How to Solve Your Own Murder
Ratings16
Average rating3.8
15
Ratings16
Average rating3.8
For fans of Knives Out and The Thursday Murder Club, an enormously fun mystery about a woman who spends her entire life trying to prevent her foretold murder only to be proven right sixty years later, when she is found dead in her sprawling country estate.... Now it's up to her great-niece to catch the killer.
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.
Series
1 primary bookCastle Knoll Files is a 1-book series first released in 2024 with contributions by Kristen Perrin. The next book is scheduled for release on 4/29/2025.
Reviews with the most likes.
Netgalley read
Annie is summon to her rich eccentric great aunt Frances to meet for the first time, of course Frances turns up dead before they can meet. And of course great aunt Frances has made her death into a game, solve my murder and get the whole estate.
Fun idea but our main character is isolated and don't feel I really get to know her and she has no quirky sidekick or similar. She does have her friend and mom on the phone at times but very little camaraderie or friendly interactions for her. I never really warmed to her. And you'd think that someone that wants to be a cozy author (our main character) would be smarter than putting herself in mortal danger.
Parts of the book is aunt Frances diary entries from the 1960's, they don't read like they are from the 60's and takes you out of it a little. All in all, it's alright.
I had the audio version and the lovely Alexandra Dowling does a wonderful job reading it.
3.5 (rounded up)
This murder mystery was a whirlwind of excitement! The storyline was engaging, and I loved how the different subplots wove seamlessly into the main mystery. However, there were moments when the plot and characters seemed a bit too ambitious, leaving me craving more depth and development. I understand there are more books in the works, so perhaps this is just setting the stage for future adventures. Despite this, the book had me on the edge of my seat, and the plot twist completely blindsided me! It was a thrilling ride, though I wished I could have connected more with the main character.
Big shoutout to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts!
CAWPILE
Characters - 6
atmosphere - 7
writing - 6
plot - 8
intrigue - 9
logic - 7
enjoyment - 7
This review is just to help me remember key points about the book. If you find it helpful or relatable that's cool too.
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“But daughters are the key to justice, find the right one and keep her close. All signs point toward your murder.”
2.75 Stars ⭐️
Mid tier murder mystery.
This is one of those times where it was an interesting concept, but the writing fell flat. I just didn't find any of the characters interesting and the main character unlikable. In the last few chapters, it felt like they were trying to tie it all up in a bow but they didn't have any string. There wasn't nothing abhorrent about the book but it was rather dull.
