This was an okay murder mystery, told in dual timelines, which follows a group of people investigating the murder of a woman who had spent her entire life expecting to be murdered after a fortune teller's prediction. I found it quite confusing - the plot didn't seem to be that convoluted but I still found it difficult to keep track of who everyone was and why they did what they did. There didn't seem to be a whole lot of investigation going on, most of it was relying on the victim's diary. As cosy crimes go, it was alright but didn't quite hit the mark for me.

"How To Solve Your Own Murder" by Kristen Perrin is a cleverly crafted and darkly humorous mystery that offers a unique twist on the traditional whodunit. Perrin's writing is sharp and engaging, drawing readers into a suspenseful and intriguing narrative where the protagonist faces the ultimate challenge—solving their own murder.

The novel centers around a protagonist who, after finding themselves in the afterlife, realizes they have been murdered. However, instead of moving on, they are given the unusual opportunity to investigate their own death. As they unravel the mystery from beyond the grave, they uncover secrets, lies, and hidden connections that paint a complex picture of their life and the people in it.

Perrin masterfully balances the eerie with the comedic, creating a story that is both thrilling and surprisingly light-hearted. The protagonist's journey is filled with twists and turns, as they piece together the events leading up to their demise, all while coming to terms with their past and the relationships they left behind. The unique premise keeps readers hooked, wondering not only who the killer is, but also how the protagonist will bring them to justice from the afterlife.

"How To Solve Your Own Murder" is perfect for fans of mysteries that blend dark humor with suspense, offering a fresh and entertaining take on the genre. Kristen Perrin has crafted a novel that is both thought-provoking and thoroughly enjoyable, making it a must-read for anyone who loves a good mystery with a supernatural twist.

What a fun read, it was a joy to listen to and absolutely not the ending I expected. I particularly enjoyed the two intertwined timelines.

Frances always said she'd be murdered... and she was right.
I love a classic 'whodunnit', and How To Solve Your Own Murder kept me guessing right up to the climax.

The story unfolds in dual timelines: one set in the 1960s, told through the lives of diary entries from Frances, and the present day, told from Annie's perspective. Annie stands to inherit a vast fortune, but first, she must solve Frances's murder.

While the story started off a bit slow, it quickly picked up and held my attention. The plot, though not revolutionary, was engaging and maintained the suspense until the very end.

The narrators, Alexandra Dowling and Jaye Jacobs did a fantastic job. Their pacing was perfect, and they portrayed the nuances of emotion beautifully.

I enjoyed listening to How To Solve Your Own Murder and would recommend it to my mystery-loving friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus for gifting me the audio-ARC of this book.

Entertaining although not ground breaking, I enjoyed listening to this. The narrator was really good and it was certainly an interesting premise, I just got a bit confused with who the killer was as I had forgotten how he was related to the family cos it felt like it went on a bit but over all quite enjoyable

Absolutely amazing book! Ended up enjoying this via audiobook and the physical copy. Would definitely recommend to everyone. I love a classic ‘whodunnit’ and this did have me guessing at points which I like. I also thinks it’s hard sometimes to come up with a new and original idea for a murder mystery so the author done well.

Although it did take me a while to get into this - by the second half I raced through it and enjoyed both timelines. The narrators were both great and did a good job at separating all the characters.

Riveting blend of mystery and supernatural intrigue, where protagonist Tara wakes up dead and must navigate the afterlife to unravel the circumstances of her own demise. Perrin skillfully weaves a gripping narrative filled with intricate plotting and suspenseful twists, keeping readers engaged as Tara discovers shocking truths about her life and death. The novel's strength lies in its well-developed characters, particularly Tara's compelling journey of self-discovery and redemption. Themes of identity, justice, and the consequences of one's actions add depth to the story, making it a thought-provoking exploration of existence and the pursuit of truth. While the supernatural elements may challenge readers seeking strictly realistic narratives, Perrin's ability to blend genres creates a compelling and memorable reading experience that will resonate with fans of mysteries and the paranormal alike.

Thanks to NetGalley for the Arc!

I received the audiobook for "How to Solve Your Own Murder" and was instantly intrigued. The premise for the story is so good and I enjoyed delving deep into the story - a strong start for sure!

