Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group DUTTON for an ARC of this book!
How to Solve Your Own Murder is a fun mystery in its own genre! I don’t think the comparisons to Knives Out or Thursday Murder Club (one of my all time faves) does it any justice.

In the 60s, Frances receives a fortune that changes her life forever. Present day, her great-niece Annie is tasked with solving her murder in order to inherit. The catch - she only has one week to solve the murder and she has to solve it before the mysterious Saxon (the nephew of Frances’ deceased husband) or Detective Crane.

This book had me second guessing everyone. I absolutely did not see the reveal at the end coming. I recommend for anyone in search of a fun mystery with dual timelines.

I really enjoyed this book. Granted, I don't really read mysteries often, so perhaps there are other books out there like this one, but I thought that it was fresh and fun.

In this book, an aspiring author is called to her Great Aunt Frances's mansion and is tasked with solving her murder in order to inherit everything. If the case is not solved within a week, however, or is solved by the local police force, everything will be sold off to developers. There are some holes in this plotline, of course. I'm not sure why Frances would suddenly turn against the police force when she relied on the sheriff to help her pursue all of her suspicions in the past (Frances learned that she would be murdered when she was 15 and has been collecting dirt on everyone she knows ever since then), but it sets the characters up for a nice balance of teamwork and competition.

I enjoyed the dual timeline in this book, but feel like at times it simplified the story a bit too much-- there were a lot of red herrings in the present-day story that weren't legitimate suspects since they only tangentially related to the historical timeline. But it was a fun read and I was genuinely curious about what was going to happen next. I enjoyed learning about the minor characters and learning about their personal motivators.

I think this book had room for improvement, but it was fun and I'm glad that I read it. It went very quickly and I've been recommending it to people in my everyday life. Thank you to NetGalley for the free copy of this text in return for my review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! I actually really enjoyed this. Started off a bit wordy and overly specific with details, but after a while you get really sucked in. Finished in one sitting.

Lots of clues and misdirections and it was really nice finding out who the murderer was and seeing if I guessed correctly (I didn’t haha.) Intricate world building and didn’t get overly caught up in character description. I would be interested in more books by this author.

I love funny mysteries and this story is excellent. Reminded me of Knives Out and Finlay Donovan! Definitely recommend if you like murder mysteries on the lighter side.

Thank you Penguin Group Dutton and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
I had such a fun time with this cozy small town murder mystery. The story follows Annie Adams as she tries to solve the murder of her Great Aunt Frances. Great Aunt Frances spent her life trying to prevent her own murder which leaves no shortage of suspects. The cast of characters was entertaining and I loved exploring Great Aunt Frances's backstory through her diary entries. The diary gave a duel timeline element to the story that was really enjoyable. You'd think as much as I like cozy mysteries I'd be better at solving the crimes, but I'm not. I didn't solve this one ahead of the reveal, but that never bothers me. I actually enjoy the big reveal when I'm not expecting the answer. Overall, I would recommend this to all readers who love a murder mystery full of family secrets but that doesn't include any blood or gore.

I absolutely adored this cozy British mystery! It definitely gave me inheritance games and knives out vibes which was perfect for a rainy fall day. The MC was spunky and smart, I liked the supporting characters, and I really hope the author will continue this as a series with the MC as a detective. Also great for fans of Truly Devious!

This book was phenomenal!! I was reading any free chance I had. There wasn't a single moment where I felt like I knew what was going to come next! The absolute plot twist in the end had my jaw on the FLOOR!!! I don't think I ever once questioned that the actual murder was, in fact, the murder! What a ride this book took me on.
I loved the journal entries and the snippets of Frances we got to see, and I loved seeing Annie getting close to her gre aunt even though she had passed.
If anyone needs a GOOD book to read it 100% is this one!

Thanks to @netgalley and @duttonbooks for a free review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book was fantastic and contained so much of what I want in a mystery novel:
- British manor house in a small English village
- Amateur sleuth who gets caught up in a mystery to solve
- Present-day storyline with a flashback (1960s) storyline interspersed
- Propulsive plot without being overly dark or depressing
- Family secrets

This felt like Kate Morton meets Agatha Christie, which is of course a perfect sweet spot for me. While I did have a good guess as to whodunnit, I certainly wasn’t fully correct and I actually love when that happens (which, honestly, is often).

Let me know if you pick this one up so we can discuss!

Really enjoyed this story. The characters were likeable, and the story was entertaining. Overall, a great mystery!

This is a murder mystery set in England partially in 1960s and partially in current times. At 50%, I unfortunately had to abandon the book, as I just couldn't get into the characters or the writing style. There was nothing to compel me to finish, and I suppose that is the fault of this reader, as others found this mystery to be quite intriguing.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing to read How to Solve Your Own Murder.

LOVE THIS SO MUCH! The dual narrative, the red herrings, the characters.....everything! I didn't see the plot twists, which is always so satisfying. The flashbacks were actually more compelling than the present-day narrative.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kristen Perrin's "How to Solve Your Own Murder" is an absolute triumph in the realm of mystery and psychological thrillers. This novel has catapulted itself to the top of my must-read list for the year, and I can confidently declare it the best book I've had the pleasure of delving into in 2023.

