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Castle Knoll Files #3
How to Cheat Your Own Death
Not yet published
Expected 28 Apr 26From the gritty streets of 1960s Soho to the lofty galleries of present-day West London, two interlocking mysteries decades apart unfold in this latest instalment in the award-winning, New York Times bestselling Castle Knoll Murder Mystery series
Some secrets are deadlier than others
1968: Frances Adams is loving her new London life, and she’s stepped into a world of glamour thanks to her new friend, Vera Huntington–a magnetic socialite as mysterious as she is provocative. Vera dances around London like she owns it, taking Frances with her.
Present day: When Annie Adams heads to London to visit her famous artist mother, Laura, the last thing she expects to find is a dead body. Least of all for it to be Laura’s new protégée, left in an alley with her heart surgically removed from her chest.
Annie is no stranger to murder–after all, she’s solved a few already. And something about this case feels familiar. She’s read about one just like it in the journals of her late great aunt Frances, whose friend Vera was killed in the 1960s in the exact same way.
As Annie investigates, threats pile up on Laura’s doorstep, and it soon becomes clear that she’s next. With her mother’s life on the line, can Annie find the killer before it’s too late?
Some secrets are deadlier than others
1968: Frances Adams is loving her new London life, and she’s stepped into a world of glamour thanks to her new friend, Vera Huntington–a magnetic socialite as mysterious as she is provocative. Vera dances around London like she owns it, taking Frances with her.
Present day: When Annie Adams heads to London to visit her famous artist mother, Laura, the last thing she expects to find is a dead body. Least of all for it to be Laura’s new protégée, left in an alley with her heart surgically removed from her chest.
Annie is no stranger to murder–after all, she’s solved a few already. And something about this case feels familiar. She’s read about one just like it in the journals of her late great aunt Frances, whose friend Vera was killed in the 1960s in the exact same way.
As Annie investigates, threats pile up on Laura’s doorstep, and it soon becomes clear that she’s next. With her mother’s life on the line, can Annie find the killer before it’s too late?
336 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication April 28, 2026
14784 people want to read
About the author
Kristen Perrin
7 books1,811 followersKristen Perrin is originally from Seattle, Washington, where she spent several years working as a bookseller before immigrating to the UK to do a Masters and PhD. Her debut murder mystery How to Solve Your Own Murder is the first book in the Castle Knoll Files series, and has been translated into more than twenty languages. The book was also a Good Morning America Buzzpick, was featured on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and has been a New York Times, Indiebound, USA Today, and Der Spiegel bestseller. She lives with her family in Surrey, England, where she is hard at work on more books in the series.
Find her on Instagram: @kristenperrinwrites
Find her on Tiktok: @kristen_perrin
Find her on Instagram: @kristenperrinwrites
Find her on Tiktok: @kristen_perrin
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
January 19, 2026
Okay, I need to talk about this series because it has completely taken over my reading life and I'm not even sorry about it.
How to Cheat Your Own Death pulled me in from the first chapter and didn't let go until I'd devoured the whole thing in one sitting. Annie heads to London expecting some quality time with her artist mother Laura. Maybe some gallery hopping, maybe some overpriced wine. Instead she gets a dead body in an alleyway with its heart surgically removed. Classic vacation, really.
But here's where it gets creepy: Annie recognizes this murder. She's read about one exactly like it in her great aunt Frances's journals from the 1960s. Same method. Same surgical precision. Sixty years apart. My skin was crawling.
The dual timeline thing continues to work like absolute magic. Frances in swinging sixties London, swept up in the orbit of Vera Huntington, this impossibly glamorous socialite who dances through Soho like she owns the city, is everything I want from historical fiction. Smoky jazz clubs, dangerous secrets, fashion that makes me wish time travel existed. And then we snap back to present day Annie piecing together how a murder from her family's past is somehow connected to the body cooling in a London alley. The way these storylines weave together genuinely impresses me every single book.
Now let's talk about what I'm REALLY here for: Annie and Detective Crane. Their partnership. Their banter. Their obvious feelings for each other that neither will fully acknowledge. I am rooting for these two disaster humans so hard it's embarrassing. And this book? This book turns up the heat because the murder victim happens to be Crane's ex girlfriend. Who also maybe broke his heart. Who also maybe stole some money. The drama! The tension! The loaded silences! I was eating it up with a spoon.