The audiobook narrators did a good job inviting me into the story.

Occasionally my interest would dwindle and I would forget about the book for a couple of days, but this may be a "me" problem.

All in all, a solid read for fans of cozy mysteries.

How To Solve Your Own Murder is the first adult novel by British author, Kristen Perrin. The audio version is narrated by Alexandra Dowling and Jaye Jacobs. Recently jobless, aspiring murder mystery writer Annabelle Adams is living with her mother in her great aunt Frances’s Chelsea house when she receives a summons from the woman’s lawyers.

Annie has been made the sole benefactor of her great aunt’s estate and assets, a woman she’s never met, and is attend her at Gravesdown Hall in the Dorset village of Castle Knoll to learn what responsibilities this entails. But when she arrives there, in the company of the lawyer and other interested parties, they find Frances Adams quite dead.

Since she had been told a fortune predicting her murder at a summer fair at age sixteen, Frances had always been wary of certain items, and had made it her business to know everything about everyone, in case they might end up trying to kill her. It didn’t increase her popularity in Castle Knoll.

The special conditions of her will require potential beneficiaries to reside at Gravesdown Hall and pits them against one another to solve her murder, for it is indeed murder, within a week, or the place will be sold off to developers, a premise that really is rather contrived. There’s a large cast so many of them lack depth and appeal.

The story is told over dual timelines, with the 1960’s narrative in the form of diary entries whose dating is a little confusing. It turns out that Frances Adams has the dirt on most of the people around her, giving them ample motive to kill her off. But Annie is distracted from her investigations by the unsolved disappearance back in 1966 of one of two teenaged friends with whom Frances had a toxic closeness.

The plot is quite convoluted and several aspects require the reader to don their disbelief suspenders. There are some twists and surprises, a dramatic climax, and a sequel that some readers may be interested to read. An adequate debut.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Quercus Books.

I had high expectations of this one as it was on many of the 2024 lists. I listened on audio to this and the narrator was perfect. It was a captivating mystery and I’m intrigued for more in the series.

This book has a great premise that made me want to read it. It is entertaining and enjoyable but has too many characters to keep track of. I raced through the first half but lost interest after that. The pace picked up again towards the end though.
My favourite part was Frances' diary and the excellent narration of the audiobook by Alexandra Dowling and Jaye Jacobs.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for my review.

This high quality audio keeps you highly entertained as you listen to Annie Adams attempt to solve her great aunts murder in order to inherit her fortune and save village. Running along side and interwoven is another murder mystery.
This is quite a long listen but times goes by quietly as the story is full of interesting characters and twists and turns . I was dragged into this classic who donnit. It was full of action and the pov approach made it hard to stop listening. And I tried to solve mysterys. It had a homage feel in places to agatha Christie. Highly recommended yo anyone who like agatha Christie and a good whodunit set in different timelines. This was narrated well and a 5 star listen.
Thanks netgallery and publisher and author and narrator.

Annie Adams is invited to visit her estranged Great Aunt Frances regarding a change to her will. On her arrival, she soon learns that her aunt - who spent almost her entire life fearing that she would be murdered - has indeed been murdered. She has left a will, stating that whoever solves her murder will inherit her considerable fortune.

So begins a race to discover what actually happened to Frances. It involves deep dives into Frances' past, via her diary.

It's a cosy murder mystery and an easy read, but not particularly striking. It is well written, and the audiobook is beautifully narrated by Alexandra Dowling and Jaye Jacobs, but it's a bit long in parts and there's not enough humour to lighten it. There are twists and turns and the ending is quite satisfying. A solid mystery that would go well with a nice cup of tea and a biscuit.

This audiobook had me hooked. Firstly the quality of the audiobook was good and the narration was great.
The story is about 17 year old Frances Adams who was told she will be murdered by a fortune teller. The fortune was not told quite simply but in the form of a riddle to which Frances dedicated her whole life to try and solve before being murdered. 60years later, her great-niece Annie is invited to Frances' estate to discuss her inheritance only for Annie and the other invitees to find Frances dead...murdered. Frances last act of revenge was to challenge a group, including Annie, to try to solve her murder. The person who pulls through will inherit Frances' estate. Annie delved into this detective work using all that Aunt Frances had compiled already and the diary entries from 1965.

