review: how to solve your own murder by kristen perrin
gifted by harpercollins.
How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin
Release Date: 26/3/24
Genre: Mystery
About the book:
FRANCES ALWAYS SAID SHE'D BE MURDERED...
SHE WAS RIGHT.
In 1965, seventeen-year-old Frances Adams was told by a fortune teller that one day she'd be murdered. Frances spent the next sixty years trying to prevent the crime that would be her eventual demise. Of course, no one took her seriously - until she was dead.
For Frances, being the village busybody was a form of insurance. She'd spent a lifetime compiling dirt on every person she met, just in case they might turn out to be her killer. In the heart of her sprawling country estate lies an eccentric library of detective work, where the right person could step in and use her findings to solve her murder.
When her great-niece Annie arrives from London and discovers that Frances' worst fear has come true, Annie is thrust into her great-aunt's last act of revenge against her sceptical friends and family. Frances' will stipulates that the person who solves her murder will inherit her millions.
Can Annie unravel the mystery and find justice for Frances, or will digging up the past lead her into the path of the killer?
Review
This was a really fun concept. This book reads somewhat as a small town murder mystery, and my favourite part about it was the way Perrin tied together each character to create a complex and interesting web of relationships. Alongside her inclusion of superstition, this ties together to create a fun and engaging mystery.
I would have loved to have seen a little more personality and depth to our main character, and I had a bit of an issue with the ‘romance’ subplot in this story. It almost felt as if the author spent 3/4 of the book writing towards a minor romance story, and then changed her mind for the last part without editing the build-up, which was a little disconnecting.
However, I did enjoy the inclusion of flashbacks in this story, which in my opinion aren’t often executed well. Honestly, I would have read this book if it was entirely the story told in the flashbacks and probably would have enjoyed it just as much, if not more.
I felt that this novel was a solid mystery, if a little forgettable. I enjoyed the originality of the plot and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun and light murder mystery. Make sure to check trigger warnings before reading.
Rating: 3/5
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rach xx
The plot seems interesting.