An easy listening cosy crime mystery. Frances Adams has spent her whole life investigating her future murder, as predicted by a fortune teller at a country fair when she was a teen. When the murder finally takes place during her twilight years, it is left to her great niece Annie to solve the mystery by sifting through the clues and secrets in Frances’ country estate and, by so doing, inherit the old woman’s wealth. With a large cast of eccentric characters, some hostile to Annie’s quest and others more inclined to lend a helping hand, Annie manages to reveal a multitude of local scandals and secrets and place her in the cross hairs of someone who has a lot to lose from their revelation.

Using two narrators to distinguish between the two narrative voices of Frances and Annie was a good move as it helped keep the story distinct and easier to follow.

With thanks to the author, the e-book publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook pre-publication.

(Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review)

The small, rural town vibes really helped give this book a cosy mystery atmosphere and it felt like an episode of a show like Midsummer Murders, which I loved. The mix of POVs and timelines through the diary entries helped deepen the plot and provide some interesting reveals which I liked. The plot overall has lots of twists and is fast-paced but not necessarily engaging the entire time.

There are also a lot of characters in the book. Like a lot. And they didn’t all have the depth needed to make them stand out from each other. Even the main character Annie didn’t have a lot of depth or development. She had the potential to be a really good Nancy Drew type of character (especially considering she writes mystery novels for a living) but instead was just a bit of a mediocre protagonist.

The narration of this audiobook was very good and the plot was still easy to follow. I also really appreciated how the narrator put a lot of effort into the characters, as this helped me to distinguish between them a bit more.

A lovely, cosy mystery, set in a quaint Dorset village. The writing was great, the narration equally so and I look forward to more in this series. Thank you for my review copy,

Firstly I love a double narrative story. Different time lines, told through Francis diaries. I was kept on my toes guessing throughout and did not expect who the killer was. There were a fair few character along the way. Some infelt could of been more involved like Laura, she was a bit brushed aside. With her why is she got talking to her parents or Annie's father. Maybe answers for book 2. I also loved the idea of Castle knoll, as beautiful little village, it really set the scene.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: 4 stars

Cover: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Despite the simplicity of this design, I love the vibrant, eye-catching colours used. I also like how the gothic text font and illustrations convey the mystery/thriller genre of the story.

Writing: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
The picturesque writing style smoothly creates an atmospheric narrative and setting. Alternating chapters between past and current events are also skillfully used to deliver crucial backstories and add to the building tension across the story.

"that’s the thing with lies. They’re much easier to believe when it’s an idea you like."

Storyline: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Past teenage drama and a present race against time due to inheritance drama made this an intriguing murder mystery reminiscent of Agatha Christie. The secrets gradually revealed throughout the story created a sense of tension and danger that led to a gripping climax, even with some convent plot devices.

Main character(s): 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Annie Adams’ kind yet clever personality made her character engaging and easy to like. Besides this, her methodical approach to the mystery and gradual paranoia brilliantly added to the tension in the story and made it easy to root for her. I only wished her character had experienced more growth or complexity.

"If you are trying to corner a killer, the odds of getting yourself killed in the process skyrocket."

Secondary characters: 🌟🌟🌟
Although the secondary characters were introduced in gentle waves, I struggled to keep track of the large cast throughout the story. Only the characters involved in past events seemed to have strong, complex personalities, which made them somewhat memorable.

Narration & Audio: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Alexandra Dowling and Jaye Jacobs do a great job narrating this audiobook as they enrich the atmosphere of the story and use natural vocal inflexions. However, there were some weird, long pauses, and the character voices could have been stronger.

"You can play without a plan, but you’ll probably lose."

In short, ‘How to Solve Your Own Murder’ is a clever, drama-filled whodunit that had me guessing until the very end!

I really enjoyed reading this cozy whodunnit. I was particularly impressed with it seeing that it is a debut novel. I look forward to reading future books written by this author.

I like the way the chapters alternate between past and present and mysteries from then and from now are unveiled bit by bit. I very much enjoyed the audiobook format of this novel.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an impartial and honest review.

I am so glad that my very first ARC was this one! It reminded me so much of Agatha Christie and I just loved the vibes! I listened to it on audio and I thought that the narrator did a fantastic job. The story drew me in quickly and had me so eager to solve the murder. It was an interesting concept to have Frances' obsessed with solving her own eventual murder. I also like that her past was intertwined and revealed through journal entries and we were learning about her past alongside Annie. I loved both Frances and Annie as characters and the author did a wonderful job of making me feel like I was right there with them throughout the book. I thought that both Frances and Annie were great detective characters in their search for the murderer and I loved Frances' traps! I can't wait to see more from this author!

To be honest, I find this being more women fiction novel with some aspects of the murder mystery, so do not expect any heavy sleuthing here. It is a light-hearted, nice story told from the dual point of view of grandmother and granddaughter, where both of them concentrate on solving a murder - in one case her own murder! Expect fate and prophecies, castles and men, friends and enemies...while both of the women are also living and maybe hoping for...love. I got invested into their relationships with the people around them more than I expected.

