an interesting bunch with plenty of motive to go around but I wasn’t really drawn to any of them the way I was with Ernest’s family in the last book. The stakes didn’t seem to be as high and I can’t say I honestly really cared about who the culprit was, which in a murder mystery, is a bit of a downer. This could have something to do with the fact that the deceased was so dislikeable.

It had touches of humour which I loved and I had fun trying to figure out some of the puzzles (although I wasn’t successful). It was an enjoyable enough ride but it didn’t live up to the brilliance of the first book for me. Still, if you like a classic murder mystery with a modern twist then this might just scratch that itch.

I started this before Christmas and struggled a bit to get into it. I have read the first one and loved it and was curious what the sequel would bring.
I did love this less than the first one but it’s still pretty compelling. I think this is because the first half is quite slow going but the second half I read in one sitting! You really don’t have to have read the first book just know the title to work the rest out!
Definitely recommend as a fun, slightly hammy read.
Read through netgalley for an honest review. And I really don’t review things I don’t like.

Everyone On This Train Is A Suspect is a great follow-up to Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone.

Both books are unusual because the narrator is fully aware that they’re in a murder mystery book and is making every attempt to play fairly with the reader by the rules of Golden Age detective fiction. The reader should be able to work out who the murderer is, but, as ever, I was too lazy to do the detective work and just sat back and enjoyed the story.

Ernest is an engaging protagonist, the setting of the Ghan train in the Australian outback was beautiful and the ending was satisfying. What more could anyone want? Five stars from me.

Ernest is back and has boarded a train which has the Australian Mystery Writers’ society festival taking place .
The train has mystery authors galore and Ernest who seems to be a magnet for murders.
I found the story slow going at times but it did seem to pick up the pace about half way through .
I enjoy the style of writing and the story has humour and wit as well as a few serious subjects .
The way the story is told through the narrative of Cunningham makes it a different read and an enjoyable one too.
Thanks to NetGalley and Michael Joseph , Penguin Random House .

I read and enjoyed the author’s previous book as it was something a bit different but this seems to be a repeat. Murders on a train isn’t a new idea and I struggled to engage with the characters. I feel it would make a better movie than a novel. Not really for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book with no obligation to review.

I quite enjoyed this book . It is an interesting story with varied characters, although I got mixed up with who was who in the minor characters. Ernest is engaging and the book is quite funny in places.

I did not realise that this is a sort of sequel and although it can stand alone, there are lots of references to the events of the first book (which sounds great btw) so I felt I would have enjoyed the characters more if I had read the first book.

Also, the narrator has this annoying quirk, sadly all too common lately, of directly addressing the reader and saying things like "there's a big clue on this page". I don't like that, i prefer to get immersed in a story.

I felt detached from the action and frankly, I thought the ending after the killer was revealed was silly, far too unlikely.

What a marvellous follow up / sequel book. I'm glad that I had read the previous book as I think that I may have missed out on a lot of the references in this book. A great merger of wit and murder detection. Loved it .

"Maybe we had experts on the train after all. Five crime writers, each specialising in a different field. Five people who had spent decades researching every way to solve a crime. Or commit one."

Ernest Cunningham is still recovering from the events of 'Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone'. He's written a hit true crime book based on his experiences and has been invited to take part in a Mystery Writers’ Conference set on a luxury train that traverses the desert landscape. With him are five other highly respected crime writers, who have very little respect for Ernest in turn.

Ernest has been commissioned to write another crime book, fiction this time, but his writer's block looms large. He's still traumatised from witnessing the killing spree involving members of his family and he hopes to use the train journey to take stock and recover. Except that's not what happens. When one of the invited writers dies, Ernest is suspicious immediately. Now, it's up to the remaining novelists to figure out what happened, and who is responsible. The problem is: they all know how to commit murder, and get away with one.

This quirky locked room whodunit is oodles of fun. Ernest, the fourth-wall-breaking narrator, drops clues along the way, which may or may not help the reader discover the culprit. I didn't even try to figure it out – I like being surprised. The cast of awful, backstabbing characters creates the perfect atmosphere and the train setting is interesting and original. Being stuck on the train means everyone is in danger and the reader is constantly on edge, wondering if more deaths are on the way.

I haven't read "Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone" but this can work as a standalone. That said, I'll definitely seek out the first book if it's as enjoyable as this one. I hope the author gives us more of Ernest, though it will be interesting to see how he can make so many murders happening around his main character plausible.

