Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 28 November 2024.
Make sure to check out my extended reviews for Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret, The Ghosts of August and Nobody’s Hero.
Tag: Benjamin Stevenson
Everyone this Christmas has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson
Publisher: Penguin Australia (Hardcover – 22 October 2024)
Series: Ernest Cunningham – Book Three
Length: 229 pages
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
One of my favourite Australian authors, the clever and eternally funny Benjamin Stevenson, returns with the third book in his Ernest Cunningham series, Everyone this Christmas has a Secret.
Over the last few years, one of the most impressive Australian crime fiction authors has been the exceptional Benjamin Stevenson. After a successful career as one half of musical comedy duo The Stevenson Experience, Stevenson has successfully made the move to crime fiction author with several amazing books. I was a big fan of his debut novel, Greenlight (also released as Trust Me When I Lie and She Lies in the Vines), which Stevenson expertly followed up a year later with the great sequel Either Side of Midnight. While these initial books were really good, for me Stevenson’s best work has been his Ernest Cunningham novels.
The Ernest Cunningham series follows the titular character, a crime fiction expert from a notorious family, who finds himself caught up in some real-life whodunit situations. The first book in the series, Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone, was particularly impressive, and it cleverly combined the author’s great sense of humour with a compelling mystery. I really enjoyed this exceptional book (one of my favourite Australian novels of 2022), especially as the author successfully played to his comedic background to produce an outstanding read that satirised classic crime fiction conventions. Stevenson continued to impress the following year, with the amazing book Everyone on this Train is a Suspect. One of my favourite books and pieces of Australian fiction of 2023, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect was a worthy sequel to the first Ernest Cunningham book, and I loved how the author took the opportunity to further parody various crime fiction subgenres. Due to how much fun I’ve had with the previous novels in the series, I was very excited when I found out Stevenson was releasing an Ernest Cunningham Christmas special. This latest book, Everyone this Christmas has a Secret, was an excellent read that continued to showcase unique style and flair for outrageous stories.
Ernest Cunningham, amateur detective, novelist and all-round meddler, had been looking forward to Christmas with his highly dysfunctional family. However, a surprising phone call from his ex-wive, Erin, forces him to journey to the Blue Mountains to solve another murder. Erin has been accused of killing her new husband, a wealthy philanthropist and former actor dedicated to helping former drug addicts by introducing them to the performing arts. Found upstairs covered in the victim’s blood, the case against Erin seems airtight, but Ernest isn’t willing to believe that the women he used to love is capable of committing murder.
Determined to prove Erin’s innocence, Ernest begins to investigate hoping to find anything that will clear her name. His first stop is a large charity Christmas show headlined by a famed magician that the victim had been working on in the leadup to his death. Exploring backstage, Ernest soon discovers that the staff of the charity show are a mixed bag of tricksters, manipulators and performers, each of whom had history with the victim. But before he can investigate any further, another person dies publicly on stage.
With the police refusing to listen and time counting down to Christmas, Ernest once again uses his knowledge of the conventions of crime fiction to try and solve the case. However, all his suspects have motive, and all of them know how to lie and misdirect. Can Ernest work out which of these performers is concealing the truth, or will a killer get away with murder this Christmas?
This was another outstanding novel from Stevenson, who clearly has a ton of fun with his Ernest Cunningham books. A brilliant Christmas special, Everyone this Christmas has a Secret proved to be yet another captivating and hilarious book that proved extremely hard to put down.
Everyone this Christmas has a Secret proved to be a very entertaining addition to the Ernest Cunningham series. Using the conventions of a Christmas special, Everyone this Christmas has a Secret provides readers with a short standalone book that can easily be enjoyed by any reader, even those unfamiliar with the previous entries in the series. Due to the limited length of the novel, Stevenson wastes no time diving into the plot, and you are soon presented with a new unique murder mystery, with the protagonist’s ex-wife painted as the killer. After some effective introductions to the case, the protagonist travels to the charity show that seems to lie at the heart of the case and begins to learn more about the potential suspect. This was a necessarily concise introduction, although it works to set up much of the future plot, and there are a ton of subtle clues hidden throughout the first half. This first half leads to a dramatic and exciting second murder that changes the scope of the plot and forces the protagonist to up his game.
Stevenson doesn’t waste any time after this second death, moving the plot at a murderous pace (pun intended), and bombarding the reader with clues, reveals and intrigues. There are several great twists here as we get closer to the conclusion, and I loved how the protagonist worked his way through the Christmas mystery in his own unique way. Everything leads up to the big reveal, where Ernest brings all his suspects together in a single location and talks them through the solution to the murder. There are some brilliant moments here as Ernest eliminates suspects, bringing all the hidden secrets to life and slowly whittling down the field of potential killers. The big reveal about the real killer was well handled and extremely clever, as the author brings together the multitude of clues he sprinkled throughout the plot in an entertaining manner. While the identity of the murder was a tad obvious to me thanks to one clue in particular, the route the protagonist takes to get there is fun, and I loved seeing everything come together. The resulting final confrontation is a little over-dramatic and follows the pattern of the other novels in the series, but it proved to be a great ending to this shorter, Christmas-themed Ernest Cunningham book, and I loved how well this book sat as a standalone entry to the series.
