A sequel to How to Solve Your Own Murder. This installment is told in two timelines - present and 1967.
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 solarium of the locked Gravesdown Estate, Annie believes she is being set up to take the blame for the murder.

1967: Frances' story: A year has passed since her friend Emily disappeared, and teenage Frances finds herself caught between two men. Ford Gravesdown and Archie Foyle.

Annie knows she has to delve into the diaries and the folders of information from Aunt Frances in order to solve Peony's death and to absolve herself. More mysteries and more murders occur. From Frances' diaries, we learn more about Archie Foyle's backstory and even with all that is divulged, we still don't know all about Archie. The local constable, Rowan Crane, is a delightful, handsome addition to the story line, and sets the reader up for the third installment of the Castle Knoll Files.

This is a tough one to review because I loved "How to Solve Your Own Murder" and Perrin's writing is so easy to read - I devoured this book just as I did with the first one. I like both Annie and Frances- it's nice to read about smart and capable young women who seem relatable.

Here were a few of my issues with this book:

1. I didn't read the first book that long ago but a lot of what happened was referenced in this book so I went back to the first and spent time reminding myself of the history of some of these characters. I get that Perrin doesn't want to give away everything that happens in book 1 but I feel like there could have been a better way to weave things together more seamlessly. Like I had definitely forgotten that Peony Lane was who gave Frances her fortune back in the 1960's.

2. The ending was very complicated and I still don't really understand the characters' motivations and why the murderer killed those people. I also had a hard time remembering who knew what in each time period. Also I still don't understand the fortune? Three and one or one and three? The math didn't really make sense to me there.

I read an uncorrected proof and there were just a few typos. For example, they mention Teddy Crane being Rowan Crane's dad - but his dad is Reggie. And at one point Annie doesn't know how old Saxon is, but she would know exactly how old he is because of Frances's diaries and looking into the car crash. Small things, but they stuck out at me because everything else in this book is so tight.

I was impressed with Perrin's thinking ahead because the first book includes Emily and Frances discussing both the ruby dagger and the car crash. Maybe we'll learn more about Annie's dad in the next (I do hope there's a next one).

Thanks to NetGalley and Ms Perrin for the opportunity to read and give an honest review!

Annie Adams is back and on the case again this time investigating a crime much closer to home in How to Seal Your Own Fate (4/29/25, Penguin Group Dutton Books).

Fresh off her successful investigation into her aunt Frances' murder, she is started to get settled in at Gravesdown Hall in the sleepy English village of Castle Knoll. Annie wants to fit in and yet can't help but continue to feel like an outsider. A chance encounter with Peony Lewis, the fortuneteller who predicted Frances' murder turns Annie's world upside down. Peony implores Annie to look into a cold case from decades earlier. It was a case that was ruled an accident by Peony is certain that a murder was involved. Annie is intrigued but before she can ask Peony any further questions Peony is murdered in the solarium at Gravesdown Hall. Annie is suspected of Peony's murder and must clear her own name while at the same time investigate a cold case that may or may not have something to do with Peony's murder.

Once again, Kristin Perrin has constructed an engaging puzzle in How to Seal Your Own Fate. We follow Annie as she is trying to make sense of her own purpose in life while simultaneously solving a couple of murders. The book is as much of a delight as How To Solve Your Own Murder was and I hope that Ms. Perrin will continue to provide us with further mysteries in the future. If you have not picked up these books, I highly recommend that you do. They have been some of the best mysteries I have read all year.

This is such a unique series and the second one did not disappoint! Twists, turns, secrets, mystery... it has it all. I love the dual time-line perspective. I honestly never had a guess as to what really happened, so the way the story unfolded was really great! Definitely recommend if you're looking for a new mystery book!

I loved the first book from this series, How to Solve Your Own Murder, so I was really hoping for the same magic here. Unfortunately, I did not get it this time. My biggest issue was that there didn’t seem to be any recap about things that happened in the previous book, so I felt lost reading this. With the exception of Annie and Detective Crane, I didn’t remember any characters from before.

Once again, the book ping pongs between a murder mystery in the present and revealing facts from the past. This book just didn’t have the magic of the first.