Peony Lane's prophecy hanging over everything, "without its beating heart, your family will fall one by one," had me genuinely stressed. And when Laura calls Annie to say someone left an actual heart on her doorstep? I gasped out loud. On public transit. No shame.
The mystery kept me guessing way longer than I expected. I figured out the "who" before the "why," but the twists still landed and there were a few moments where I had to put the book down just to process. Ella Perrin knows exactly how to plant clues without making you feel stupid for missing them, which is harder than it looks.
What I love most about this series is that it never feels like it's running out of steam. Three books in and the stakes keep climbing, the relationships keep deepening, and Frances's journals keep revealing secrets that somehow stay relevant decades later. The London setting added this sharp, glamorous edge that felt different from Castle Knoll without losing the cozy murder mystery vibe I fell in love with.
And that ending? I won't spoil it but the cliffhanger left me staring at my ceiling at 2am trying to figure out where Ella Perrin is taking us next. The kind of ending that makes you want to shake the author gently and ask when book four is coming because the wait is going to be painful.
Huge, massive, cannot overstate it thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for sharing this historical mystery that just keeps getting better with every installment. I'm so grateful for the early copy in exchange for my honest review, and honestly, they couldn't stop me from shouting about this series if they tried.
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How to Cheat Your Own Death pulled me in from the first chapter and didn't let go until I'd devoured the whole thing in one sitting. Annie heads to London expecting some quality time with her artist mother Laura. Maybe some gallery hopping, maybe some overpriced wine. Instead she gets a dead body in an alleyway with its heart surgically removed. Classic vacation, really.
But here's where it gets creepy: Annie recognizes this murder. She's read about one exactly like it in her great aunt Frances's journals from the 1960s. Same method. Same surgical precision. Sixty years apart. My skin was crawling.
The dual timeline thing continues to work like absolute magic. Frances in swinging sixties London, swept up in the orbit of Vera Huntington, this impossibly glamorous socialite who dances through Soho like she owns the city, is everything I want from historical fiction. Smoky jazz clubs, dangerous secrets, fashion that makes me wish time travel existed. And then we snap back to present day Annie piecing together how a murder from her family's past is somehow connected to the body cooling in a London alley. The way these storylines weave together genuinely impresses me every single book.
Now let's talk about what I'm REALLY here for: Annie and Detective Crane. Their partnership. Their banter. Their obvious feelings for each other that neither will fully acknowledge. I am rooting for these two disaster humans so hard it's embarrassing. And this book? This book turns up the heat because the murder victim happens to be Crane's ex girlfriend. Who also maybe broke his heart. Who also maybe stole some money. The drama! The tension! The loaded silences! I was eating it up with a spoon.
Peony Lane's prophecy hanging over everything, "without its beating heart, your family will fall one by one," had me genuinely stressed. And when Laura calls Annie to say someone left an actual heart on her doorstep? I gasped out loud. On public transit. No shame.
The mystery kept me guessing way longer than I expected. I figured out the "who" before the "why," but the twists still landed and there were a few moments where I had to put the book down just to process. Ella Perrin knows exactly how to plant clues without making you feel stupid for missing them, which is harder than it looks.
What I love most about this series is that it never feels like it's running out of steam. Three books in and the stakes keep climbing, the relationships keep deepening, and Frances's journals keep revealing secrets that somehow stay relevant decades later. The London setting added this sharp, glamorous edge that felt different from Castle Knoll without losing the cozy murder mystery vibe I fell in love with.
And that ending? I won't spoil it but the cliffhanger left me staring at my ceiling at 2am trying to figure out where Ella Perrin is taking us next. The kind of ending that makes you want to shake the author gently and ask when book four is coming because the wait is going to be painful.
Huge, massive, cannot overstate it thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for sharing this historical mystery that just keeps getting better with every installment. I'm so grateful for the early copy in exchange for my honest review, and honestly, they couldn't stop me from shouting about this series if they tried.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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Want to read
January 14, 2026I love this series!! AND THE COVER REVEAL TODAY! GORGEOUS!
I can't wait to read this!!
* ARC Rec'd! Thank you!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
I can't wait to read this!!
