How To Seal Your Own Fate
Genre: cozy mystery
Rating: 3.5/5

#ARC generously provided by @duttonbooks in exchange for an honest review — thank you!!

Good news: A fun read, the detective is still a cutie, and the House is spooky and gloomy and maybe haunted.

Less good news: Not quite as fun as the first Castle Knoll murder mystery. While the first one, How To Solve Your Own Murder, had a good reason for the amateur sleuth outsider to be mucking around across crime scenes and investigating the small town murdery goings on, CK2 simply requires more suspension of disbelief than I’m really happy with.

As CK1 wrapped up with the main character finding a whole host of files on townsfolk mischief, I assumed we would get a series of solving one mystery at a time — and I’m not anti-series. I do wish that it allowed the sequel to stand alone as a separate installment rather than relying quite a lot on the unfinished storylines from book one.

I didn't read the first book of this series and maybe I should have in order to feel a bit more engaged with the characters. I also would have probably better understood the continuity between the books. I still enjoyed the mystery and plot though, as well as the dual timelines and journal entry structure. Both women are strong and independent, and I liked both of them equally. I don't know that it has enough of my interest to read the prior book or the next one, but it's a fun read for mystery lovers who enjoy an even mix of predictable and surprising twists.

This is the second book I've gotten an ARC of and it still just completely hits the mark!
If you told me I was about to get obsessed with a murder mystery featuring a possibly cursed manor house, a suspiciously dead fortune teller, and a protagonist who did not sign up for any of this—well, you’d be right. How to Seal Your Own Fate is the perfect mix of gothic vibes, small-town drama, and a twisty mystery that kept me hooked from start to finish.

Annie Adams was just trying to get her new life together after inheriting Gravesdown Estate (because every good mystery needs an ominous old house, obviously). But then Peony Lane, the local fortune teller, drops a cryptic message about Annie’s future—and promptly turns up dead inside Annie’s house. So, naturally, Annie decides to solve the murder herself, because 1) she’s a suspect, 2) the village is crawling with secrets, and 3) what else are you supposed to do when a psychic dies in your home?

Kristen Perrin absolutely nails the atmosphere—this book is giving classic whodunit energy with a modern edge. The story flips between Annie’s investigation and diary entries from 1967, where her great-aunt Frances was dealing with her own set of suspicious events. And let me tell you, Frances was out here living—her chapters are just as juicy as the present-day mystery.

The writing is sharp, funny, and just the right amount of eerie. If you love books that feel like Agatha Christie meets Only Murders in the Building (but with more English countryside and fewer podcasts), this one’s for you. I will absolutely be reading whatever Kristen Perrin writes next.

"Kristen Perrin is back with the second novel in her Castle Knoll series. Annie Adams is caught in a new web of murder that spans decades, returning us to the idyllic English village that holds layers of secrets.

Present day: Annie Adams is just settling into life in Castle Knoll when local fortune teller Peony Lane crosses her path and shares a cryptic message. When Peony Lane is found dead only hours later inside the locked Gravesdown Estate, Annie quickly realizes that someone is out to make her look guilty while silencing Peony at the same time. Annie has no choice but to delve into the dark secrets of Castle Knoll in order to find out just what Peony Lane was trying to warn her about, before the new life she's just begun to build comes crashing down around her.

1967: A year has passed since her friend Emily disappeared, and teenage Frances Adams finds herself caught between two men. Ford Gravesdown is one of the only remaining members of a family known for its wealth and dubious uses of power. Archie Foyle is a local who can't hold down a job and lives above the village pub. But when Frances teams up with Archie to investigate the car crash that claimed the lives of Ford's family, it quickly becomes clear that this was no accident - hints of cover-ups, lies, and betrayals abound. The question is, just how far does the blackness creep through the heart of Castle Knoll? When Frances uncovers secrets kept by both Ford and Archie, she starts to wonder: What exactly has she gotten herself into?"

Whenever there's a character named Ford I have to wonder if they're an alien.

6/10 i didn’t find this one to be a super great book. i thought it was kind of confusing, the dual storylines always run that risk. it was a little loopy and open ended in some places, and those kinds of books always bother me. there was a plethora of characters to enjoy however.

