It’s one thing to try to solve someone else’s murder, but do you think you could solve your own murder before it even happens? In Kristen Perrin’s latest mystery, How to Solve Your Own Murder, a woman spends a good portion of her life trying to solve her own inevitable murder before it happens, only for her great-niece to pick up the trail. Fans of Knives Out and The Thursday Murder Club will love this debut adult mystery.

Review | How to Solve Your Own Murder

This is the perfect type of cozy mystery for my tastes. It is a clever, complex, and engaging without being fluffy or kitschy. The story moves back and forth between two timelines and two narrators (one in the past timeline that is told through journal entries, and one in the present). I loved that the mystery was being tackled in both timelines, and clues dropped in one linked to clues in the other.

The story begins with Frances Adams who was a teenager in 1965 living in England. She journals the events of her life, particularly as they relate to the disappearance of a local girl and one of her best friends, Emily Sparrow. Frances, Emily, and their other best friend Rose are at the county fair when they go to see a psychic. “Your future contains dry bones […] all signs point towards your murder” she is told somberly—a phrase that dictates the rest of her life. The psychic isn’t the first sign that death is chasing Frances—she also received a threatening note before even going to the fair.

Meanwhile sixty years later, a twenty-something mystery writer named Annie Adams is working on her book while “in between jobs” when she is summoned to visit her eccentric and estranged great-aunt Frances. Frances is extremely wealthy, but her life has been consumed with an attempt to solve her own murder before she’s even met her demise. Annie heads to Frances’s estate, Castle Knoll, to discuss changes to her will that will make Annie the beneficiary of her estate after the psychic’s prediction that “daughters are the key to justice, find the right one and keep her close.”

Not long after arriving at Castle Knoll, Annie is able to see the dysfunctional web of relationships surrounding her great-aunt. Her dear friend and attorney, Walter Gordon, is present—as is his son Oliver. And it isn’t long before Frances is found dead on the floor of unknown causes—was this a natural death, or did Frances finally predict her own murder?

Interspersed between Annie’s story are entries from Frances’s journal going all the way back to the day of the psychic reading. Her story chronicles the disappearance of her dear friend Emily Sparrow. The reading of the will reveals that Frances wants to leave her entire estate to whoever uncovers the truth behind her murder. Frances isn’t the only one who may be looking to solve it—also present are Frances’s nephew Saxon (and his wife Elva) are present, as are Walter, Oliver, and the charismatic Detective Crane.

The others underestimate Annie, who appears the youngest and weakest person looking to solve the murder. However, her connection to Frances through her diary is not to be overlooked. The diary reveals the complicated friendship between Frances, Rose, and Emily, as well as Emily’s disappearance. Frances becomes even more convinced to solve the murder and get justice for Frances. Tension mounts as the investigation goes on, and Annie becomes in tangled in a game that may have deadly consequences.

The mystery is clever and the investigation follows logic and skills of deduction from start to finish. I was hooked the full way through, especially having the diary entries from Frances to read. Annie may be the main character and narrator, but Frances is the one who steals the show. She has a spicy personality that I really enjoyed from the very beginning of her chapters all the way to the end. Annie is actually a character that is likable and sympathetic, but is less present emotionally in the story. Her role is the detective and the person we are rooting for to solve the mystery, but Frances is the one with the emotional relationships to other characters. Annie is a lens that provides us more insight into the people surrounding Frances who may have led to her death.

The story carried more weight than the average cozy mystery, which for my reading enhances the experience. Annie uncovers several troubling details about Frances’s life and eventual murder that bring depth to the story. It was fascinating, though at times heartbreaking, to see the Frances from the diary entries knowing that she has finally met her murderer in the present timeline. I was captivated start to finish and found the mystery to have plenty of twists and turns along the way to keep my mind engaged. The door also seems to be left open for another mystery set around Castle Knoll. I suspect that we may continue to learn more about Annie in the future, if she returns to our bookshelves with a new mystery to solve.

Thank you to Dutton and Penguin Random House for my copy. Opinions are my own.

This was an enjoyable mystery with interesting characters and multiple suspects. I loved the setting (small English village) and found myself drawn to the writing style. Perrin does a fantastic job molding both timelines together and slowly connecting the dots. Frances was definitely my kind of girl - I mean, a murder board to solve your own murder? That’s my brand of nonsense lol.

This is super cozy with the perfect setting, but the characters do struggle with individuality at times.

