Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

147 reviews

bugferbrains's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Twist after twist after beautiful twist! Benjamin Stevenson does an awesome job subverting your expectations even when setting all the pieces up in front of you. There were a few shocking moments that made me pause and laugh in surprise. The misdirection is fantastic. 
I’m used to reading more fantasy/sci-fi fiction, so it took a few chapters for me to really get into it, but once it roped me in it was hard to put down! I really enjoyed the meta writing. If there’s one nitpick I have, it was how Ernest, who had stated to be not much of a detective, completely nailed all the motives and the truth in the end, with some of his deductions being guesswork that happens to be correct. Am I too hung up on this though? No. This was a good ass book, and I am very eager to read the next one. The back of the book says it will be turned into an HBO series too, so I’ll have to watch that.
One final thought, a thank you to the author for suggesting the reader to pick up more Aussie crime fiction in the Acknowledgements section. I am DEFINITELY going to do that. Would’ve liked a few suggested authors though lmao. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Drug abuse, Gore, Suicide, Kidnapping, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Emotional abuse and Vomit

ticklemetiff's review against another edition

mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Suicide, Kidnapping, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

_joannamichelle_'s review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

Author uses a humorous voice to tell this page-turning story. Very strong writing until the final chapters when the explanation of all lingering questions is given. The ending chapters have an overwhelming amount of exposition that makes it difficult to understand the complexities of the plot (had to reread to fully understand). Light and humorous opening and middle seem unbalanced with the very dark nature of the ending. That being said, there are scenes of the book that are so well written that it makes it difficult for me to give this book only three stars; however, this rating is based on the book as a whole.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

eviethebookworm's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Kidnapping, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Fire/Fire injury

sierraclimbs's review against another edition

funny mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

This was a really fun book! It breaks the fourth wall fully calling out murder mystery tropes & directly addressing the reader with spoilers etc. 
Although I really loved it & laughed out loud several times. There was just something missing from it to make it an all time favorite. But would definitely recommend!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicide, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Murder

bessadams's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Suicide, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Kidnapping, and Death of parent

Minor: Infertility, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Car accident

runningonwords415's review against another edition

funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Perfect for lovers of KNIVES OUT - the only slow bit for me was the huge cast of characters. Loved Ernest’s narration and the premise of the plot, but there were three storylines going on at one time, so picking this book up at different points was confusing at times. If I had the time to sit straight through, I could have marked it higher stars. It definitely was a twist I didn’t see coming despite all the Easter eggs, and they didn’t stop once they started so bravo for that. But you gotta hang in there if you want to get to them!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Kidnapping

rochelleisreading's review against another edition

dark funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Drug abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Torture, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

thisbookisbananas's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

 I know everyone comps mystery books to Knives Out, but truly Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone is the closest thing to it.I might even say it’s a better experience than Knives Out. Even though it’s a  labeled as a pure mystery, there were some thriller-esque aspects to it that kind of made it more of a genre blend to me. All in all, an interesting and compelling time! I’d call this a popcorn read if there ever was. I read this physically and via audio w/Hoopla.  Now to read the second book! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Child death, Suicide, and Vomit

Minor: Infertility, Infidelity, and Kidnapping

melaschnie's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Infertility, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Drug abuse, Suicide, Medical content, Kidnapping, Car accident, and Alcohol

Minor: Cancer and Vomit