How to Seal Your Own Fate by Kristen Perrin is the 2nd book in her Castle Knoll Files series. Annie Adams, our amateur sleuth/heroine, is caught up in another sinister mystery. Annie has been living at Castle Knoll for a few months; after she solved the murder of her great-aunt Frances. Annie looks into all the paper work from her aunt, learning through POV’s in the past, as well as her discovering the truths in the present. Annie inherited the entire Gravesdown Hall and the surrounding properties. Most of the same characters are present in this 2nd book, with many years having passed.

Annie runs into Peony Lane (fortune teller) that her aunt used to follow. Peony has a few secrets she wants Annie to investigate, about an old accident years ago. A few hours later, Peony is found murdered inside the Gravesdown Estate, and Annie begins to realize that someone is trying to make her look like the guilty person. Even though she was with her friend, Jenny having tea outside. Annie knows she needs to start digging for information, especially from Frances papers and diaries.

In the past (1967), a teenage Frances will team up with Archie, to investigate a car crash that killed 3 members of the Gravesdown family; it quickly becomes clear that this was no accident, with lies and betrayals. Dark secrets are revealed, as the deeper Frances digs, everything becomes tangled. Frances finds herself attracted to two men, Ford Gravesdown and Archie Foyle. Ford is the only member of his family left, with him known for his wealth and power. Archie was always out of work, occasionally working in the pub.

How to Seal Your Own Fate was a captivating, cozy, intriguing, murder mystery, with a quite a few suspects, who were involved from the past. The story did start slow early on, but the second half was a wild and intense thriller. Annie worked closely with her friend, Jenny, as well as her Detective friend,

How to Seal Your Own Fate turns into a wild gripping ride that will have you unable to put the book down. The plot was extremely well done, with a number of surprising twists. This was a very exciting masterpiece of a thriller, that was very well written by Kristen Perrin. You need to read this book from start to finish.

A fortune teller whispers a warning… and ends up dead hours later. Now Annie’s the main suspect—and the only one who can uncover the truth hiding in Castle Knoll’s shadows.

Here are Reasons to Read the Mystery Book:

It’s a dual-timeline mystery that masterfully ties the present to a dark, twisty past.


The locked-room murder and cryptic fortune bring big-time suspense with cozy mystery vibes.


Frances and Annie are compelling, complex women digging into secrets the town would rather stay buried.


Perfect for fans of unraveling generational curses one clue at a time.
I was such a big fan of the first book in this series. So much so that I read it twice. It still remains my favorite, but this one is a good addition. Not only does it give you complex clues, but it also feeds into how more books can be written based on fortunes told by Peony Lane that are dual timeline. However, my two minor issues are that I wanted to see more of Annie and Crane’s relationship. And maybe the clues were too complex at times. Overall I still really like this series.

fun murder mystery and the timejumping worked. i have not had a chance to read the previous book in the series but it doesn't feel like it's needed. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

This is the second book in Kristen Perrin's Castle Knoll Files series, following the adventures of amateur sleuth Annie Adams in the quaint English village of Castle Knoll. The narrative intertwines present-day investigations with excerpts from the 1960s diaries of Annie's great-aunt, Frances, creating a dual-timeline mystery that delves into long-buried family secrets and local intrigue.​ I did not read book one so had a bit of a challenge as this book does refer to many characters in the first book.

It gives off serious Agatha Christie vibes with its suspenseful and engaging plot. The story moves between 2 separate timelines, the activities of Annie's aunt in the 60s, with Annie's experiences in the present day. When Annie is framed for the death of a local fortune teller, she then delves into her aunt's diaries to try to determine if there are any clues about the fortune teller, and her relationship with her aunt. I love a strong female main character, and Annie does not disappoint in this regard. Her ability to root out clues and discover new evidence clearly shows her skills as a detective and you can see why this is a popular series. The ending was a bit predictable for me, but I overall enjoyed the book and look forward to seeing more from Ms. Perrin.