This was a delightful book that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was a cosy mystery, perfect for those who are looking for a quick and easy read. The storyline was engaging and kept me interested throughout. However, I must say that some parts of the story were a bit hard to believe. For instance, I found it quite unbelievable that the police would allow the potential heirs of a fortune to stay at the home of a murder victim. Some of the characters were also so eccentric, it made it difficult to believe that they were realistic.

Despite these minor issues, I still loved the book. The main character, Annie, was my favourite. She was charming, and I enjoyed following her throughout the story. Even though I knew that she would come out on top, I was still intrigued to see how she would solve the case.

Another character that I loved was Frances. Although we only know her through her diary and after her death, she was still a fascinating character, and I would have loved to know more about her.

I sincerely hope that this book becomes a series so that I can learn more about what happens to Annie. I am also hoping that there is a romance between her and the detective. Additionally, I would love to read stories that are connected to Frances while she was alive and any mysteries she might have uncovered.

Overall, this was a well-written cosy mystery that I enjoyed reading. The plot was well-developed, and the characters were delightful. I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys the genre.

Francis always knew that she would be murdered. On the day she brings together the potential heirs of her fortune. She is found dead. Now in order to inherit her wealth her heirs must solve her murder at her home, She has left a wealth of information that could lead to solving the crime. Unfortunately Francis was never able to pinpoint her potential murder during her life.
The story is told in two timelines that of the current quest to find the murderer and also Francis in her younger years. The narrator did a good job in holding your attention and building up the tension of the story.

Many thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to listen to an arc.

Its a conspicuous title with a cozy mystery vibe cover and as it intends, it does spike some interest.
The book has an Agatha Christie vibe : manor house, multiple murder suspects and an intelligent investigator.

A prophecy claimed 'dry bones' and 'murder' in France's future. The fortune was foretold when she was just seventeen but it took sixty years to come true. By the way, she did not come back from grave 'to solve her own murder' but, by adding it as a puzzle to inherit her estate, she ensured someone did.

There is a huge cast of characters and it took me atleast 50% of the book to fit in each of their names and relationship in the equation. Narration flips between current investigation and old diary entries, both of which are written in first person, which makes it difficult to realize when the timeline switch happens. Once I overcame these execution challenges the story started coming to forefront and become interesting.

Multiple people with the murder motive keeps the mystery alive and soon we realize we are solving not just one murder. There are family secrets revealed adding spice to the drama. It often feels more like a movie playing out, credit goes to the narrator.

“Your future contains dry bones. Your slow demise begins right when you hold the queen in the palm of one hand. Beware the bird, for it will betray you. And from that, there’s no coming back. But daughters are the key to justice, find the right one and keep her close. All signs point toward your murder.”

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. No one took Frances seriously for sixty years until, of course, she was murdered.
When her great-niece Annie arrives, she is thrust into her great-aunt's last act of revenge against the sceptics. As Annie gets closer to the truth, she starts to fear she might inherit her aunt’s fate instead of her fortune.

How To Solve Your Own Murder is an intricately layered puzzle with eccentric characters, multiple motives, a hefty inheritance and all-round mayhem. Add to that the ticking clock within which Annie must solve Frances’s murder if she wants to keep her mother’s home.

Set in an English country village with an estate that has been in the family for generations, this story has all the ingredients for a charming, cosy whodunnit.

A breathless race of murder and intrigue, this is a fabulously crafted mystery that will persuade you to put your own sleuthing cap on and dig through the clues.

This ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Quercus Audio.

Twisty and full of turns, this is an engaging murder mystery with some self (and family history) discovery.

When summoned to the village of Castle Knoll to meet with her elusive Great Aunt Francis, Annie is unexpectedly thrown into the lead amateur detective role as she tries to work out who killed Francis.

Twinning modern day village life with Francis' diary entries from the mid to late 1960s, Annie discovers that the sleepy Castle Knoll isn't quite as it seems.

Surrounded by residents who have secrets and potential reasons for conflict with Francis. Annie has to piece together the fortune tellers' reading which has haunted Francis while trying to preserve her own present and future.

I really loved this. Has an Agatha Christie vibes. I love a who dunnit but this a good spin on it with the victim knowing they would be murdered. Great characters, well writting and interesting plot. Highly recommend.

I really liked this book, I listened to the audiobook and it kept my attention all of the way through.
It's a sweet little mystery story, which actually made me cry in a few places.
The characters Are likeable, particularly the main character, and the story has soft little twists and turns.
Easy to read. Will look out for number 2.