A must read if a fan of crime and mystery!

In 1965, when Frances Adams was seventeen, a fortune teller told her that one day she’d be murdered. Thus began a lifetime of trying to prevent the crime that would be her eventual demise. Sixty years later, she was murdered. When her great-niece Annie arrived from London and discovered that Frances’ worst fear had come true, Annie was thrust into her great-aunt’s last act of revenge against her sceptical friends and family. The person to solve her murder would inherit her wealth. Could Annie unravel the mystery and find justice for Frances?

The plot of this book was what attracted me to pick it up, and it didn’t disappoint. The idea of someone gathering clues to their potential future murder for their entire life was both intriguing and bittersweet, as it could’ve attracted self-fulfilling prophecy. Was it a self-fulfilling prophecy, though? You’d just have to read it to find out!

It was interesting to see things played out from Annie’s perspective. The murder mystery had a classic feeling to it, and I had fun following the storyline, I didn’t try too hard to solve the whodunnit. I loved the connection between Annie and Frances despite them never spending time together.

The audiobook was performed really well, with its multiple narrators. I really enjoyed the distinct voices between Annie and Frances, it made it so easy to follow. I’d recommend this to Agatha Christie fans everywhere!

Thank you to NetGalley and to Quercus for the ARC :)

The story is your typical murder mystery, it being described as 'perfect for fans of Knives Out' is very accurate, there are many similarities between the two. I like that it's set in a Dorset town (hey, I live there!) and I was picturing Corfe Castle and it's surrounding village as our setting. I'm usually a loud and avid hater of non-linear stories, but the format of Annie reading Frances' diary alongside the reader 'seeing' the events she is reading about really works. It spurred me to keep reading so I could get to the diary/60's chapters. Also, it was really refreshing to read a book where the first few chapters have only female characters, without it being made a point. Speaking of characters, there are A LOT, which is typical of the genre but difficult to follow occasionally. I do think if I were reading it and not listening to it, the characters would have been easier to track.

The audiobook itself is fine. I like the narrator's accent (biased as it's my own), tone, and her diction is great. I felt she really embodied the characters when they spoke, which helped with the distinction between so many of them. I did have an issue with the pauses as she spoke, though this might be down to editing rather than the narrator/s. The space in between sentences, and sometimes in the middle of them, were too long. There were a few times I thought I'd accidentally paused the book, waiting for the next word to come. The first half-ish is especially guilty of this. I'd listen to another book with the same narrator/s happily, though.

I'm assuming the two narrators listed each narrate the past/present respectively, though I'm only discovering as I'm writing this review that there were two. They sounded identical, to me, so in future I'd recommend more distinctly different voices or having only one narrator.

It was a really enjoyable and quick read/listen. If you've watched Knives Out, read A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, or just like a good ol' fashioned whodunnit (two for the price of one, here) then I would fully recommend it.

4/5

This This was such a fun classic-feeling mystery! Not quite cozy but familiar like a re-run of an old mystery series!
The story is split into two time-lines; current day & 1960's.
Were following Francis in the 60s timeline via diary entries & the current day were following Annie, Francis' grand-niece as she tries to uncover all the clues Francis left to work out how she was killed. Francis spent her life obsessing over a fortune that was prophesied at a fair when she was a teen, that she would be murdered.

This story comes with a whole host of characters, a big mansion, a small town setting and plenty of secrets! The mystery sets itself up really well, there are a lot of characters but it never feels confusing and I think the ending wrapped up really nicely!
I was really craving a classic mystery book and this was really satisfying!

I first read this book on my kindle, and immediately realised that I wanted it as an audiobook as well. So, that's what I requested the audio on NetGalley. And despite how little time that had passed since I had read it, the story, and the narrator (Oh God, I love the narrator's voice) meant that I passed two days happy as a clam. I would recommend the audiobook, over the kindle (because of the narrator), but either version is brilliant.

Please read this book. It's a great start to the series. I've been singing its' praises to everyone I know, whether they like murder mystery or not.

Sadly DNF'D the audio book as characters not brought to life enough, including the main protagonist. Too many characters, too many things, with little explanation.

Less is more,.. go for quality & complexity done well, instead of too much & too little.