"How to Seal Your Own Fate" by Kristen Perrin is the second book in the Castle Knoll Murder Mystery series and a thrilling sequel to "How to Solve Your Own Murder." This novel masterfully intertwines two timelines, creating a rich and suspenseful narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

The present-day storyline follows Annie Adams as she navigates the eerie and secretive village of Castle Knoll. The sudden death of Peony Lane, a local fortune teller, sets off a chain of events that forces Annie to uncover the dark secrets of her new home. Perrin does an excellent job of building tension and intrigue, making it impossible to put the book down.

The 1967 storyline introduces us to Frances Adams, Annie’s great aunt, who finds herself entangled in a web of lies and deceit. The dual narrative structure is handled brilliantly, with each timeline revealing crucial pieces of the puzzle. The characters are well-developed, and their motivations and actions are believable and compelling.

One of the standout aspects of this book is the setting. Castle Knoll is depicted as an idyllic yet sinister village, where danger lurks behind every corner. The atmospheric descriptions and the sense of foreboding add to the overall suspense and make the reader feel as though they are right there with the characters.

Kristen Perrin's writing is engaging and immersive, with a perfect balance of mystery, drama, and suspense. The plot twists are well-executed, and the pacing is just right, keeping the reader hooked from start to finish.

Overall, "How to Seal Your Own Fate" is a fantastic addition to the Castle Knoll Murder Mystery series. It’s a must-read for fans of mystery and suspense, and it will leave you eagerly anticipating the next installment. Highly recommended!

Second book in the series beginning with "How to Solve Your Own Murder" - it is also a fun cozy mystery like the first, but not quite as good. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Told in dual-timelines again, Annie must solve the mystery of who killed Peony Lane, the mysterious woman who had told Annie's Aunt Frances her fortune many years ago. But are there more fortunes to be discovered?

Annie finds more diaries from Frances that leave behind more clues of what happened in 1967. We learn more about the many villagers in Castle Knoll, with more surprises.

Solidly written and character-driven like the first, but I found it confusing at times. I had to refresh myself with what had happened in the first book and who the characters were to make the most sense of the second.

Book equivalent of PG-13 for the topic of murder and related violence; mild-to-no romance, mild cursing

Thank you to the publisher for an ARC as a reviewer for NetGalley. #sponsored

Amateur sleuth Annie Adams is at it again in "How to Seal Your Own Fate," the much-anticipated sequel to author Kristen Perrin's fabulous debut mystery, "How to Solve Your Own Murder."

If you haven't yet read Perrin's first novel, you'll definitely need to do so to understand this sequel. This is not a series you can expect to pick up mid-stream and have any clue about what's going on!

I loved Perrin's first book, so I was excited to read this sequel. Both novels are told through dual POVs and timelines: In this book, one POV is present day as told by MC Annie Adams, and the second is told by Annie's Aunt Frances through her journals from the late 1960s. I really like this narrative device as well as the two strong female protagonists who are telling their stories.

As Annie and Frances investigate two different mysteries spanning decades, they’ll unlock the next level of secrets held in Castle Knoll’s dark heart. Like the first book, there are quite a few twists and turns that will shock your pants off!

Perrin is a master at weaving an intricate mystery from two POVs into one overarching story, but I must admit, there were few times when the sheer number of characters and plot lines (past and present) got a bit overwhelming.

Although the pacing at the beginning of the book felt slow, the last half of the book is fast and furious, which kept me turning pages until the end. I wouldn't say I liked it as much as I did the first book, but it was still a good read!

Thanks to Net Galley and Penguin Group Dutton for my gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review. “How to Seal Your Own Fate” releases next Tuesday, April 29, so get ready for another compelling mystery from Kristen Perrin!

I came into this with a slight disadvantage of not having read the first book in the series. But there was enough given to catch up on who was who. The story follows two timelines (as did the previous book). Annie Adams is a mystery writer who came to Castle Knoll at the behest of her wealthy great aunt. The other storyline is told through journal entries written by Frances Adams, the great aunt who dies in the first book. In this mystery Annie meets Peony Lane, the local fortune teller. Shortly afterwards Peony is found dead and it appears someone is trying to frame Annie for the murder.

