50 pages 1 hour read

Benjamin Stevenson

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2022

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Parts 1-3Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1: “My Brother” - Part 3: “My Wife”

Part 1, Chapter 1 Summary

Ernie is awoken by a telephone call from his brother, Michael, who arrives at Ernie’s home soon after. Michael explains that the trunk of his car contains the body of a man whom he hit with his car. Michael clarifies that the man had been shot with a gun prior to Michael’s car striking him. In the car, Ernie also finds a duffle bag filled with cash.

Michael drives for two hours until he reaches a forest in a national park. He exits the car to dig a hole to bury the body and then asks Ernie to help. While digging, Ernie sees the body twitch. Certain the man is alive, Ernie tries chest compression on the man and argues with Michael about bringing him to the hospital. Michael tells Ernie that the money totals $260,000 and then returns to the body, only to insist after that the man is now definitely dead.

Part 2, Chapter 2 Summary

Ernie attends a family reunion at Sky Lodge Mountain Retreat organized by his Aunt Katherine. The fresh snow makes driving up the mountain difficult, and Ernie arrives late, missing lunch. Katherine chastises him for his tardiness. He chats briefly with Katherine’s husband, Andy, and with his stepsister, Sofia, who makes jokes about the predictability of his late arrival.