3.5 stars! Just as fun as the first one, if not more so! I still get the Knives Out feel with this sequel but with more of a cottage core/springtime vibe. I really enjoyed the double POVs again since we learned so much more about Frances and how she became the woman she did. When the diary entries and Annie’s present-day mysteries finally overlap and we see how they connect, it’s really satisfying and intricate, which makes having the two POVs that much more fun. If you enjoyed How to Solve Your Own Murder, you’ll definitely enjoy its sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the arc!

What a fun follow-up to “How to Solve Your Own Murder”! I read that back in October and was pleasantly surprised to see this on NetGalley.

This series definitely is giving your mom’s favorite cozy murder-mystery series in the best way. I’ve really liked the murders being tied to the past in these last two books. I wasn’t sure how Aunt Frances was going to keep tying in, or if it’d be done well but I think it was!

I am curious to know if the subsequent books will follow the same formula and if this is going to be a Jessica Fletcher and Cabot Cove situation. You know, where she lives in a small town and residents of her small town keep being murdered and the murderers are also residents of her small town but somehow the town isn’t seen as cursed and the population isn’t dropping significantly. Suspensions of disbelief and all that.

I did like this book but I felt that it could drag a little bit. The most interesting parts of the story were Frances’ flashbacks and, unfortunately, I wasn’t as interested in Annie’s amateur sleuthing this time around. I also wasn’t as satisfied with the resolution of this mystery, I’m not exactly sure why though.

That being said, I do think this is a worthwhile read for those who enjoyed the first book and want to continue the series!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book!!

What a good book!! This one had me hooked from page one! I could t put it down. I loved the writing style of this book. I lived the characters and they had great chemistry.

I greatly enjoyed this sequel to "How to Solve Your Own Murder" by Kristin Perrin!

Like the first installment, "How to Seal Your Own Fate" follows Annie Adams, this time following her acclimation to Castle Knoll and the Gravesdown Manor after earning her great aunt's inheritance. She is soon swept up in another murder case and must dive back into the past to uncover the secrets that lie within Castle Knoll.

"How to Seal Your Own Fate" is a natural sequel to the book it follows, and I really enjoyed the path the second installment chose to take. I was very excited to return to Castle Knoll and to dig deeper into the history of the atmospheric town and its eclectic population of characters. Castle Knoll is a place where the past and present is constantly intertwining, and the author does such an incredible job building this world and building this village where there is always more than meets the eye.

I had such a great time with this sequel, and I hope there are many more visits to Castle Knoll to come.

I was excited to receive an ARC copy of 'How to Seal Your Own Fate' by Kristen Perrin. I absolutely loved her previous story, How To Solve Your Own Murder, last year and this continues the Castle Knoll series with another fun mystery. I really love the way that Kristen Perrin weaves history and puzzles into her stories, and this one is great.
Annie Adams is back as our amateur sleuth, she’s now living in Castle Knoll full time and trying to write when she stumbles upon a fortune teller’s cryptic message that launches her into a new mystery. This is another dual timeline which once again features her great aunt’s detective skills and family secrets that have been buried.
This mystery is smart, cozy and exciting and I really enjoyed it a lot. How to Seal Your Own Fate is due out in April of 2025 and I highly recommend to mystery lovers.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the ARC in exchange for a review.

Kristen Perrin’s How to Seal Your Own Fate is an engaging and entertaining sequel that builds on the first book in the series. Having a better grasp of the many characters this time around, I thoroughly enjoyed diving back into the small-town setting and exploring the complex relationships between its inhabitants. The interplay between characters and shifting time periods adds a layer of suspense that was missing in the first book, keeping me guessing as the story unfolded. While this element was occasionally confusing, it ultimately made for a richer, more dynamic narrative. One of the book’s standout qualities is its ability to balance a light and upbeat tone with darker themes like murder and betrayal. This juxtaposition kept the story fun and fast-paced, making it hard to put down. That said, I’d recommend starting with the first book in the series before tackling this one. There isn’t much of a recap, and I found myself struggling to remember some details early on. Overall, How to Seal Your Own Fate is an entertaining sequel that rewards readers with its suspenseful twists and compelling character dynamics.

This was an anticipated sequel to a fantastic book. This was another great cozy mystery by this author. I cannot wait to see what they put out next. Thrilling, cozy, fun, mystery. I think this author is going to be up there with the classic mystery writers of our time.