The 1967 mystery has Frances trying to investigate a car crash that involved a local family. Of course the cases are going to tie into together. The mystery is fine, although a bit complex, keeping track of the characters in two storylines. And there seems to be more journals for Annie to read so I assume there are more mysteries for her to solve. I think if I had read the first one I would have rated this higher. (3.5 Stars)

I love this series so much. I devoured the first one and I read this one even faster. Such a fantastic follow up to the first book.
There were more twists and turns in this book and I found myself surprised more of the revelations during this book than I expected.
I think Castle Knoll series is one of my favorite mystery series and this.

I loved going back into Castle Knoll and being with the cozy group of murdering characters again! This was the perfect feelings of a country English town full of secrets and a good mystery. But not just one mystery, we were able to sold a slew of them, just like we did last time. And we were able to do it in such a fun way!
The pacing was great, you never felt a lag of exploration or surprises, there was always a change that kept you coming back for more. The diary entries from Aunt Frances were just perfect and I loved that it was dual POV and a great story pattern with both of their lives happening at the same time. We learn along with Annie and Frances and it is so satisfying in the end.
I did appreciate that there isn't really any romance happening, there is an interest, but it is so far removed from the main story that it almost doesn't exist.
These aren't perfect characters, but this was just so great to read.

Annie Adams has inherited her great-aunt Frances’s manor house Gravesdown Estate, by solving her great-aunt’s murder (see note below referencing book #1). When Annie is given a dire warning from local fortune teller Peony Lane, she wonders if it’s her fortune she’s telling or someone else’s. When Peony turns up murdered in her own house while she is there, everything points to Annie as being the murderer, so she must work to figure out who is framing her and is really responsible for Peony’s murder. And while investigating Peony’s life, she unravels long-held secrets from the past that might just catch up with her and cause more harm.

Told with flashbacks to her great-aunt’s days in 1967, the story blends both time-periods well, as the past definitely affects the future.

This is the second in the Castle Knoll series, and while it can be read as a stand-alone (which is what I did), I think it would make more sense to read the first book How to Solve your Own Murder first, so you’d have a better feel for the characters. I hope to go back and read book #1 at some point. I enjoyed this one, thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC of this one; all opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kristen Perrin for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

Once again, I greatly enjoyed stepping into the mysteries of the Gravesdown estate and Castle Knoll! Perrin is a wonderful writer who intricately weaves dual timelines perfectly so as to keep you guessing. I did find the ending a tad confusing, but that could be in part due to finishing at 4 am! Overall, I did enjoy this book, and I look forward to seeing what’s next for Kristen Perrin!

After solving her great aunt's murder (and a 50 year old cold case), Annie Adams has secured her spot in Castle Knoll. At least she thought she did. The locals aren't as welcoming as she had hoped they would be, and when the local fortune teller turns up dead in Annie's solarium she once again must solve a decades old mystery. I read both books in this series back to back and, while this can be read stand alone, I highly recommend reading both. The second book gives so much more back story for the characters that were introduced in the first book, and both are well written and keep you engaged until the end. I love that this series works in dual timelines - filling in the gaps for the older mysteries while slowly revealing the motives for the current murders. The clues are in front of you but not entirely obvious, so the twists that run through the story can still surprise you. I appreciate that in this book Annie has more support from her friends and family back in London. In the first book, Annie is isolated on purpose by her great aunt and the others in line for inheritance. In this book, her best friend Jenny plays a larger role than a phone call every few chapters. I loved the small town big secrets vibe that flows through the series, it really connects the reader to Castle Knoll and everyone in it. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next big mystery in Castle Knoll!

This book was FUN! A cozy who-dunnit mystery with the big creepy manors, and unexpected threads woven between the past and present! An un-put-down-able journey of two women navigating their loves, losses, and fears as they learn that their own fates may be linked in more ways than one, and that those around them may all harbor more secrets about the mysterious Gravesdown Hall than they’re letting on.

The writing style of this story was so smooth and it was set at such an enjoyable pacing that I found myself hooked from the very beginning. It was very easy to get invested in these characters - I’m very much looking forward to reading more about them in the future!

I’ll admit I was a little skeptical going in because cozy mysteries can tend to drag sometimes, but this one absolutely did not! I was invested from the get-go. I found myself actively rooting for the main characters, and bracing myself in the tense moments, all while trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle myself!

If you’re a mystery fan of any kind, I DEFINITELY recommend snagging this book and giving it a try! Grab yourself a cup of tea, crank up the fireplace, and dive into this story that will keep you coming back for more!

Thanks to the publisher and author for this early edition! All opinions expressed are my own!

