Everyone In This Bank Is A Thief
Nov. 7th, 2025 11:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meteordustBy Benjamin Stevenson.
The fourth book in the Ernest Cunningham series, which are love letters to the Golden Age murder mystery, but set in modern day Australia. (Reviews of one, two and three.)
Ernest is at a bank when a bank robber shows up and takes everyone hostage. Then a murder happens and everyone is a suspect. It also turns out that multiple heists have been planned for that day. Everyone has a secret to protect and something they desperately want. Possibly enough to kill for. (It always feels kind of improbable that this many people with motives happen to be in one place, but it's a staple of the genre, and this is what we're here for.)
This book is set in the fictional town of Huxley, which used to be a gold rush town in the 1800s. I was pretty happy to see a Chinese-Australian character show up: Felix, who works as a security guard at the bank, and whose ancestor has history with the founder of the bank, way back on the goldfields. It was pretty cool to see that part of Australian history and the role of Chinese miners acknowledged.
There are also references to Ernest's first book being made into a movie, and all the ups and downs of that, which makes me wonder how the real life HBO production is going.
But. Something happens halfway through the book that really annoyed me. I mean really annoyed me, to the point where I wondered if this is where the series jumps the shark.
So the bank robber suddenly dies - or is it murder? - with Ernest as the only witness. (Right after saying, "If she leaves, she dies.")
And then Ernest decides it would be a good idea for him to dress up as the bank robber and continue to hold everyone hostage, so he can solve the murder before the murderer - who must be one of them - gets away. (And also to stop the "she" who will "die" from leaving, until he can figure out who that is too.)
I was yelling at the book at what a stupid and immoral decision that was. You're the one holding people hostage now! It killed so much of my sympathy for Ernest. I mean, at least the narrative recognises that it's a bad decision, but it lets Ernest go ahead anyway. (Cue shenanigans with Ernest switching between his normal identity and the bank robber disguise, all while I'm thinking, "How is this series going to continue if Ernest is in jail for a major crime?")
Anyway. The reveals of the various secrets, and the solutions to the various mysteries, were satisfying. (And the author knows we all love a good parlour scene.)
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Barton Welch, who does a great job. (And I really enjoy hearing the Australian accent.)
The fourth book in the Ernest Cunningham series, which are love letters to the Golden Age murder mystery, but set in modern day Australia. (Reviews of one, two and three.)
Ernest is at a bank when a bank robber shows up and takes everyone hostage. Then a murder happens and everyone is a suspect. It also turns out that multiple heists have been planned for that day. Everyone has a secret to protect and something they desperately want. Possibly enough to kill for. (It always feels kind of improbable that this many people with motives happen to be in one place, but it's a staple of the genre, and this is what we're here for.)
This book is set in the fictional town of Huxley, which used to be a gold rush town in the 1800s. I was pretty happy to see a Chinese-Australian character show up: Felix, who works as a security guard at the bank, and whose ancestor has history with the founder of the bank, way back on the goldfields. It was pretty cool to see that part of Australian history and the role of Chinese miners acknowledged.
There are also references to Ernest's first book being made into a movie, and all the ups and downs of that, which makes me wonder how the real life HBO production is going.
But. Something happens halfway through the book that really annoyed me. I mean really annoyed me, to the point where I wondered if this is where the series jumps the shark.
So the bank robber suddenly dies - or is it murder? - with Ernest as the only witness. (Right after saying, "If she leaves, she dies.")
And then Ernest decides it would be a good idea for him to dress up as the bank robber and continue to hold everyone hostage, so he can solve the murder before the murderer - who must be one of them - gets away. (And also to stop the "she" who will "die" from leaving, until he can figure out who that is too.)
I was yelling at the book at what a stupid and immoral decision that was. You're the one holding people hostage now! It killed so much of my sympathy for Ernest. I mean, at least the narrative recognises that it's a bad decision, but it lets Ernest go ahead anyway. (Cue shenanigans with Ernest switching between his normal identity and the bank robber disguise, all while I'm thinking, "How is this series going to continue if Ernest is in jail for a major crime?")
Anyway. The reveals of the various secrets, and the solutions to the various mysteries, were satisfying. (And the author knows we all love a good parlour scene.)
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Barton Welch, who does a great job. (And I really enjoy hearing the Australian accent.)
