Readers find themselves back at the magical Castle Knoll trying to uncover another mystery surrounding the towns eccentric residents. Annie Adams, now the owner of Francis’ grand old house finds herself decoding a cryptic fortune and solving a murder.

Exactly like the first book in this series, the story line jumps back and forth from the 1960s to present day. Tiny clues are dropped all throughout the past to help the reader solve the mystery.

As much as I enjoyed the first book of this series, I found myself DRAGGING in How to Seal Your Own Fate. Nothing grabbed my attention and made me want to continue. Quite honestly, I finished this with hours to spare before the ARC expired. While this isn’t a bad book by any means, it is just not for me. I could envision this as a low stakes beach read for those of us who don’t do romance novels.

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

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, How to Solve Your Own Murder, but the sequel, How to Seal Your Own Fate fell flat to me. Annie is back in detective mode, between hunting down Frances’ missing journals and trying to solve a murder, she’s got a lot on her plate. Similar to its predecessor, this book switches time periods back and forth between 1967 and present day. It was a fun way to keep me engaged in the story and wanting to know more.

Where this didn’t land for me is that everything was “tell, not show”, following along with Annie, there’s no way to figure out the murder. It’s not until the last chapter when everything is explained in detail that it all comes together, which isn’t quite my style.

Thank you to Kristen Perrin, NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This book was definitely a slow start, but I enjoyed following Annie as she solved both past and present murders. I wish there were a few more reminders to what had happened in the first book, as I didn’t remember much. Definitely didn’t end how I expected.

After reading the first book and enjoying it, I was very glad to learn that it was going to be a series!

I love the dual POVs that shift from Frances and Annie’s (past and present). I really enjoyed the concept of Frances’s diary entries and divulging more of her life through that perspective.

This mystery was very convoluted and had multiple layers to it which kept things entertaining. Honestly the time flew by and before I knew it the mystery was being solved when I had felt like I just started.

I feel like the story panned out pretty well and I enjoyed seeing characters develop deeper relationships.

I will say I felt a lack of connection with the characters and it did seem just slightly too complex of a mystery with all the time jump.

But besides that, no complaints from me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. #NetGalley

4.50. I enjoyed this return to Castle Knoll. It’s the same format as How To Solve Your Own Murder- present day Annie trying to solve a murder mystery with ties to her Great Aunt Frances’ past. We get another journal from Frances & it’s just as juicy as the first. Frances seems like more of a romantic in this journal. She’s such a compelling character. This time Annie is trying to solve the murder of Peony Lane, fortune teller, in the present & possibly solve the mystery of the car crash that killed 3 members of the Gravesdown family in the past. I did not have a clue who the murderer- past or present- was. Full of twists & lots of longing- Annie & Detective Crane, Frances & a surprising partner- this is becoming one of my favorite cozy mystery series. I can’t wait to go back to Castle Knoll. Thank you go NetGalley & Dutton Books for this eARC.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Kristen Perrin for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for How to Seal Your Own Fate coming out April 29, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I need to read the first book in the series. I really enjoy mysteries. I’m not quite sure if I love the dual timeline though. Sometimes it works for me and sometimes I prefer one time over the other. I think I would’ve liked more time dedicated in the present to Annie. I think Castle Knoll is interesting and I’d love to learn more about that place. I would check out more books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries!

We are back in Castle Knoll and following Annie through yet another mystery. This is another cozy mystery that leaves you trying to solve the case faster than the protagonist, though part of me wonders if that’s even possible, as I’ll get to below. The formula stays the same in narrative structure: Annie tells the present day story and we learn about the past through Aunt Frances‘s diary. Weirdly, I just finished another book in a very similar structure so it didn’t bother me that this is the exact same formula as book one, but I could understand why some people hoped for a little bit different storytelling. This is a very slow start, but once it gets going, it stays going. My biggest issue this time around is the same issue I had with the first book —there are so many characters and somehow my brain cannot keep them straight. The friend group in the past and the people in the present are somehow too many for me to remember who is related to who and how people are linked to one another at all times. Like book one, I still found myself wondering who people were meant to be linked to and how odd or not odd their behaviors were because I couldn’t keep it straight. I think this book would benefit a lot from being read directly after the first book because it touches so much on those same characters and the story we had already learned there is very relevant. The ending was a little confusing to me (but that could be because I was once again struggling with all the characters), but I also am not sure that I am fully convinced our protagonist got there in a natural way. Now that I know the ending, I would be curious to start from the beginning and see if I could spot all the clues throughout. It just felt like some of those clues weren’t actually there for me to have had a fighting chance of playing along, but I might be wrong on that. My only other issue is that there were a few very minor sub plots that started, never got flushed out, and then were totally forgotten about. It’s very possible that these will continue into another book in the series, but I wanted at least some minor payoff for certain things even if they wouldn’t come until later. Overall, a satisfying and compelling cozy mystery. Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

How to Seal Your Own Fate by Kristen Perrin is the 2nd book in her Castle Knoll series.

