Golden Age of Detective Fiction

Everybody On This Train is a Suspect is a sequel to the highly acclaimed Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson. Ernest Cunnigham, author, protagonist, makes his debut at a prestigious literary festival, but unlike most authors who only write about dead bodies, Cunningham has a knack for finding them.

Plot Synopsis

Ernest Cunningham and six fellow mystery and crime authors are the headliners at an exclusive literary festival held on the luxurious Ghan train, which runs across the Australian outback from Darwin to Adelaide,

Cunningham, however, is suffering from a terrible case of imposter syndrome. Surrounded by great fiction writers and unable to pen his promised second book- a novel- Cunningham doubts that he can only write what happens to him.

The most famous author at the festival, Henry McTavish, widely known for avoiding festivals, is doing a swan song for the final book in his famed detective series, who he’s killing off. When McTavish dies during one of the discussion sessions, seven mystery writers are on the case. Ernest, hoping to solve McTavish’s death so he can write about it for his next book, is shocked to learn that the insular community he revered is hiding some pretty ghastly secrets.

The Review

The most famous author at the festival, Henry McTavish, widely known for avoiding festivals, is doing a swan song for the final book in his famed detective series, who he’s killing off. When McTavish dies during one of the discussion sessions, seven mystery writers are on the case. Ernest, hoping to solve McTavish’s death so he can write about it for his next book, is shocked to learn that the insular community he revered is hiding some pretty ghastly secrets.

Everybody on this Train is a Suspect is narrated in the same chatty, self-referential tone as Benjamin Stevenson’s first novel, Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone. Cunningham makes sure we know from the non-epilogue epilogue that this is a fair play mystery that’s just as concerned about the structure of a good mystery novel as it is about telling a good story.

Cunningham is inordinately preoccupied with rules. He follows the rules of a fair play mystery in his writing and everyday life- except everyday life isn’t as ordered as a golden age mystery, and his desire to impose these arbitrary and even silly rules causes friction between him and his girlfriend, Juliette.

In the meta-fiction commentary about writing the story, Cunningham wants us to be clear that he knows the rules of fair play and delineates how many times he’s going to use the killer’s name when the action is going to happen, when the dramatic reveal takes place and when he begins his Poirot style gather-the-suspects scene.

Hewing so close to the rules drives out Cunningham’s ability to use his imagination, which is the biggest hurdle he must overcome to write fiction. However, the gimmick of revealing all of the exciting details in the meta chatter undercut the reader’s ability to discover the book, to be shocked and astonished as they naturally would while reading. All of this better serves Cunningham’s neurotic desire to be seen as a good writer who knows all the rules. His writing is more about himself and not really about the reader.

Cunningham desires to be the story’s center, which starts the mystery. Cunningham cannot handle being outside of the literary community, he cannot handle everyone not liking his book, and he especially cannot handle the one-star Goodreads review given to him by Henry McTavish, one of the leading mystery writers of the day.

He idolizes McTavish and desires to be part of the literati so severely that he ruins his trip with Juliette- she leaves the train for the middle part of the book; when McTavish dies, Cunningham imagines that he is the center of the story- the lead investigator, the one who will figure out all the clues and impress everyone so much, that will have to love him—this, of course, backfires. Juliette decides to disembark the train, and the other writers either choose to try and write their best-seller out of the death or try like mad not to get involved with McTavish’s death.

During his investigation, Cunningham realizes that the literary world is made of users who take and abuse others for their stories because they believe they are the story’s center. Cunningham has to decide when he realizes rape, child abandonment, bribery, and a slew of other toxic behaviors come from believing that centering yourself as the essential thing in the world allows you to justify any number of evil. After all, who cares what happens to others as long as it makes you feel good?

Ernest Cunningham undergoes significant personal growth as he navigates the murky waters of the literary world. He comes to understand the extent of fakery involved in creating a successful book, from fake reviews to bribery for blurbs to stealing stories. Stevenson, through Cunningham, offers profound insights into the writing and selling of books, and the mythologizing of authors. This journey of self-discovery will resonate with readers, making them feel invested in Cunningham’s growth.

If you think I spoiled the whole book- don’t worry; there are entire themes such as the plight of female authors, ramifications of the #MeToo movement, the complex para-social relationships between authors and fans, and the whole “death of an author” in modern bookselling that I didn’t even mention.

I also didn’t get into the nitty-gritty of the story- the poisoning, the fake identities. I won’t go on; Ernest will explain it to you; he always does.

Should you read Everybody On This Train Is A Suspect? Absolutely. It’s a gripping mystery with a relatable protagonist who grapples with fundamental character flaws. The extensive meta-commentary will leave you with plenty to ponder long after you’ve turned the final page, making you feel intellectually stimulated.

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