Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret
Behind every advent calendar door lies a secret… and behind one, a killer – the perfect stocking-filler for every mystery lover this Christmas!
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4.7 • 10 Ratings
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- £3.99
Publisher Description
A FESTIVE MURDER MYSTERY FROM THE MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR
24 advent calendar doors. 23 clues. And 1 killer to catch before Christmas . . . a deviously clever, classic murder mystery for the festive season
'Lots to enjoy. Light and fun . . . the sort of thing to pop in the stocking of your fellow mystery fan on Christmas Day' Observer
'Fun and diverting, with a plethora of red herrings' New York Times
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My name is Ernest Cunningham. I’m not a detective, but I have a knack for what makes mysteries – and murderers – tick. Here I am, backstage at the Christmas show of world-famous magician Rylan Blaze, and there’s just been a murder.
From the magician’s assistant to the hypnotist, my suspects are all masters of misdirection and hiding secrets in plain sight.
My clues are even more of a mystery:
A person who woke up covered in blood.
A murder committed inside a room from the outside.
And an advent calendar with 23 clues and one killer.
The perfect gift this year will be surviving Christmas.
But for that to happen, I’ve a murder to solve – and a killer to catch . . .
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Why readers LOVE Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret!
'Expect murder, laughs and festive treats! A fun and fabulous story!' 5***** reader review
'It's great fun, and would make a perfect gift for an advent calendar' 5***** reader review
'I would recommend this book to anyone at any time. A murder mystery is not just for Christmas!' 5***** reader review
'It's snarky, entertaining, and will leave you with a satisfying Christmas glow' 5***** reader review
'This is an absolute must-read for every mystery enthusiast or anyone who loves Christmas' 5***** reader review
Praise for Benjamin Stevenson
'Leave it to Stevenson to make high-jinx and murder deviously good fun' Nita Prose
'This crackles on the page. Such an original voice' Jane Fallon
'It's Knives Out meets Richard Osman' A.J. Finn
'Deliciously dark, funny and intriguing' Alex Pavesi
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Though slimmer than its predecessors, Stevenson's third meta-whodunit featuring Australian golden age mystery expert Ernest Cunningham (after Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect) is every bit as ingenious. Shortly before Ernest's upcoming wedding, his ex-wife, Erin, is locked up for the murder of her philanthropist partner, Lyle Pearse, after he's found stabbed to death in their home in the Blue Mountains. Given Ernest's previous successes solving the murder of a famous writer and the crimes of a serial killer, Erin calls and begs him to help clear her name. After speaking to Erin and poking around Lyle's offices, Ernest identifies six main suspects, including magician Rylan Blaze; Lyle's old assistant, Flick; and a pair of teenage twins who attended the rehab program he directed. The clues are doled out in the form of an Advent calendar, with one fair-play puzzle piece revealed at the end of each chapter. As usual, Stevenson hits the sweet spot between self-awareness and sincerity, never allowing the regular fourth-wall breaks to curdle into snark, and the resolution is hugely gratifying. Stevenson's hot streak shows no signs of cooling.