The story unfolds in 1965 when teenage Frances Adams receives a chilling fortune at an English country fair: she will be murdered. From that moment on, Frances dedicates her life to preventing a crime that hasn't happened yet, amassing secrets on everyone she encounters. Fast forward nearly sixty years, and Frances is found dead in her sprawling country estate, exactly as she had foretold. Now, it's up to her great-niece, Annie Adams, to unravel the mystery and catch the killer.

Perrin's narrative is a time-traveling journey that seamlessly transitions between the 1960s and the present day. The author expertly weaves a tale of a woman's lifelong quest to avert her own demise and her great-niece's determination to solve the puzzle left in Frances's wake. The blend of past and present adds layers to the mystery, keeping readers captivated as they navigate the secrets of Castle Knoll.

The characters in "How to Solve Your Own Murder" are as enchanting as they are enigmatic. Annie Adams, determined to catch her great-aunt's killer, discovers a village filled with eccentric and endearing personalities, each harboring secrets that could be motives for murder. The author skillfully integrates these characters into the narrative, creating a rich tapestry of personalities that heightens the suspense.

Perrin's writing is not only eloquent but also accessible, making this complex plot an engaging read. The storyline is filled with twists and turns, mirroring the labyrinthine paths of a classic whodunit. As Annie inches closer to the truth, the dark mystery at the heart of Castle Knoll becomes more intricate, and the danger escalates.

"What to Solve Your Own Murder" is not just a mystery; it's a tale of inheritance, both of fortune and fate. As Annie races against time to uncover the truth, she grapples with the fear that she might share her great-aunt's destiny rather than her wealth.

In conclusion, Kristen Perrin's novel deserves every bit of its five-star rating. It's a genre-bending delight that seamlessly blends the intrigue of foretold murders, decades-spanning secrets, and the charming chaos of an English village. If you crave a mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end and leaves you questioning the boundaries of time and fate, this is the book for you. "How to Solve Your Own Murder" is a literary gem that will linger in your thoughts long after the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for providing me with an eARC copy of this book! I had such an incredibly fun time reading it that I had read about 160 pages and hadn't even realized I had read that many! It's fast-paced but with enough room for the slow moments that matter and had me wanting to finish it as soon as I started! The dual timelines kept things fresh and even more intriguing, and every character involved has a solid stand-out moment. If you love a small town murder mystery, the British countryside, and lots of secrets, you will love this book! I highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kristen Perrin for this lovely ARC.

If you like a cozy mystery set in a castle (Castle Knoll) with multiple story-lines, I think How To Solve Your Own Murder is for you. I don’t think the big pull for this book is the mystery - a lovely small town and charming characters are really the draw for this book! Settle in for a closed space mystery and a twist on the classic whodunit. Will Annie Adams be solving more murder mysteries in the future??? We’ll have to find out!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun murder mystery! Frances spends her life trying to solve a crime that hasn’t happened yet, her murder. Meanwhile, Frances’ great-niece Annie is also trying to solve the murder.

This is a must read for fans of Knives Out. The storylines were great and there were some fun twists along the way!

4 stars!

i enjoyed the plot of this book, as well as it's characters. the way it was written was also very interesting because i have never come across such a writing style before. the vibes and aesthetic of this book was superior and cozy. i loved it. the characters were (mostly) likeable, which was a great thing about the book.

however, there were a few things that were confusing to me about the plot itself, and hence the 4 star rating.

overall, i would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery book!

This was such an enjoyable read!! A cozy engaging double murder mystery. Bonus for being set in a castle, a fortune teller’s grim prophecy and a family fortune on the line. It reminded me of a mix of Knives Out mixed with a Christie classic. I highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Books for the opportunity to read this wonderful ARC!

Love, love LOVED this murder mystery! There some so many awesome and complex characters that I enjoyed thoroughly. I was entertained by the double storyline- those of Annie and Frances! Overall enjoyed this book so much and was not disappointed with the conclusion.

This was so good; think Knives Out meets an Agatha Christie novel. I will admit it took me a minute to get into it and really get the feel for this book, but after the 20% mark it really found its groove. The idea that a person not only spends their entire life trying to solve their own murder, but bequeath her (very large) estate to the person who does eventually solve it? Iconic. I wish I were rich and petty enough to be like Frances.

When I read murder mysteries I try really hard not to try to figure it out - I'm definitely a person who wants to ride the ride. This book for the most part was good for that, but after a while it was just aggressively obvious. Overall though, I really enjoyed this. I was very happy with the back and forth of France's 1960s entries and present day and definitely feel like they were spaced out perfectly.

A solid 4 stars for me!! Thank you so much for this ARC

I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. There were many twists and turns that took place while Annie tries to solve the murder of her Great Aunt Frances. I liked the chapters where you read the diary of Frances from the past, a great way to explore details of her life. Some good red herrings sprinkled throughout make for an entertaining mystery.