"Annie Adams is settling into her life at Castle Knoll when Peony Lane, a local fortune teller, shares a message with her just hours before Peony is found dead inside the locked Gravesdown Estate. Now Annie must dig into the dark secrets of her new home before her life comes crashing down around her."

This is a cozy mystery. It is probably better to read the first book before this one to have a good grasp of the characters. There are many and sometimes it was difficult to keep up with all of them, especially since many are in both timelines and in different places in each timeline.
The story moves slowly and there are many red herrings. Annie keeps plugging away yo find answers. The pace picks up at the surprising ending.
Great story if you like an English cozy.

How To Seal Your Own Fate by Kristen Perrin

Thank You NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for a complimentary copy of this novel! This review and all thoughts associated with it are completely my own.

This is Book 2 in the Castle Knoll Files series. Once again, we find Annie Adams with a few mysteries to solve. Annie has now taken residence in Gravesdown Hall that she inherited from her Great Aunt Frances. It seems like murder has a way of finding Annie; because she is again faced with solving not one, but multiple murders – past and present! Annie crosses paths with Peony Lane, a local fortune teller, and leaves Annie with a very mysterious message. Hours later, Peony is found murdered in the solarium of Gravesdown Hall where Annie now lives. Annie realizes this isn’t a coincidence and may have something to do with the mysterious message she left Annie. There was a car accident decades ago where three people died – all from the Gravesdown family. This was never solved, just laid to rest by Frances’ husband, Ford Gravesdown. Now, using her Aunt Frances’ diaries from the past, Annie works to solve the murders – past and present. As one more body drops, someone is intent on pinning the current murders on
Annie. Will she be able to catch the killer or is there more than one?

I truly enjoyed this cozy mystery novel! It is a dual timeline between Aunt Frances’ diaries and Annie’s present. I love how the novel comes together at the end and it all makes perfect sense. The first novel in the series is How to Solve Your Own Murder that came out in March of 2024. To get a good understanding of what is happening in the second novel, it is preferable to read the first one. I personally feel that the second one builds on the first novel. This second novel comes out April 29, 2025!

Fans of the first book- How to Solve Your Own Murder- will likely appreciate this more than new readers but don't let that stop you if you don't know Annie, Frances, Archie, Ford, and the rest. This moves back and forth between Annie in the present and the diary of Frances, the aunt whose many millions and home she inherited, to not only continue the story from the first book but also introduce a new mystery- the murder of Peony Lane. Peony, a fortune teller, has caused a lot of trouble in her life and now after she approaches Annie one morning someone kills her in Annie's new home. Her murder is part of a mystery that's lingered for years, that of how Ford's family died in a car crash. Frances and Archie, now Annie's groundskeeper, investigate this in the past and grow close, even knowing that Frances and Ford may marry. How is it connected to the present? No spoilers from me but know that I probably couldn't explain it quickly even if I wanted to! This is complex, there are things you must remember and it fooled me. Annie, despite not feeling accepted in the village, has found her footing and she's still got all of the files Frances kept (one reason her neighbors are wary). This means, hopefully, there will be another mystery to solve. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. It's a great read.

After reading "How to Solve Your Own Murder," a 2024 gem, immediately pick up "How to Seal Your Fate," the thrilling and cozy sequel and second book in the Castle Knolls series.

WHAT WORKED:
I love this world and the characters. While there are MANY to remember (and trust me, you won't immediately remember them all), the author did a great job of gently nudging us back into each character's personalities.

Annie was a strong and smart female main character, which I always appreciate. She was never doing stupid things but you can watch her evolve since her arrival into Castle Knolls into now, basically a carbon copy of her great aunt. After all, she's taken over Gravesdown Estate and is finding she's more and more like her great aunt at every turn.

The story was told between two different timelines for the same mystery and I LOVED that. It gives readers the opportunity to see different clues in different timelines to create their own interpretation of events. All while eventually tying it all together in a neat bow!