Not as good as the first one, in my opinion, but still a fun, enjoyable mystery!

Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton and Netgalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I found it difficult to keep the story and people in this book straight. There are two different time lines with a wide assortment of people. Some of the people have nicknames which added to my confusion. I had read the first book, How to Solve Your Own Murder, and I am not sure if it helped me or hindered me. I tried to apply what I read from Book 1 to Book 2 and soon my head was spinning. I waded through, looking up the same names repeatedly and was glad when I got to the end. The ending left little doubt that there would be a Book 3. Not sure how I feel about that. Sadly, I really enjoyed the first one; this one not so much.Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary ARC. This review is my own words and thoughts.

I absolutely loved the first in this series so I was so excited to get the ARC from NetGalley!

I will say I think the first may have been better, but this was still enjoyable. Diving into the crash and seeing Annie struggle with becoming like her Aunt Frances was interesting. I always love a good timeline shift and multiple POVs. Some of the plot lines felt slightly farfetched but I feel like that comes with the genre. I’m begging for another bc I HAVE to see Annie & the detective get together, talk about a slow burn.

Overall would recommend to everyone I know!

4.5 rounded up. Received ARC copy from NetGalley and Dutton books in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this installment of the Castle Knoll Files.
CAWPILE Score:
Characters: 5/5 - I LOVED seeing these characters develop from book 1, and some new characters introduced.
Atmosphere/Setting: 5/5 - This is a category that I think Perrin improved on from book 1. The atmosphere made it feel like the house was another character in this story (even more than in book 1). Setting was always there - I could see, feel, smell, and hear the setting at all times, no matter where (or when) we were.
Writing Style: 4.5/5 - Even though I loved book 1, I think Perrin's writing drastically improved here in book 2. I give it 4.5 and not a full 5 stars because it did feel a tad predictable but that also didn't hinder me from enjoying the book as a whole.
Plot: 4/5 - The plot felt a bit predictable. I did have an inkling about "who dunnit" earlier in the book, however there were so many twists and turns that when it was revealed at the end, I wasn't surprised but it also wasn't 100% guaranteed.
Intrigue: 5/5 - Despite thinking I knew who the "killer" was, I knew from reading Perrin's first book that it could completely change by the end - at the very least there would be details that I never would have expected. And that kept my intrigue going the whole time.
Logic/Relationships: 5/5 - The logic was always there; it all made so much sense to me. I loved seeing how the characters' relationships developed (both in the present timeline and the flashbacks) in this novel compared to the first one which first more surface level. We took a deeper dive in book 2 and I loved every second of it.
Enjoyment: 5/5 - Truly enjoyed this installment and can't wait to see where Perrin goes with book 3!
Total: 33.5/7 - 4.78/5

I loved Perrin's "How to Solve your own Murder" last year, so I was quite happy to return to Castle Knoll for another installment about Annie Adams and her Aunt Frances' time (the swinging 60's) in "How to Seal your own Fate". I found it just as FUN and cozy as the first - yay, no sophomore slump here!! Annie investigates another mystery from Aunt Frances time using her clues left behind - this time involving the Fortune Teller from book 1. Lots of twists and very cleverly plotted, I liked it a lot & 60's nostalgia vibes too. I'll be down for more installments with Annie! My thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for my advance review copy - a pleasure indeed to review it!

I really loved this mystery novel and I was a big fan of the way the storyline played out. I’ll definitely be recommending this to other people moving forward who are interested in this type of book.

What an exciting series! Very well written, great mystery and colorful characters. Never know what's around the bend in her stories. Love the setting of the English countryside and the cast of characters are vibrant and deep. We continue with our heroine Annie from How to Solve your Own Murder. She finds a neighbor dead in her house and its up to her to find the killer before the cops lock her up for good. Cannot wait till the next in the series and Annie's next adventure.

3.5 stars. I didn’t think this book was quite as good as the first one, but it was still enjoyable. I like the way the author associates a current murder with a past one so you really have two mysteries. I love Frances’ diary entries actually more than the present action. Frances story is so interesting and you learn it in these small pieces that leave you wanting more.

