Benjamin Stevenson’s ‘Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone’ is my next read of the year.

I liked being in a book club so much that I decided to start a new one at my workplace. ‘EIMFHKS’ was our first book choice, and I have to say that we started on a hell of a good novel.

The story follows Ernest Cunningham, a crime fiction rulebook writer. He’s on his way to a family retreat in the snowy mountains of Australia (I didn’t know Australia had snow). In the very first few pages, Ern assures us that – as given away by the title – everyone in his family has killed someone. But as soon as he arrives at the secluded hotel, things start going awry, and the body count rises.

I haven’t read many murder mysteries – I like the genre, but only when it’s bloody good. But ‘EIMFHKS’ enthralled me. The sense of humour with which Stevenson writes crackles and vibrates from the pages. The protagonist is witty and hilarious, and I laughed out loud more than once. If I had to summarise the novel in a singular word, I’d pick ‘playful’. It’s fun through and through. Stevenson recognises that his job is, first, to entertain. And he pulls this feat off with aplomb. As I said, I haven’t read much mystery. But this book feels like a deconstruction of the genre, only to build it back up into something original.

I recommend this book to everybody, even if you’re not into mysteries. Because I’m not a huge fan, and I completely adored this book.

I will read more from Stevenson in the future.