I absolutely loved this book. Annie was such a fun character to navigate her great aunts murder with. And she had help through her aunts journal from the time period where everything kicked off.

I think this is a really well done whodunit. I had a lot of theories as the story progressed but I flip flopped so much I can't admit to having solved it before they revealed it. Mostly because was there one killer or two? Was the missing friend related to the murder? Perhaps I should've kept my own journal so my thoughts could've been organized.

If you like whodunits at all, pick this one up

Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin Group Dutton and of course Kristen Perrin for allowing me access to this wonderful ARC to review!

How to Solve Your Own Murder will be in stores and your local library on March 26, 2024!

How to Solve Your Own Murder is a charming whodunnit set in the idyllic English countryside with a rather unique premise: What would you do if you could predict your own murder?

In 1965, a teenaged Francis Adams visits a fortune teller with her friends and receives some troubling news; someday she is going to be murdered. She spends the rest of her life trying to predict who is going to murder her and why. Unfortunately 60 years later, her fortune comes true and now it's up to her great niece Annie Adams to solve the case. Armed with her great aunt's fortune, diary, and her murder room, Annie sets to work. It seems with Francis's penchants for digging up dirt on her family and friends, there are plenty of people who would like to see Francis out of the picture. What alluring secrets will Annie uncover? Is it possible the fortune teller was right all those years ago? Why in the world does Annie's great-aunt have a murder room?! I'll leave that, dear reader for you to find out!

Oh man this is such a cute whodunnit! The details of her aunt's murder are quite unique and original and had me hooked from the beginning. The various twists and turns were definitely unique and unpredictable, and I just needed to know more! The cast of quirky characters were charming and memorable and I enjoyed following Annie as she dug up everyone's secrets. The Author did a wonderful job with the pacing and trickling intriguing details to keep the reader's attention; I definitely read this one in one sitting! I also really enjoyed reading the alternating chapters of young Francis's diary with what Annie was doing in the present. I think that it was a clever way to move the story forward and add another layer of intrigue. I quite enjoyed our MC Annie, and how tenacious and resourceful she could be. I also enjoyed the relationship she was building with the detective of the story; it was quite sweet.

There really wasn't anything that I found wrong with the story, except for the MC making some questionable decisions that puts her in unnecessary danger, but that's most MC in cozy mysteries :'D . I also like that it leaves with the possibility of future installments, since I would love to see what Annie Adams is up to next.

If you want a fun and unique mystery, with quirky characters, a rich and intriguing history and unpredictable twists and turns, then How to Solve Your Own Murder is right for you!

"How to Solve Your Own Murder" by Kristen Perrin is a wonderful murder story that explores themes of family, friendship, and betrayal. The narrative centers around a woman in her 70s who, after being forewarned by a psychic that she would die, becomes consumed by the obsession to unravel the mystery and Annie, a writer, takes on the challenge of solving a murder. I obtained this book as an ARC based on its intriguing description— a decision I am truly grateful for. The novel carries the vibe of a murder mystery in a small town, a blend that I found utterly delightful. The gradual development of the story, weaving seamlessly between the present and the past, contributed to my absolute enjoyment of the book.

The writing in this story is commendable, capturing my attention with its palpable tension and skillful development throughout the narrative. The thoughtful arrangement of the story allowed me to engage with it gradually, making the reading experience thoroughly enjoyable and accessible.

In conclusion, I am inclined to label this book as amazing. I appreciate the meticulous construction of the world within the story and the intricacies of a small-town murder. The unfolding of the narrative further solidified my admiration. I firmly believe that this book is a worthwhile read, and I eagerly anticipate more works from Kristen Perrin in a similar vein. This literary gem is a perfect recommendation for fans of "Knives Out" or "Nancy Drew".

What a fun cozy mystery! Highly readable and enjoyable!

Told in dual-timelines, Annie must solve the mystery of who killed her great-aunt Frances - a woman she's never met in person and knows little about! Both lives and fortunes are at stake as she only has a week to figure it out.

In the meantime, Frances has left behind clues in a diary that Annie must decipher. As we learn with Annie, we are also drawn in to the story of Frances in the mid 1960s.

Solidly written and character-driven, the plot moves quickly as we meet all the current members of the small village where not just the murder of Frances, but the disappearance of Frances' friend Emily, are all intertwined with the past.

Highly recommend for mystery book clubs! 4.5 stars
Book equivalent of PG-13 for the topic of murder and related violence; mild-to-no romance, mild cursing

Thank you to the publisher for an ARC as a reviewer for NetGalley. #sponsored

What a fun read! I really enjoyed this book and am glad it looks like there will be a sequel. Well written, interesting characters, small town double homicide with Agatha Christie vibes? What’s not to like? Was hooked from the first chapter. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

Thank you NetGalley and Penquin Random House for the ARC of this book!

