This book was phenomenal!! I was reading any free chance I had. There wasn't a single moment where I felt like I knew what was going to come next! The absolute plot twist in the end had my jaw on the FLOOR!!! I don't think I ever once questioned that the actual murder was, in fact, the murder! What a ride this book took me on.
I loved the journal entries and the snippets of Frances we got to see, and I loved seeing Annie getting close to her gre aunt even though she had passed.
If anyone needs a GOOD book to read it 100% is this one!

Thanks to @netgalley and @duttonbooks for a free review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book was fantastic and contained so much of what I want in a mystery novel:
- British manor house in a small English village
- Amateur sleuth who gets caught up in a mystery to solve
- Present-day storyline with a flashback (1960s) storyline interspersed
- Propulsive plot without being overly dark or depressing
- Family secrets

This felt like Kate Morton meets Agatha Christie, which is of course a perfect sweet spot for me. While I did have a good guess as to whodunnit, I certainly wasn’t fully correct and I actually love when that happens (which, honestly, is often).

Let me know if you pick this one up so we can discuss!

Really enjoyed this story. The characters were likeable, and the story was entertaining. Overall, a great mystery!

This is a murder mystery set in England partially in 1960s and partially in current times. At 50%, I unfortunately had to abandon the book, as I just couldn't get into the characters or the writing style. There was nothing to compel me to finish, and I suppose that is the fault of this reader, as others found this mystery to be quite intriguing.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing to read How to Solve Your Own Murder.

LOVE THIS SO MUCH! The dual narrative, the red herrings, the characters.....everything! I didn't see the plot twists, which is always so satisfying. The flashbacks were actually more compelling than the present-day narrative.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kristen Perrin's "How to Solve Your Own Murder" is an absolute triumph in the realm of mystery and psychological thrillers. This novel has catapulted itself to the top of my must-read list for the year, and I can confidently declare it the best book I've had the pleasure of delving into in 2023.

The story unfolds in 1965 when teenage Frances Adams receives a chilling fortune at an English country fair: she will be murdered. From that moment on, Frances dedicates her life to preventing a crime that hasn't happened yet, amassing secrets on everyone she encounters. Fast forward nearly sixty years, and Frances is found dead in her sprawling country estate, exactly as she had foretold. Now, it's up to her great-niece, Annie Adams, to unravel the mystery and catch the killer.

Perrin's narrative is a time-traveling journey that seamlessly transitions between the 1960s and the present day. The author expertly weaves a tale of a woman's lifelong quest to avert her own demise and her great-niece's determination to solve the puzzle left in Frances's wake. The blend of past and present adds layers to the mystery, keeping readers captivated as they navigate the secrets of Castle Knoll.

The characters in "How to Solve Your Own Murder" are as enchanting as they are enigmatic. Annie Adams, determined to catch her great-aunt's killer, discovers a village filled with eccentric and endearing personalities, each harboring secrets that could be motives for murder. The author skillfully integrates these characters into the narrative, creating a rich tapestry of personalities that heightens the suspense.

Perrin's writing is not only eloquent but also accessible, making this complex plot an engaging read. The storyline is filled with twists and turns, mirroring the labyrinthine paths of a classic whodunit. As Annie inches closer to the truth, the dark mystery at the heart of Castle Knoll becomes more intricate, and the danger escalates.

"What to Solve Your Own Murder" is not just a mystery; it's a tale of inheritance, both of fortune and fate. As Annie races against time to uncover the truth, she grapples with the fear that she might share her great-aunt's destiny rather than her wealth.

In conclusion, Kristen Perrin's novel deserves every bit of its five-star rating. It's a genre-bending delight that seamlessly blends the intrigue of foretold murders, decades-spanning secrets, and the charming chaos of an English village. If you crave a mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end and leaves you questioning the boundaries of time and fate, this is the book for you. "How to Solve Your Own Murder" is a literary gem that will linger in your thoughts long after the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for providing me with an eARC copy of this book! I had such an incredibly fun time reading it that I had read about 160 pages and hadn't even realized I had read that many! It's fast-paced but with enough room for the slow moments that matter and had me wanting to finish it as soon as I started! The dual timelines kept things fresh and even more intriguing, and every character involved has a solid stand-out moment. If you love a small town murder mystery, the British countryside, and lots of secrets, you will love this book! I highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kristen Perrin for this lovely ARC.

If you like a cozy mystery set in a castle (Castle Knoll) with multiple story-lines, I think How To Solve Your Own Murder is for you. I don’t think the big pull for this book is the mystery - a lovely small town and charming characters are really the draw for this book! Settle in for a closed space mystery and a twist on the classic whodunit. Will Annie Adams be solving more murder mysteries in the future??? We’ll have to find out!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun murder mystery! Frances spends her life trying to solve a crime that hasn’t happened yet, her murder. Meanwhile, Frances’ great-niece Annie is also trying to solve the murder.

This is a must read for fans of Knives Out. The storylines were great and there were some fun twists along the way!

