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How to Solve Your Own Murder
By: Kristen Perrin
My Rating: FOUR out of FIVE Stars
Best For: 16 and up

How to Solve Your Own Murder: A Killer Whodunit (See what I did there?)!

Heads up mystery lovers, you’re going to enjoy this one! Kristen Perrin’s “How to Solve Your Own Murder” is a twisty, turny ride that kept me engaged to the end. It’s got that classic whodunit feel with a fresh, modern energy. There are whispers of “Knives Out” and “The Thursday Murder Club,” but don’t expect much humor. Perrin delivers something uniquely her own – and it was a ton of fun!

Picture this: it’s 1965, and 17 year old Frances Adams is with her best friends Emily and Rose a country fair, when they decide to visit a fortune teller. Frances’s fortune? “One day, Frances, you’re gonna be murdered.” Yikes! Frances becomes obsessed with preventing her own demise, and spends the next SIXTY YEARS seeing signs of the prediction coming true all around and collecting dirt on everyone she knows. Eventually she becomes known as the ultimate source of the small English town’s dirty laundry as she attempts to solve a murder—her murder—that hasn’t even happened yet.

Fast forward to the present day, and Frances’s great-niece, Annie Adams (who’s never met Frances), is summoned to Frances’s estate for a mysterious meeting involving the beneficiary of Frances’s will. But when Annie arrives to the meeting, they discover Frances’s fortune has finally come true—she’s been murdered! Now, Annie’s got to channel her inner detective and figure out who did it. Why? Because Frances’s will named her as one of the three possible inheritors of her vast estate, and whoever solves the mystery of her murder first wins! Of course, it’s not going to be easy. Everyone in the quaint English village of Castle Knoll had a reason to want Frances gone, thanks to her lifelong hobby of digging up everyone’s secrets. It’s a classic setup with a seriously fun twist!

I had a blast with this book! The mysteries are top-notch, the characters are bursting with personality, and red herrings abound. Trying to piece together the clues alongside the characters was so much fun. Perrin does a fantastic job of weaving together the past and present timelines. We get to see Frances’s story unfold through her diary entries from the 60s, while Annie’s investigation takes place in the present. It’s a really effective way to build suspense and keep you guessing. Annie is a fantastic lead – she’s smart, she’s got a bit of a rebellious streak, and she throws herself headfirst into the mystery. You can’t help but root for her! The setting of Castle Knoll is perfectly atmospheric, and the supporting cast is full of quirky and suspicious characters. Honestly, everyone’s a suspect! It’s not the best of the best, but Perrin definitely kept me on my toes until the last page.

Sensitive Content:

• 5 strong swear words.
• Mild violence.
• Moderate presence of teenage pregnancy, teenage intimacy, teenage drinking, teenage drug use.

Should you read it?

If you’re looking for a classic whodunit with a modern twist and a whole lot of fun, “How to Solve Your Own Murder” is definitely worth picking up! It’s engaging, it’s entertaining, and it’ll keep you guessing until the very end.

This dad says “How to Solve Your Own Murder” is best for 16 and up.

Happy Reading!