* ARC Rec'd! Thank you!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
January 19, 2026
Forget what I said about
How to Solve Your Own Murder
and
How to Seal Your Own Fate
; KP is back with the latest Castle Knoll novel, and she’s stepped up in her game.
No, but really.
Idk if she's read the feedback or if she just decided to go in a different direction, but my (and many others people) biggest problems with her narration are gone, and just like that this cozy mystery delivers what promised: a compelling investigation with a dual timeline, more pieces of Aunt Frances’s life, a will-they-won’t-they romance, and a purpose to our FMC.
For every little detail I could point out as “feeble”, there's the remainder that, in Annie’s world, it has been only like six months since it all began, but I had to wait three years to see her finally doing something with her life other than talk.
And that made her less annoying in my eyes, like a reprimand that the author knows what she's doing.
Also, this is the first time one of these novels ends with a hint at the future, and it's also the first time I'm actually excited about it.
↠ 3.5 stars
Thanks to Dutton and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
No, but really.
Idk if she's read the feedback or if she just decided to go in a different direction, but my (and many others people) biggest problems with her narration are gone, and just like that this cozy mystery delivers what promised: a compelling investigation with a dual timeline, more pieces of Aunt Frances’s life, a will-they-won’t-they romance, and a purpose to our FMC.
For every little detail I could point out as “feeble”, there's the remainder that, in Annie’s world, it has been only like six months since it all began, but I had to wait three years to see her finally doing something with her life other than talk.
And that made her less annoying in my eyes, like a reprimand that the author knows what she's doing.
Also, this is the first time one of these novels ends with a hint at the future, and it's also the first time I'm actually excited about it.
↠ 3.5 stars
Thanks to Dutton and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
January 17, 2026
I absolutely LOVED this one. I really enjoyed the first two books in this series but this is my favorite by far! I just could not put it down.
In present day, Annie is visiting her mother in London when she discovers the body of her mother’s new apprentice, Felicity Rowe. In the 1960s, Frances is pursuing a degree in psychology when her world is turned upside down after the murder of one of her friends, socialite Vera Huntington. As Annie begins to investigate, she notices a lot of similarities between these two cases. Could there be a connection between the brutal murders of these women whose lives were separated by decades?
I think the change of setting worked so well in this story. Seeing the characters outside of Castle Knoll allowed for a lot more development and depth. Annie’s chapters give us some insight into her strained relationship with her mother and her friendship with detective Crane. Frances’ chapters give us a greater understanding of how her psychology background influenced her investigative tendencies later in life. I also really enjoyed seeing Frances and Ford’s relationship evolve into the great love we know they shared.
This story felt more fast paced than her previous books and the mystery itself flowed better between the two timelines. I was engaged the entire time and could never predict all the twists and turns. This is just the best addition to the series and I could not recommend it more! The ending is also the perfect set up for a fourth book so fingers crossed that happens!
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
In present day, Annie is visiting her mother in London when she discovers the body of her mother’s new apprentice, Felicity Rowe. In the 1960s, Frances is pursuing a degree in psychology when her world is turned upside down after the murder of one of her friends, socialite Vera Huntington. As Annie begins to investigate, she notices a lot of similarities between these two cases. Could there be a connection between the brutal murders of these women whose lives were separated by decades?
I think the change of setting worked so well in this story. Seeing the characters outside of Castle Knoll allowed for a lot more development and depth. Annie’s chapters give us some insight into her strained relationship with her mother and her friendship with detective Crane. Frances’ chapters give us a greater understanding of how her psychology background influenced her investigative tendencies later in life. I also really enjoyed seeing Frances and Ford’s relationship evolve into the great love we know they shared.
This story felt more fast paced than her previous books and the mystery itself flowed better between the two timelines. I was engaged the entire time and could never predict all the twists and turns. This is just the best addition to the series and I could not recommend it more! The ending is also the perfect set up for a fourth book so fingers crossed that happens!
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 13, 2026
I absolutely love this series and book three is a great addition. This one is set almost entirely in London and it continues the dual storyline between present day Annie and Frances in the 1960s. The plot gets a bit far fetched at times but overall I liked the mystery and it kept me guessing. It ends on a cliffhanger that has me excited for book four.