As with the previous books in this series, Everyone this Christmas has a Secret is a cleverly written and highly entertaining read that seeks to blend a complex murder mystery with comedic writing that satirises classic fiction tropes, especially those around golden-age crime fiction. Perfectly set in the iconic Australian setting of the Blue Mountains and told from the first-person chronicle perspective of protagonist Ernest Cunningham, this book has a compelling, quick-fire narrative enhanced by the protagonist’s amusing observations about the situation and the people involved in the case. Stevenson expertly utilises his comedy background to keep the mood of Everyone this Christmas has a Secret light, and you will love the fantastic way he keeps the audience laughing, while also providing some very clever in-jokes for those readers familiar with classic murder mysteries and whodunnits.
Stevenson also leans into the Christmas theme of this book by including a range of themes and tropes from holiday special novels/shows, which helps to give this third book a unique and memorable edge. The author’s rules for holiday specials, which are set down at the end of the novel, are cleverly overlayed over his established rules for detective fiction, and I really appreciated how Stevenson incorporated them into the plot. As such, Everyone this Christmas has a Secret has a distinctive change in style compared to the previous novels, which I think worked extremely well. If I had one criticism, it would be that the shorter length of this novel ensured that Stevenson didn’t have as much space or time to try to implement some of his classic meta-hints (like revealing on what page a murder was going to occur, or how many times the killer’s name is mentioned in the book), and the entire book did feel a bit rushed at times. Still, this was a great read, and one that works both as a continuation of the Ernest Cunningham series, as well as a compelling, holiday standalone read.
Due to its nature as a standalone holiday special, Everyone this Christmas has a Secret doesn’t feature a massive amount of character development, and apart from the protagonist there is a noticeable lack of recurring characters physically appearing here (it’s one of the rules of a holiday special). That being said, it was fun to see protagonist and humorous point-of-view character Ernest Cunningham again, especially as he is starting to lean into his role as a detective. While his investigation style is still quite chaotic (earning him the moniker “the Slapdash Detective”), Cunningham proves to be a much more skilled sleuth, although he once again makes some foolish mistakes at the grand reveal at the end. Aside from Cunningham, the rest of the cast is fun, with an intriguing mixture of suspects, victims, and related characters. While Stevenson does a good job introducing these characters and setting up some competing motivations, I did think the speed of the plot didn’t allow the reader to really appreciate this extended cast as much, and as such the big reveal at the end loses a little punch. Still, Stevenson features a solid cast for a shorter holiday special, and I enjoyed seeing how Ernest dives through their chaotic lives to find the killer.
Benjamin Stevenson once again shows why he is one of Australia’s top crime fiction authors with another captivating and clever murder mystery book, Everyone this Christmas has a Secret. Once again featuring the author’s trademark humour and satirical take on classic whodunnit tales, Everyone this Christmas has a Secret was a great read that was both gripping and fun. I look forward to seeing how the author continues the Ernest Cunningham books in the future, although I must admit I do wonder how far Stevenson can take this concept. An overall excellent and funny murder mystery that anyone can enjoy this Christmas.
WWW Wednesday – 20 November 2024
WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
So, let’s get to it.
What are you currently reading:
Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven (Trade Paperback)
I have started reading the exciting thriller, Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven. The sequel to Craven’s previous novel, Fearless, Nobody’s Hero takes the author’s new protagonist on a dangerous mission to London when a mysterious woman from his past reemerges. I am having a blast reading this over-the-top thriller, and it is proving to be one of the most entertaining books of 2024.
Warhammer 40,000: Broken Crusade by Steven B. Fischer (Audiobook)
I was still in a major Warhammer 40,000 mood so I started listening to the latest release, Broken Crusade by Steven B. Fischer. Following on the grim and fanatical Black Templar Space Marine chapter, Broken Crusade really dives into the gothic elements of the Warhammer 40,000 novel to create a distinctive setting. I have only listened to a little bit of Broken Crusade so far, and I am looking forward to seeing where this cool book goes.
What did you recently finish reading?
Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret by Benjamin Stevenson (Hardcover)
I powered through this cool follow up to Stevenson’s previous books, Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone and Everyone on this Train is a Suspect this week. Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret is another unique murder mystery that sees the dysfunctional protagonist attempt to discover a murderer amongst a group of Christmas performers. Fun, clever and extremely funny.
Warhammer 40,000: Daemonhammer by Darius Hinks (Audiobook)
I also managed to complete this awesome Warhammer 40,000 novel by Darius Hinks, Daemonhammer. An addictive and intense read, I had a brilliant time getting through it.
The Ghosts of August by Peter Watt (Trade Paperback)
An exciting Australian novel with a deep war story behind it.
What do you think you’ll read next?
