📚BOOK REVIEW 📚

HOW TO SOLVE YOUR OWN MURDER - Kristen Perrin

Thank you #netgalley and #quercusaudio for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐✨/5

UK publication: 26th March 2024

In short, this was a very enjoyable, unpredictable whodunnit murder mystery that I found hard to put down.
I've realised that I'm not one for picking holes in a book but tend to rate it purely on how much I enjoyed reading it. I also like to rate within the trope - so I wouldn't complain about a predictable love story if I'm reading a romcom, for example. With that in mind, how to solve your own murder is exactly what you would want from this genre - small town, town secrets, a history to be explored, high stakes and multiple players. I really enjoyed self awareness of that book as Anna would reference in her mind, as an aspiring author of murder mystery, the very tropes she was navigating.
I would definitely recommend this book and would read more from this author. I very much enjoyed the narration of Alexandra Dowling and Jayne Jacobs.
Thank you for keeping me company whilst I washed my carpet and sofa 🤣
4.5 ⭐ rounded up to 5

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher quercus for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook before the book is published! This book is the first in the series, I'm not sure what will come next as I felt like it finished off nicely with no loose ends. Narration of audiobooks really makes or breaks a book and I'm pleased that this narrator did a fantastic job of allowing the reader to immerse themselves into the story. At first it was difficult to understand the relation between all the characters as there are so many, but the author did a brilliant job at giving subtle hints of who's who and how we know them when switching between timelines. I'm an absolute sucker for books that go back in time and to present, really leaves me guessing! This is definitely a book to be read by everyone this year and its safe to say you won't be disappointed!

I really enjoyed listening to this, whilst it may be a murder mystery the narrator was enchanting and soothing.
Definitely a cozy murder mystery type and it is quaint at times and borders a little on to highly unlikely to believe but I really enjoyed the whodunnit with a variety of characters and plenty of secrets… maybe a few too many of each because everyone was related or had dated / knew each other for the last 50yrs or so, which meant. I had to keep reminding myself how each character is linked to the other

I received this as a free ARC from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Told in two timelines this murder mystery had me guessing to the end. Annie Adams is summoned to Castle Knoll for what she believes to be a meeting with her great aunt Francis . Francis is an eccentric who in 1965 with two of her friends visits a fortuneteller who fortells a grim future including Frances’ murder. On her arrival Annie finds that the prediction has come true and Francis has in fact been murdered. Annie now has to find the culprit in order to protect her inheritance. The story is told through Frances’ diaries and Annie’s investigations and I had absolutely no idea who the murderer was, as there were numerous red herrings and suspects. The narrators, Alexandra Dowling and Jaye Jacobs do a marvellous job recreating, the feeling and tension within the novel. I enjoyed this audiobook and I will be looking for more this series. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to listen to this novel in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this audiobook, which I listened to while completing some admin.

Main character Annie Adams is a great invention - a wannabe crime writer who is contacted out-of-the-blue by her eccentric Great Aunt Frances who has named her as her heir despite never having met her before.

Travelling down to Castle Knoll, Annie is disappointed when Frances, who has lived her entire adult life believing she will be murdered, *is* murdered. Annie and her cousins are challenged to find the killer - whichever of them does will inherit the whole estate.

The roots of the murder stem from another committed decades before, not long after Frances was told by a fortune-teller that her future was dry bones …

It’s rare for me to call a modern murder mystery fun, but that’s exactly what this was. The more familiar you are with the tropes of golden age crime, the more you’ll enjoy this 21st century homage.

Three Word Review: dry bones speak.

What if you're just a teenager when a fortune teller reveals your life will be filled with betrayal and end in your murder? Some people might choose to live each day as their last but not Frances Adams, who dedicates her life to finding out who will kill her. When the fortune comes true and Frances is found murdered, it's up to an estranged relative to find out who, among many people, hated Frances enough to kill her.