I received an ARC of this ebook from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
I received an ARC of this ebook from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
January 14, 2026
Twisty story, loved all the 1960’s historical chapters, and how that time influenced the modern day mystery. Think go-go boots, art, murder, and a slooooooow burn romance (we’re in book 3 and the main characters are still being dodgy about their feelings). I shall persist in the series, it’s fun! ARC received-read-reviewed, comes out 4/28!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
*I got this book from NetGalley for an honest review.*
Ahhhh, Castle Knoll Files #3. Do you remember in my review for Everyone in this Bank is a Thief when I said there were two books that I saw were coming out for series I enjoyed and I went hunting for them? (If not, it’s only a few entries back.) Well, this is the other book that I’m excited I was able to get my hands on to review. Funny enough, I think my first review entry for this blog was actually #2 in the series.
So! How to Cheat your Own Death… we’re partially back in Castle Knoll, or at least there are people related to Castle Knoll in this one as most of the story takes place in London. This is book 3 in the series and although this one can be read as a stand alone book, we’re now starting to get backgrounds and watch some relationships evolve from previous books. As a completionist, I’d be bothered by it but not everyone is like me. 🙂
The murder victim is an ex-girlfriend of Det. Crane who was also Annie’s mom’s apprentice. Small world, isn’t it. I won’t give away all the drama that comes with that but she was a twist I was not expecting. Although that twist is only there if you’ve read the other books. If you haven’t, there’s still some drama with it but it won’t hit as intensely. Anyway.
Before I start picking through the small things that floated around in my head while I read this, let me first say that I would totally give this book 4.5 stars. I enjoyed the journey of the who-done-it (and why) and will (do) recommend this series to any one of my friends or family that like reading murder mysteries. It was quick for me to get sucked in and I didn’t want to stop til I finished. The who was easier to figure out than the why and there were certainly twists that while I knew a twist was coming, I wasn’t sure what it was going to be. I also look forward to getting more into Rowan Crane’s mystery in book 4. You can feel free to stop here as what comes below are just my ramblings about overall issues with any murder mystery series but as they relate to this specific book/series.
So, if you’ve kept reading… there are three points that bother me a bit, although they don’t really interfere with the actual story. They made NO difference in how I rated the book. Just things that in real life would certainly play out differently.
The first one is that Det. Crane is out of his jurisdiction, never mind the conflict of interest… and yet here he is helping to solve the case. It’s addressed early in the book that he’s not looking into his ex’s murder but re-looking at the murder of one of Frances’s friends from the 1960s. But of course the cases are related as the victims died in a similar fashion, missing their heart, which means that theres not really a way to separate one investigation from the other. That line is dropped pretty quickly as there’s no mention of the police in London questioning his presence as it is not Castle Knoll or the whole conflict of interest part. That bothers me a bit. Maybe all of that works differently in London, I honestly don’t know. However, here in the states, there would be some fighting and stern warnings there. And possibly an arrest for interference in a case. Why the small town detective thinks he’s inserting himself into a case that happened in the big city is just too big for me to ignore. I’m imagining a Detective from say Poughkeepsie, NY who is going into New York City because he wanted to pull an old file with the very obvious connection with the current murder of someone he knows… and NYPD being ok with that. It’s easier to help the story flow at a quicker pace, but.
The second point isn’t specific to this book. It’s more to murder series in general whether in books or on a TV show. I loved to watch Murder, She Wrote re-runs when I was a kid. After a while though, I really started to question why a (lovable but nosy) writer had so many bodies dropping around her in both her small town and when she traveled. It’s a problem with all amateur sleuth books and shows. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy the stories and can ignore that while engrossed in the current mystery, but it’s the elephant in the room so to speak. Now there are ways one can go around that. If the series follows a detective/police officer, well that’s what they deal with all day every day – people committing crimes – which would include murders. In this case/series, while there is the detective that also flows with each story, he’s not exactly the main person the books are following… that would be Annie (and Frances) and the detective is just there to ‘protect her’ while trying to ignore his feelings for her. It’s something that’s purposely ignored by those of us who like to read and watch these because we can stay with familiar characters while the action relates to a different murder each time. It would never stop me from enjoying the hell out of a series but it does hover in the background.
