Wrap-Up Archives - The Litertarian

Buckle in for a yummy gothic mystery that is perfect for this time of year. How To Solve Your Own Murder is a fun and twisty whodunnit I couldn’t put down!

A fortune teller foretells her death, and Frances Adams dwells on the prophecy well into old age, becoming obsessed after the events one summer as a girl ended in tragedy. Eventually, Frances IS murdered. The conditions of her will say her kin will have to solve the crime before they can earn their inheritance.

How to Solve Your Own Murder Kristen Perrin Book Cover

Annie is an estranged great-niece of the Frances, and is summoned to the manor in Castle Knoll to review changes made to her will. It was supposed to be a meeting with Francis, but by the time Annie arrives, she’s dead. When the contest to solve her murder is announced (she believed the prophecy so ardently she planned it all out in advance), Annie is eager to help discover what happened to the great-aunt she was eager to meet, but never got to. The list of suspects is robust, and Annie is coming in with fresh eyes – but if she wants to inherit Frances’ fortune, she has to solve it before the police do.

I will admit I am new to the mystery genre, so when I say I feel like this book felt so unique, it’s possible it is my own lack of context. However, I was so engaged with our main character the whole time, and I was actively suspicious of everyone she encountered while having absolutely no idea where things were going to eventually end up. There were many unique surprises, and I felt so invested in what might happen next. There were a lot of motives and history between everyone – it is a lot to keep track of, but it also makes it all the more satisfying to follow.

The big gothic manor the novel is set in is right up my alley. The detective added a layer of suspense because I wanted to trust him, but working with him was risky for Annie, because she had to solve it before him to ‘win’. The prophecy aspect was an interesting layer to contend with, as Francis had been conducting her own investigation throughout her entire life, too.

There is also a duel timeline, as Annie reads through a journal left behind from Francis. She kept it during the summer her friend once disappeared. It gives us so much insight into the modern day suspects, and gives us a second crime to solve!

This suspenseful mystery novel was a hit for me, and I really look forward to reading the next one when it’s out. If you have any recommendations in this genre for me, I’d love to hear them! I can’t handle too much gore/true evil (I’m a whimp), but I love edge-of-your-seat suspense!

Details

Title:: How To Solve Your Own Murder
Author:: Kristen Perrin
Genre:: Thriller/Suspense
Publisher:: Dutton
Length:: 368 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 51m
Audiobook Narrator:: Alexandra Dowling & Jaye Jacobs
Audiobook Publisher:: Penguin Audio
Published:: March 26th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

The Midnight Feast | Lucy Foley
The Reappearance of Rachel Price | Holly Jackson

Welcome to my bookish little corner of the internet!

I am a Litertarian, a term I invented for a (hopefully) catchy blog title. What does it mean? Well, similar to the way vegetarians consume vegetables and carnivores consume carne (that’s meat in Spanish), a litertarian consumes literature. Books. Stories. Legends. Because like Thomas Jefferson once said:

I cannot live without books.

I read a lot. More than most, probably. I used to keep casual book blogs years ago where I would post reviews, and I realized recently that I missed it. I love having something to look back on when I read a book I really enjoyed. It’s like a journal, you know? Looking back on the reviews bring me joy, and can remind me of what was going on in my life at the time I read them. It’s special.

I also love helping people connect with books they love. When someone asks me for a book recommendation, I take it seriously. When I recommend something someone truly enjoys, the satisfaction is immense. There is nothing better than a good book, and everyone deserves to have that feeling as often as possible. No one can read them all, and there’s nothing wrong with being selective.

So here I am, embracing the responsibility that is book blogging. I’m ready to have a place to record my reading in a more personal way again. I’m ready to have a place to rant and word-vomit about book nerdy topics that only other people who are as obsessed with books as I am will care about. I’m ready to commit myself to something I love, that also isn’t all that demanding. All I have to do is read books and jot down some thoughts after, right? That’s pretty much my favorite thing to do anyway.

So let’s do this, folks! Let’s grab a book from the top of our TBRs and dive into the pages! If you’ve read a book that pops up on my review list, I’d love to know your thoughts about them in the comments. Books are pretty much my favorite thing to talk about, so don’t be shy! Feel free to bookmark my site and check back periodically old-school blog style. Or, you can sign up for emails every time I post in the sidebar signup. Or, if you’d rather follow along on via social media, click the ‘Socials’ tab above to connect with me on Goodreads, Threads, or Instagram. And of course, if you know of a book I should read, just shout!

I want to help you find a new book you’ll love.

Happy reading, everyone.

-e.