Reviews with content warning for Drug use - How To Solve Your Own Murder

Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

How To Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin

60 reviews

lauren_b0303032's review against another edition

3.5

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

The end was somewhat anticlimactic. I wanted to know what happened, but it wasn’t the kind of can’t-put-it-down reveal that I expected.

Content Warnings

manderkay's review against another edition

5.0

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

angorarabbit's review

4.0

funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

A cozy mystery with a village full of quirky characters that plays by Golden Age Rules. The reader learns the story by both a modern day 20’s something women who while cautious is engaged and intelligent and the disarray of her great aunt. The diary is well written with the only complaint I would make is that the child great aunt and her friend sound more worldly that I would think at that age. Perhaps quaint English villages of the 1960’s were more worldly than I think.

As far as suspect you get a nice cast of them with everyone having motive, means and opportunity. I was still vacillating between them when I got to the satisfying denouncement. As much as I enjoyed this book I’m not sure I will continue with the series. I’m not really a series type of reader I guess.

Content Warnings

rainytaps's review against another edition

3.5

mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

the title baited me and i don’t regret it. the concept was different from other murder mysteries i’ve read, and the switch in timelines made the story more dimensional. unfortunately, the killer’s revelation didn’t give the plot twist effect i was hoping for, but at least i developed a little crush on the detective and ford gravesdown.

Content Warnings

jennifermreads's review against another edition

4.0

mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

With a title like How to Solve Your Own Murder, and cover design with a country manor and eerie crows, any murder mystery loving reader is sure to grab the book and, if not auto-buying or auto-borrowing it, open to the blurb touting a creepy fortune that came true. For me, I was sold at the title and immediately added it to my TBR…where it languished for over a year and a half. With the year of 2025 being a year where I am striving to read off my own shelves and/or off my backlist, it was time to bring How to Solve Your Own Murder home from the library.

What an addicting cast of characters! Annie and her queasiness over all-things-medical and author ambitions was a delightfully quirky MC. Every secondary character who appeared had me curious to know more—and I was thankful for the dual narrative and timeline where I got to hear from the murder victim herself about some of the older suspects, er, friends and family. The mystery kept me guessing. I kind of attempted to solve the mystery alongside Annie; mostly, I just went along for the bumpy ride. Though others may see it coming, I was surprised at the resolution and thrilled at the last chapter “so-and-so may surface” reveal that also hinted at a sequel—though I knew the sequel already exists as its release is what nudged me to finally read this in this in the first place!

I had one clue/detail that has been nagging at my brain since I finished the book this morning:

I vividly recall Francis demanding, and getting, her coat back from Emily. And, since she was “buried” in the coat, how did Emily end up with it again? With the revolver still in the pocket? Are we to assume the revolver was used to kill her and Rose put it back in the pocket before putting Emily in the trunk? Did I miss the “Emily took the coat again” entry in the diary? Yes, I know Francis’s mom made mention of the missing coat before Francis’s Christmas date with Ford. Are we to assume “Oh Emily must have taken it again before she vanished”?

I definitely will read the sequel <i>How to Seal Your Own Fate</i> and, I see now, there is another entry in the Castle Knoll Files slated to release in April 2026. I think I’ve found another murder mystery series to follow alongside Nita Prose’s Maid Novels, Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club, and M.W. Craven’s Washington & Poe series.

Content Warnings

book_hoarder_frfr's review

4.25

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

A murder/mystery which focuses more on human nature and how each deal with grief, betrayal and relationship.

Annie is a breath of fresh air from most MC in a mystery book. She has her flaws, gets scared and aware of the risks.

Content Warnings

lia_argo's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: N/A

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

pyningforbooks's review against another edition

4.5

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

nataliecoyne's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This was really enjoyable. I will say that I was able to figure out who the killer was quite a while before that twist was to be revealed, so it didn't really catch me by surprise. But I enjoyed the journey nonetheless, and also the proud feeling of "I KNEW IT!" when I read that I was right.

I was hoping for something a bit funnier/comedic in this, particularly given the comparison to Knives Out in the book description, which didn't come to be the case. I think this led to some small disappointment, which is why I'm giving this 4 stars. But I still did overall enjoy this book for what it was and I would recommend it to others.

I'm not sure if I'll read How to Seal Your Own Fate or not, we'll see. Might tentatively add it to my TBR.

Content Warnings

gillianengelbrecht's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

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