The third point brings me back to the book series. In book 2, Peony Lane gives Annie a stack of sealed prophecies for different people. Now, in the first book, Frances was rather obsessed with the prophecy Peony gave her in her youth predicting her death… which didn’t happen until she was a lot older in age. Back in book 3, Annie is trying to decipher her own prophecy, which happens to come true after she reads the prophecy but not years later. The prophecy could have happened before she read it. It could have happened 30 years from when she read it. Throw in that she hasn’t read anyone else’s or even handed them out to the people they are for. The odds of Annie opening the one prophecy that is about to happen are, well, not great. It’s just convenient to get to the point without muddying up getting to the plot. (We all know life is much messier.) Annie doesn’t open her prophecy and then they have to solve someone else’s. And book 3 sets up for us to explore Rowan Crane’s prophecy in book 4. Don’t know what that is yet but the opening and reading of it will likely ignite it to start coming true right away. The odds of that happening multiple times in a row depending on how long the series goes on kind of brings this around as being similar to point 2 above. It works to keep different stories going but life is messy and none of these prophecies would be opened JUST in time to coincide with the next murder they come across. Although also like point 2, it won’t stop me from enjoying the series, it’s just another thing that hovers in the back of my mind.
Sorry, I’m being nit-picky about things that have been floating around murder mysteries for basically as long as they have been created. They really don’t interfere with me enjoying the books. I will be enjoying murder mysteries for as long as I’m able to read or watch TV. I’m looking forward to book 4 of this series, and will once again hunt for a copy of it before its release, just because I love them. So yeah, I give this one 4.5 stars and recommend the whole series to anyone who loves cozy murder mysteries like I do.
Ahhhh, Castle Knoll Files #3. Do you remember in my review for Everyone in this Bank is a Thief when I said there were two books that I saw were coming out for series I enjoyed and I went hunting for them? (If not, it’s only a few entries back.) Well, this is the other book that I’m excited I was able to get my hands on to review. Funny enough, I think my first review entry for this blog was actually #2 in the series.
So! How to Cheat your Own Death… we’re partially back in Castle Knoll, or at least there are people related to Castle Knoll in this one as most of the story takes place in London. This is book 3 in the series and although this one can be read as a stand alone book, we’re now starting to get backgrounds and watch some relationships evolve from previous books. As a completionist, I’d be bothered by it but not everyone is like me. 🙂
The murder victim is an ex-girlfriend of Det. Crane who was also Annie’s mom’s apprentice. Small world, isn’t it. I won’t give away all the drama that comes with that but she was a twist I was not expecting. Although that twist is only there if you’ve read the other books. If you haven’t, there’s still some drama with it but it won’t hit as intensely. Anyway.
Before I start picking through the small things that floated around in my head while I read this, let me first say that I would totally give this book 4.5 stars. I enjoyed the journey of the who-done-it (and why) and will (do) recommend this series to any one of my friends or family that like reading murder mysteries. It was quick for me to get sucked in and I didn’t want to stop til I finished. The who was easier to figure out than the why and there were certainly twists that while I knew a twist was coming, I wasn’t sure what it was going to be. I also look forward to getting more into Rowan Crane’s mystery in book 4. You can feel free to stop here as what comes below are just my ramblings about overall issues with any murder mystery series but as they relate to this specific book/series.
So, if you’ve kept reading… there are three points that bother me a bit, although they don’t really interfere with the actual story. They made NO difference in how I rated the book. Just things that in real life would certainly play out differently.
The first one is that Det. Crane is out of his jurisdiction, never mind the conflict of interest… and yet here he is helping to solve the case. It’s addressed early in the book that he’s not looking into his ex’s murder but re-looking at the murder of one of Frances’s friends from the 1960s. But of course the cases are related as the victims died in a similar fashion, missing their heart, which means that theres not really a way to separate one investigation from the other. That line is dropped pretty quickly as there’s no mention of the police in London questioning his presence as it is not Castle Knoll or the whole conflict of interest part. That bothers me a bit. Maybe all of that works differently in London, I honestly don’t know. However, here in the states, there would be some fighting and stern warnings there. And possibly an arrest for interference in a case. Why the small town detective thinks he’s inserting himself into a case that happened in the big city is just too big for me to ignore. I’m imagining a Detective from say Poughkeepsie, NY who is going into New York City because he wanted to pull an old file with the very obvious connection with the current murder of someone he knows… and NYPD being ok with that. It’s easier to help the story flow at a quicker pace, but.