This was such a clever, intriguing, and refreshing book to read! I couldn't put it down! I had to know what happened next and who would solve the murder first to become the inheritor of the Estate. I thought it was creative how Annie used clues from Great Aunt Frances’ murder board and her diary from 1965 to figure out who murdered Frances and her friend Emily. This is a must-read for mystery fans!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

How to Solve Your Own Murder
Author: Kristen Perrin
Source: NetGalley
Pub Date: March 26, 2024

How to Solve Your Own Murder is a wonderfully whimsical and fun murder mystery. Yep, you read that right…it is like Only Murders in the Building in some ways. What do we have here? We have a dead Great Aunt Frances who was convinced she was going to die by murder (as foretold by a fortune teller), and 60+ years later, she finally does just that. Her heirs are staying in her countryside manor outside of London, and it involves a yummy cast of characters, with the two most important being Saxon (an adopted child of her late hubs) and Annie, the grandniece who has never actually met Frances but is an actual blood relative who stand to inherit everything. When the heirs arrive for the reading of her will (they thought she was still alive), they find Great Aunt Frances dead in her library. She had been murdered. From there, we have a LARGE cast of characters: the village Vicar, Rose (best friend), super cute detective Crane, and a large host of people who make this story a little piece of magic. It reminded me of the board game Clue, where you have riddles, mysteries, rhymes, and clues, lots of clues. I enjoyed this story and found the guilty party one of my suspected options. In death, Frances finally had the last laugh on everyone who thought her murder conspiracy was a hoax and realized she knew her fortune all along. The book was a lot of fun and full of mischief. #murder #chess #riddles #friends #family #police #whodunit #mystery #fiction #greed #admiration #England @netgalley @kristenperrinwrites @duttonbooks
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I received a complimentary copy of this ARC. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for the opportunity to read this novel. Pub. Date: March 26, 2024.
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How To Solve Your Own Murder was a fun, engaging read. I was immediately taken in by the main characters and the two timelines seamlessly came together. Thank you to @duttonbooks for my copy!

A lovely, unique mystery! I loved the premise and thought the book was set up well. Unfortunately, for me personally, I just didn't connect with a couple of the plot points and characters' actions. If you are a fan of small-town mysteries, I would still absolutely recommend this!

This book is an enjoyable "who done it" that keeps the reader guessing. The reader gets to follow along with Annie, an extremely likable protagonist, as she tries to solve not one, but two, murders that all start with a fortune. Set in a small town with a cast of quirky characters who all have a long history with one another, Annie is left to figure out how their stories are all connected. The writer weaves together Annie's story with diary entries from many years ago to tell a story that is not predictable as many murder mysteries are.

Annie Adams finds out she's now part of her great-aunt Frances's inheritance and travels to Castle Knoll to learn more. However upon her arrival, she discovers Frances has been murdered. The reading of Frances's will leads to a murder investigation competition and Annie was already determined to find out what happened to not only Frances, but to Emily who disappeared as a teenager and was connected to Frances. She starts to receive threatening messages, but that doesn't stop her from investigating. Overall, a suspenseful mystery with two timelines that work together to solve both Frances's murder and Emily's disappearance. While the characters aren't the most developed, they do well to help move the story along.

3.5 stars. A very interesting premise: Annie Adams has been summoned by her wealthy and eccentric great-aunt Frances, whom she has never met, to discuss change Frances has made to her will; but shortly after Annie arrives, Frances is found murdered. Now, Annie is thrust into trying to solve Frances’ murder, one that a fortune-teller had foretold when Frances was a teenager.

The story is told from both Annie’s point of view in the present and from Frances’ diary entries decades earlier. There is a great deal going on in this novel, making the plot to be somewhat overcrowded, as well as numerous characters (so many that it is difficult to keep track). Despite these shortcomings, this was an interesting read. It is billed as the first in a series, so I look forward to seeing what the next in this series is like.

The mystery, pacing, and setting of this story were great. I am also a huge fan of multiple perspectives, so the inclusion of the journals was an excellent break up in the suspense of the main storyline. The side characters were likeable but there were almost too many of them for better development, leaving most of them rather flat. Though I solved the main mystery early on, the side mystery was a fun surprise and tied very well to the main storyline. If this continues into a series, I hope to see more connection between our narrator and some of the supporting cast. Overall: enjoyable plot but mostly flat characters.

If you know me then you know I am never one to turn down a mystery, and a cozy mystery at that! This definitely had all the Knives Out vibes that it was marketed to have which kept me so engaged! The characters were all so fun and I loved the dual mystery/dual timeline setup. But this is why I don't get my fortune told at carnivals! I think Agatha Christie fans and lovers of a cozy, fun mystery will absolutely love this one!

(3.5/5 stars) When I saw this book advertised as "for fans of Knives Out and The Thursday Murder Club," I thought this is a book I want to request. Aspiring murder mystery author Annie Adams has been summoned to a meeting by her great-aunt Frances regarding the inheritance of Frances' massive estate. Frances is certain, based on a prophecy she received at age 16 (sixty years ago), that her life will end in murder. When Annie arrives to the estate, Frances is already dead, and Annie is thrust into a weeklong search for the murderer - with her aunt's fortune at stake. Will Annie inherit her aunt's fortune, or her fate?

I enjoyed this read and the combination of Frances' diaries from the past intertwined with Annie's experience in the present. The whodunit aspect of the book kept me guessing. Although I wanted more from the characters (they seemed like typical characters in a murder mystery and I wouldn't say this book is strong in character development/depth), I wasn't overall disappointed. If you're looking for a cozy, plot-driven murder mystery, this would be a good read for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book is out now!

How to Solve Your Own Murder is an entertaining cozy murder mystery. I wouldn’t have minded a bit more character development but it was a light engaging Clue-esque whodunnit that I enjoyed breezing through.

