How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristin Perrin

A truly unputdownable mystery. I ate this up in one sitting, completely hooked on the investigation and all the characters tied up in it. I'm so glad I chose to listen to the audiobook as it was very well narrated by two distinctly engaging performers.

The setting is captivating; a bustling, tight knit village with a constant hum of low-stakes drama. Despite this classic setup, I didn't feel like I was being fed stereotypes at any point. Every character feels important, fully realised and relatable in some small way, no matter how shady or conniving they seemed. Annie is attempting to solve the murder in the present day, but every other chapter is an entry from Frances' teenage journals. This is fantastic narrative choice in propelling the investigation forward and endearing us (and Annie) to Frances, despite never getting the chance to meet her in the present day timeline.

It is listed as the first book in a series and I can't wait for the next instalment. There are loose ends that I'd love to see Annie tie up, and I also just want to spend more time in Castle Knoll with the locals because I miss it.

Thank you so so much to Quercus for the advance audio!