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
🌕🌕🌕🌖

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.

Loved the unique perspectives in this wonderful mystery.

The flashbacks were stunning and I loved the performance of the narrator.

"How to Solve Your Own Murder" is a captivating story written by Kristen Perrin that follows the intriguing journey of Frances Adams, a woman who had always believed she would be murdered. Over sixty years, Frances painstakingly gathers information on everyone she meets in a desperate attempt to prevent her ultimate demise. However, her concerns are brushed off until the day she is tragically found dead.
The narrative also introduces Annie, Frances's niece, who finds herself thrust into the challenge of solving the mystery of her aunt's murder and inheriting millions. Alongside other potential heirs, Annie embarks on a journey into the past, gradually uncovering secrets and deceptive leads that could potentially lead them to the elusive killer.
One of the story's strengths is the author's masterful use of a dual timeline narrative, which adds depth and complexity to the plot. Additionally, the characters in the book are expertly crafted, each adding its own unique flavour to the genre of cosy detective stories. However, despite these commendable efforts, I personally struggled to stay fully engaged in the story. While the genre typically captivates me with its speculation, intricate questions, and intricate connections, this particular book did not have the same effect. Still, I found it challenging to fully immerse myself in the pleasure of becoming an amateur detective and actively participating in the investigation.
Nevertheless, "How to Solve Your Own Murder" does offer a satisfactory and logical resolution to the mystery surrounding Frances's murder, which is something I had anticipated to some extent. The scene where the murderer is unveiled is both ominous and fitting, staying true to the expectations of this particular genre. Furthermore, including a second timeline depicting Frances and her friends in their youth provides an additional layer of depth to the narrative, offering more red herrings and potential clues for readers to ponder.
In conclusion, Kristen Perrin's "How to Solve Your Own Murder" is a clever and humorous crime novel. While it may not have fully captured my interest, it undoubtedly provides an enjoyable and thrilling story for fans of cosy mysteries.

A young woman investigates her great aunt’s murder. Atmospheric mystery in the vein of old English detective novels. Back and forth between modern time with the h and the 60’s with her aunt. This cozy mystery unfortunately gave Nancy Drew more than Knives Out. The messiness of the romance in the past I could do without even though I understand that it informs the present. My biggest issue was that this felt like a novella padded with 50% extra fluff. I was bored. I apologize if this sounds harsh but this badly needed an editor to do some chopping and condensing. Either the flashback or modern story needed to be more brisk and shorter or one storyline needed to go. Both stories and their mystery reveals were too simple for the each story to feel so dense. I also wished that there were quicker more interesting ways to tell us things about each character. More show, less tell is great in mysteries otherwise info dumps bog it down. The writing sets a great gothic atmosphere and flows really well in moments of arguments and tense conversations though. The audiobook narrator also got the airy, posh tone of the entertaining but snotty cast perfectly.

*It was a pleasure to read the ARC for How To Solve Your Own Murder, thank you K. Perrin and Quercus.

I enjoyed the multiple narrative past and present. Very similar vibe to Aghata Christy , everyone is a suspect . I was hooked from the beginning! Thanks for audio. Listening to the story was great!

How To Solve Your Own Murder is a dual timeline murder mystery/detective story that I read on audio and really enjoyed.

It’s out on the 26th of March and has been described as perfect reading for fans of Knives Out and Only Murders in the Building, and I’d agree that those are pretty accurate comparisons.

In 1965 Frances is told by a fortune teller that she’ll be murdered, so of course she spends the next 60 years trying to prevent this from happening; living an increasingly paranoid life in the process. When her great-niece Annie arrives to Frances’s sprawling country estate to check on her, and finds the fortune tellers predication has come true, she immediately sets about finding the killer. Of course, this puts Annie both on a trip down memory lane, going through all of Frances’s old diaries etc., and directly in the path of the murderer.

I enjoyed this, I thought the narrator did a great job and it was a fun listen. I liked Annie as a character and the reveal of the killer was both sinister, and made sense, which is what you want in a story like this. Equally I found myself engaged by the second timeline in the book; Frances and her friends in their youth. Lots of red herrings and possible clues, which as an Agatha Christie fan, I’m a big fan of.

With many thanks to @netgalley and @quercusbooks for the opportunity to read an early copy of #HowToSolveYourOwnMurder, all opinions are my own, as always.

This was fun and felt different. Annie must solve her Great Aunt’s murder before another family member or the police do, and within seven days, or risk losing a £40m inheritance. Her Great Aunt already knew it was coming having been told by a fortune teller in her past. I listened on Audio and it was really well narrated, with well defined character voices, which always helps when there are numerous suspects. The story is quirky, set in a small south west village and isn’t overly dark or grisly. Recommended.

The plot follows Frances, who went to the fortune teller when she was 17 and got one of the worst possible predictions: she'd be murdered one day. Of course, she became obsessed with the idea of preventing the crime, as she should lol.

Alas, her fears came true 60 years later, but she left all her detective work and her diary behind. With that, she challenged the family and friends who never believed her: the person who solves her murder gets her inheritance. One of those people is Frances' great-niece, Annie. So, the story goes back and forth in time, alternating between Annie's POV and Frances' diary entries.

