Book Details:
- Written by Kristen Perrin
- Published: March 26, 2024
- Publisher: Dutton, An imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
- Mystery/Crime Fiction/Cozy Mystery
Back Cover Synopsis (via goodreads.com)
It’s 1965 and teenage Frances Adams is at an English country fair with her two best friends. But Frances’s night takes a hairpin turn when a fortune-teller makes a bone-chilling prediction: One day, Frances will be murdered. Frances spends a lifetime trying to solve a crime that hasn’t happened yet, compiling dirt on every person who crosses her path in an effort to prevent her own demise. For decades, no one takes Frances seriously, until nearly sixty years later, when Frances is found murdered, like she always said she would be.
In the present day, Annie Adams has been summoned to a meeting at the sprawling country estate of her wealthy and reclusive great-aunt Frances. But by the time Annie arrives in the quaint English village of Castle Knoll, Frances is already dead. Annie is determined to catch the killer, but thanks to Frances’s lifelong habit of digging up secrets and lies, it seems every endearing and eccentric villager might just have a motive for her murder. Can Annie safely unravel the dark mystery at the heart of Castle Knoll, or will dredging up the past throw her into the path of a killer?
As Annie gets closer to the truth, and closer to the danger, she starts to fear she might inherit her aunt’s fate instead of her fortune.
Books I want to read because of this book:
- A Dark and Stormy Knit by Peggy Ehrhart
My Story Behind the Story:
I came across this book at Barnes & Noble. It was their mystery thriller pick for the month of April. I am drawn to cozy books a lot and this one looked like a cozy so I figured, why not?
It took me a while to get around to reading it. I was in such a big reading slump for such a long time. I kept trying to read. Picked up books, read a chapter or two and then abandoned them.
So anyway, I had this book in audio and physical copy and had kind of got into it when I purchased another book – A Dark and Stormy Knit by Peggy Ehrhart, a super cozy little mass market book. I wanted to switch gears again and get my new book book but had to wait because of my audio book situation.
So, impatient as I am, I went ahead and read two chapters of A Dark and Stormy Knit, so far so good. But it was going to be a while before I could get my next audio book so I decided to bite the bullet and continue on with How to Solve Your Own Murder. I was bobbing along half-heartedly until earlier this week when I fell ill with a terrible cold. Chills, nausea, sneezing, coughing all the things. I was bedridden for days. To be honest, I still am, although doing better for sure.
Given my situation, I went all in on How to Solve Your Own Murder and finished it very quickly. Once I got going I could not put it down! So good.
WARNING:
If you have not read this book and don’t wish to have the story spoiled please turn away now
Successful Storytelling Elements
- Split Timeline
Kristen Perrin tells the story through her modern day main character Anabelle Adams and her great Aunt Frances historical point of view (via her found journal). I’m usually a bit iffy about bouncing between timelines never really sure if I’ll like the storytelling technique but in my opinion Kristen Perrin did a great job with it. It wasn’t long before I was obsessed with Great Aunt Frances’ teenage drama as told through her journal.
- Good Villains
Ok, can we please talk about the horrid Emily, Rose, and Saxon? These people were so bad they were great. Mostly Emily. I loved how twisted Kristen Perrin made her out to be. I was drawn in by the mystery of why she was so messed up to her best friend Frances. She honestly seemed a bit of a psycho and clearly she had deep issues given her home life. Her whole story line was great! While I loved reading the dark side of Emily I think it was great that in the end the author redeems her in a way. It’s like she almost ends up becoming a victim of life and circumstance.
Saxon of course seems like a weirdo slimebag so less redeemable and then there is Rose who is just oblivious to her own brand of evil.
- Plot Twists
I loved how the book sets us up to try and figure out who killed Frances but also ends up being a matter of who killed Emily. Then there is the reveal connecting Emily to Anabelle as her grandmother. And lastly there is Rose who turns out to be behind the two murders and another person who was obsessed with Frances all along. I enjoyed how Kristen Perrin weaved the various threads of the story and set up the various characters. She brought it all together very nicely.
- Writing Quality
All else aside, Kristen Perry has a way with words. Her writing style is not convoluted or needlessly decorated but somehow elegant and well-articulated. It is lovely to read and easy to understand and follow. Not basic in its construction but rather well put together and thoughtful.
Conclusion
Well, that is all for now. Hopefully this provides some food for thought and as always, if you are interested, I would love to hear what you think in the comments section below.
xoxo,
Angelica Sophia
Angelica Sophia 
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