How to Solve Your Own Murder is a fantastically written murder mystery. It gives off more cozy vibes than creepy. Frances, a dear older woman, had gone to a carnival over 60+ years ago. She had a reading done and that reading told her when she was going to die.

This is dual timeline so we see the past before Frances died, and the present with her niece, Annie, who is trying to solve the mystery surrounding her death.

Fans of Agatha Christie or Murder She Wrote (the TV series) will love this read!

Four stars and highly recommend! Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton, the publishing company, for the gifted copy. This review is my own.

How to Solve Your Own Murder is a story about a young teenager who was told an eerie fortune that one day she’ll end up murdered. She spends her entire life obsessing over her fortune and driving the whole town mad.

Annie; Frances’s niece, receives an invite to her great Aunt Frances’s estate to discuss her newly updated will. The moment Annie arrives, great Aunt Frances is found dead.

At the reading of great Aunt Frances’s will there’s a stipulation on who will inherit everything. The stipulation is, whoever solves her murder first will inherit everything. If it’s not solved within a week no one will receive the inheritance.

This was such a fun, cozy, and entertaining mystery! I can see it being turned into a TV series one day. I enjoyed both storylines (past Frances and present) & had fun trying to figure out who the murderer was.

I learned that I prefer mysteries over thrillers and this book is a perfect example of why. I loved the setting, the characters, the way that letters were woven into the story but I also loved the overall absurdity of a woman trying to solve her own murder!

This was so fun! I was hooked right from the beginning and was so entertained all the way through. Definitely a great book to read when you’re in need of a cozy mystery!

How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin is a captivating, twist-filled mystery that blends suspense with an intriguing exploration of fate and obsession. The novel follows Frances Adams, a teenager in 1965 who is told by a fortune-teller that she will one day be murdered. This chilling prediction sets the course for Frances's life, as she spends decades obsessively collecting secrets on everyone she meets in a desperate attempt to prevent her own death.

The story shifts to the present day, where Frances's great-niece, Annie Adams, is called to the family estate after Frances’s sudden death. Determined to uncover the truth behind her aunt's murder, Annie finds herself digging into the mysteries of Castle Knoll, where nearly every villager seems to have a potential motive for killing Frances. The more Annie investigates, the closer she gets to the dark secrets Frances had uncovered in her lifetime—secrets that might just lead to her own demise.

Perrin’s writing keeps readers on the edge of their seats, weaving between past and present to create a rich narrative full of suspense, complex characters, and a hint of dark humor. Frances's obsession with her predicted murder is both compelling and unsettling, and Annie’s journey to unravel the truth is equally engrossing. With a plot that’s full of twists and a setting that oozes atmospheric tension, How to Solve Your Own Murder is a thrilling read for fans of clever mysteries and psychological drama.

This novel is a perfect blend of suspense, character study, and family intrigue, with a touch of dark humor and a satisfying, unpredictable conclusion. It’s a must-read for anyone who loves a good whodunit with a unique twist.

Had an amazing time reading this book, i loved the dynamic. between both characters and i really enjoyed the pace of the story

Overall thought the premise of the book was good but execution fell a little flat to me. Enjoyed it but didn’t love it.

This had an overall good plot, but the people and stories were too intertwined and confusing to keep straight. It was almost like The Westing Game.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this new novel.

I anticipated that I would love this novel but it felt way too messy for me and I was disappointed in myself for not connecting to it more than I did.

I enjoyed this story. From the characters and the events leading up to the murder, it kept me guessing the whole time. The flashback scenes were easy to follow and added to the story. I enjoyed how it was all brought together throughout.

I can't wait for the author's next book!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Reminiscent of ‘My Murder’ by Katie Williams—albeit more enjoyable!
We begin with a young woman who, after being murdered, must piece together the circumstances of her death and find her killer from beyond the grave. Love me some dark and morbid humor, and this delivers! Quick read—and a treat to dive into, as your explore this off-beat mystery.

Loved the story from the beginning to the end. The mystery is smart, not graphic, and fully entertaining. Would be a great mystery book club pick.

This book was sort of a let down for me. It had such amazing premise- and that title had me intrigued from the start. However, I felt like the book dragged on and had a little too much going on.

Just a meh book in my opinion.

This was a fun lark of a book. Annie is summoned to meet a great aunt, only to find her dead body. In order to receive the inheritance, she must solve the murder. Told in alternating voices from Annie in the present and Great - Aunt Frances' journals from the past, this is sure to hook you!

I was excited to read this but just could not get into it. It felt so slow and uninteresting. I DNF.

I enjoyed the interconnected mysteries, spanning the 1960s and current time. Great quirky characters; fun cozy mystery which is NOT my preferred genre. But I'm learning to read outside my comfort zone and .this was a fun pick

Clue meets Knives out- the perfect murder mystery who dunnit. Annie Adam’s is summoned to her great Aunt’s estate for a meeting but upon arrival nothing is what it seems. This follows along as multiple characters try to solve a murder and have to watch their surroundings since no one is safe. This was such a fun read and not predictable which bumped it up for me. I can’t wait to start the next book in the Castle Knoll series.


Thank you to NetGalley, Kristen Perrin, and Penguin Group Dutton for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I adored this novel. This book is the perfect cozy mystery to cuddle up with on a cold winter’s day. It’s twisty, fun and has major Agatha Christie vibes. The protagonist, Annie, has a great aunt whose murder was predicted by a fortune teller long ago. Fast forward to now, and Annie find herself living out a murder mystery and it’s a race to find out who is responsible for her great Aunt’s death. Nothing and no one are what they seem, and this book kept me captivated until the very end. I can’t wait to read more from this author. Thank you kindly to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this one early, I can’t wait for this authors next release!

Thank you NetGalley and Kristen Perrin for the eARC.

Ultimately, I have decided to DNF this book at the 35% mark. I started this almost one year ago and gave up on it and then started back from the beginning yesterday and I just can’t get into this book. Essentially what it boils down to is it is so confusing and I really am not able to follow along. I’ve read it now by both reading it on my Kindle and trying on Audiobook as well and either way I’m just not following the storyline. It is told in two different timelines and then there are SO MANY characters. And then more and more keep popping up as the book goes on and I just can’t keep up and keep them all straight. I do not think I would recommend this one.

Unique plot with fun, although sometimes underdeveloped characters. Overall a quick and enjoyable read with some good twists along the way!