My idea of a perfect slow morning is a book in hand and the sound of rain—something I was lucky enough to have today. With only a few pages left on my current read, How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin, I felt the peaceful ease of a weekend morning seep into me. As the cozy mystery unfolded and I reached the final page, I felt an immediate pull to head straight to my blog.
Why?
Back in 1965, teenage Frances Adams’ life is turned upside down when a fortune teller tells her that one day, she will be murdered. Despite the efforts of her best friends, Emily and Rose, to convince her not to take the prophecy seriously, Frances becomes obsessed with trying to solve a crime that hasn’t happened yet. She spends her lifetime compiling information on people around her in an effort to prevent the prophecy from coming true.
In the present day, mystery writer Annie Adams is contacted by a lawyer and asked to attend a will-reading with her great-aunt Frances in Castle Knoll, a quaint English village. But by the time Annie arrives at the enormous estate where her great-aunt lived, she and the others discover that Frances is already dead. As Annie attempts to solve Frances’ murder, she is unexpectedly drawn into her great-aunt’s past, the estate’s eerie ambiance, and the stories behind the people of the village.
In the present day, mystery writer Annie Adams is contacted by a lawyer and asked to attend a will-reading with her great-aunt Frances in Castle Knoll, a quaint English village. But by the time Annie arrives at the enormous estate where her great-aunt lived, she and the others discover that Frances is already dead. As Annie attempts to solve Frances’ murder, she is unexpectedly drawn into her great-aunt’s past, the estate’s eerie ambiance, and the stories behind the people of the village.
Alternating between Annie’s point of view and Frances’ diary entries from the past, How to Solve Your Own Murder is a page-turner from the very start. What ultimately hooked me wasn’t just the cozy mystery itself, but also the picturesque descriptions of Castle Knoll, which remained whimsical throughout the story. I spent several nights in a row trying to guess the culprit—and continued doing so during lunch breaks at work. (That speaks volumes, let’s be honest.)
This is actually my first Kristen Perrin book, and I must say her writing is one of its strongest highlights. I especially adored her narrative descriptions of Castle Knoll and the sprawling country estate. While both Annie’s and Frances’ perspectives kept me on my toes, the latter truly had me buckling my seatbelt. I couldn’t wait to see what would unfold once the diary reached its end.
It was exciting to slowly uncover details, and even more exciting to see the teenagers from Frances’ diary turn into familiar figures in Annie’s present timeline.
As much as I loved the book and couldn’t wait to finish it, something felt a little… lacking after I closed the final chapter. I wasn’t disappointed by the ending, nor did I dislike how things turned out. It just bothered me that some elements were left unanswered when I looked back and wondered about the significance of certain details.
Spoiler alert: Please don't proceed if you haven't read the book yet. I highly encourage you to pick it up and form your own judgment before reading mine.
I was a little bothered by how Annie—despite having no experience in police work—seemed to be the most competent person in the investigation. It might have felt more realistic if Detective Crane had played a larger role and uncovered more evidence himself. And if he then chose to share that information with Annie (even though that’s a bit hard to imagine in real life), so be it.
I’ll never be opposed to a touch of romance in a mystery novel. Give me sugar and spice between chilling discoveries—I’m all for it. But while romance is rarely logical, it still needs proper buildup.
Here, we don't get any clear romantic scenes between Annie and Detective Crane, only brief glimpses of something. But I still was hoping for a more believable buildup, even if it only led to an almost-romance.
Major spoilers ahead: Saxon’s character felt a bit… odd. Logically, I don’t understand why he would act generous and cooperative—especially by telling Annie about Archie’s family possession of iron and its possible link to Frances’ murder—if he ultimately plays such a major negative role. If his goal was to confuse Annie, there were countless other ways he could have done so with misleading information that led nowhere. And don’t even get me started on Oliver. I couldn’t quite grasp the purpose behind his sudden character shift and development. I would have much preferred exploring Elva—she felt stronger as a character and, while spoiled, genuinely interesting.
Okay, spoilers are done now. You're welcome to proceed.
Overall, despite my questions and qualms, I truly enjoyed this book. It’s a solid cozy mystery that keeps your curiosity engaged, paired with strong, atmospheric writing. I would love for you to read it too and let me know if we share the same thoughts.
Rating: 4★
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