Thank you Kristen Perrin, Penguin Group Dutton, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

I was completely engrossed in this story! It was a fun, twisty murder mystery. I loved learning about each of the characters and the duel timeline.

Recommend: YES
Level: High

This will really hold your attention. Good twists and turns, Book title actually was an appropriate one. Would like to read more from this author. Thanks to #NetGalley and #HowToSolveYourOwnMurder for advanced digital copy.

This mystery novel kept me guessing from start to finish. I have to admit this is a case where I didn't guess the killer...however, the person I suspected isn't a rose by any means!

This may be the author's adult debut novel, but she has captured the mystery genre quite well. There is a lovely mix of characters, loveable and not, clues galore, and there are not one but two mysteries to solve. 

Annie has been summoned to the village of Castle Knoll to discuss Great Aunt Frances' will. But before that can happen, she is found dead, and the new will pits Annie against Frances' nephew for the inheritance. If neither can solve the mystery, everything will be sold and donated. This is not a pleasant prospect for either party. So they are off to figure out who killed Frances and who will inherit.

There are so many things I enjoyed about this book. I liked how the story jumped back and forth in time. It gives us a perspective on Frances that you would never have known. It explains her obsession with a fortune that was given to her as a teen and sheds light on her group of friends. It also explains Frances' eccentric behavior. There are an abundance of clues scattered throughout the book, and it is putting them together to determine what is fact and what is fiction. Whenever I thought I might have an idea of who was involved, something else would pop up to potentially discredit them as the killer. The reality was a surprise, but when it was laid out for the reader, it made perfect sense. 

Besides solving the two murders (old and new), Annie has to uncover the truth about various villagers. I don't want to spoil anything, so you will just have to read the book and find out for yourself.

This sleepy village in England didn't lack for characters, citizens, or intrigue. I believe this might become a series, and I hope it does. I'd love to see what mystery Annie solves next and if there is any sort of romance that might blossom between her and Detective Crane. I also wonder if she will overcome her crippling fear of needles and blood.

We give this book 5 paws up.

I found this a mildly entertaining murder mystery for a plane ride across the Atlantic, but can't say I found myself hugely invested in it.

The book is written in alternating parts between 1966 diary entries of Frances who, having received a message from a fortune-teller at a fair that she will be murdered is now writing down everything that happens to her in case it turns out to be important in solving her eventual murder, and present day Annie. A hopeful mystery writer, Annie is summoned to the little village of Castle Knoll to meet her Great-Aunt Frances only to find her dead. Frances has finally been murdered and she turned her will into a race to solve her murder. Annie and another relative have a week to solve the case or everything goes to out-of-town investors who will end up destroying the cute little village and everyone's livelihoods.

I really liked the premise of the story, but the characters remained flat charicatures more than anything else, which made it hard for me to invest in them at all. Even Annie, and her sections are told from her point of view. There were also far too many similies and metaphors in describing everything for me, but that's just my personal taste.

Overall, don't believe and comparisons to 'Knives Out' or Agatha Christie that you see, but if you just want a fast read on a plane or for a rainy afternoon, this isn't bad, though I'm not sure I'd read another by the same author.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

✨ Summary:

As a teenager, Frances Adams receives a disturbing prophecy from a fortune-teller that she will be the victim of murder in the future. Despite her best efforts to prevent it, Frances spends her entire life trying to solve a crime that hasn’t happened yet. After almost sixty years, Frances is found dead, just as predicted. Her great-niece, Annie Adams, arrives at the village where Frances lived to investigate the murder. Annie soon realizes that this case will be far from easy to solve. The village is full of secrets and suspects, but she’s determined to solve this mystery and catch the killer.

✨ Review:

This narrative revolves around two unsolved murders that are being told during two different time periods. One timeline is set in the 1960’s and the other in present day. They’re also being told by two different characters, Annie and her Great Aunt Frances, and these two stories are very much connected which I liked a lot. It gave another layer of intrigue, depth, and complexity to this mystery.

The execution of the reveals was so fantastic along with all the twists and turns. The pacing is fast too which I think complemented the story well.

Although the reveal was very unexpected, (I literally gasped out loud)... it wasn’t as satisfying as I wanted it to be. There were also a lot of characters and they were hard to keep track of at times. Especially with the dual timelines. But this was a fun and engaging read nonetheless. I was enticed within the first chapter and hooked until the very last chapter. 4⭐️

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Dutton, and Kristen Perrin for this arc!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The book was fun! I really enjoyed the characters
and the adventure that Annie got sucked into. I also really enjoyed the back and forth from the past to the present. It definitely added to the story!

I did notice that the dates didn’t follow correctly. That was my big issue with the book. We found out that the pregnant girl was pregnant in 1966 and the same month a chapter before the baby was born the same month. It definitely felt like a big of a red herring.

I am curious if we will get a second books because I believe we left a few loose-ends but It was definitely a fun read. Not as quick paced as I expected but I was definitely interested in what happened and who done it

Thank you NetGalley, Publisher and Author for the ARC