How to Solve Your Own Murder

A Novel

By: Kristen Perrin

Narrated by: Alexandra Dowling, Jaye Jacobs

A Jimmy Fallon’s Book Club Finalist for 2024

AN INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER

A GMA Buzz Pick!

One of Amazon's Top 10 Best Books of April, One of Jimmy Fallon's favorite books for Spring 2024, The Top LibraryReads pick for March 2024, A Publishers Marketplace 2024 BuzzBook

Named most anticipated by: Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, BookRiot, BookBub, The Nerd Daily, Shelf Reflection, Novel Suspects, Borrow Read Repeat, The Everygirl, The Scout Guide, The Real Book Spy

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.

©2024 Kristen Perrin (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"How to Solve Your Own Murder is a masterclass in the art of mystery. Kristen Perrin crafts a beguiling puzzle from sharp prose, compelling characters, and an irresistibly intricate setup. One of the best and most satisfying mysteries I've ever read." —Elle Cosimano, New York Times bestselling author of Finlay Donovan is Killing It

“Debut novelist Kristen Perrin has done the impossible in delivering readers a quintessential English murder mystery with a fresh, unconventional approach. Idyllic country village? Check. Amateur sleuth? Check. But a fortune teller's grim prediction coming true sixty years later? Now that makes for an enthralling tale. There's no shortage of entertaining, well-rounded characters in this charming and multilayered whodunit, a perfect shelf companion alongside reader favorites like Agatha Christie, Richard Osman, and Nita Prose.” —Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Apothecary

“I so enjoyed this smart, original murder mystery. It's filled with curious characters and takes place in the most gorgeous setting–the mysterious Castle Knoll–and sucked me in from the very first pages. I think fans of Richard Osman will love this one.” —Beth O’Leary, author of The Flatshare

An interesting twist

This is a fast moving story that will hold your interest. It’s b superficial but keeps you guessing. It’s enjoyable.

Narrator was great

I really enjoyed listening to this book. The narrator has a great voice and made the story interesting. The story itself was very good and intriguing. I highly recommend listening to it.

Entertaining listen!

Entertaining and moved at a good pace. If you like charming mysteries and a sense of justice, this is for you.

Great new writer to watch!

Loved the book, the story, the characters, and the twists and turns. And there will definitely be a series - she already set it up! My favorite kind of book!!

fun who-dun-it.

This was a great book to listen to after a busy day. It was an excellent way to unwind. The narrator made the story come to life. Some of the characters could have been developed a little more, but overall, I enjoyed the experience and the opportunity to create the characters as I saw fit. I got lost in the dual timeline at times, but that could have been because I listened to this as part of my wind down to my day. This was a recommended read for fans of the Thursday Murder Club, and that was on target.

If you are looking for a fun read or audio experience, be sure to consider How to Solve Your Murder!

Great Flashbacks

It was a bit of a slow build but very well written once the story picked up.

choppy audio on occasion

the audio was a bit choppy at times which I've never noticed in the dozens of audio books I've listened to

Constant anticipation of what would happen next

Loved all of this book from start to finish. Always wondering what would happen next. I didn’t want the book to end!

Enjoyable read

I really enjoyed the book. I felt like I was right there with Anna as she was trying to solve the murder.

Good storyline

The story was read well. Good plot. Very entertaining and it kept me interested throughout. I would recommend if you like murder mysteries.