I saw someone describe this series as “like Murder She Wrote, but British” and truer words were never written. That’s exactly how I would describe this series, it gives warm and cozy vibes, with a sprinkle of murder. I struggled some getting through How to Seal Your Own Fate. I really enjoyed the continuation of the dual timeline storyline, but, for me, I found the book overall to be a little dull .

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the opportunity to read this book!

How to Seal Your Own Fate brought me back to a world I was excited to revisit, but this one didn’t quite hit the same as the first book. The cozy vibes and familiar setting were there, but it almost felt like a copy-paste of book one, just with a different mystery.

I did enjoy the dual POV. Getting both sides of the story as it slowly unraveled was fun, and I liked seeing how the past and present connected. But my biggest gripe? I love a good whodunit where I can play detective too, and this one didn’t really give me that chance. Most of the big reveals were handed to us through monologues or just kind of dumped all at once. Annie pieced everything together in her head and then laid it all out, which made it hard to stay engaged in the mystery itself.

Still, it was a cozy and easy read, perfect for when you want something light with a hint of murder and a British countryside aesthetic.

I wanted to love it - I liked book 1 ALOT - but it just didn’t do it for me. I found I was bored the first 25%, then it did pick up but the storyline just didn’t do it for me. I don’t have critiques necessarily - just wasn’t for me!

How to Seal Your Own Fate by Kristen Perrin is the second novel in the Castle Knoll Files cozy mystery series. I was thrilled to receive an advanced copy after enjoying the first book, How to Solve Your Own Murder. I found this novel to be more slowly paced than the first.
The plot features Annie Adams who inherited her aunt Frances’ estate after solving Frances’ murder in book 1. Now Annie finds herself in the midst of multiple murders which she attempts to solve with her possible love interest Detective Crane. The slower pacing made it more difficult for me to keep track of the dual plot lines, Annie’s in the present and Frances’ diaries, and the many characters, murder victims and suspects. I would not consider this a standalone story. The last 20% of the novel picked up with several surprising twists, however I was somewhat disappointed by the final reveal of the crimes and perpetrators. The author definitely left it open for additional novels in this series. I will be cheering for Annie and Crane to get together! Fans of the first book should check this one out. 3/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own. Pub date: 4/29/25

4⭐️

**Thank you NetGalley and Dutton (Penguin Group) for the eARC**

Annie is back to solve another mystery—murder mysteries to be exact. Settling in as the new owner of Gravesdown Hall, Annie begins to look into Peony Lane out of curiosity. What she doesn’t expect is to be a suspect of Peony’s murder. To uncover the truth of the crime, she must work to unravel mysteries of the past and the deaths of three of the Gravesdowns.

This is my first read for Perrin. I went into this story without reading the first novel and no background information on the characters or story. I still found it easy to follow and enjoyable. I would argue to say it could be read as a standalone.

The book is set up with dual timelines. The reader is presented with the present day story of Annie, and the past of Frances. I found it clever to use both timelines side by side for the reader to try and put together their own theories. It created suspense. The ending is a beautiful surprise, and I definitely didn’t guess it!

There were a few moments, which very well could be my fault, that felt confusing due to wording. I had trouble understanding what exactly was meant at the time. Made me stumble, but does not overly affect the quality of story.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, and this was just as good. I like our protagonist and the way the author unfolds the mystery over time. The side-characters are compelling and the setting was atmospheric and fun.

a cozy who-done-it with our spunky Annie and a few other returning characters from the first Castle Knoll adventure. Enjoyed returning to the Gravestone Hall again and getting to learn more about Frances's past, too!

Who is trying to frame Annie Adam’s and what of those mysterious deaths over 50 years ago?
The second book in the Gravestone Hall series is just as fun and twisted as the first one. I’m
looking forward to the next book in the series.

I really love this series. It was hard to put down and I ended up staying up waaaay too late to find out whodunnit. I did have some trouble at first remembering what happened in the first book and remembering who everyone was and their place in the story. Eventually it all fell into place and I enjoyed the book very much.

3.5 STARS

In this second book of the Castle Knoll Files, Annie Adams has been settling in making a home for herself in the grand old Gravesdown Mansion she inherited from her Aunt Frances. The old place is pretty spooky and then Annie discovers the very cryptic fortune teller, Peony Lane, whom she had a strange encounter with, has been killed right in own her solarium. Annie once more plays detective to figure not only who was responsible, but how it links to a seemingly accident decades before involving the Gravesdown family.

From the late Frances’s diary is told a story in 1967 where she is also trying to solve the Gravesdown family tragedy. It seems that there is more to it than a car accident. With the help of her childhood friend, Archie Foyle, who may have an agenda of his own, the teenaged Frances who had been somewhat involved with the Lord of the Manor, Ford, embarks on an investigation that involves her peer group.

This story is a fun read for the most part; those who enjoyed the first book will like this one. It really cannot be read as a standalone as there is too much important information in the first book that connects with this one. At times the story gets a convoluted, but that is part of the style to keep readers guessing at who is responsible for the misdeeds and how the two stories, then and now, are linked. There is a possible hint of romance in the present time; however, not a lot of progress is made…yet. I would say I liked the first book better; however, I plan on continuing with the series.

This is the second book in the Castle Knoll Files mystery series. It would be of benefit to read this series in order since there are many references to the first book. This is also a dual timeline story which added a bit to the confusion for me.

Annie Adams has inherited the Gravesdown Estate after solving a murder. But there are still many secrets both at the estate and in Castle Knoll. The fortune teller who precipitated the events of the first book has a message for Annie too. However, shortly after delivering the message Peony Lane is found dead inside Annie's solarium.