One of the standout aspects of "How to Seal Your Own Fate" is its exploration of the human condition. Perrin masterfully probes the complexities of identity, morality, and the search for meaning, creating a narrative that is both deeply unsettling and profoundly thought-provoking.

The characters in "How to Seal Your Own Fate" are complex and multi-dimensional, with rich backstories that add depth to the narrative. Perrin's protagonist is a compelling and relatable hero, whose flaws and strengths make them feel fully realized.

If you're a fan of literary fiction, magical realism, or philosophical inquiry, then "How to Seal Your Own Fate" is an absolute must-read. Perrin's writing is engaging, thought-provoking, and utterly captivating. Be prepared for a darkly magical and deeply unsettling reading experience!

I’m going to continue to be a fan of this Castle Knoll Series. I love the expert weaving between Frances’ diaries and the present day. Similar to the first book, I felt like a few things didn’t quite line up and might be a little plot-hole-ish, but I truly thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Hoping to see more from this series!

Kristen Perrin hit the nail on the head again with this one! Often sequels just don't live up to the hype, but this, bravo- all you need is a cup of tea, a blanket and you can tuck yourself into a cozy, mystery read!

This book brings us back to Castle Knoll and Annie is at again trying to solve another murder. Just like the first book in the series, we toggle back and forth between the past and the present, but in a way that is enjoyable and easy to understand through Great Aunt Frances' journals.

Also, Rowan Crane is top notch.

I will gladly read anything Perrin writes!


Thank you NetGalley and Penguin House Dutton for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Kristen Perrin writes another fun mystery with Annie Adams again tangled up in the hidden murders of Castle Knoll.
This book is a continuation of How to Solve Your Own Murder, that I would recommend reading first so you understand the characters in this one.
Our fortune teller Peony Lane is back, this time with a cryptic warning to Annie, only to end up dead in Annie's house a short time later.
Now Annie needs to clear her name and understand what Peony Lane was trying to warn her about.
When she discovers that it's related to the murder of three Gravestones, the wealthiest family in Castle Knolls, back in the 60s, Annie will return to her Great Aunt Frances' journals. A diary that she kept about everyone's secrets in Castle Knoll in anticipation of her own murder.
This book switches between present day with Annie and the past with Frances who is torn between two men, Ford Gravestone, the surviving younger brother and Archie Foyle, a local who grew up on the Gravestone property since his family worked for them for generations. Neither man trusts the other, but both have Frances' heart. When she learns both are connected to the murders in someway, she'll need to discover who is deceiving her.

Kristen Perrin's How to Seal Your Own Fate is an absolute treat for mystery lovers, serving up a deliciously twisty tale set in the delightfully atmospheric Castle Knoll. Amateur sleuth Annie Adams is back, and this time she's caught up in a mind-bending mystery that starts with a fortune teller's cryptic message and spirals into something far more sinister.

Imagine a story that's one part small-town gossip, one part family secret, and two parts pure intrigue. Perrin masterfully weaves between present-day investigations and her great-aunt Frances' daring detective work from the 1960s, creating a narrative that's impossible to put down. It's like having two brilliant detectives working the same case across different decades – and trust me, you'll be rooting for both of them.

The real magic happens in how Perrin connects the dots between past and present. Annie's cautious modern-day sleuthing plays beautifully against Frances' bold investigative spirit, creating a rich tapestry of family history and long-buried secrets. Each page feels like lifting another layer of an intricate mystery, with just enough breadcrumbs to keep you guessing.

Sure, there are moments when the pacing takes a slight breather, but that's hardly a complaint when the storytelling is this engaging. The book captures that perfect small-town mystery vibe – you can almost feel the weight of decades-old secrets hanging in the air, just waiting to be uncovered.

How to Seal Your Own Fate is exactly what you want in a mystery: smart, surprising, and utterly compelling. Perrin proves she's a master at crafting mysteries that are as emotionally rich as they are intellectually satisfying. If you're looking for a story that will keep you guessing until the very last page, this is your ticket to a delightful reading adventure.

Grab a cup of tea, settle into your favorite reading nook, and prepare to be thoroughly entertained. Castle Knoll is calling, and this mystery is too good to miss.