Revenge of Rome by Simon Scarrow
I’ve still got a ton of great 2024 novels to read, but I think the next one I’ll read is the new Simon Scarrow book, Revenge of Rome. A particularly intense entry in the series, Revenge of Rome will see the series protagonists embark on a desperate hunt for a fugitive queen in order to get their revenge. I know I am going to love this book, and I cannot wait to check it out.
I am also hoping to read the awesome and dark Australian thriller Endgame by Sarah Barrie. The final book in her Lexi Winters series, Endgame will set an unconventional cop against a deadly killer in a revenge filled game of cat-and-mouse. This will probably end up being one of the best Australian novels of 2024 and I am deeply excited to finally read it.
That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.
WWW Wednesday – 13 November 2024
WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
So, let’s get to it.
What are you currently reading:
Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret by Benjamin Stevenson (Hardcover)
I just started reading the awesome Australian murder mystery novel, Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret by Benjamin Stevenson. The follow up to Stevenson’s previous books, Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone and Everyone on this Train is a Suspect, Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret is another unique murder mystery that sees the dysfunctional protagonist attempt to discover a murderer amongst a group of Christmas performers. Once again combining a clever investigation with comedy and a satirical look at the murder mystery genre, Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret should be a particularly awesome read and I will probably knock it off in the next day or so.
Warhammer 40,000: Daemonhammer by Darius Hinks (Audiobook)
I am still powering through every 2024 Warhammer 40,000 novel I can, so I just started listening to the new book from Darius Hinks (whose previous novel, Leviathan, was delightfully dark). This new book, Daemonhammer, sets an aging Imperial Inquisitor against deadly hidden forces in an elaborate game of cat and mouse. I haven’t made a lot of progress on Daemonhammer yet, but I am already quite curious about where the plot is going.
What did you recently finish reading?
Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang (Trade Paperback)
I managed to get through the awesome fantasy novel, Blood Over Bright Haven this week, and boy was it awesome. The new book from acclaimed author M. L. Wang, Blood Over Bright Haven was a particularly powerful and inventive fantasy novel that I had such a brilliant time with. Clever, tragic, and filled with some unique fantasy features, Blood Over Bright Haven was so damn good, and I am very glad I decided to check it out.
Darkside by Michael Mammay (Audiobook)
I absolutely powered through the epic science fiction thriller Darkside by Michael Mammay this week as well. The fourth book in Mammay’s Planetside series (made up of Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside), Darkside brings back the author’s controversial protagonist as he investigates a missing persons case on a moon-based mining colony, run by two companies who have both tried to kill him in the past. This proved to be an excellent and fast-paced book, and I am hoping to get a review up for it soon.
What do you think you’ll read next?
The Ghosts of August by Peter Watt
The next book I am hoping to read is the new Australian historical fiction novel, The Ghosts of August. The final entry in Peter Watt’s Colonial series, The Ghosts of August should be a compelling and exciting book, as the various members of a prominent family deal with the chaos surrounding World War I.
I am also hoping to read the exciting thriller, Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven. The sequel to Craven’s previous novel, Fearless, Nobody’s Hero will taking the author’s new protagonist on a dangerous mission to London. I am really looking forward to reading this over-the-top thriller, especially as Craven’s other 2024 novel, The Mercy Chair, proved to be particularly impressive.
That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.
WWW Wednesday – 6 November 2024
WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
So, let’s get to it.
What are you currently reading:
Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang (Trade Paperback)
I just started reading the intriguing fantasy novel, Blood Over Bright Haven. The new book from acclaimed author M. L. Wang, Blood Over Bright Haven follows intrigue, politics and passionate research in a massive university with a very intriguing magical system. I’ve only made a bit of progress on Blood Over Bright Haven but it is proving to be a pretty awesome read that I think has a ton of potential.
Darkside by Michael Mammay (Audiobook)
I’ve also started listening to the epic science fiction thriller Darkside by Michael Mammay. The fourth book in Mammay’s Planetside series (made up of Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside), Darkside brings back the author’s controversial protagonist as he investigates a missing persons case on a moon-based mining colony, run by two companies who have both tried to kill him in the past. I’ve made a bit of a dent in Darkside so far and I am getting pretty drawn into its compelling story. I’m hoping to get through Darkside in the next week and I cannot wait to see how it unfolds.
What did you recently finish reading?
The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman (Trade Paperback)
I managed to finish off the excellent and fast-paced young adult fantasy novel The Heart of the World by Australian author Amie Kaufman. The sequel to The Isles of the Gods, The Heart of the World was a great conclusion to this duology and I’m hoping to get a review up for it soon.
The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne (Audiobook)
I also managed to finish off the epic new John Gwynne book, The Fury of the Gods. The final entry in Gwynne’s Bloodsworn Saga (see my reviews for The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods), The Fury of the Gods was a particularly awesome book that I could not get enough of. Loaded with action and elaborate characters, this was a very strong and impressive fantasy novel and one of my favourite books of 2024.
What do you think you’ll read next?
Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret by Benjamin Stevenson
I’ve got several awesome books to check out in the next few weeks, but I think I’ll start by diving into the awesome Australian murder mystery novel, Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret by Benjamin Stevenson. The follow up to Stevenson’s previous books, Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone and Everyone on this Train is a Suspect, Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret is going to be an amazing read loaded with mystery, comedy and over-the-top characters.
That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.
Book Haul – 22 October 2024
I’ve had another excellent week for books, as I was lucky enough to receive several incredible and amazing new novels from local publishers and Netgalley. These novels include some truly awesome new releases, including books that have the potential to be some of my top reads of the year. I cannot wait to dive into them, and I so excited to see how they all turn out.
The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne
I was very, very happy to receive the latest epic fantasy novel from John Gwynne, The Fury of the Gods. The third and final book in the Bloodsworn trilogy, The Fury of the Gods will follow on from the exceptional reads, The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods. Set to showcase the final battle between several bands of warriors and the reborn gods, The Fury of the Gods will easily be one of the top fantasy books of 2024 and I am extremely keen to check it out, especially after once again witnessing this glorious cover art.
The Ghosts of August by Peter Watt
Another excellent book I was happy to get my hands on was the fantastic Australian historical fiction novel, The Ghosts of August by Peter Watt. The sixth and final book in Watt’s excellent Colonial series, The Ghosts of August will continue to follow members of an Australian family as they battle their way through various key historical events. This final book will be set around World War I and should prove to be another outstanding read. I have had a lot of fun with this series over the last few years (see my reviews for The Queen’s Colonial, The Queen’s Tiger, The Queen’s Captain, The Colonial’s Son and Call of Empire), and I have no doubt Watt will end this series on a great note.
Everyone this Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson
As an early Christmas gift, I was lucky enough to get a copy of the new Benjamin Stevenson book, Everyone This Christmas has a Secret. Following on from his previous awesome novels, Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone and Everyone on This Train is a Suspect, Everyone This Christmas has a Secret is a short, but intriguing entry in the series that will see the protagonist attempt to work out which performer at a Christmas show is a murderer. I know that I am going to have a ton of fun with this book, and its sure to be one of the top Australian novels of 2024.
Rebellion by Richard Cullen
An exciting historical fiction release, Rebellion is a great new novel from Richard Cullen that follows an uprising against King John by his nobles. I loved the sound of this cool book, and I actually started reading it today. It’s proving to be a very exciting and compelling historical read that focuses on a fantastic period of history.
Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang
One of the books I recently received with the most potential is the epic novel, Blood Over Bright Haven. An intrigue laden book about politics and study in a magical university, Blood Over Bright Haven sounds really cool and I am very keen to get through its fantastic sounding plot. I’m also interested in reading something from author M. L. Wang, especially after hearing some good things about her previous novel, The Sword of Kaigen, and I look forward to seeing how this book turns out.
The Great Library of Tomorrow by Rosalia Aguilar Solace
The final book I recently received was The Great Library of Tomorrow by Rosalia Aguilar Solace. An intricate fantasy novel about a multidimensional library, The Great Library of Tomorrow looks set to be a fascinating read and I am looking forward to diving into it.
Well, that’s the end of this latest Book Haul post. As you can see I have quite a bit of reading to do at the moment thanks to all these awesome books that have come in. Let me know which of the above you are most interested in and make sure to check back in a few weeks to see my reviews of them.
Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Spring 2024 To-Be-Read (TBR) List
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official Top Ten Tuesday topic for this week requires participants to highlight the posts that best showcase their personality. While this is an interesting topic, and one that I may come back to in the future, I am instead going to look at some upcoming books. That is because today is the last Tuesday before Spring 2024, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to do my quarterly post about the best upcoming books to read in Spring (Autumn for folks in the Northern Hemisphere). This is a regular post I do at the start of each season, and I always love to highlight some of the most impressive sounding novels coming out in the next three months.
For this list, I have come up with ten books coming out between 1 September 2024 and 30 November 2024 that I am most excited for. There are quite a few amazing novels set for release in the next few months, so it took me a while to finalise my final top ten list, including my usual honourable mentions section. I have primarily used the Australian publication dates to reflect when I will be able to get these awesome novels, and these might be somewhat different to the rest of the world. I have previously discussed a number of these books before in prior Waiting on Wednesday articles and my most anticipated books for the second half of 2024 lists (fantasy and science fiction and other genres), and I think all of them will turn out to be incredible reads. I am extremely excited for these next three months and I feel that quite a few of these upcoming reads have the potential to be some of my favourite books of 2024.
Honourable Mentions:
High Wire by Candice Fox – 24 September 2024
Another exciting read from one of Australia’s top crime fiction authors. High Wire is Candice Fox’s third book of 2024 (following The Murder Inn and Devil’s Kitchen) and looks set to be a high-octane read in the middle of the Australian outback.
Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven – 8 October 2024
An intriguing follow-up to Craven’s 2023 novel, Fearless, Nobody’s Hero sounds like a ton of fun, and I am particularly keen to check it out after deeply loving Craven’s other 2024 novel, The Mercy Chair.
Star Wars: The Glass Abyss by Steven Barnes – 15 October 2024
A cool and intriguing new Star Wars novel that looks set to highlight the legendary Mace Windu.
Endgame by Sarah Barrie – 30 October 2024
Another awesome Australian thriller from impressive author Sarah Barrie. Endgame will end the outstanding and dark Lexi Winter’s series, which has previously featured Unforgiven, Retribution and Vendetta.
Top Ten List:
King’s Enemy by Ian Ross – 10 September 2024
The first book on this list is the awesome historical fiction release, King’s Enemy. The third and final book in the de Norton trilogy, which has previously featured the exceptional reads Battle Song and War Cry. King’s Enemy will see the protagonist, knight Adam de Norton, forced to turn against his king after losing a deadly civil war, resulting in one of England’s most infamous sieges. I love the sound of this book so much, and I have a feeling it is going to be one of the top historical fiction books of 2024.
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman – 17 September 2024
Over the last four years, Richard Osman has consistently impressed me with his incredible and exceptional crime fiction reads. His Thursday Murder Club series, made up of The Thursday Murder Club (one of my favourite books, debuts and audiobooks of 2020), The Man Who Died Twice (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), The Bullet That Missed (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and The Last Devil to Die (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), are so damn good, and I am always eager for more Osman. As such, Osman’s new book, We Solve Murders, is one of my most anticipated books of 2024. Featuring a new group of protagonists, We Solve Murders has another outstanding story behind it, and I cannot wait to check it out.
A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan – 24 September 2024
Probably the fantasy novel I am most looking forward to in 2024 is A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan. The start of new series from Ryan that follows on from his Covenant of Steel trilogy (The Pariah, The Martyr and The Traitor), A Tide of Black Steel looks set to be a powerful and compelling adventure read, following a new group of protagonists. I love the cool sounding plot of A Tide of Black Steel, and I am eager to see how it will continue some of the open storylines from the Covenant of Steel books.
Darkside by Michael Mammay – 24 September 2024
I was very excited to see that outstanding author Michael Mammay was returning to his Planetside series later this year. Following a veteran, maverick solider in the future who finds himself involved in a series of genocidal plots, the Planetside books are so damn good and have been deeply impressing me since Mammay’s writing debut. Made up of Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside, the Planetside books are extremely awesome, and I cannot wait to check out the fourth book in the series, Darkside. Following the protagonist as he investigates a sinister missing person’s case on the dark side of an isolated moon, Darkside should be an incredible read, especially when the protagonist goes up against multiple mega-corporations he’s annoyed in the past.
Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 39: Ice and Snow by Stan Sakai – 8 October 2024
Readers of this blog will know that I need my Usagi Yojimbo fix each year, as it is easily my favourite comic series out there. Luckily, I don’t need to wait too much longer for the new Usagi Yojimbo comic, as the 39th volume in this incredible series, Ice and Snow, comes out in October. This latest entry in the series sounds very awesome, as Usagi and his cousin are forced to face off against his most deadly enemy, the deadly supernatural killer Jei. I am so excited to get my hands on this comic, and it is going to be so much fun to read.
The Waiting by Michael Connelly – 15 October 2024
Time and time again, Michael Connelly continuously shows why he is the very best crime fiction author in the world today. So many of his recent books have deeply impressed me, including The Night Fire, Fair Warning and Resurrection Walk, just to name a few. As such I am always keen to grab the new Connelly book, and I am very, very happy that the new entry, The Waiting, is out very soon. Once again focusing on his main police protagonists, Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch, The Waiting looks set to be an excellent entry in the series, as Connelly has stacked it with multiple compelling cases, as well as bringing in another Bosch for fans to enjoy. I have no doubt that I am going to absolutely love The Waiting, and it will probably end up being one of my top books of 2024.
Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson – 22 October 2024
Another top crime fiction book coming out in Spring that I am particularly excited for is Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Australian author Benjamin Stevenson. Following on from Stevenson’s previous hilarious and clever books, Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone and Everyone on this Train is a Suspect, Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret, will be a Christmas themed murder mystery romp, with the protagonist forced to figure out who amongst a group of professional Christmas performers is a killer. This will be one of the funniest books of 2024, and I look forward to seeing how this latest book in one of my favourite Australian series turns out.
The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne – 22 October 2024
Probably the book with the best cover on this list is The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne. The third and final book in Gwynne’s The Bloodsworn Saga, The Fury of the Gods will follow on from the amazing and inventive fantasy releases, The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods. I have had an outstanding time with this incredible, Viking-inspired fantasy series, and I have no doubt this final battle between gods and mortals is going to be something truly special.