A very British loosey-goosey ‘Knives Out’, if that’s the comparison the publishers are running with, though lacking the flair and attention-to-detail of the American screenplay.
I seem to be the outlier here amongst NetGalley reviewers with my low rating. Perhaps I shouldn’t have requested something that is so obviously (by its cover art) a wannabee Tommy and Tuppence mystery updated by way of Richard Osman.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t engaged by Kristen Perrin’s debut at all, although I devoted my full attention to it at the start. I didn’t find it big or ‘hilarious’ or even mysterious, as the taglines variously claim. I lost interest early and easily, and - in the end - I was just desperate for the book to finish.
The two main characters (Frances and Annie) were barely distinguishable, and I found myself having to listen out closely for signals as to whose narrative we were ‘in’ at any given point in the novel.
To maximise a pun, the final nail in the coffin (for me) was the tedious, cheerless pace at which ‘How to Solve your Own Murder’ is narrated. It proved so exasperating that I wound up listening at double speed – a thing I have never ever done to an audiobook! I would have called this sacrilegious behaviour before now! But either Alexandra Dowling or Jaye Jacobs (I’m not sure who narrated which part) reads by making the addition to the text of gargantuan pauses between each phrase. I’m really not being too hyperbolic – honestly, the gaps she inserts after full stops are so exaggerated, I found it maddening beyond forbearance.
All the same, my thanks to Quercus Audio and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the audiobook prior to its release later this month.

How To Solve Your Own Murder written by Kristen Perrin and narrated by Alexandra Dowling and Jaye Jacobs is a stunning audiobook and I am in awe at just how good this novel is. It is almost as if Agatha Christie and Rochard Osman got together and baked the most delicious cake you have ever eaten with a cracking good cuppa to go along with it

The prologue snared me right away with the reading by the fortune teller and the introduction to the main characters and the setup of the sharing of the silver necklaces. This was a fantastic start to the book and laid a strong foundation.

The main character, Annie Adams and at an invitation from her Great Aunt, takes her friends along to visit Castle Knoll, Great Aunt Frances's opulent estate, whereby they are confronted with a toxic, dysfunctional group of incumbents, all with a story to tell. However, things turn dark when Great Aunt Frances asks the group to join her, but when they reach the room, she is found, laying on the floor, her hand covered in blood as iffrom the thorns of a rose, quite devoid of life

The performance by Alexandra Dowling and Jaye Jacbs is dynamic and authentic and if I didn't know better, I could almost compare it to watching the fantastic Poirot series as a kid. This duo provide an absolutely epic performance and really live up to the absolutely stunning narrative of this very intriguing, highly entertaining mystery.

Kristen Perrin is likely to join my list of favourite mystery writers as this book is triumph and can be listened to and read and enjoyed over and over again

Thank you to Netgalley, Quercus, the author Kristen Perrin and narrators Alexandra Dowling and Jaye Jacobs for this great ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

#howtosolveyourownmurder #netgalley

Much as I love Agatha Christie, modern cosy mysteries can be a little dull and unrealistic. Perrin has managed to pay homage to the queen of crime whilst also finding a modern balance and layering it with a touch of the macabre to appeal to those who like it dark.

Told in dual timeline, which is a nice touch, we see Annie trying to unravel a puzzle set by her great aunt: who murdered her? It’s such a unique concept and allows us to sleuth along with the characters. Yes our MC makes poor decisions; yes readers need to suspend belief, but it doesn’t matter because it’s a gentle drama with a few darker elements that really elevate the story.

The diary entries are perhaps a little too detailed; most teenage girls are unlikely to record every single piece of dialogue, but appreciate artistic licence is needed to tell the story. Perhaps I missed it but I would also have liked a bit more information on when Frances and Ford got married and their life together as it was missing - perhaps we’ll find out more later in the series. I also enjoyed the nods to Heathers, charity shop treasures and gothic horror.

Narration is good, although perhaps a different voice for Frances would have lifted the experience somewhat.

Overall a strong start to the series and no doubt this tiny village will have more secrets and bodies than Midsummer…

I listened to this book on audiobook and was drawn into the story right away. This was a book I was highly anticipating and I am so glad i got to listen to the audiobook. This book revolves around Annie Adams and her Great Aunt Frances and it include a dual time going between Frances when she was a teen where she is give a fortune predicting her murder and Annie who is now trying to solve her Great Aunt's murder. I thought both main characters were great. I love when audiobooks have different narrators for different character's POVs. I felt like both narrators and felt they really captured their characters. I felt like I did not expect the ending which I really enjoyed. Will definitely recommend this book to friends and hope it is chose for the mystery/thriller book club I an in.

Thank you to Netgalley, Kristen Perrin, and Quercus Editions for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for a review.

What I love about this book is the dual timelines with 2 different mysteries being played out simultaneously- both are told cohesively and intertwine well.
I was initially more invested in Francis' story in 1965 (told via diary enteries) than Annie's in present time but I ended up warming up to her and enjoying the present timeline just as much.

I liked how Francis' fortune is at the centre of the book, and how Annie then gets sucked in by this.

This is an easy whodunit mystery (my theories were all over the shop, and I only figured it out as it was about to be revealed). I recommend this one, especially the audio as it makes you more connected to the characters.