How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen PerrinMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is apparently the first book in a series -- Castle Knoll Files. It is set in a small town in rural England and has dual narrators along with dual time frames. Frances is 17 years old in 1965 and has her fortune told at a local country fair -- "...All signs point to your murder." Her story is told through her diary. Annie is 25 years old in present day and is summoned to a meeting with Great Aunt Frances to discuss her role as sole benefactor. She arrives only to discover that Great Aunt Frances has recently been killed. The details of her will require that either Annie or nephew-by-marriage Saxon to solve her murder within one week in order to inherit the estate.
The plot itself is intriguing and had potential, but didn't live up to my expectations. The story was not as fast-paced as I would like. There are too many characters, especially multiple generations of families to keep track of. Red herrings abound, along with dangling plot lines and unresolved situations. For those readers who may have gotten bogged down by the many characters and muddled details, everything is pretty much explained in one of the final chapters.
It was an entertaining cozy mystery, but readers must pay close attention to the various characters and situations in order to follow along with the plot. I'm not sure that I can recommend this book, and will probably not be reading the sequels.
Many thanks to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy and an honest review. The book is due to be published March 26, 2024
Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.
View all my reviews
