Dutton
How to Seal Your Own Fate
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An April 2025 Library Reads Pick
"A brilliant follow-up that proves Kristen Perrin is here to stay...A thrilling story that ends with a big reveal you won't see coming, even though the clues were in front of you the entire time!"--G.T. Karber, international bestselling author of Murdle
New York Times bestselling author Kristen Perrin is back and better than ever with her second Castle Knoll Murder Mystery.
Welcome to Castle Knoll, the idyllic English village home to a surprising number of murderers.
Present day: Annie Adams is just settling into life in Castle Knoll when local fortune teller Peony Lane shares a cryptic message only hours before being found dead inside the locked Gravesdown Estate. Annie has no choice but to delve into the dark secrets of her new countryside home in order to find out just what Peony Lane was trying to warn her about, before her brand new life comes crashing down around her.
1967: Teenage Frances Adams, Annie's great aunt, finds herself caught between two men. Ford Gravesdown is one of the only remaining members of a family known for its wealth and dubious uses of power. Archie Foyle is a local who can't hold down a job and lives above the village pub. But when Frances teams up with Archie to investigate the car crash that killed most of Ford's family, it quickly becomes clear that this was no accident--hints of cover-ups, lies, and betrayals abound. The question is, just how far does the blackness creep through the heart of Castle Knoll? When Frances uncovers secrets kept by both Ford and Archie, she starts to wonder: What exactly has she gotten herself into?
As Annie and Frances investigate two new mysteries spanning decades, they'll unlock the next level of secrets held in Castle Knoll's dark heart.
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Book Details
ISBN:
9780593474044
EAN:
9780593474044
Binding:
Hardcover
Pages:
320
Authors:
Kristen Perrin
Publisher:
Dutton
Published Date: 2025-29-04
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Tough getting through the first half as it was a lot of background even though it was the second book. Good finish and like the characters.
Quick read. Always a surprise ending.
This second book in the Castke Knoll mystery series was another fun whodunit. With a new list of suspects and new files to dig through, the female protagonist of the story embarks on solving another murder.I particularly enjoy the setting and interwoven relationships of the townspeople. The mysteries themselves are well-crafted as well.I am looking forward to the third book in this series.Thanks to Penguin Group Durton amd Netgalley for this ARC!
How to Seal Your Own Fate (Castle Knoll Files #2) by Kristen Perrin delivers a clever cozy mystery with sharp plotting and satisfying reveals. The story follows Annie as she investigates the murder of fortune teller Peony Lane, who becomes a fascinating figure linking past and present mysteries. Perrin excels at blending traditional cozy tropes—manors, village gossip, eccentric locals—with genuine emotional stakes and ongoing tension.The dual timeline structure alternating between Annie's present-day investigation and her great-aunt Frances's 1967 storyline creates a taut narrative across decades, though the constant back-and-forth sometimes disrupts momentum and breaks the narrative flow. While this approach adds depth by revealing buried secrets and dangerous alliances, it can feel jarring when trying to follow the forward progression of the mystery.Annie's character development remains inconsistent—her first-person narration occasionally lacks the spark needed to fully engage readers, though she shows growth from the first book. The book also struggles with some credibility issues regarding police procedures. Despite these pacing concerns, the mystery itself is well-crafted with village politics and long-held grudges creating compelling intrigue.Great for fans of Agatha Christie-style whodunits and readers who enjoyed the first book. But not for those preferring standalone mysteries or streamlined storytelling without timeline shifts.
This was a fun dual timeline mystery, 1967 and present day. I enjoyed seeing how the two timelines merged by the end of the book. There were times I had to go back and look at what time we were in but it wasn't distracting from the story. Annie in present day and her Aunt Francis in the 60s are trying to solve the same mystery and I think the reader may find out more pieces before Annie does from Aunt Francis' diary. I think before reading a 3rd book in the series, I would want to read the first one and this one again, they seem to build on the characters and the town. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.
