Kristen Perrin's How to Solve Your Own Murder is a delightful blend of cozy mystery and dark humor that fans of Knives Out and The Thursday Murder Club will undoubtedly appreciate. With its charming English village setting, a sprawling estate full of secrets, and a quirky cast of suspects, the book captures the essence of a classic whodunit with a contemporary twist.

The premise is both intriguing and unconventional: Frances Adams spends her life attempting to outwit a fortune-teller's ominous prediction, only for the prophecy to come true decades later. Enter her great-niece Annie Adams, who must untangle the web of her aunt’s eccentric investigations while navigating the dangers of a tight-knit community filled with hidden motives.

What Worked Well:
The novel shines in its clever premise and atmospheric world-building. Castle Knoll and its colorful residents feel vividly alive, adding layers of intrigue and charm. Perrin’s writing has a sly wit that keeps the tone light, even when the stakes are high, making it a perfect pick for cozy mystery book clubs.

Room for Improvement:
While the concept is fresh and the plot enjoyable, the pacing occasionally falters. The middle section drags as Annie works through a mountain of clues, and some characters—though entertaining—come across as archetypes rather than fully fleshed individuals. For readers who prefer a fast-moving mystery, this may feel like a slog at times.

Final Thoughts:
How to Solve Your Own Murder is an entertaining, if slightly uneven, read that balances suspense and humor with a touch of heart. While not a standout for me personally (I rated it 3 stars), its charm and clever twists make it a solid choice for readers who enjoy cozy mysteries with a hint of the macabre. Perfect for book clubs looking to spark spirited discussions about fate, secrets, and the lengths one might go to avoid their destiny.

Captivating, suspenseful and cozy!
This book is simply great. The premise of a woman getting told when she is going to die by a fortune teller and it happening 60 years into the future is fascinating. The characters are well fleshed out. You can picture them and build a connection. I was quite entertained by the small town setting and the everyone knows each other business shenanigans. I found it to be quite easy to follow and binge worthy. I pick it up a few times before I was done with it. Excited to see how the events of this first book continue on the sequel. This book is perfect for fans of Agatha christie and true whodunnit mysteries.

I waited way too long to read this.

How to Solve Your Own Murder is a dual-timeline story with dual mysteries. Francis Adams spends her whole life trying to solve her own murder, which was foretold in 1965, just to find herself a victim of the foreshadowed fate. Before she departs, she makes it her dying wish that her great-niece Annie solve the crime in order to win her aunt’s massive inheritance.

The tone of the novel definitely reminds me of Knives Out, but I don’t find it derivative at all. Both are full of intrigue and wit, but I found this book to have a much more complex web of murder, mystery, and relationships. Although the full-cast is quite big and, at times, difficult to keep track of, I really loved the nuance of the female friendships at the core of the story. Lastly, despite its vastness, there is something so cozy about the story—probably the amount of time spent in a quaint English village—but it’s matched by a few breathtaking moments of tension.

If you’re a fan of audiobooks, the narrators on this one are excellent. I would definitely recommend this book when you’re in the mood for a “Goldilocks” mystery—not too light, not too heavy, not predictable but not mind-boggling, and full of characters to both smile and scowl at.

4.5/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for an advanced reader copy of this title. All opinions expressed here are entirely honest and my own.

I think this is a book that is just not for me. I am not a fan of time jump stories because it always feels like the overall story suffers and I felt that here. I didn't connect to either Frances or Annie for different reasons which made me struggle with connecting to the story in general. I also thought Annie made choices that didn't make sense for the character (like picking up a potential murder weapon and driving it to a police station as a wannabe mystery writer). It was cozy and had some interesting moments but ultimately wasn't a favourite.

This was a complicated mystery with lots of characters who could all be suspects in a current murder, but also in the mystery of a girl who disappeared 60 years ago. They are intertwined and there are many twists and secrets. A good mystery!