It helps to have read How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin before reading How to Seal Your Own Fate because there are myriad characters who appear in both books. The murders in the first book have been solved, and Annie is a rich woman, living in a house she inherited from her great-aunt. Another murder occurs early in this book. and the victim is Peony Lane, the fortune teller who accurately predicted that Aunt Frances's life would end in her own murder. Annie resolves to investigate this murder as well, especially as it appears that Peony Lane (for unknown reasons she is referred to by both names throughout the book) has some new predictions that may affect the lives of other characters. In addition, Annie has a lot of time on her hands, as it seems she has made very few changes in her life to date.

It could be a fascinating premise, but for me, the problem lies with Annie, the protagonist. She is the first-person narrator of the chapters occurring in the present day, and her voice is consistently low-key, repetitive, and lacking in any spark of excitement. Again in this book, I failed to make a connection with Annie for these reasons. A few of the many other characters are interesting, but I felt there were too many to leave time for the author to achieve any depth. I also found the alternating between the two timelines more confusing this time around, as the switch to the historical chapters (50 years earlier) is indicated by the date change, but never the switch back to the present.

There are many very positive reviews of this book, and fans can probably look forward to future series entries, as there is a hint of a continuing story. Unfortunately, it was too lackluster for me, and I had to skim the later chapters to finish.

My thanks to PENGUIN GROUP Dutton and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this booi.

I'd wondered whether this could make a good series and I'm still on the fence. Last time, Annie had to solve a murder to be able to inherit millions (millions!!) from a distant relative. This time, she's innocently heading to town and meets the fortune teller that set the events of the previous book in motion... and off we go with another mystery that relies (somewhat) on the numerous files that Frances compiled over the decades. I hope that book 3 expands on this in some way.

As mysteries go, there's a lot--too much, really--that gets revealed via Frances' diary. The relationships between people we met in the last book are further explored, and of course Annie and her policeman friend get closer. I did not love that there were some characters whose personalities/motivations suddenly changed, not in the unreliable character way but in a "oops, I created a character that needs to be/do xxx" way.

eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.

HOW TO SEAL YOUR OWN FATE was a book I was hoping to enjoy more. And I did enjoy it. The small town mystery is cool and the writer does know how to craft a story. It's good for those that like mysteries. However, it was very similar to the first book, I felt like it didn't actually need to be written, and I'm not a fan of the way we are told the mystery.

The book does draw you in because of it's dual timeline situation, especially Frances's chapters. As I said in my previous review of this book, I felt that those were the most engaging parts of the story. I still feel that way. And the story was interesting, as it held my attention.

But my larger issue was that the story feels very formulaic at this point because it was very very similar to the previous book. The structure of the book was exactly the same. And usually, that isn't an issue for me. But usually, the story is different enough where the structure of a book can actually be comforting. This was not the case here. The story actually felt like it didn't need to be told. I know there will be a 3rd book just based on the way the story was told, instead of crafting a good narrative that covers all of these issues in the books themselves. One unsolved murder or suspicious death per book. That wouldn't be a problem if these murders were more fleshed out and varied. Instead, it feels like Annie (the FMC) could have solved them all at once.

That leads me to my next issue: the way Annie easily solves these murders. She is solving them SO EASILY. These cases have either eluded the police or are ignored due to class power plays. People just tell her things. Or she reads them in her aunt's journal. The whole mystery gets solved really easily. This structure was not effective for me as a reader. It was actually hard to buy into.

Overall, there were twists and turns here that got me, but I didn't love this like I hoped I would. I would read this if you like the mystery genre, small towns in the British countryside, interrelated characters, and dual timelines.

Thank you to Dutton Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

3.5⭐️ We’re back in Castle Knoll where Annie Adams now lives in the manor she inherited from Great Aunt Francis after solving her murder in the last novel. We return months later when the fortune teller, Peony Lane (the same fortune teller that gave Francis’ fated fortune) comes to tell Annie a message, but ends up dead inside the manor.