Annie finds herself a suspect in Peony Lane's death since someone is clearly trying to frame her. Annie finds herself investigating a car wreck the killed three of the Gravesdown family in 1967 because it wasn't as it appeared.

The dual timeline takes us to 1967 where Frances Adams is also looking into the car crash and dating the only Gravesdown survivor along with Archie Foyle who has some connections to the Gravesdown family.

This was a nicely twisty mystery with interesting characters many of whom appear in both the 1967 and present-day timelines.

I normally enjoy dual-timeline historical fiction, but the list of characters in this book is quite extensive, and many occur in both time periods. One even changes her name part way through the story! All this makes the plot a challenge to follow.

How to Seal Your Own Fate by Kristen Perrin is an intriguing follow up mystery. Annie Adam’s is caught up in another mystery when fortune teller Peony Lane is found dead at her house. Not only must she solve this mystery with the help of Detective Crane, she also needs to solve the three Gravesdown deaths from the past as well. Will she survive?

I really enjoyed this story. There were times I put it down and couldn’t remember if the chapter I was in was past or present as both Annie and her Aunt Francis narrate this story - Annie in the present, and Francis in the past. As many of the characters are in both POVs, it took me a little bit to recall which part I was in. I hadn’t read the first book in the series, but it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book; in fact, I’ve now added the first to my library holds list!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for access to an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

4.25/5 stars

This second in series was an enjoyable follow-up, but maybe not quite as good as its predecessor for me and part of that may have something to do with the fact that it's been a minute since I read the initial book. I think it would have flowed smoother for me and been a little less hard to keep up with characters, events, etc. if the two books had been read back-to-back and everything was still fresh on my mind.

This story follows a cold case (actually closed cold case) from 1967 involving a three-fatality wreck and its cause and effect. There are secrets galore, definite surprises, some humor and some heart wrenching moments as well.

I loved the dual timeline here (present day and 1967, just as we had previously). It was nice to continue to see how our "older" characters became who they are in the present time...the twists and turns in their lives that led them down certain roads.

Overall, it was a pleasure to be caught up in this world again (even with a bit of frustration at keeping things straight...I'll take that blame).

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Penguin Group / Dutton for providing the free early arc of How to Seal Your Own Fate for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

How to Seal Your Own Fate - Kristen Perrin
Pub Date - 4/29/25
Rating - 3/5
Thoughts - Thank you to Netgalley and Dutton for this gifted advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. This book is the second installment in the Castle Knoll Mystery Series and one I was excited to dive into! After solving her aunt's murder, Annie and now settling into the Gravesdown Estate and getting used to a quieter life in a smaller city. She runs into Peony Lane, the fortune teller her aunt mentioned who predicted her fortune on her way out of the estate one day, and later that day, Peony is found dead at the Gravesdown Estate with all fingers pointing to Annie. The reader follows along as Annie solves this mystery to clear her name while also solving a cold case that happened in the 1960s. The story is written well with two different perspectives of Annie and her Aunt Frances. Unfortunately I lost interest midway through the book and ended up not picking it up for a few days. It might have just been a slump for me, but it took me almost a week to get through it. The ending was also average during the big reveal. Average Read.

This is the second book in the Castle Knoll series. Annie is just starting to settle into her new life in Castle Knoll when she finds the body of fortune teller, Peony Lane, in her house. When other strange things start to happen that link back to an old unsolved case she knows that she needs to delve back into her Aunt Frances' diaries to get the clues she needs.

This was a brilliant sequel to How To Solve Your Own Murder! I knew there had to be more stories to tell with the amount of diaries Frances had but I didn't think there would be so many twists. I loved the dual timeline, seeing how Frances' journey continued in the past and how Annie gains clues from it in the present.

There are a lot of characters from the first but some new ones sprinkled in that bring a new air of mystery. I didn't know who to trust and I was even doubting the characters from the previous book! The tension between Annie and Rowan is palpable, I need to see them get together. This is mirrored with Frances and Ford's romance. Although I know they end up married I still don't know how they end up together and I need to know!

Annie Adams finds herself in yet another mystery buried deep in Castle Knoll. Following along with the cast of characters to unravel who caused more deaths so many decades ago. The same mystery and fortunes are still reaping havoc in this tiny town, and Annie is desperate to solve it in order to move on. Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the advanced reader copy.

This is a perfect second installment in the Castle Knoll series. I enjoyed this book as much as the first and it was fun to see a lot of the original side characters return. I believe it is possible to read this as a stand alone, but I think most readers would like the book more by reading the series in order.

The back and forth jumping timeline is easy to follow and the mystery is well thought out.

I look forward to reading whatever else the author, Kristen Perrin, has in store for Annie and Detective Crane.

Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for the digital ARC.

This was a fun quick and cozy read. I can’t say it was mind blowing but if you need a transition book this would be the one.

I didn't love the first book in this series, but many people did, so decided to give this series one more chance. My verdict: I think these books are just not for me. The formula in both books is a a small town setting (Castle Knoll, England), a past-present narrative (this book also uses the journals and files of the main character's late Aunt Frances to reveal events in the past), and murders in the past and present that tie together.

For my brain (and as a person lukewarm on epistolary elements) that was a little bit too elaborate. I found the first book unnecessarily confusing, with way too many characters given the two timelines. To me, this one felt the same. Plus, Castle Knoll is starting to give me Cabot Cove vibes: it's an awfully murder-y small village!

If you have read and loved book one, I am confident you will love this. Reading book one is pretty much required as this is pretty much a sequel.