I struggle to care about Annie, although I’m not certain why. I don’t understand why she is still in Castle Knolls when almost the whole community shuns her. She just seems lost and lonely. Then she latches onto these mysteries with a interest that borders on obsession. I feel like she cares more about solving the mysteries of the community than being a part of it.

The other thing that bugs me is this weird tension between Annie and Crane. It’s like they’re more then just friends but not really. Sometimes it seems like Crane keeps her around to keep her from trouble rather than because he has any attraction to her. Honestly, as a cop, I would find her annoying.

There was a couple inconsistencies in this book, but I don’t know if that’s because it’s an ARC and just hasn’t been proofed completely. For example, Annie says all the Gravesdown files are missing but then a few chapters later, she finds them in the filing cabinet.

I like how the fortunes play a role in all the murders. The fortunes are always confounding and you really only find out what they mean once the murder has been solved. I thought the mystery of this book was intriguing, but the actual solution was a little disappointing and convoluted.

I will probably read the next one.

Thank you to the author and publisher for an advanced copy. All opinions expressed within are my own.

I really liked How to Solve Your Own Murder and had high hopes for this next installment. The things that worked for me in HTSYOM - the dual timeline, highly twisty mystery, and hints of romance budding between two characters - did not hit the same in this sequel. We meet the same crew of people but even though I had read HTSYOM in the same year, I had trouble orienting myself to the relationships and storylines. Once everything started to iron out, I just felt like everything was a little convoluted rather than layered and intriguing. Annie, the main character, was flat. It seemed like her main role was to just move the plot along instead of developing as a person.

3.5 ⭐️ I jumped into this without reading the first one, so it took some time for me to get my bearings and understand the world of the book. I found myself wishing this was a tv show instead of a book! There were so many twists and turns that were hard for me to keep track of- the many characters, the shifting stories about the same event, etc. This was good but not great!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I absolutely loved the first book in this series and was thrilled to read the second in the series.

I loved the premise and was excited to learn more about the history of Castle Knoll and all its residents. While I loved this book overall, I felt that a lot of plot lines and information got overlooked. There were so many new characters introduced and a lot of details given out, but most of them got lost in the story or were never given deeper understanding after the first mention.

Perrin does a wonderful job bringing us into the world and drama of each case, but the second book does go off on unresolved tangents more than the first book.

That being said, I will absolutely continue to read this series and love learning more about Annie and Castle Knoll with each book. Hopefully as the series continues, a lot of my questions will be answered as Kristen Perrin solves more of the mysteries surrounding the Gravesdowns and Castle Knoll.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for sharing this early copy with me for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I was very excited to receive an early digital copy of 'How to Seal Your Own Fate' as 'How to Solve Your Own Murder' is one of my favorite mystery books! Due to this, I went in with very high expectations for the second book. While the author is an incredibly talented writer, I didn't find myself as pulled into this story as I was the first book. I believe the initial thing that came across as unbelievable/strange was the appearance of Peony Lane on Annie's property. It seemed very much like it was a way to force us to believe that Peony was this 'mysterious' figure, but instead it felt unnatural. After that, I continued having a hard time buying into the narrative and staying immersed in the story. I wanted SO badly to love this book, but for better or worse, I believe the first book set an incredibly high standard that this book failed to match.

Set in alternating time lines this book is amazing! Set in an English village the scenery is well described, you almost feel like you are there.

While I really enjoyed How to Seal Your Own Fate, I wish I head read it immediately after How to Solve Your Own Murder (which I also loved). It took me a minute to remember who everyone was and their storylines. With that being said, once I got into it, Kristen Perrin penned a fun read that I enjoyed every step of the way. Please tell me there will be another installment of this series!

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for the ADR in exchange for an honest review.

Annie Adams is back in the second Castle Knoll series. Peony Lane, the fateful fortune teller, appears to Annie with a new mystery into the Gravesdown accident, telling Annie there’s more to the story and that she must look into it. Peony turns up murdered and Annie teams up with detective Crabe again in another mystery.
I really enjoy this series! It was fun to see how Peony’s fortunes again influence Francis and her friends. We get to know more of Francis’s friends and a lot more on the Gravesdown family. I enjoyed the fortune aspect being expanded in this second book and was glad to see Annie and Crane team up again.