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Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret
Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret | Benjamin Stevenson
Benjamin Stevenson returns with a Christmas addition to his bestselling, "deviously good fun" (Nita Prose), 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 IDENTICAL TWIN THE COUNSELLOR THE TECHMy 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?
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Sharpeipup
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There needs to be more stories written like advent calendars…what a treat to read a chapter each day!

21 likes2 stack adds
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MallenNC
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Today was my last day of work for the year! Now I can stay up late and read. Starting this one now.

mcctrish Woo Hoo! I booked off subbing for the rest of the week so my work year is over too but I have to move my youngest home this weekend from Uni so I‘m going to chill out Sunday evening 3d
Suet624 Have fun!! 3d
MallenNC @mcctrish Enjoy your break and good luck with moving! 2d
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MallenNC @Suet624 Thanks! 2d
marleed Oh enjoy! 2d
Deblovestoread Love the mug! Have a fantastic break! 2d
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 2d
40 likes7 comments
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Mitch
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I LOVE it! To say I‘m obsessed at the moment with Xmas stories is an understatement and these are two new to me authors! Can‘t wait to start reading! And the bag is gorgeous. ( Did I tell you that the illustrator of my bag launched her new book at our little indie a few weeks ago and I got to meet her!). Biggest of thanks and hugs to you @DGRachel

MommyWantsToReadHerBook I love that bag so much!! 3d
Soubhiville What a super cute bag!! 3d
AmyG Beautiful bag!!! 3d
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DGRachel YAY! This makes my heart happy. 💖 3d
Chrissyreadit 😍😍😍😍😍 3d
Chelsea.Poole Lovely bag! 2d
MemoirsForMe Love the hedgie tote! 😍 1d
56 likes7 comments
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OriginalCyn620
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MallenNC I just got this one 7d
CogsOfEncouragement I really like this series too. 7d
Bookwormjillk 👏👏👏 6d
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 6d
38 likes5 comments
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bookandbedandtea
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My morning reading and a mug that knows what's what 🤶

kspenmoll Your tree is beautiful! 7d
AnnCrystal 🤶👍🎄💝. 7d
TheBookgeekFrau I can always tell your pictures by the mugs lol Love them! 7d
See All 10 Comments
dabbe ❣️🎄❣️ 7d
bookandbedandtea @kspenmoll Thank you! 😊 7d
bookandbedandtea @TheBookgeekFrau I didn't realize I had an identifiable esthetic! 😆 7d
TheBookgeekFrau @bookandbedandtea Yup - the Cool Mug Look 😁 7d
bookandbedandtea @TheBookgeekFrau Aha! Thanks ☺️ 6d
38 likes10 comments
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Zuhkeeyah
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This was my first Stevenson and I had a blast. A short but tense Christmas murder mystery that adheres to the well acknowledged literary rules of such things should be solved.

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Nessavamusic
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Pickpick

A cute quick holiday murder mystery. Not as good as the previous 2 as it feels a bit rushed, but a fun read. 3.5⭐️

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MatchlessMarie
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Another 5 ⭐️ read from Benjamin Stevenson! I love this series / writing style so much. +129 word search words. #ReadAway2024 #SeriesLove2024 #BookSpinBingo #LetterE #ChristmasAtoZ Different Levels for #ISpyBingo Promise for #AVeryMerryBingo #Adventathon #LittenListen Seasonal for #ChristmasCrimeChallenge Gift for #AVeryScaryXmasBingo #HolidayBookDragons #WinterGames2024 #Lights #ChristmasCheer

Andrew65 Excellent 👏👏👏 2w
RaeLovesToRead Nice!! 2w
DieAReader 🎉🎄🤓 2w
See All 7 Comments
Eggs Perfect 👌🏼 2w
TheSpineView Fantastic! 2w
BookmarkTavern Looks fun! 2w
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2w
51 likes1 stack add7 comments
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Aims42
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Themes: Christmas!, Australia!, Murder Mystery, A Standalone Novel

This is my new criteria for a great Christmas book! Benjamin Stevenson ticked all the boxes: a solid plot, excellent characters, and the ability to take me away from reality while reading. If you‘ve enjoyed his other books, give this one a read! And if you haven‘t read his other books (you should!), you can still read this because it‘s a standalone book 👍

34 likes1 stack add
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CogsOfEncouragement
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Pickpick

The third in the series, I really enjoyed this one too. Clever, funny, and unpredictable. 5⭐️

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wideeyedreader
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My mom @AmyK1 and I read this for our December Mother-Daughter Murder Mystery Book Club! For once, I did suspect the right person, though the whole plot was a LOT more complex than I expected! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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AmyK1
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@wideeyedreader and I read this for our December mother-daughter murder mystery book club. It was a lot of fun and I did NOT suspect the correct person 😂

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TheEllieMo
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‘‘Tis the season for seasonal themed books and perhaps a slight change in how I judge books, when the main thought is does it make me smile. This one fits the bill - not the greatest literature, and the MC can be irritating, but overall I liked the humour.

TheKidUpstairs That's how I judge my Christmas reads, too! 3w
29 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Mpcacher
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Pickpick

This was short and fun Christmas mystery, but I admit at times I found it to be a little convoluted, perhaps as a result of the novella format and lots of characters. It is told in the author's usual style where he leaves clues and talks to the reader thereby breaking the fourth wall. I enjoyed the Australian setting, the insights into the world of magic and the clever plotting. Thanks to Edelweiss+ for the digital ARC. 3.5/5 stars!

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Hooked_on_books
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Panpan

I really liked the first two books in this series, but this one was so over the top nudge-nudge wink-wink from the start that I quickly lost interest. By the end I really didn‘t care. Here‘s hoping the next one is back up to the standard of the series.

JoyBlue I'm not quite halfway in, and I agree. Bummer! 3w
47 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Read4life
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Pickpick

#ARC

I liked this Christmas special novella. It was set up like an Advent calendar of clues. Very clever and fun.
#BookSpinBingo #SeriesLove2024

TheSpineView Fantastic! 4mo
bthegood Adding this for #WinterGames - ❄ (edited) 4mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4mo
61 likes4 stack adds3 comments
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Read4life
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julesG 🎉🎉🎉 Is it out already? 4mo
julesG You wrote ARC. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ 4mo
Read4life @julesG No worries. 😉 It‘s out in October. 4mo
julesG I wasn't fully awake yet 4mo
52 likes4 comments
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RosePressedPages
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Pickpick

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy! I was so ecstatic to see a holiday special of Ernest Cunningham. I will say the beginning felt a little rushed. I was a little confused about how Erin (who is back!) met her boyfriend Lyle, they seemed like such a random couple. But those are pretty minor gripes. I liked the way the book was set up with christmas-y clues for each chapter and the new cast of characters! (Full review on Goodreads).

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