Many thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton | Dutton for sharing this unputdownable mystery's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

As a big fan of How to Solve Your Own Murder, I was delighted to get the opportunity to read an advance copy of its sequel, How to Seal Your Own Fate. I thoroughly enjoyed this one too. As I started this book, I realized that I needed to refresh my memory of the first book in the series. It had been over a year since I read the first book, and I decided to re-read it before reading HTSYOF. It was very helpful to be re-familiarized with the recurring characters and even with the format of alternating the contemporary story with the entries in the aunt's diary from the Sixties. I highly recommend reading the books in order. Once again, there were many repercussions of events during the Sixties in the current crimes. There were many twists and turns and a lot of suspense, especially when left with cliffhangers at the end of many chapters. I think this is a very fun series with great characters and clever writing. I highly recommend this book and look forward to the next in the series.

The second installment in the Castle Knoll Files series is much like the first- class warfare, historical murder mystery, police procedural. For fans of Tana French, only without the length. How to Seal Your Own Fate is a faster paced, deep mystery of questioning and generational secrets. Annie Adams lives in Castle Knoll and learns that Peony Lane, the local fortune teller, is now dead. Peony has an interesting past and even a former identity. Annie looks into the death to see if there was someone trying to cover up a murder from the 1960's. Set in a lovely English village, this quaint small town setting is perfect for- while not exactly a closed room mystery- a small town has that vibe as the story unfolds.

I found this to be a suspenseful story with a satisfying ending. I normally find procedural mysteries to be a bit tedious, but this is readable and engaging. The characters fell a bit flat for me, as the conversation seemed stilted and somewhat boring. This is a good mystery that will not take long to read and will hold your attention until the very last page.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Book to be published April 29, 2025.

In this follow-up to 'How to Solve Your Own Murder,' we are dropped back into Castle Knoll, where Annie faces yet another mystery. She relies on her grandmother’s journals and her own intuition to solve more murders related to an ominous fortune. This is yet another engaging read filled with interesting characters and a complex mystery. 'How to Seal Your Own Fate' is an entertaining read that will keep you guessing as Annie uncovers more secrets and solves more mysteries.

Thank you netgalley and the publishers for this ARC.

If you are looking for a book with a great plot and character development, this is it. I enjoyed the pacing of the story and never felt bored. I finished it quickly too because the way the author constructed the chapters you want to know what is going on with the characters.

The ending was perfect and wraps everything up nicely. I can’t wait to read more by the author in the future.

I loved How To Solve Your Own Murder, so I was ecstatic when I received the ARC for How To Seal Your Fate in my email. It was just as fun, charming, fast-paced and twisty as HTSYOM, and I enjoyed it immensely. The only criticism I can give is, I wish it had a little synopsis or catalog of the characters from the first book at the beginning of this one. I read HTSYOM almost exactly a year ago and it took me a while to remember who everyone was and what their backstories were. For that reason, I would suggest a re-read before reading this one! I love Annie and Aunt Frances, (and Detective Crane :)) so much and am hoping for a third! Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton books for this ARC!

An interesting follow up to the first in this series. I found it confusing with the different story lines and multiple characters. I’m interested in seeing how the series progresses.

4.5

i don't even know where to start with this book. i read the first one a few months ago and i fear i may have judged it a little too harshly (but to be fair if i knew it was going to be a series i would have understood the amount of lore and worldbuiling that went into it) and I'm a little shocked that i was able to breeze through this book in one day as that hasn't happened in months. it was definitely easier to get into since i read the first book and reminders of the lore and characters were easy to pick up and not repetitive in a way that was annoying to read.

i still love annie even though she kinda gets on my nerves sometimes but I'm not going to even act like she didn't have me laughing at time because she is a totally funny character. i got more of a grim/dark vibe from this book than the first one and i think its because for the most part i knew the very basics of the lore and diving into things that were briefly discussed in the last book to come full circle was a crazy experience.

also, i love when books have riddles that are actually riddles. for the life of me i could not figure out what it meant which made it more fun to uncover the secrets of what's going on. all time favorite character has to Frances, she was just so unbelievably real that i found myself relating to her every time she was on the page.

for me, the only reason it isn't a 5 is because of the pacing. i didn't notice it as much in this book as the first but it did lag at times and i DID skim over a few parts when it felt like it was going on for too long but overall, will absolutely be reading if there's another book!!!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Perrin is back for a sophomore effort with "How to Seal Your Own Fate" and arguably, she did even better than her first novel on this one. Annie Adams returns as narrator and after solving her great aunt's murder in the first book, she's thrust into the midst of another unsolved mystery.

I really liked and appreciated the alternation between present day and the excerpts from Frances in the 1960s - I thought that created a fun dynamic and made the read compulsive. I thought that this book was very fun and I was genuinely concerned with how to follow up the original story but dare I say, the second installment is even better. Bravo to Perrin - four stars!