This was my first cozy mystery. The title of the book was what intrigued me. Personally I don't think cozy mysteries are for me. I prefer more thrills and twists. It was a bit too slow for me. However, if you enjoy cozy mystery, you will definitely enjoy this book. The book gives off Clue and Nancy Drew vibes.

Overall I enjoyed the read.

Thank you NetGalley and the Penguin Group Dutton for this ARC.

The name of this book is what drew me in, it was definitely misleading. This book was a bit to slow of a mystery for my taste but the writing overall/story was great.

The way the story flipped flopped between two timelines was done very well.

Seventeen-year-old Frances Adams lives in the quaint English village of Castle Knoll where she attended a Country Fair with her two closest friends. In 1965, a fortune teller saddles Frances with the evil portent of her eventual murder. This life changing event for Frances becomes her obsession so that she suspects everyone around her keeping files of their secrets and indiscretions. In present day time, Frances lives in a stately home, Gravesdown Estate where she rules the roost.

Annie Adams, a grand-niece, has grown up living in a London townhouse along with her artist mother thanks to her Great Aunt Francis’s largess. When called to attend an important meeting with the Great Aunt she has never met, Annie arrives to find the worst has happened a murder has indeed occurred. Annie and one other of Francis’ heirs, Saxon who is the local coroner, have been tasked with finding out who the killer is if either one is to inherit the 40 million pounds and her country estate. With only one week to solve the mystery or lose out to a developer with big plans, Annie must figure out which of the myriad of locals might be guilty.

Annie is not sure who to trust except for a local police Detective Crane, who seems to be on her side and not only the professional here, but in the competition according to the will for solving the murder. This is really two stories in one as a lot of the plot comes from Frances’ youthful diary which contains another unsolved mystery about a disappearance. Annie is a bit of an ersatz, sometimes bumbling, Miss Marple wannabe who takes some wild chances putting herself at considerable risk. Viewing the locals through her eyes as well as reading the diary along with Annie, readers will have many characters and motivations to wade through to figure out who is the culprit in both mysteries. While an enjoyable read for the most part, the book seems to drag out at times with the dual timelines bogging it down. This tale looks to be the start of a series with possible future mysteries to unfurl and a budding romance between Annie and Detective Crane.

“Oh my god, an estranged aunt in a sleepy countryside village? A mysterious inheritance? Annie, your life is turning into a novel.”

Frances spends her entire life convinced that the fortune predicting her murder would come true, only to be proven right 60 years later. And now her great-niece is tasked with finding her killer…

This is the coziest of cozy mysteries that you are going to want to add to your TBR if you like Knives Out, puzzles and fortunes, dual timelines, Agatha Christie, parallel murders, everyone hiding secrets, and all the questions/loose ends wrapped up with a neat little bow at the end.

I loved this debut novel from Kristen Perrin and I’m going to be recommending it to everyone for a cozy fall (or sooner!) read — it’s out March 26! Thanks to Penguin Group Dutton and NetGalley for the e-arc.

I loved the strong writing in How To Solve Your Own Murder in this murder mystery. The character development was great, too. This is the type of book that has something for everyone. This had a clue-like vibe to it. I would describe this as a cozy murder mystery.
In 1965, Frances went to a fair where she went to the fortune tellers booth, who told her she'd be murdered. Frances talked about this all throughout the years and no one believed her when she would profess that it would happen. They finally realized she was correct when she was found murdered.
The book cuts to the present when Frances great niece, Annie arrives in London for the will reading. Whoever solves the murder inherits Frances estate and fortune.

This book started a bit slow for me - but once it picked up it was a great murder mystery. I feel like it took a while to figure out who was who - especially with the present day Anne, and the diary entries from 1965 written by Frances.

Annie is a murder mystery writer, put into a "game" where she has to solve her great aunts death within a week. Her own great aunt had been leaving clues for YEARS about how she would die due to an earlier given fortune.

I didn't see the ending coming - which I LOVE!

This is a nice cozy mystery. It’s a little bit slow paced which is not my typical read. I usually prefer a sitting on the edge of your seat thriller, but this book was cute. The characters didn’t really resonate with me, they didn’t seem like people I would “know” but more like fictional characters. Maybe you will enjoy it more than I did, but if you’re a fan of fast paced books I would not recommend this one.

