How to Solve Your Own Murder is a tremendously enjoyable double murder mystery with a delightful cast of characters. It can't quite be called a cozy – there's at least one (non-explicit) sexual adventure and some swear words sprinkled in here and there – but it's pretty dang close. There are two timelines at play in this story, with the narrative switching back and forth between the present day (where Annie Adams is attempting to solve her Great-Aunt Frances's recent murder) and the 1960s (to Frances's teenage years when her close friend disappeared under mysterious circumstances). Flashbacks are a mixed bag for me and I don't always enjoy them, but in this case I actually found Frances's storyline slightly more entertaining than Annie's.

The characters in this novel were all mostly likable, which was refreshing. Even the bad guys were less evil-y than expected … well, except for the murdering, of course. I found the plot to be fairly plausible (at least as much as these types of things can be) and suspenseful, and I can honestly say that I had no idea who the murderers (both past and present-day) were until the big reveal. The setting is fantastic, as I'm a huge sucker for almost any book that involves an English manor house and this one is no exception.

I've had lots of time to read over the last 24 hours since I've had the house to myself (a rare luxury!), but it still says something that I finished this book in under a day. Annie isn't quite Hercule Poirot (my favorite literary detective of all time), but it was still an entertaining read with a novel storyline and charming characters.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.