Revenge of Rome by Simon Scarrow – 12 November 2024
I can’t talk about November releases without highlighting the upcoming Simon Scarrow book, Revenge of Rome. The 23rd Eagles of the Empire novel, Revenge of Rome follows on from several recent Scarrow books set in Britannia, The Honour of Rome, Death to the Emperor and Rebellion. Revenge of Rome will be set in the bloody aftermath of Boudica’s revolt and follows the damaged protagonists as they attempt to hunt down the fleeing Boudica. This will no doubt be a particularly intense entry in the series, and I cannot wait to see how Scarrow will continue this epic series. Another amazing entry in one of my absolute favourite series.
The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso – 19 November 2024
The final book I want to highlight on this list is the cool and unique upcoming fantasy read, The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso. Caruso, who previously deeply impressed me with her debut Sword and Fire trilogy (The Tethered Mage, The Defiant Heir and The Unbound Empire), is set to deliver an intriguing fantasy crime fiction book. Following an odd-couple pair of investigators as they attempt to examine a mysterious set of murders driven by unusual time magic The Last Hour Between Worlds sounds extremely cool and distinctive, and I cannot wait explore this new amazing fantasy tale from Caruso.
Well, that is the end of my Top Ten list. I think it turned out pretty well and it does a good job of capturing all my most anticipated books for the next three months. Each of the above should be extremely epic, and I cannot wait to read each of them soon. Let me know which of the above you are most excited for and stay tuned for reviews of them in the next few months. In the meantime, it looks like I have quite a few books to get through soon and they should all be awesome.
Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Books Releasing During the Second Half of 2024 (Mystery, Thriller and Historical Fiction)
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. In this list, I continue to examine my most anticipated releases for the second half of 2024. While my other list of the night looked at the best upcoming fantasy and science fiction novels, this list will look at the crime fiction, thrillers, and historical fiction novels that I am most excited for in the next six months.
Just like with my previous article about upcoming fantasy and science fiction books, this was a bit of a difficult list to pull together. Even after I excluded fantasy and science fiction novels from it, there were still a ton of great books I could feature, and I had a hard time deciding what to cut. I was eventually able to whittle it down to a top ten list (with an honourable mentions section), and I am pretty happy with how it turned out. Just like with my fantasy and science fiction list, the following list does a great job of highlighting what books I am most excited for in the second half of the year, so let us see what makes the cut.
Honourable Mentions:
Confessions of the Dead by James Patterson and J. D. Barker – 2 July 2024
An intriguing thriller from a team who previously produced the incredible novel, Death of the Black Widow.
Capture or Kill by Don Bentley – 3 September 2024
The iconic and action-packed Mitch Rapp series returns with a new author at the helm, as Don Bentley provides a compelling new adventure.
Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven – 8 October 2024
An intriguing sounding follow up to Craven’s 2023 novel, Fearless, Nobody’s Hero sounds like a lot of fun. I am looking forward to reading this book, especially as I am currently having an outstanding time reading Craven’s other 2024 book, The Mercy Chair.
Endgame by Sarah Barrie – 30 October 2024
The fourth book in one of my favourite Australian series, Endgame will follow on from Barrie’s previous amazing reads, Unforgiven, Retribution and Vendetta.
Top Ten List:
The Wrong Man by Tim Ayliffe – 3 July 2024
The first book I want to highlight in this list is the excellent Australian thriller, The Wrong Man by Tim Ayliffe. Following on from the author’s previous John Bailey books, The Greater Good, State of Fear, The Enemy Within and Killer Traitor Spy, The Wrong Man has a great mystery behind it that sounds extremely intriguing. I already have a copy of this book, and I am very curious to see how it unfolds.
Witness 8 by Steve Cavanagh – 13 August 2024
One of my favourite legal thriller authors, Steve Cavanagh, returns with another twisty and entertaining courtroom drama, Witness 8. The eighth book in Cavanagh’s Eddie Flynn series, Witness 8 will see the conman turned defence attorney protagonist try to save an innocent man implicated by a witness with her own sinister agenda. I have had an outstanding time with Cavanagh’s last several books, including The Devil’s Advocate, The Accomplice and Kill For Me Kill For You, and Witness 8 looks set to be another incredible read.
Precipice by Robert Harris – 27 August 2024
Acclaimed author Robert Harris brings another infamous historical scandal to life with Precipice. Set during World War I, Precipice will craft a spy thriller around the intriguing affair between Venetia Stanley and Prime Minister H. H. Asquith. I am very curious to see what spin Harris puts on these events and it should be a very gripping book.
Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 39: Ice and Snow by Stan Sakai – 10 September 2024
A key highlight of my reading year is always the new Usagi Yojimbo comic by Stan Sakai, which is one of my favourite comic series. Luckily for me the new volume is nearly here with the 39th volume Ice and Snow coming out in September. This new entry sounds particularly epic as it will pit the protagonist against his most deadly enemy, this time in the freezing snow. I am very excited for this cool new comic, and I already know I am going to love it to death.