We are back once again with Annie Adams and she is trying to establish her new life in the quaint village of Castle Knoll after solving the mystery 0f her aunt's death. She finally meets the fortune teller, Peony Lane, but soon she turns up dead too, leaving Annie with not only Peony's murder to solve but also the Gravesdown murder mystery that Peony wanted Annie to look into. With two mysteries Annie has her hands full. The story goes back and forth between present day and 1967- creating suspense that keeps you engaged from start to finish. The dual storyline also introduces you to Frances Adams, who is investigating the tragic car crash linked to the powerful Gravesdown family. With all the lies and betrayals that threaten her life you get a better understanding of Frances and the history of Castle Knolls. But will Annie solve the mystery and get to reclaim her new life in Castle Knolls. Welcome back to such a great series and I can't wait to read what else might happen in the village.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton books for my ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Returning once again to Castle Knoll, we find Annie in a precarious situation. From all appearances, she’s being framed for murder - and she must once again unwind the facts and lies of a crime spanning two timelines to clear her name and prove her innocence.

What I love about this series is how deep the characters are. Every character you meet has a backstory, some getting fleshed out in timeline hops, and some slowly unwinding in real time as you read. I always love when the plot of a story is told across different narrators and POVs, but the way these characters unfold is utter perfection. They’re complex, and it makes choosing who you love and hate so much more fun as the plot goes on.

I also love how Aunt Frances - whose death was solved in book one - plays such an integral role in this story. This world that we’ve entered largely centers around her, making her a main character despite not being around anymore. It adds such a fun aspect to the plot, as we have no way of knowing what Frances knew until her POV tells us - and it made the book so enjoyable to read.

I love the mysteries that have unfolded so far - and I’m hoping book three fleshes out the ending of this one, because I’m hooked and ready for more!

Welcome back to Castle Knoll! Boy, am I glad to be back! After Annie solved her Aunt Frances' murder, she is slowly adjusting to life in the quaint city, leaving her life in London behind. While she is getting used to the quietness of the city and the creaks in her old castle, she is also kind of adrift. She has all the time (and money!) now to do everything she has every dreamed of, and on top of the list it should be finishing her book. Instead she is spiraling down the path of her Aunt Frances, always alert and slightly verging on paranoid. Is it because she now lives in the house where her aunt was murdered, or is her instincts telling her something is about to happen. One day while spending sometime wandering her property, she runs into Peony Lane, the fortune teller who gave Frances her fortune. Peony says she has a fortune for Annie she may not like but won't force Annie to hear it until she is ready. They part ways, and once again, murder strikes, and Annie's life is turned upside down. Can she solve this new batch of murders, and how does an incident in the past connect with the murders? And once again, can Frances speak from beyond the grave to help Annie?

Many of the reasons I loved book 1 are the same for book 2. It was cozy (lots of mystery solving by the fire place!), lots of shocking twists, and the past eerily mimicking the present. Annie also might be finding a love connection in Tom Crane, the local police detective, but both are kind of holding back with their true feelings. I guess it is hard to be romantic when you're teaming up to catch a murderer. I can't wait to see what happens with them. Since Annie's fortune is up in the air, I feel like this is a great opening to a book 3. Also, some fishy stuff is happening with Annie's mom that I need to know what happens with all that. I truly love this series!

I loved How To Solve Your Own Murder and love this follow up that feature
An entertaining and compelling novel that kept me hooked and guessing
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I loved this one! This is a follow up to How to Solve Your Own Murder, and it was just as fantastic. Both of these books lie somewhere between enjoyable cozy mystery and action packed thriller. I really enjoyed learning more about Great Aunt Frances through her diaries, and about the characters that were around Castle Knoll then and now. I also loved the fortune-teller aspect of both stories. Is it true, isn’t it true? I am rooting for a romance with Annie and detective Crane. It ended with a hint of more mystery in Annie’s future, and I’m here for all of it. 4.5 ⭐️.

A good follow-up to the first book in this series! I enjoyed how much the main mystery built off of the events of book one, but also how it didn’t build off them so much that I was confused, since it’s been awhile since I read book one. I also liked the set up that was left for at least one more book, but also potentially more.

I also really enjoyed the relationship dynamics between the characters. They all feel complex and realistic, which makes the story feel even more interesting.

Thank you to Dutton and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Welcome back Castle Knoll! After Kristen Perrin’s How To Solve Your Own Murder exploded last year, she’s back with another mystery to solve. Annie, still fancying herself an amateur detective, crosses paths with the infamous fortune teller Peony Lane, only for the fortune teller to be murdered a few hours later and stashed inside Annie’s estate. It’s time for her to take things into her own hands again and figure out what’s going on. Armed with Aunt Frances’s files, Annie is ready to learn more about the history and secrets in Castle Knoll.

