A feel good mystery in which a woman, Frances, spends a lifetime trying to prevent her murder as predicted by a fortune teller at a country fair when she was just 17. When she is in fact murdered nearly 60 years later, her great niece Annie must solve the crime to avenge her great aunt's death, and in so doing uncovers the dark heart of the quaint English village of Castle Knoll, where she might just find herself in the path of the killer.
Perrin's update on the classic murder mystery is impaired by its far-fetched premise and a plot that becomes convoluted rather than intricate. In addition, not all her characters' voices ring true. On the plus side, the pace never lets up and tension mounts when anonymous threats and a body in a trunk make Annie realize that her life might be in danger. The result is a fun yet flawed whodunit.
This skillfully written novel will have you completely gripped ... There are many opportunities to dig into and explore the heartbreaking details Annie discovers as she searches for answers, but these are glossed over ... As someone looking for the emotion behind the supremely personal mystery that Annie is investigating, How to Solve Your Own Murder is sorely lacking. It makes for an interesting, to-the-point story, sure, but it could have been more powerful.
