6 WRITERS. 5 DETECTIVES. 4 DAYS. 3 WEAPONS. 2 MURDERS. 1 TRAIN…
When the Australian Mystery Writers’ Society invited Ern to their crime-writing festival aboard the Ghan, the famous train between Darwin and Adelaide, he was hoping for some inspiration for his second book. Fiction, this time: he needed a break from real people killing each other. Obviously, that didn’t pan out.
The program is a who’s who of crime-writing royalty:
- the debut writer
- the forensic science writer
- the blockbuster writer
- the legal thriller writer
- the literary writer
- the psychological suspense writer
But when one of them is murdered, six authors quickly turn into five detectives. Together, they should know how to solve a crime.
Or commit one.
How can you find a killer when all the suspects know how to get away with murder?
We’re huge Benjamin Stevenson fans here at Better Reading – he was on our radar even before the runaway success of his internationally bestselling murder mystery, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone. His tone is instantly recognisable, a perfect blend of wit and suspense – which I guess is what happens when an award-winning stand-up comedian turns to crime fiction!
Stevenson has delivered a fantastic sequel in this pitch-perfect cosy crime, matching all the wit, intrigue and hilarity of book #1. Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect is a travelling circus of a murder mystery that takes place over the course of one very eventful cross-country train trip. The Ghan is a ripper of a setting, creating sky-high locked-room stakes set against an iconic Australian backdrop.
Book #1’s narrator-protagonist Ern makes a triumphant return, with his trademark self-deprecating humour and keen eye. He’s often endearing, sometimes exasperating, and always entirely convincing. The supporting cast of characters (read: suspects) is spot-on, with more than a few familiar types thrown into the mix.
Aside from the hilarity, this is a cracking whodunnit. There are exactly the right number of clues – I was always half a step behind Ern in his deductions, but I reckon a savvy reader could just about crack it. Whether you want to sit back and escape into a riotous read, or you’re a crime fanatic taking notes in a bid to outwit the detective, this truly is a crowd-pleaser with something for every reader.
While return readers will be rewarded, this sequel can certainly be enjoyed as a standalone. Confession: I hadn’t read Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone first, but I couldn’t get enough of Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect and found myself turning pages long into the night; I just had to find out where it was going. Early on, Ern makes a witty remark about sequels needing to reveal just enough about book #1 to get new readers to buy it – and this first-time reader is in.
I’m not going to say anything at all about the ending, for fear of spoilers. I just hope this is not the last we get to read from Stevenson. Now, excuse me while I go and find a copy of Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone…
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