A passable read, but a) not having read the first book I found all the references lost on me and b) it was so slow to get going I almost gave up. I persevered, but really only be skimming through the pages.

For those who loved the first book I suspect this is perfect for them. Just not for me, Sorry. Decent enough writing, so I'll give it a 3 stars.

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.)

Invited to be on the panel for the Australian Mystery Writer’s Society crime-writing festival aboard the Ghan, the famous train between Darwin and Adelaide, Ernest Cunningham is hoping for some inspiration for his second novel. What he isn’t expecting is for one of his fellow authors to be murdered. But, on a train filled with crime and mystery writers, surely, together, they should know how to solve a crime. Or how to commit one.

I really enjoyed the first Ernest Cunningham book, Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone, and I was not at all disappointed by this sequel. The narrative voice and humorous vibe is still the same, but the story manages to be different enough to still be fresh and interesting.

The meta nature of the book is excellently done, as Ernest is writing the story while events are still unfolding. This means he is able to drop in clues to look out for as you go along (such as telling the reader he will mention the murderer’s name a 106 times throughout the book), which is a fun addition.

The plot is great; not overly complicated, but intricate enough to be unpredictable, and very well executed. I found it thoroughly entertaining.

What a delight it was to catch up with Ernest Cunningham again. After the end of the first book in this series, I didn't think it would be possible for him to hit us with another mystery to solve, but Ernest managed to find his way into another set of unfortunate events and placed himself right into the middle of it all.

What I love about this authors writing style is that it is unapologetically a classic murder mystery and the clues are all laid out and signposted. As the reader, you just have to look out for them and pay close attention. You'd think that would make it easy to guess the ending, but I was still wrong. I loved playing back particular scenes and realising the significant things I'd missed.

A perfect blend of Agatha Christie style murder mystery, modern humour and characters I either loved or loved to hate. I had such a good time with this book and couldn't have read it any faster if I'd tried.

Ernest Cunningham has recovered from the events that gave him the material for his book and is now on the Ghan with his girlfriend Juliette, for the Australian Mystery Writers Society's festival, which is being held on the train.
Ernest is under pressure from his agent to get his next book started but he is lacking inspiration.
That soon comes in the form of a murder and some juicy revelations.
The question is, can Ernest solve the murder?

I have not read the first book in the series, and even though there are certain references to the events of the first book, it doesn't particularly take away from the reading. Readers can definitely plunge in even if they are new to the series.

Everyone On This Train Is A Suspect is a fun ride to be on. If you're an avid reader of murder mysteries like I am, you will definitely enjoy the narrative of Ernest Cunningham plotting out the structure of the very mystery he is involved in. There are definitely some twists and turns that I anticipated, but the ending was still a revelation!

I truly enjoyed reading this book, and I will definitely check out more from this author.

I loved the author’s first book ‘Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone’, so was eagerly anticipating his second one, while being a little apprehensive as we all know how second books frequently turn out to be a let down. Well, I didn’t need to worry, as ‘Everyone On This Train Is a Suspect’ ticked all the same boxes as its predecessor - from its quirky, witty writing, with laugh out moments, to the suspenseful and twisty plot, full of sharp details and references (Oxford comma clue, Archie Bench anagram and many others), which make Benjamin Stevenson’s books so special and memorable. I can’t wait for book number three and have no doubt it will be another exceptional read.

Reliable narrator, Ernest Cunningham, returns for a sequel which is every bit as good as the first. In fact I'd say it's better than the first.

The setting for book two is a crime writing festival taking place aboard Australia's famous train, the Ghan. Ernest is invited to attend as the festival's debut author, along side five other established authors. Ern is struggling to write his next book so when one of the group is murdered he finally has something to write about.

Murder on a train isn't an original idea but Benjamin Stevenson has made this locked room mystery feel fresh and unique with some marvellous meta touches. I love reading Ern's POV as he's witty and entertaining and breaks the fourth wall by speaking directly to the reader. Ern gives clues throughout the telling of the story, such as how many times the killers name will be mentioned and a comma will solve the murder. But despite the extra help I still didn't figure out whodunit.

Thank you Penguin Random House for inviting me to read and review an advance copy of this book.

Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson
Publication date: 29 February 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars
Thank you to Michael Joseph and NetGalley for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

When the Australian Mystery Writers' Society invites Ernest Cunningham to their crime-writing festival aboard the Ghan, the famous train between Darwin and Adelaide, he hopes for some inspiration for his second book. But when a murder takes place, six authors quickly turn into five detectives.