WHAT DIDN'T WORK:
At times, the clues and information explored in each timelines didn't mesh as easily as it should have.

All in all, this was an excellent sequel to a story that could've easily been a standalone. And in that vein, it did not come across as a "money grab" in any way...this was a story that was set up so well in the initial book that it just flowed perfectly.

I would suggest reading this story right after the first book, as the events that take place happen essentially take place right after book one draws to a close.

Thank you to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review "How to Seal Your Own Fate" prior to its release on 4/29/25.

Annie is getting settled in the castle she has inherited from her Aunt Frances as the reward for solving her murder. The fortune teller who predicted it and caused Aunt Frances to live in fear all those years is found dead in the castle and Annie is a suspect. Could the answer to this murder be related to the past and do the famous files that Frances kept on her family and friends hold the secrets to help solve this new murder?
Family drama is the best kind and this mystery is another wild ride into the past for Annie!

Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy! #howtosealyourownfate #netgalley

*Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review and to LibroFM for the gifted ALC*

Double the mysteries, double the fun! I listened to this on a trip to Nashville with my husband and it was the perfect length and genre for the drive.

We're back with our favorite dual timeline sleuths, uncovering mysteries big and small in Castle Knoll. We've got car crashes, cover-ups, and conspiracies galore! I found myself much more invested in the 1960's timeline, but the modern day one was nothing to scoff at. It did get a little muddled at the end (for example, I couldn't tell you if there were any lasting implications of what Annie uncovers), so I wish there was better description kind of wrapping up the story or setting up the next one, but overall super enjoyable. Here's hoping there's a third!

I loved being back in this story with these characters. This was fun continuation of the first book and I'm excited to see where the characters go

This is the second novel in the Castle Knoll series. We continue where the first book left off. Annie is settling into her new digs at Gravesdown Manor when she happens upon the psychic that predicted Aunt Frances's death, Peony Lane. 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 is once again thrust into a mystery and must figure out what Peony was trying to warn her about.
Again, we get Aunt Frances's POV in 1967. Teenage Frances is caught between 2 men: Ford Gravesdown and Archie Foyle. 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. When Frances uncovers secrets kept by both Ford and Archie, she starts to wonder, What exactly has she gotten herself into?
The story converges in the present and the conclusion is shocking. Can't wait for the 3rd installment in this mystery series!

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for this digital e-arc.*

I may have been a bit distracted while I was reading this book, but it was forgettable to me. It felt like there were too many people and not enough going on... I enjoyed the first one, but this didn't give me the same type of vibe.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I read the first book in this series for my book club through work and loved it, so I was very excited to get the advanced copy of How to Seal Your Own Fate and continue with the series. I really enjoy the back and forth of the timelines, which is something that can at times can be hit or miss. Either you love the past, or you love the present, it’s hard to find a book with dual timelines that keeps me invested in both the past and present, but Kristen Perrin’s writing continues to pull me into both Annie and Frances’s stories. I loved this, and can’t wait for more of this series.

How to Seal Your Own Fate is the second in the Castle Knolls series by Kristen Perrin. In this book, Annie has secured her aunt’s inheritance and house. Now she is wandering around somewhat aimlessly until several murders occur that have her looking into a mysterious car crash from decades ago that might not have been an accident.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first in the series and was excited for this one. However, this book just didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The past and present storyline and large cast of characters got somewhat confusing at times. I also felt like things jumped around and weren’t as clear as I would have liked. I will still was future books by the author, but much preferred the first book.

I thoroughly enjoyed the second book in the Castle Knoll Files. This novel followed the same timeline as the first with dual timelines, but the duplicated structure worked as well as it did in the first. I enjoy books with strong female protagonists and this book had them in both timelines and was good, quirky fun.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC of this book.

The quirky follow up to Solving Your Own Murder was a fun read! Though, it wasn't as easy a read as I had expected, due to the multiple timelines and characters that were active in more than one. Frequently I had to pause and place a character. I will state, however, that this could partially be due to the sinus infection I was suffering from and the meds I was taking for that. I probably should have put the book down and waited........but I also really really wanted to know what was happening! So, take my struggles with a grain of salt because I do think character development and plot are both well done and the multiple timelines are needed. At no point did I favor a particular timeline over another, which is usually a common issue I have. End result is that this was a good read that deserved a better reader than I was at the time! I will be on the look out for Annie's next adventure and promise to give it healthier attention.