This book did nothing for me, unfortunately. It is well written and fast paced. I just couldn’t bring myself to enjoy the modern day mystery mixed with Frances’s journals again. It worked very well in the first book since we were solving Frances’s own predicted murderer. Using the journals again felt like a cop out and a copy of the first book. It’s formulaic in a way that I don’t like my mysteries to be. But that’s not to say this won’t be somebody’s cup of tea, and if you choose to read this sequel, I hope you enjoy it!

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this novel!

Thanks to Kristen Perrin, Penguin Group Dutton, and NetGalley for access to the Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book in the series, and although events and people from the first book are referred to frequently (it is the same town, after all), this book can be read independently from the previous book.

There is a long-standing mystery in the town of Castle Knoll which arises to the surface when a fortune teller is killed after sharing a message during a chance encounter hours before her death.

The book transitions frequently from 1967 to present day to describe events and to give us background on the characters and events that lead to resolution of the mystery. The transitions are handled well and are clearly indicated.

This is a well written and engaging story with interesting characters and a mystery that is challenging and resolved nicely at the end. Recommended.

A fateful return to Castle Knoll.

3.5 stars rounded up.

"How to Seal Your Own Fate" is the second book in the Castle Knoll Files series after last year's "How to Solve Your Own Murder", and it definitely helps to have read the first book before diving into the sequel.

Taking place six months after the events in "How to Solve Your Own Murder", Annie, wannabe-writer turned amateur sleuth, hasn't done much since solving her great-aunt Frances' murder (and, yes, another murder too, as she'll have you know) in the first book, except moved into her newly inherited mansion, Gravesdown Estate. Apparently, she didn't even rifle through all the juicy secrets Frances had collected on Castle Knoll's inhabitants during all that time. But when another murder takes place in her idyllic new home town, and Annie finds herself the main suspect, she must once again put on her detective hat - and use her late great-aunt's diaries - to try and find out what happened.

Following the same structure and formula as its predecessor, "How to Seal Your Fate" intertwines Annie's investigation timeline with long-winded excerpts from Frances' diaries from the 1960s as, once again, the past is the key to solving the murder mystery in the present. However, what worked well in the first book is getting a bit more tiresome the second time around. Annie and Frances, in particular, continue to be strong characters, though Annie felt less engaging this time and more prone to silly mistakes and oversights, and some protagonists from the previous book receive additional, less than favorable backstories, which can sometimes feel like character assassination.

Nevertheless, for lovers of cozy mysteries, the book's setting in idyllic but less-than-perfect Castle Knoll, the imperfect amateur sleuthing, a budding romance, and a grand mystery sweeping decades will make for an engaging, enjoyable read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton | Dutton for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"How to Seal Your Own Fate" is slated to be released on April 29, 2025.

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

In the second book to the Castle Knoll series, Annie Adams has started the surprisingly difficult process of settling into her newly inherited home. Unfamiliar with her new hometown, and struggling to make the mansion her home rather than the site of a murder, Annie has yet to find her place. However, when the infamous fortune teller Peony Lane is found dead in her home, Annie has a much larger issue at hand-- someone is trying to frame her for the gruesome murder.

Back in 1967, as told by her journals, Frances Adams is lured into investigating a cold case-- the deaths of three Gravesdown family members in a horrifying car accident. In her personal life, Frances is caught between the attention of two men: the rich but aloof Ford Gravesdown or the local, slightly shiftless, lad Archie Foyle.

What unfolds is a mystery that spans decades, with plenty of twists and turns waiting behind every uncovered secret. As the two timelines intertwine, both Annie and Frances find themselves faced with difficult decisions on who to trust and even, maybe, who it's safe to love.

An intriguing and uniquely formatted mystery series, HOW TO SEAL YOUR OWN FATE is a solid sequel-- but it does lack some of the original charm from the first book, HOW TO SOLVE YOUR OWN MURDER. I definitely recommend reading this book directly after the first, the story picks up pretty much right after the first book with little reintroduction for returning readers.

While I'm intrigued by Annie's story, and excited to see how she continues to settle into her new life as heiress/murder investigator; I have to admit this wasn't my favorite cozy mystery. The plot was convoluted and pretty confusing at times, and I feel like I had more questions than answers at the end of the novel.