Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson

9 reviews

mauve_heard's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

A beautiful cocktail pairing to Brian Johnson's Knives Out with a few extra shots of classis Aussie wit. Stevenson played with the tropes of the mystery and whodunnit genre and had fun doing it. This was an easy page-turner and a thoroughly enjoyable read.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Rape, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Violence, and Sexism

jackierobinson's review against another edition

funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This was so funny and clever! Loved it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Alcohol, Death, Murder, and Vomit

Moderate: Medical content, Drug use, Sexism, Rape, Violence, Sexual harassment, Car accident, and Sexual assault

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

cartridgepink's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Now dealing with a kooky cast of relative strangers (instead of strange relatives), Ernest is still a compelling detective/narrator and an endearing lead. Benjamin Stevenson's writing is fast, goofy, sarcastic and self-effacing in equal measure, expertly juggling a dozen tiny threads and obsessions. It's very funny, a great follow-up to one of my favourite books I read last year. I need to know if Ben has played Ace Attorney.

also as a media critic I knew exactly who the murderer was the second their occupation was revealed LMAO. love your work Ben!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexual violence

savtank's review against another edition

funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect was my first ever “whodunnit” style read and I was pleasantly surprised. At first, I must admit, I considered DNFing it due to what I felt was a very slow start. BUT! I am SO GLAD I stuck it out. The plot grew and morphed into a dizzying web of clues, speculation, and humor. What a wonderful introduction to the murder mystery space. I hadn’t realized until I already started it that this is the sequel to the first Ernest Cunningham story, Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone. Thankfully you did not need to have read the first go thoroughly enjoy the second. Now the first had made its way up my TBR list. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Blood, Alcoholism, Murder, and Rape

christygsp's review against another edition

5.0

Hilarious. 
Just as witty and interesting as the first, but with a new feel and plot. 
I missed Ernest but didn’t realise until I started reading. 
Story was clever enough to keep me engaged and throw me a lot of curveballs that fit into reliable narrator, with some fun windy roads. 
Loved it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Death

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Rape and Gore

ivylee's review against another edition

funny lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

I came for the train full of writers, and stayed for the snarky narrator and well-layered mystery. 

A murder mystery and loving sendup of the publishing industry. A sequel in the style of Sherlock Holmes, where references are made to the previous work but it doesn’t super matter if you haven’t read it. I hadn’t read Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone, and I still loved this book. Stevenson succeeded in getting me to add his previous works to my TBR! Also, as a bookseller, the start of this book especially had me cracking up. If you’re at all involved in bookselling or publishing, Stevenson will wink directly at you more than once. 

A reliable and snarky narrator accompanies you through a series of crimes, casting you as Watson - making you privy to all the clues and able to piece it together yourself, if you pay close attention. Presented as a true crime retelling of events in the narrator’s life, he will often speak directly to us and discuss the facts of the case. I was able to put together one of the twists, but the plot and motives are sufficiently layered to keep a keen reader guessing and second guessing through till the end. 

I listened to the audiobook and was delighted by not one but two moments of direct address to audiobook listeners. I do wonder if those are in the printed version. It would be very fun if they weren’t!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Blood, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual harassment and Sexism

Minor: Rape

The rape happens off-screen and in the past, but a character you spend time with is a perpetrator, and there’s a general vibe that several of the men have toward women. Not the MC, he’s fine, but be warned if you’re sensitive to micro aggressions.

erinn93's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Violence

Minor: Rape and Drug use

aloevera's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

A very good sequel. I love this writing style and it was fun to have something that builds but feels different. I will say having the reveal rely on a mystery identity again is maybe pushing it. I think it was fun but I hope it branches out more when the series continues. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Vomit, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Sexual assault, and Violence

thumbeleia's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Addiction, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Child death, Grief, Sexism, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Gore, Gun violence, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Murder, Death, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Pedophilia, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Rape, Incest, Pregnancy, and Vomit