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In this post we review 3 books that have gone to the birds. Birds symbolise freedom, mystery, and sometimes a touch of menace – making them the perfect feathered icon for crime and thriller stories.
From dark humour and family secrets in the first two instalments of Benjamin Stevenson’s ‘Ernest Cunningham’ series, to the atmospheric Australian noir of Adrian Hyland’s Canticle Creek – these books promise twists, turns, and murdery surprises.
These books are for readers drawn to witty narratives, suspenseful rural backdrops and high-stakes train journeys. Delivering page-turning thrills with a bird’s-eye view of human nature, you’ll be on the edge of your perch!
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Happy Reading, Friends!
Series or Standalone? :
This is Book One in the ‘Ernest Cunningham‘ series.
"Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone" Book Blurb:
I was dreading the Cunningham family reunion even before the first murder. Before the storm stranded us at the mountain resort, snow and bodies piling up. The thing is, us Cunninghams don’t really get along. We’ve only got one thing in common: we’ve all killed someone.
What did we think?: 5 Stars
This was a cosy and clever surprise by a great new-to-me Aussie author! Told from the perspective of Ernest Cunningham who is at once ‘Watson and Detective’ in this book, we get both a birds-eye view of the plot as it unfolds, but also a peek into the world of writing crime fiction. Ernest promises to be a reliable narrator & holds himself accountable as the story progresses. There are a cast of characters to get to know, but the intros are weaved well into the story and are not too overwhelming. ‘Family is not whose blood runs in your veins, it’s who you’d spill it for.’ (p355) There’s also a handy recap at chapter 14.5 where you can find your feet if you’re feeling a bit lost. I loved the meta writing references, which didn’t come at the expense of an interesting story – I even gasped at one reveal! Very keen to hear more from Stevenson.
‘It’s not one of Knox’s rules, but you should never believe someone is dead until you’ve actually seen a body.’ (p337)
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‘Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone’ by Benjamin Stevenson
Series or Standalone? :
This is Book One in the ‘Jesse Redpath‘ series.
"Canticle Creek" Book Blurb:
When Adam Lawson’s wrecked car is found a kilometre from Daisy Baker’s body, the whole town assumes it’s an open and shut case. But Jesse Redpath isn’t from Canticle Creek. Where she comes from, the truth often hides in plain sight, but only if you know where to look. When Jesse starts to ask awkward questions, she uncovers a town full of contradictions and a cast of characters with dark pasts, secrets to hide and even more to lose. As the temperature soars, and the ground bakes, the wilderness surrounding Canticle Creek becomes a powder keg waiting to explode. All it needs is one spark.
What did we think?: 4 Stars
This is another solid Aussie small-town crime mystery to add to your reading stack. Adrian Hyland describes the countryside and wildlife beautifully, while maintaining a well-paced plot. Jesse, our leading lady, is a tenacious officer who knows there’s something fishy with the accusations made against Adam – and picks at the loose threads (scales?) until they satisfyingly unravel … ‘when you run into a brick wall, put your best shoulder forward and run again.’ (p23). Jesse quickly finds herself embraced by the town and a little too involved in the current happenings. At one point she steps over ‘cubes of wombat shit‘ (p144) – which is the first time I’ve read that in a book. This book has a tasty crime-filled centre, unlike one of the characters in the novel who is described as ‘all puff, no pastry‘ (p198) – and you should definitely add it to your TBR menu.
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Series or Standalone? :
This is Book 2 in the ‘Ernest Cunningham‘ series.
"Everyone on This Train is a Suspect" Book Blurb:
When the Australian Mystery Writers’ Society invited me to their crime-writing festival aboard the Ghan, the famous train between Darwin and Adelaide, I was hoping for some inspiration for my second book. Fiction, this time: I needed a break from real people killing each other. Obviously, that didn’t pan out. The program is a who’s who of crime-writing royalty: the debut writer (me!), the forensic science writer, the blockbuster writer, the legal thriller writer, the literary writer, the psychological suspense writer. But when one of us is murdered, six authors quickly turn into five detectives. Together, we should know how to solve a crime. Or commit one.
What did we think?: 5 Stars
Once again, Stevenson knocked it out of the park, with a self-aware and well-paced story. There’s a lightheartedness in these books that appeals to the cosy mystery lover in me, and the characters are all solid enough to hold their own. I loved that the story was set on the Ghan, and it’s true that you can’t lock your doors when you leave the cabin – but that’s probably so the train ninjas can reset your room while you’re out. Two small stones in my shoe with this one – the character SF Majors & the use of ‘SF’ rather than their first name throughout. Surely at some point someone would call them by their proper name? And also, why do people keeping ‘sucking their teeth’? Weird. Regardless, Stevenson is a hoot and you should totally read this series.
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