King’s Enemy by Ian Ross – 12 September 2024
There is no way that I am missing out on the fantastic upcoming novel, King’s Enemy by historical fiction author Ian Ross. The gripping final book in the de Norton trilogy, which has previously featured the amazing books Battle Song and War Cry, King’s Enemy will follow the now fugitive protagonist as he faces the consequences of supporting a rebellion against the crown. This book looks to end the trilogy in an interesting way, and I cannot wait to see how this compelling adventure, set amid one of England’s more intriguing civil wars, concludes.
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman – 17 September 2024
Easily one of my most anticipated books for the second half of 2024 is the new Richard Osman book, We Solve Murders. Osman has proven to be an exceptional author over the last few years with his Thursday Murder Club series, which includes The Thursday Murder Club (one of my favourite books, debuts and audiobooks of 2020), The Man Who Died Twice (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), The Bullet That Missed (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and The Last Devil to Die (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023). All these books have been incredible, and I know that Osman’s new release, We Solve Murders is going to be just as good. Focussing on a father/daughter investigative team, We Solve Murders has so much damn potential and I cannot wait to check it out.
High Wire by Candice Fox – 24 September 2024
A gripping and high-stakes Australian thriller from the always impressive Candice Fox, High Wire will follow two explosive-rigged strangers in the Australian outback forced to complete a series of dangerous tasks. Fox has been on a real roll this year, releasing the intense Devil’s Kitchen and the fun thriller The Murder Inn (with James Patterson), and I have no doubt that High Wire is also going to be very impressive.
Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson – 22 October 2024
After blowing me away with his last two novels, Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone and Everyone on this Train is a Suspect, Australian author Benjamin Stevenson is producing another awesome read in 2024 with Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret. A Christmas themed murder mystery treat that will once again showcase Stevenson’s wit and love for the mystery genre, Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret is going to be an outstanding read and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.
The Waiting by Michael Connelly – 5 November 2024
It wouldn’t be the second half of a year without a new crime fiction read from Michael Connelly. In this case we have The Waiting, which will once again bring together two of Connelly’s best detectives as part of the Ballard and Bosch series. This latest book will see the protagonists investigate several murders throughout L. A., including a compelling cold case. However, readers are also in for a treat with double the Bosch, as Connelly brings Bosch’s daughter in as a main character for the first time. I cannot wait to see how The Waiting unfolds, and it is probably going to be one of my favourite crime fiction reads of 2024.
Revenge of Rome by Simon Scarrow – 7 November 2024
The final book I want to highlight in this list is the epic upcoming historical fiction novel, Revenge of Rome by Simon Scarrow. The 23rd book in one of my all-time favourite series, Revenge of Rome will follow on from the chaotic events of Scarrow’s last two books, Death to the Emperor and Rebellion, which saw the destruction levelled by Boudica’s rebellion. This new novel will force the protagonists to hunt down the defeated Queen Boudica, which will no doubt result in another harrowing and compelling adventure, especially as one protagonist has a dark connection to the fugitive queen. I have no doubt this is going to be an outstanding book, and I cannot wait to read it.
Well, that’s the end of my second list. As you can see, there are some outstanding mysteries, thrillers and historical fiction novels coming out in the next six months which should prove to be amazing reads. Combine that with the fantasy and science fiction releases from my previous list and I know that I am going to have an incredible time in the second half of 2024. While I am waiting to get my hands on these books, why not let me know if any of the above interest you and let me know what your most anticipated releases for the next six months are in the comments below.
Waiting on Wednesday – Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson
Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. For this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight one of my most anticipated Australian novels of 2024, with the hilarious upcoming crime fiction read, Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson.
Over the last few years, one of the most consistently impressive and enjoyable Australian authors has been crime fiction author Benjamin Stevenson. A former comedian (alongside his brother), Stevenson dove into the world of crime fiction with his exciting debut Greenlight (also released as Trust Me When I Lie and She Lies in the Vines), which proved to be a gripping and enjoyable read. Stevenson followed this up in 2020 with his second novel, Either Side of Midnight, which proved to be an excellent sequel to Greenlight.
While I have really enjoyed his more serious crime fiction novels, Stevenson’s best work is easily his Ernest Cunningham series. Starting in 2022 with the outrageous and incredible Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone, this series follows a murder mystery expert who finds himself trying to solve an elaborate killing involving his own trapped family. Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone was such a good book, especially as Stevenson expertly utilised his comedy background to tell a particularly entertaining story, and it ended up being one of my favourite pieces of Australian fiction from 2022. Not to be outdone, Stevenson followed this book up last year with the awesome sequel, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect. Once again forcing the protagonist into a unique locked-room mystery, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect proved to be an epic book, especially as it cleverly parodied the crime fiction genre, and it was one of my favourite books and pieces of Australian fiction from 2023.
Needless to say, I have been keeping a close eye out for anymore books from Stevenson, and I was delighted when I found out there was going to be a third Ernest Cunningham novel coming out later this year. This book, which is set for release in late October 2024, is the awesome sounding Everyone This Christmas has a Secret, which will throw the protagonist into a whole new mess of trouble.
