Benjamin Stevenson gifts readers with an entertaining holiday novella!
I loved this novella so much that it felt like Christmas came early! It is a witty and clever fair-play mystery with a festive twist. And a great addition to the series. Set up in an advent calendar format, with a clue behind each of the twenty-four "doors," this one sees Ernest trying to prove the innocence of his ex-wife in the suspicious death of her boyfriend. Stevenson had me laughing from the first paragraph and binging this novella.
The unique setup sees the rules of fair play mystery combined with those of Christmas TV specials. I won't spoil those rules because part of the fun is having Ernest point them out along the way. The mystery is layered, compelling, and satisfying, and I enjoyed trying to identify clues and red herrings. Ernest's deductive skills are better than mine, though, and I missed a few, so I enjoyed his signature daring denouement. Ernest's sharply observed inner dialogue and banter with the other characters kept me in stitches. This lively and action-packed holiday whodunnit has humor, action, danger, and Australian-style festive holiday vibes. Super entertaining, and I cannot wait for Ernest's next adventure!
Don't miss this!
Huge thanks to Mariner Books for the gifted review copy!
My steep was Midnight Blackcurrent from my Amoda Tea October box! A black tea with currants, plum, and vanilla flavors!
PUBLISHER'S SYNOPSIS:
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 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?
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