Annie must use Francis’ detailed files and diary to solve Peony’s murder and figure out why Peony Lane was silenced. What secrets still lie in Castle Knoll? How is the Gravesdown family still involved? And will Annie solve the mystery before it’s too late?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading another cozy mystery from Perrin and returning to Castle Knoll. I did have to go back and reacquaint myself with some of the characters and storylines from the first book, as it got a bit confusing at first, but the story keeps moving at a good pace after that.

Just like the first book, Francis’ diary chapters were so great. I love a dual timeline. She is such a great character, although one part of her storyline in this book seemed a bit off character for me. In the modern timeline, Annie is also such a fun character but I especially liked the scenes with Annie and Detective Crane.

I LOVED the first book of this series. I liked this one, but I agree with other reviews that this is more of a companion story than a sequel. I will read more in this series, but it’ll be hard to top the first book!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel!

I really enjoyed this book! It’s the perfect cozy mystery that you can immerse yourself into. I loved the dual timelines just like the first book in this series. My only let down was that it had a really slow start and sometimes the dialogue felt a little forced. All in all, a good read for the mystery fans out there!

3.5/5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was happy to return to Castle Knoll- thanks to Penguin Group | Dutton for the ARC!
This book followed the same general formula as the first (which isn't a criticism!) with Annie's view of the present day and a window to the past via Frances's diaries.
It had been about a year since I'd read the first book, and a teeny bit more of a reminder of the who's who at the beginning of the book would have been appreciated here, but I eventually figured it out.
I found the mystery a bit less gripping this time, but it was well worth the read and a nice cozy mystery.

4.5/5 🌟
I think I enjoyed this one just as much as the first book!
It picks up a few months after the last one left off and there’s a new mystery to be solved in Castle Knoll, and old one and a new one.
I enjoyed the characters just as much as the first time and loved the scenes going back and forth between the past and the present.
Definitely going to enjoy reading more by this author in the future!

I enjoyed How to Solve your own Murder and was excited to read Kristen Perrin’s new book. How to Seal your own Fate is a fun read full of murder and intrigue. The characters are likable and as the story unfolds between the past and the present I felt like I got to know them all a bit better.
I did feel that the plot got a little convoluted but it is a well written book so it wasn’t hard to keep up with all of the twists and turns, I think the strong characters helped with this.
I will be recommending the book and I know it will be well received among our patrons.

Kristen did it again! This book is so good!! I loved another adventure with Annie! This one is twisty and I did not expect who the murderer was! I was shocked! I enjoyed learning more about Aunt Frances and her life! All around this is another great mystery novel!! Can’t wait for the next one!! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of this book!

How to Seal Your Own Fate is a fantastic classic-style mystery. With dual timelines, it’s fun to piece together all the facts in the present and in the 1960s. Kristen Perrin creates another story that plays fair with the clues while keeping readers guessing about the ending.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Annie is having a tough time settling in at Gravesdown Hall after inheriting it from her Aunt Frances. Then while out walking around the village of Castle Knoll, she meets fortune teller Peony Lane, who is full of cryptic messages. Then Peony is found dead in Annie’s home, and Annie is a suspect. As bodies begin to pile up, Annie tries to figure out what’s going on. And what do these events have to do with Aunt Frances’ past and the two men she was drawn to in 1967?

I really enjoyed this mystery. Annie is an engaging character, and it’s easy to understand her motivations for getting involved in another murder investigation. The author manages to intertwine the separate timelines into a single, coherent story. I like the direction this series seems to be going in, and I’m interested to see how the author continues it with both Frances and Annie’s points of view.

Note: this book is a sequel to How to Solve Your Own Murder. While it can be read as a standalone, it’s more enjoyable if you have the context from book 1.

How to Seal Your Own Fate is another great installment of this mystery series. It has a satisfying conclusion, and the author plays fair with facts while navigating two first person POV timelines. If you are a fan of classic mysteries set in small English villages, you’ll have a great time reading this series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I read this book shortly after the first one and I think it helped to keep all the characters and their stories straight. While I did enjoy the mystery and "coziness" of the story, I felt it was a little predictable. I'm not sure if there will be a third book in the series, but I will look forward to reading it if so. 3.5 - 4 stars.