Plot Synopsis:
Benjamin Stevenson returns with a Christmas addition to his bestselling Ernest Cunningham mysteries. Unwrap all the Christmas staples: presents, family, an impossible murder or two, and a deadly advent calendar of clues.
If Knives Out and The Thursday Murder Club kissed under the mistletoe…
My name’s Ernest Cunningham. I used to be a fan of reading Golden Age murder mysteries, until I found myself with a haphazard career getting stuck in the middle of real-life ones. I’d hoped, this Christmas, that any self-respecting murderer would kick their feet up and take it easy over the holidays. I was wrong.
So here I am, backstage at the show of world-famous magician Rylan Blaze, whose benefactor has just been murdered. My suspects are all professional tricksters: masters of the art of misdirection.
THE MAGICIAN
THE ASSISTANT
THE EXECUTIVE
THE HYPNOTIST
THE TWIN
THE COUNSELLOR
THE TECH
My clues are even more abstract: A suspect covered in blood, without a memory of how it got there; A murder committed without setting foot inside the room where it happens; And an advent calendar. Because, you know, it’s Christmas.
If I can see through the illusions, I know I can solve it.
After all, a good murder is just like a magic trick, isn’t it?
Now this sounds like a pretty damn epic read and boy am I going to have fun with it later this year. Taking his fun concept and turning it into a Christmas-themed murder mystery is a brilliant move from Stevenson and I am really excited to see how it works in Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret. Focussing the murder on a bunch of different entertainers, all of whom are trained liars and distractors, should result in a complex mystery and I am sure that Stevenson is going to produce a very memorable story around it. The utterly ridiculous scenario also plays masterfully into Stevenson’s comedy and performance background, so I am sure its going to be loaded with some amazing jokes and references that will appeal to a lot of people.
Look, after all the fun I’ve had with his last few books picking up the new Benjamin Stevenson is a given for me at this point. However, having a new Ernest Cunningham mystery that features an elaborate and entertaining Christmas themed murder mystery is just gold and there is no way I’m not going to have an absolute blast reading this book. I am exceedingly excited for Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret and I cannot wait to see how Stevenson continues his outstanding series. While I am a tad worried about the shorter length of this novel, which might restrict the mystery a little, I am sure that Stevenson has something special planned, and I look forward to seeing it unfold. Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret has the potential to be one of my favourite books of the year and in my opinion October cannot come soon enough.
Book Haul 7 June 2024
I have been having another excellent couple of weeks for books, and I was lucky enough to receive several incredible and amazing new novels from local publishers and Netgalley. These novels include some truly awesome new releases, including books that have the potential to be some of my top reads of the year. I cannot wait to dive into them, and I so excited to see how they all turn out.
You Like it Darker by Stephen King
First up, I recently received the short story collection You Like It Darker by the legendary Stephen King. Set to feature a range of intriguing short stories and novellas from the master of dark fiction, including tie-ins to his more iconic works, You Like It Darker should be a pretty awesome read and I’m very much looking forward to it.
Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky
I also received a copy of the exciting new Adrian Tchaikovsky novel, Service Model. The second of four books Tchaikovsky is writing this year (overachiever!), Service Model is an intense and satirical read that will pit a murderous robot against the remains of humanity who have started to fail due to their overreliance on technology. I have no doubt this is going to be outstanding, and I cannot wait to read it.
The Mercy Chair by M. W. Craven
Last year I had the pleasure of reading the excellent M. W. Craven novel, Fearless, which ended up being really fun. As such I have been keeping an eye out for more of Craven’s books and I just received a copy of his latest novel The Mercy Chair. The sixth Washington Poe novel, The Mercy Chair sounds like a dark and twisty novel that I am really intrigued by.
Outrider by Mark Wales
A grim and complex sounding Australian thriller set in a futuristic, war-torn Australia. Outrider looks set to be an epic read and I cannot wait to dive into it.
Fool Me Twice by Benjamin Stevenson
From one of my Australian authors at the moment comes the novella collection Fool Me Twice. Featuring novelizations of two of Stevenson’s audiobooks, Find Us and Last One to Leave, this should be a very interesting book, especially for fans of Stevenson’s humorous and clever writing.
The Wrong Hands by Mark Billingham
One of the more unique thrillers of 2024, The Wrong Hands sees Mark Billingham’s very excentric protagonist receive a pair of severed hands in a briefcase, which leads him to confrontations with an array of crazy and unlikely killers. I am very intrigued by The Wrong Hands, and I look forward to checking it out.
Love Letters to a Serial Killer by Tasha Coryell
The final book I recently received was the fantastic debut novel, Love Letters to a Serial Killer by Tasha Coryell. Set to follows a frustrated woman who finds a new lease on life when she begins writing to a serial killer in prison. This sounds like a very interesting and entertaining read, and I am curious to see how it turns out.
Well, that’s the end of this latest Book Haul post. As you can see I have quite a bit of reading to do at the moment thanks to all these awesome books that have come in. Let me know which of the above you are most interested in and make sure to check back in a few weeks to see my reviews of them.
The Unseen Library 