I'm giving this audiobook three stars because I liked it but didn't love it. I love the original premise of the fortune teller predicting the death and the excerpts from Frances diary. Also the idea that the you'll only receive her fortune if you solve her murder. On the flip side, I didn't really warm to any of the characters, so didn't really feel invested or immersed in the plot like I do with a book I am really enjoying. For me, the major drawbacks were with the characters - there were way too many of them, to the point that when the murderer was revealed, for a moment I thought "Who?". I don't buy the motivation behind the murder. I didn't really need the budding romance vibes and at the end, it felt like more effort was put into setting up the next book, rather than the plot of of this book.

I thought both narrators did a brilliant job though. I would give them five stars for their part in the book. They brough the book to life with a range of different voices.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to review an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

As cosy mysteries go, How To Solve Your Own Murder is a good one. It’s well-written, charming and entertaining, with great characters and witty dialogue. The excellently narrated audio version enhances the overall experience.

I really enjoyed this story! As a teenager, Frances is told by a fortune teller that she will be murdered. Sixty years later, as she has been telling anyone who will listen, the prophesy comes true. Annie, her grand-niece, becomes primary sleuth after travelling to her estate to understand recent changes to her will.

The extent of Frances's suspicion of everyone around her is clear when we learn that the person who solves her murder will inherit her estate. Annie narrates us through this twisty and intriguing murder-mystery, being young enough to make some brave mistakes, while winding together the various threads, clues, and red herrings.

It's a fabulous setting, in a small town with an interesting and fun cast of characters. It's a cosy-type mystery, but a little more edgy than strictly within that genre. I really liked Annie as a character, and I hope this is the beginning of a great new series. 4.5 stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Quercus for an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up
Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Audio for an audio arc in return for an honest review.
If you enjoy alternating timelines, cozy mysteries, Agatha Christie novels, or Knives Out, this is the book for you.
This book brings a sense of life and humor to the world of mystery through the diary of Frances, our victim, and her grand-niece, Annie. I really enjoyed watching Annie slowly piece together the aspects of Frances’ murder, and all of the adventures she had along the way. The alternating timelines kept me engaged, not wanting to put the book down for the first 25% or so. The audiobook was absolutely perfect - well read and easy to listen to. The audio was clear, the narrator’s inflection kept me engaged and made me feel like I was truly in the story.
I will say, around 30% the book I went a few days without picking it up because I lost a bit of interest. However, the pacing picked back up around 60% and then I was invested through the rest of the book. I was intrigued to see what happened with Saxon and what Annie figured out. I loved the ending, and - for the last 20% - I was incredibly invested. All in all, I definitely recommend this book!

An enjoyable mystery whodunnit debut which was a quick and light read. It featured a dual timeline which was easy to follow despite being quite intricate in places. Having some of the characters trying to solve the murders in order to inherit a vast fortune further added to the enjoyment.
I will definitely read future novels by the author.

As of today the fortune with which it all begins has become a rhyme that has stuck in my head and which will probably influence my next few months.

I've read few detective stories in my life, because it's not exactly my jam. I started this out of curiosity and I admit it, for the cover.
Consequently, I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that I continued to listen to it with interest, which means that the narration is captivating.

Annie, the protagonist, is easy to approach, she makes you love her immediately. She could be me, she could be you, any of us, the readers.
The characters that orbit around her are delicate brushstrokes, each with its own specific nuance.
I'm terrible at deduction skills so I didn't even try to find the culprit by following the clues and I can't put a finger on how strong the investigative part could be. I will simply say that I followed the investigations with interest and it never seemed to me that the steps were unfounded.

And I'm not ashamed to say that, in the end, I shed a tear because Annie never had the chance to meet Frances.

The audiobook is read in an excellent way. The tone of voice is perfect, it accompanies you in this story in a soft but at the same time exciting way, giving the right tone during the story. I listened to it for hours with great pleasure.

"Where there's a will, there's a way." in this case, solving Frances' murder is the way to receiving the proceeds of her will. Frances' obsession with a prediction of her murder told to her by a fortune teller when she was 16 has given her great-niece Annie everything she needs to uncover the truth.

It's a great story with a fabulous hook, entertainingly executed,

In 1965 Frances Adams is told by a fortune teller at the local fete that one day she will be murdered. Frances spends the decades following compiling all the dirt she possibly can in people trying to avoid being murdered.