Just like the first book in this series (Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone), this plays with the conventions of the whodunnit and of the Golden Age of murder mysteries. Case in point: a murder on a train... Now, that's been done before 😊
Stevenson has fun with the traditional locked room, the-killer-is-among-us mystery and goes even more meta than his first book by having multiple mystery writers investigating the crime. I really enjoy Ernest's POV and narrative voice - I love the occasional breaking of the fourth wall and the slightly twisted sense of humour. It's well-paced, a little over the top, but ultimately, very enjoyable and I'll happily read a third book in this series.

PS: dear Reader, I fell for a red herring and did not guess whodunnit correctly! 😁

After the crazy brilliance of Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, I was excited to return to Ernest’s world but I did wonder how he could follow that novel. It turns out: easily! Book number 2 is just as fast-paced, fun and ridiculous as the first, and I enjoyed every minute!

In this novel, Ernest has been invited to speak at a crime writing festival aboard a train travelling between Darwin and Adelaide, in Australia. Before too long, someone is murdered and the mystery ramps up as Ernest realises many people on that train may have some creative ways to get away with murder.

As with the first, I liked how self-aware the book is – with Ernest breaking the fourth wall, speaking to the reader directly and making various references to what is to come later in the book. He gives out clues – such as the murderer’s name being mentioned a specific number of times – and speaks about his struggles writing book number 2, considering his first ‘success’ was the first book in this series which, as he often laments, can’t be replicated!

There’s plenty of humour and the pace is fast and entertaining. I actually preferred the setting of this story versus the first as I loved a locked-room-style mystery, particularly in a location like on-board a train, and I really enjoyed the publishing aspects of the story. I always find reading about publishing, and the bookish world in general, incredibly engaging.

I didn’t work out the murderer before Ernest but I really enjoyed the ride getting there! Great fun and a fresh take on a popular genre.

This book marks the long-awaited (by me, anyway) return of Ernest Cunningham - a brilliant character who narrates this novel and Stevenson's previous book, Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone.

Here we find Ern, having survived extreme family trauma and in fact made a bit of cash by writing his book about it, struggling to produce a follow-up novel. He and his partner, Juliette, are part of a writers' festival on board a famous train travelling across Australia. Conveniently, murders begin to take place that finally give Ern something new to write about.

Both this novel and its predecessor are full of sharp writing, relatable characters, humour and very well thought out plots. Ern is a former writer of books on the rules of the crime genre, and these rules inform his books. He immediately draws the reader into his world and his immediate problems.

His dealings with his agent, Simone, are hilarious. Simone wants some "natural marketing" in his second novel - which means giving enough references to his previous book that readers will want to buy that too. He's told that he has to be familiar because readers like that, but also has to come up with something new. As it happens, he's struggling to come up with anything beyond a basic plan for how a plot would work in terms of word counts.

Ern is on the train with several other writers, the most famous of whom is Henry McTavish, one of Ern's personal favourites. A somewhat anarchic atmosphere is created as Ern basically describes his struggle to write the book with references to what's actually going to happen in it ("The epilogue is proving tricky, mainly because it hasn't happened yet"). He's a big fan of McTavish's detective: "He'd have solved this murder already, even though it hasn't happened yet."

Later he complains about another writer, Alan Royce, taking notes on the trip: "I'm aware of the hypocrisy that I'm currently writing about the trip, but at least I waited until someone died to start."

There are some very witty lines ("His carpet should have been on the side of a milk carton: it was that missing") and hilarious situations - the scene involving Ern taking a call from his hapless uncle, Andy, while simultaneously trying to jump onto a moving train made me laugh out loud.

Ern regularly pokes fun at himself. He's a very likeable character because he's regularly messing things up in his life while forcing himself to be completely honest about those mistakes in the book - his proposal to Juliette perhaps being the most memorable.

The cast of writers makes for a genuinely riveting plot, as we gradually uncover the links and shared histories among them, and how these could provide motives for murder. Much like Stevenson's previous book, the cast of characters are multi-dimensional, believable people. Meanwhile Ern's personal struggles with his book and his relationship - accusing his partner of murder perhaps not being the best idea - develop alongside the main plot.

This is a book that is very easy to read. There are lots of twists, with real surprises as Ern solves the case. And there's a lovely ending. As Ern puts it, "Writing is merely piling up the sticks and the grass and then hoping a tiny flicker sets it all aflame." Stevenson has done this brilliantly.