The second point isn’t specific to this book. It’s more to murder series in general whether in books or on a TV show. I loved to watch Murder, She Wrote re-runs when I was a kid. After a while though, I really started to question why a (lovable but nosy) writer had so many bodies dropping around her in both her small town and when she traveled. It’s a problem with all amateur sleuth books and shows. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy the stories and can ignore that while engrossed in the current mystery, but it’s the elephant in the room so to speak. Now there are ways one can go around that. If the series follows a detective/police officer, well that’s what they deal with all day every day – people committing crimes – which would include murders. In this case/series, while there is the detective that also flows with each story, he’s not exactly the main person the books are following… that would be Annie (and Frances) and the detective is just there to ‘protect her’ while trying to ignore his feelings for her. It’s something that’s purposely ignored by those of us who like to read and watch these because we can stay with familiar characters while the action relates to a different murder each time. It would never stop me from enjoying the hell out of a series but it does hover in the background.
The third point brings me back to the book series. In book 2, Peony Lane gives Annie a stack of sealed prophecies for different people. Now, in the first book, Frances was rather obsessed with the prophecy Peony gave her in her youth predicting her death… which didn’t happen until she was a lot older in age. Back in book 3, Annie is trying to decipher her own prophecy, which happens to come true after she reads the prophecy but not years later. The prophecy could have happened before she read it. It could have happened 30 years from when she read it. Throw in that she hasn’t read anyone else’s or even handed them out to the people they are for. The odds of Annie opening the one prophecy that is about to happen are, well, not great. It’s just convenient to get to the point without muddying up getting to the plot. (We all know life is much messier.) Annie doesn’t open her prophecy and then they have to solve someone else’s. And book 3 sets up for us to explore Rowan Crane’s prophecy in book 4. Don’t know what that is yet but the opening and reading of it will likely ignite it to start coming true right away. The odds of that happening multiple times in a row depending on how long the series goes on kind of brings this around as being similar to point 2 above. It works to keep different stories going but life is messy and none of these prophecies would be opened JUST in time to coincide with the next murder they come across. Although also like point 2, it won’t stop me from enjoying the series, it’s just another thing that hovers in the back of my mind.
Sorry, I’m being nit-picky about things that have been floating around murder mysteries for basically as long as they have been created. They really don’t interfere with me enjoying the books. I will be enjoying murder mysteries for as long as I’m able to read or watch TV. I’m looking forward to book 4 of this series, and will once again hunt for a copy of it before its release, just because I love them. So yeah, I give this one 4.5 stars and recommend the whole series to anyone who loves cozy murder mysteries like I do.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Wow. What a book.
This was phenomenal from start to finish- we get to see Frances and Annie develop as detectives and strong women, and I loved the setting change. Don’t get me wrong- the small town vibe of Castle Knoll is intriguing, but the knife sharp opulence and glamour of London high society really contributed to the better (in my opinion) plot of this new addition.
With a third book you run the risk of becoming repetitive, but this thriller was the complete opposite of boring- the stakes are higher, the suspects more dangerous, and Frances studying psychology, giving her a greater understanding of crime, was such a good narrative choice (as a psychology major myself lol)
I also have to spare a moment for the romance. The first two books place Ford as a somewhat condescending character but we get to see his relationship with Frances gain greater emotional depth and equal standing- he just gets her.
he saw the side that pushed ideas further than most people… he accepted all these things as strengths, as part of me, and not just eccentricities😭😭😭
Similarly, Annie and Detective Crane share a budding intimate connection, and their parallels with Frances and Ford were cute - I love my obsessive murder solving duos and cannot wait to see the latter relationship develop in future books 🥹🥹
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Dutton for this arc in exchange for an honest review!🫶🫶
This was phenomenal from start to finish- we get to see Frances and Annie develop as detectives and strong women, and I loved the setting change. Don’t get me wrong- the small town vibe of Castle Knoll is intriguing, but the knife sharp opulence and glamour of London high society really contributed to the better (in my opinion) plot of this new addition.