4 stars!

i enjoyed the plot of this book, as well as it's characters. the way it was written was also very interesting because i have never come across such a writing style before. the vibes and aesthetic of this book was superior and cozy. i loved it. the characters were (mostly) likeable, which was a great thing about the book.

however, there were a few things that were confusing to me about the plot itself, and hence the 4 star rating.

overall, i would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery book!

This was such an enjoyable read!! A cozy engaging double murder mystery. Bonus for being set in a castle, a fortune teller’s grim prophecy and a family fortune on the line. It reminded me of a mix of Knives Out mixed with a Christie classic. I highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Books for the opportunity to read this wonderful ARC!

Love, love LOVED this murder mystery! There some so many awesome and complex characters that I enjoyed thoroughly. I was entertained by the double storyline- those of Annie and Frances! Overall enjoyed this book so much and was not disappointed with the conclusion.

This was so good; think Knives Out meets an Agatha Christie novel. I will admit it took me a minute to get into it and really get the feel for this book, but after the 20% mark it really found its groove. The idea that a person not only spends their entire life trying to solve their own murder, but bequeath her (very large) estate to the person who does eventually solve it? Iconic. I wish I were rich and petty enough to be like Frances.

When I read murder mysteries I try really hard not to try to figure it out - I'm definitely a person who wants to ride the ride. This book for the most part was good for that, but after a while it was just aggressively obvious. Overall though, I really enjoyed this. I was very happy with the back and forth of France's 1960s entries and present day and definitely feel like they were spaced out perfectly.

A solid 4 stars for me!! Thank you so much for this ARC

I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. There were many twists and turns that took place while Annie tries to solve the murder of her Great Aunt Frances. I liked the chapters where you read the diary of Frances from the past, a great way to explore details of her life. Some good red herrings sprinkled throughout make for an entertaining mystery.

This is a small town mystery, and almost-but-not-quite cozy-- one of my favorite genres! I was so excited to receive an ARC of this, and I very much enjoyed reading it. I would say you might need to read this with some willing suspension of disbelief-- even if Frances was supposed to be this observant person, am I really supposed to believe she remembered so many conversations verbatim? But I think a lot can be forgiven if other aspects are compelling, and this book did just that. I love an intrepid amateur detective, I love a little ~hint of romance~, and I LOVE a mystery that ties up all those lose ends! So satisfying. If there's a sequel, I will definitely be reading it!

I could NOT put this book down!!! I was carrying it from room to room, reading while eating and doing things around the house. I HAD to know what happened to Great Aunt Frances! I loved every minute of it, and now I'm kind of sad that it's done. I really liked switching from the points of view of Frances and Annie. I felt like reading Frances' chapters gave a special perspective into Annie's investigation. I was intrigued by the fortune that started it all and that was interwoven throughout the entire book. The twists and turns kept me guessing the entire time! I also love the beautiful imagery the author uses. Castle Knoll comes alive in the reader's mind from the beginning along with all of its eccentric inhabitants.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Penguin Group Dutton for allowing me to read this fabulous ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are 100% my own.

This was a fun, cozy mystery! The author did a good job of keeping the reader on their toes and not being too predictable. The story flips from the past to present multiple times and was a little hard to keep straight at some parts, but overall it was an enjoyable read.

This already many helpful reviews, and I don't have anything new to add, so I'll just recommend it to mystery fans.

Thanks very much for the free copy for review!!

At the 1965 Castle Knoll fair, teenager Frances Adams' friends drag her in to see the fortune teller. It is she who foretells of Frances' death at the hands of another with a cryptic set of clues. So the stage is set for the rest of Frances' life. From this day on, she is determined to discover who will be her eventual killer.

In current day, Annie Adams, Frances' great niece, is summoned to Castle Knoll to meet with her great aunt's lawyer in regards to the eventual dispensation of her will upon Frances' eventual death. The death, however, comes before the meeting can transpire.

The terms of the will sate that the person who finds her killer first will inherit her fortune. The game is now afoot. Annie does not know who she can trust - the dedicated gardener, the disgruntled nephew, the handsome detective?

The story goes between the two time periods with clues being discerned along the way. McGuffins are sure to divert your attention along the way, but that is all part of the fun,

Fans of Agatha Christy and Nita Prose's The Maid will find this an engrossing read.

My thanks to NetGalley and Dutton Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

4 stars for pulling me out of a mini reading slump!

This murder mystery had a fun, unique plot with a dual-timeline story. I LOVE murder mysteries with two murders that have to be solved from different timelines. It made this fun and easy to read. Plotwise, Frances has received a fortune that tells her she will be murdered one day... which results in her keeping track of EVERYTHING. And then her great niece Annie is tasked to solve her murder when, you know... the fortune comes true.

Writing was okay but nothing amazing and since there were a TON of characters/suspects, I did have a little bit of a hard time keeping track. Also total unimportant sidenote but I found the small marijuana sideplot goofy like it's just weed not HEROIN.

Anyway, I had fun and I liked how things were tied up!