Thank you to net galley and publisher for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Debut novelist Kristen Perrin has given us a wonderfully nostalgic murder mystery. The setting is familiar--a large English estate, an inheritance at risk, a medium cast of suspicious individuals, all with possible motive, and a clever young woman determined to find justice. But Perrin makes the tropes her own and manages to make a familiar story delightfully surprising. The clues are artfully rolled out in a way that steers toward an ending that is at once inevitable without being too predictable. While there are a few tense moments, overall, the book is gentle on the nervous system and will be popular for readers looking for cozy, comfortable reads. There's also plenty of humor, and the split timelines will delight readers who enjoy both modern sensibilities, and historical references. The acknowledgements hint at a film adaptation--I'll be looking forward to that. I am also featuring this title as my debut of the month in the March edition of my YouTube show Book Buzz, out March 4th through Oshkosh Public Library. A copy is already on order for my library's patrons.

I got 40% through this and gave up out of sheer boredom. The concept might be interesting, but reading it felt like listening to someone distractedly describe the actions they were taking as they played through a video game. There was no narrative tensions and I didn't care what happened next, both of which are kind of key for the mystery genre.

I would give this book a solid four stars. It was very enjoyable. A true whodunnit in the likeness of a Nancy Drew, Hercule Poirot, or Sherlock Holmes in that although you follow the clues along with the main character, you don't know the full scope of their investigation until all is revealed at the very end. It's an easy, lite read. I noted one or two grammatical errors but overall, very well edited.

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery. The book did not feel long at all as the plot was very fast-paced - I could not put it down. I think the writing with the current timeline and also Frances' journal entries made the story really compelling and I really loved that there were 2 murders that were being solved and how they were all connected. The characters and the secrets around Castle Knoll kept me guessing for this who-dun-it.

Just like Annie, I felt like Frances was a companion for the entire story even though she is murdered at the beginning. The ending made me sad knowing that we were finally saying goodbye to her as well but at the same time very uplifting when Annie decides to pick up her pen and start her own journalling.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Dutton & NetGalley for approving this ARC.

How To Solve Your Own Murder follows Annie Adams, who was invited to her Great Aunt Frances’ estate to update her will, only to find that Frances was murdered. Years ago, when Frances was a teenager, she got her fortune told which spoke of her murder. After spending years obsessed with finding her murderer before they struck but ultimately being unsuccessful, it’s now up to Annie to figure out what happened to her mysterious great aunt.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book. It felt a lot like Knives Out but it was also a really unique plot for a murder mystery. I found it to be a bit slow, though, and it didn’t capture my interest the entire time. Ultimately I’m glad I finished it because it picked up for me in the end and kept me interested.

Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton, Kristen Perrin, and NetGalley for the eARC!

I could not put this book down! From the beginning, the story was fast paced enough to keep me hooked without leaving my behind. I didn’t see the twist coming, and at times it was hard to keep all the people straight when switching from reading about them as teenagers and now adults. This book left no questions unanswered and I really enjoyed it!

Envoking the classic brilliance of Agatha Christie, this small-town mystery shines with intelligence and charm, easily securing a well-deserved 4.5-star rating. The narrative effortlessly draws readers into a captivating world, where the endearing Annie Adam takes center stage, making the unfolding events thoroughly engaging to read.

The mystery at the heart of the story is nothing short of chilling, with a cast of characters that adds depth and charm to the overall narrative. Annie's connection to her eccentric great-aunt Frances and the lingering prophecy, spanning six decades, creates an atmosphere of suspense that captures the reader's imagination from the very start.

The storyline unfolds with precision, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as Annie navigates through intricate family dynamics and the ominous specter of murder. The pacing is impeccable, delivering a thrilling experience that builds anticipation until the final, unexpected resolution. The clever execution of the plot, filled with twists and turns, adds an extra layer of intrigue.

Beyond the captivating mystery, the narrative introduces compelling elements such as the fate of Gravesdown Estate, psychological games orchestrated by rivals, and Annie's collaboration with the charismatic Detective Crane. These elements contribute to the story's depth, creating a multifaceted and exciting reading experience.

As tension escalates and the race against time intensifies, Annie's journey becomes not only a quest for justice but also a fight for her own survival. The book seamlessly weaves together these elements, resulting in a addicting whodunit that merits its impressive 4.5-star rating.

In conclusion, this fanastic mystery showcases the author's storytelling abilities while leaving this reader eagerly anticipating further adventures with the remarkable Annie Adams.

A sincere thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for providing a digital reviewer copy of this outstanding book in exchange for an honest and enthusiastic review.

How to Solve Your Own Murder felt like a Knives Out book. It was a little slow in the beginning, but I was soon invested in the story and needed to know "who dun it." I thought the characters were well flushed out and I really enjoyed the aspect of getting to see them throughout time and aging. It was a unique twist.