An Agatha Christie-esqe modern day who-dun-it meets Kate Morton's multi-timeline style of storytelling! Annie Adams has always lived her life knowing that her Great Aunt Francine is a little out there, but that's just the way she is. When Annie is summoned to Francine's estate, her curiosity wins out and she finds herself faced not only with new relatives but also a murder to solve! Can she solve a decades old disappearance and ensure the right people inherit Francine's fortune?

In How to Solve Your Own Murder, Annie Adams' aunt Frances dies moments before meeting her. Annie is sent a letter to meet and Frances and her lawyer in the small town they live in, Castle Knoll, to discuss her new inheritance. When Frances dies the will is revealed and in order for Annie to inherit the estate she must solve Frances' murder. You might wonder how Frances would know that she would be murdered when she wrote her will. Well, decades earlier when she was just a teenager, Frances and two of her friends got their fortunes told and Frances was told she would be murdered.

This book has an interesting premise and is a quick read (read it in one day). I did enjoy it and will read book 2 in the series, but I solved the two mysteries before the characters did and I did it differently than the characters. Perrin gives you a clue about halfway through which gives any half aware reader the answer to the first murder which then narrows down your options for Frances' murder significantly. I would recommend this as it was a perfectly decent, enjoyable mystery but it might not be enjoyed by a heavy mystery reader.

Not for me but I have recommended because so many have loved this book. Thank you to the publisher for a copy.

Think this is a fun inquisitive book that cozy murder mystery readers would enjoy. The style of writing is easy to understand while interests people with the intrigue of the title. Could you solve your own murder?

**3.5-stars rounded up **

Annie Adams has had her presence requested at a meeting hosted by her wealthy and reclusive Great-Aunt Frances. Annie doesn't really know Great-Aunt Frances, so the invitation stirs up some anxiety, but also a lot of intrigue. Unfortunately, by the time Annie arrives to the quaint English village of Castle Knoll, where her Great-Aunt lives, Frances is already dead; murdered.

In a way, it almost seems fitting. Frances was a woman literally obsessed with her own death for close to 60-years. This began in 1965, at the local fair, when a fortune-teller predicted Frances would be murdered. Disturbing, sure. The prediction also included clues as to how it would happen. Frances, unsurprisingly, had a hard time living her life without seeing connections to those clues everywhere.

Most of the long-time residents of Castle Knoll were well aware of Frances's preoccupation with her impending murder, and they have a lot of opinions on that and her. Annie is thrust into this world, where everyone seems to know a lot more about her Great-Aunt than she does. Now it's up to Annie to solve the murder first; there's an inheritance on the line, and of course, her Great-Aunt's legacy and reputation.

How to Solve Your Own Murder was a fun an engaging mystery. It was the exact tone I needed at the time I picked it up just prior to Thanksgiving holiday. The slow-build and seamless back-and-forth between the past and present perspectives were exactly what I needed to take my mind off real life stressors. It felt cozy and thoughtful, though I did struggle at times to keep track of some of the characters. With this being said, it's still a very fun story featuring a likable new amateur sleuth, Annie, who I'm looking forward to getting to know even more as the series continues.

As mentioned above, this story does have both past and present perspectives. The past perspective follows Frances as she receives her fortune and the events that follow shortly thereafter. Our present perspective is of course, Annie. I thought the way Perrin presented both of those perspectives was really well done and I did enjoy both equally. I thought it was layed out in a way that allows the Readers to piece things together in a natural way.

I also loved the quaint village atmosphere, my absolute favorite setting for a mystery. I feel like as the series continues, we'll get to know the villagers more and that slight confusion with who's who will go away. I'm so excited to continue on with this series. I'm not sure what the plan is for it, but I think this was such a solid 1st-book and I know that the 2nd-book will be just as exciting. Annie is already a character I can't wait to meet again.

Thank you to the publisher, Dutton, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I can't wait for more Annie and the Castle Knoll Files!!!

How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin had me hooked from the start. A great aunt leaves her estate in the English countryside to her young relative, after failing to outrun a fortune teller’s dire prophecy made long ago. Her great niece is now in the unique position of getting to explore the house (and its surroundings!) to her heart’s content, while solving the mystery of who is to blame for her aunt’s death.

