Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret: A Festive Mystery

Though slimmer than its predecessors, Stevenson’s third meta-whodunit featuring Australian golden age mystery expert Ernest Cunningham (after Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect) is every bit as ingenious. Shortly before Ernest’s upcoming wedding, his ex-wife, Erin, is locked up for the murder of her philanthropist partner, Lyle Pearse, after he’s found stabbed to death in their home in the Blue Mountains. Given Ernest’s previous successes solving the murder of a famous writer and the crimes of a serial killer, Erin calls and begs him to help clear her name. After speaking to Erin and poking around Lyle’s offices, Ernest identifies six main suspects, including magician Rylan Blaze; Lyle’s old assistant, Flick; and a pair of teenage twins who attended the rehab program he directed. The clues are doled out in the form of an Advent calendar, with one fair-play puzzle piece revealed at the end of each chapter. As usual, Stevenson hits the sweet spot between self-awareness and sincerity, never allowing the regular fourth-wall breaks to curdle into snark, and the resolution is hugely gratifying. Stevenson’s hot streak shows no signs of cooling. Agent: Pippa Masson, Curtis Brown U.K. (Oct.)