The premise is great, I was very excited by it, but it didn't deliver for me personally. I think the comparison to Knives Out is somewhat accurate in the sense that this is a low-stakes mystery with a lot of characters, but it's missing, idk, the charm and comedy. Tbh, I found it kinda boring.

I understand it's a cozy mystery, not an action-packed one, but cozy should still be engaging and this wasn't engaging to me. Maybe the narration has something to do with that, but I'm not sure reading the book would've made a difference.

Because I wasn't engaged, I found it difficult to keep track of the characters and care about anything going on with them. The mystery just wasn't giving, so I wasn't invested. I didn't have the fun I usually have with this kind of story where I speculate about the characters and things that happen, have questions, strive to connect the dots, and look forward to seeing how things end.

All that said, this was my experience. It sucks that I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would, but I see a lot of people loving this book and having fun with it. So, I think if it calls to you, you should definitely give it a shot and see how you like it.

When Annie Adams receives a letter to inform her she is now the heir to her great aunt's fortunes, she's intrigued to travel to Castle Knoll and finally meet her relative for the first time. However when she arrives, great aunt Frances is dead! Frances believed from the age of 16 that she would be murdered one day, after receiving a mysterious fortune. For 60 years she kept files on everyone in her life, collecting secrets to keep a killer at bay. In order to inherit the fortune, Annie must work out who the killer is in 7 days. Can Annie solve the mystery on time or is the clock ticking on her own life?

I loved how the story was told, we get flashbacks to Frances being a teenager told through her diary entries, when one of her friends disappeared. The past and present storylines overlap, with characters from Frances' past still in her life in the future. I thought the mystery was very clever, I felt like I was constantly suspecting others and picking up on clues and loved how it all panned out. Possibly a cliche to say but it felt like a modern Agatha Christie: small town with lots of suspects and motives with the plot tying up nicely by the end.

The audiobook narrator did a great job, there was a slight difference in accent and tone to the sections that were present day and the diary flashbacks. I felt so compelled to read this, I devoured it! I felt it shake me out of my slight reading slump.

Best of all, I was excited to see Castle Knoll Files #1, meaning there's a sequel some time in the future, which I will be eagerly awaiting. A cracking murder mystery!

What a cracker of a book, and start of a series! The cover and title had me pausing for a second look and when I read the blurb, I was very keen for a read. I love a good mystery, especially years in the making and this one with a touch of fortune telling to boot.

Written in a style that is told in the present day with flashes back to the 60's by way of diary entries is very clever. This means it is told through both present day Annie's voice and 17 year old Frances as well.

I loved the way it was written and it flowed effortlessly off the page. There were quite a few head scratcher's along the way, some of which I had guessed earlier than the reveal and others that were a bit of a surprise.

The characters were very lovable and I was stoked to see it is the start of a series, which means more from Frances and Annie! Hopefully along the way we will find a love match in detective Crane as well!

I had the audiobook version of this book which was fantastic to listen to. The narrator was very skilled and made the voices sound appropriately mischievous/lighthearted/grumpy or scared.

Storygraph - How To Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin is a good fit for people who are in the mood for a gripping and adventurous mystery that delves into the complexities of toxic friendships and whodunnit puzzles, with a touch of cozy charm.
4.5 stars!
Thanks to Netgalley and the author and publisher for a temporary copy in exchange for an honest review.

THIS IS THE BEST BOOK I READ THIS YEAR (GRANTED IT'S ONLY JANUARY)

If you love murder mysteries, like Knives out, this is ABSOLUTELY perfect!

Annie Adams receives a notification that she is now the heir to her distant aunt who she never met before. To sign the documents, she has to go to the city of Castle Knoll where her aunt lives, except... when she gets there her aunt is dead!

To complicate things even more, her aunt decides to make solving her murder a game: whoever finds her killer gets her inheritance! Now, Annie has to decide who her allies are and who her enemies are.

The best part about this books is that it is the first in a series because I hope to read many many more of these. The writing is amazing. The way the story goes from past to present really ties everything together. There are lots of plot twists (or revelations). At some point, I was shouting to my cats "OMG! I can't believe XXX is XXX's daughter".

Go read it!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book is utterly delicious- so cleverly written and loved the protagonist from the start. I hope there will be a series coming!!

I read this book a few months ago and loved it, so I was really excited when I got approved to listen to the audiobook version. The story is just as thrilling the second time around, and knowing the ending didn't spoil my enjoyment at all! I found myself noticing more subtle hints during Annie's investigation that I missed the first time, and the climactic scene towards the end (no spoilers here!) was just as exciting!

The dual narrators - one for present day Annie, and one for 1960s Frances - helped differenciate between the two characters and timelines. I did find the reading quite slow and with long pauses at times that didn't really fit with the narrative, but I listened on 1.5x speed which made it flow much better.

I was hooked by the two interwoven mysteries that unfolded across two different time periods. I always enjoy flashback chapters, so the alternating narratives were a highlight for me!

Overall this story was very enjoyable. It wasn't too predictable, or far-fetched, and had the perfect amount of mystery, intrigue, and drama.