This was a fast paced, fun read. I enjoyed it immensely! I can’t wait for the second installment so I can see how the author wraps up all the details.

It took me longer to finish this than it really should have. I found myself struggling to keep my attention on read and I lacked any feeling for the characters. It’s not a bad book by any means, but there’s nothing that feels special about it. The characters are fairly flat and their dialogue is unrealistic at times, the setting feels under developed and under utilized, and the way the story comes together doesn’t feel super smooth or well paced. The mystery itself was intriguing (I had part of it figured out) but also felt underdeveloped.

I think living up to the premise was simply too big a task for this book, and the author bit off more than she could chew. I’ll check out the sequel to see if these things are improved on!

Annie goes to see her great Aunt Frances. But, before she can meet her, Frances is found murdered. Armed only with her great aunt's diaries and a desire to inherit the estate, Annie must figure out who killed her aunt.

This was a quirky, cozy, British mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie. I thought it was fun.

I really enjoyed this book, and I didn’t know who to suspect. I had an inkling that Rose wasn’t the nice person she seemed to be, and her son was definitely horrible as well. I’m glad they got caught! I wish we had got more of Frances, she seemed like a cool person. I can’t wait to read the second book. I hope Annie and the detective end up dating!!

I was really excited about this book but I found it to be lacking and a little boring. Thank you for the opportunity to read this title. It was very reminiscent of an Agitha Christie book, in how well thought out the plot was and how it unraveling in staggered stages.

3.5/5 stars. I loved the setting and the main character! There were ultimately a LOT of characters to keep track of, and that had me a bit distracted and confused. I enjoyed the dual-timeline/diary element - it kept the story moving at a great pace.

The plot sounded really interesting, but it just read too slow. I couldn't get invested with whether or not Annie solved the mystery. It was a long guessing games and I got bored and DNFed sadly. I think this would be a good people that like a cozy mystery book with low stakes.

Such a fun ride. I love Annie so much-- she's got "golden retriever energy" in all the best ways, which helps you bond with her and create fascinating plot hiccups. A great mystery in and of itself and an ode to mysteries and the mystery lover in general. Don't miss it.

🅱 🅾 🅾 🅺 🆁 🅴 🆅 🅸 🅴 🆆 ​✨

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗢𝘄𝗻 𝗠𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 by Kristen Perrin
Publish Date: March 26, 2024 by @duttonbooks
Reviewed by: Mel
Format: Kindle eBook via @netgalley

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲...
✨ Cozy whodunnit mysteries
✨ Dual perspectives (via a journal)
✨ Strong FMC

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
While it wasn’t the quickest read — at times it was a very slow build — it was quite fun to work through solving the two mysteries alongside Annabelle. It was a bit strange to me that, even though Frances may have solved the other mystery and potentially knew how she was going to die in time to be able to change her will — she didn’t leave a letter explaining what she found, and created a game for Annabelle and Saxon.

The writing kept me interested throughout, but there were definitely some slower points in the book where I found myself putting the book down only after a few pages and not coming back to it until the next day.

It was the perfect time of year for a cozy mystery, and this one was entertaining enough.

Have you ever been so obsessed with something that it takes over your life? You are very similar to Frances Adams.

Frances's fortune: "Your future contains dry bones. Your slow demise begins right when you hold the Queen in your hand. Beware the bird, for it will betray you. And, from that, there is no coming back. But daughters are the key to justice, find the right one and keep her close. All signs point towards your murder."
After getting her fortune-teller makes a chilling prediction of her future, Frances becomes obsessed and even starts investigating her own murder before her death. Her great niece Annie gets a summons to go meet her great aunt Frances, however, when she gets there with Aunt Frances's lawyer & his son, and other possible benefactor of Aunt Frances's will, the women herself seemed to be not home.
Frances's last wish was for her relatives to compete to find her killer - winner inherits.

Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin Group Dutton for allowing me to read this book early.