Sixty years later Frances’ great niece Annie Adams is called to her great aunts sprawling estate in the village of Castle Knoll only to find Frances dead. It’s up to Annie to solve the mystery of Frances’ death before she not only inherits her aunts fortune but also her fate!

A dual timeline mystery novel? Instant yes from me! The dual timeline aspect of this book is what piqued my interest and I wasn’t disappointed. The story was very well written and the characters were fleshed out. I couldn’t see where the story was going and I liked that! I also liked that there was a different narrator for the two main characters; it’s always nice to have two distinct voices especially when there are different timelines involved.

I enjoyed this cosy mystery by Kristen Perrin. I thought the narrator did a really good job of engaging me in the story. I liked the premise and thought the flashbacks did at good job at adding to the plot.

Clever and cosy this mystery looks at generational hijinks in a small village, elements of golden age crime and modern character drama combine pretty skilfully.

How to Solve Your Own Murder is a fun little read that doesn't do much to break the moulds already cast for cosy mystery books, but I did have an enjoyable time reading it. We bounce back and forwards in time, between our main character in the modern day, and her great aunt who had her future read as a child and got a prophecy of death.

“Your future contains dry bones. Your slow demise begins right when you hold the Queen in the palm of 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 toward your murder.”

Following our nepo-baby protagonist who has left their job to try and be a writer, as their mother is trying to re-emerge into the art scene, she is invited back to her great aunt's town to be present for an update in the will. But before the update can be confirmed, her great aunt is found dead. Is this the fulfilment of her destiny, or her great aunts own doing?

The premise is absolutely solid here, And the multiple murders that need solved adds a great extra dynamic, unfortunately I didn't find myself especially invested in the characters. They were quite predictable and two dimensional, as well as there just being a few too many people for what is clearly supposed to be a Christie-esque mystery.

Like I said though, I did still have fun and if they come through on NetGalley I would be interested in potentially listening to the sequels. The narrator did a great job and I feel like it was made clear which time period we were in, which can always be an issue with audiobooks.

This cosy crime story makes an entertaining audiobook. The narration engages and brings the characters and events to life, making listening an immersive experience. Annie's eccentric great-aunt's will tasks her to investigate her death, drawing her back into the late 1960s, where the clues to the mystery begin. Complex characters who provide many suspects and a twisty and often poignant mystery make this worth listening to. Annie is a likeable protagonist, and it is satisfying to investigate the mystery with her. Humour adds some lighter moments to the serious events, but the clues, twists, and vibrant characters make this so good.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

February, is the month of love, right? But guess what I did instead of cozying up with a romantic book? I dove into a murder mystery! Do I regret it? Nope! Kristen Perrin's "How to Solve Your Own Murder," the first book in the Castle Knoll Files series, turned out to be a fun and enjoyable read.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by two different narrators. While they have done a fairly reasonable job, I think I would have enjoyed reading it more.

Unlike other murder mysteries, this one is light on action and drama. The mystery, investigation, and revelation have a light tone, and it makes the reading more fun. It’s a light mystery; if that’s even a thing! However, How to Solve Your Own Murder is an entertaining and delightful mystery novel

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Very clever. As a lover of Agatha Christie, I would highly recommend. Couldn't put it down. A whodunnit using clues pit together by the murder victim.

3.75 stars
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Thanks NetGalley, Quercus publisher, and the author for a great advance copy of the book in exchange for my honest review!

This is definitely a good book for Agatha Christie's fan. The story was rich and full of details that hooked the reader from the start to the end. The clues were hidden here and there throughout the book, and the mysteries were intertwined with each other. Although I could somehow guess who was the culprit I wasn't entirely sure. The hints were smart and strong.

There are a couple drawbacks that I want to point out. Although there were many details in the story that needed to be developed, I found the story too long and lengthy. It was a bit predictable and there was no "wow" at the end. There were too many characters and it was pretty hard to keep track of what's going on by listening. It was not so convinced that the main character jumped right into solving the murder rather smoothly while she had no background or being curious about solving crimes ever before in her life.

It was an adventure listening to this book, pretty interesting for fans of crime, mystery, thriller genres and especially Agatha Christie. But I think this book is better be read rather than listened to.