With a third book you run the risk of becoming repetitive, but this thriller was the complete opposite of boring- the stakes are higher, the suspects more dangerous, and Frances studying psychology, giving her a greater understanding of crime, was such a good narrative choice (as a psychology major myself lol)
I also have to spare a moment for the romance. The first two books place Ford as a somewhat condescending character but we get to see his relationship with Frances gain greater emotional depth and equal standing- he just gets her.
he saw the side that pushed ideas further than most people… he accepted all these things as strengths, as part of me, and not just eccentricities😭😭😭
Similarly, Annie and Detective Crane share a budding intimate connection, and their parallels with Frances and Ford were cute - I love my obsessive murder solving duos and cannot wait to see the latter relationship develop in future books 🥹🥹
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Dutton for this arc in exchange for an honest review!🫶🫶
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I enjoyed the world of Castle Knoll from book one, but admittedly wasn’t sure if the back and forth between past and present would hold up as the story went on. So far, I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how well they still blend.
This book focuses more on Annie and Frances’ lives outside of Castle Knoll. I appreciated that we began delving into some of the modern-day main characters' pasts more with this story. As much as I enjoyed the first two books, it makes sense that you’d need to start learning more about those closest to Annie.
I felt that the main plot of the book was well done; however, I do wish Perrin had leaned into some of the darker themes a bit more, just because the premise itself would have allowed for that easily. As usual for me, I enjoyed Frances’ individual chapters more in the moment, but Annie’s story and how everything comes together stand out more in the end.
I am excited for some of the new plots that were alluded to toward the end of the book - It’ll be interesting to see if this is where the story starts to depart from Frances’ past or if she’s still involved in some way.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book focuses more on Annie and Frances’ lives outside of Castle Knoll. I appreciated that we began delving into some of the modern-day main characters' pasts more with this story. As much as I enjoyed the first two books, it makes sense that you’d need to start learning more about those closest to Annie.
I felt that the main plot of the book was well done; however, I do wish Perrin had leaned into some of the darker themes a bit more, just because the premise itself would have allowed for that easily. As usual for me, I enjoyed Frances’ individual chapters more in the moment, but Annie’s story and how everything comes together stand out more in the end.
I am excited for some of the new plots that were alluded to toward the end of the book - It’ll be interesting to see if this is where the story starts to depart from Frances’ past or if she’s still involved in some way.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I have loved the castle knoll series and this latest book was no exception. I enjoyed this third book more than the second.
This book had a darker and more dangerous mystery to it and was a bit scarier than the first two books, with the target being Annie’s mother, Laura and then Annie. Going back in time and seeing through Frances what had happened to the first victim really made you connect to the current danger that Annie was going through. The change of location with the setting being outside of Castle Knoll and centered in London, both in the past and present, also worked really well.
I enjoyed seeing Annie and Detective Crane spend more time together to develop their relationship, as well as Frances and Ford. The twists in the book were very entertaining and not where I thought it was going, especially the final reveal.
I highly recommend this book and all of the Castle Knoll books. This can also be read as a standalone book though you have more insight into the characters if they are read in order. I can’t wait for the next book to find out more about the little cliffhanger that was mentioned.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the eARC.
This book had a darker and more dangerous mystery to it and was a bit scarier than the first two books, with the target being Annie’s mother, Laura and then Annie. Going back in time and seeing through Frances what had happened to the first victim really made you connect to the current danger that Annie was going through. The change of location with the setting being outside of Castle Knoll and centered in London, both in the past and present, also worked really well.
I enjoyed seeing Annie and Detective Crane spend more time together to develop their relationship, as well as Frances and Ford. The twists in the book were very entertaining and not where I thought it was going, especially the final reveal.
I highly recommend this book and all of the Castle Knoll books. This can also be read as a standalone book though you have more insight into the characters if they are read in order. I can’t wait for the next book to find out more about the little cliffhanger that was mentioned.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the eARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This time, Annie and Detective Crane are solving a crime that is very near to them both. Crane's ex-girlfriend, who has recently been mentored by Annie's mother, is at the center of a twisty-turny plot that will thrill readers of this series. What this book does so well is weave the present and past together in a seamless way that makes it difficult to decide which story line I like better, and when the two come together it's magic. I absolutely love Annie and her no-nonsense approach to herself and to life. She likes solving murders and knowing how and why people do the things they do, and she makes no excuses for not being more touchy-feely. I appreciate this honesty in a character and the challenges that it brings. In this particular installment, we trade the comfort and small town feel of the Castle Knolls setting and all the quirky characters we love from there for a closer look at Annie's family and all the goings on in their past which just might impact her future. It's a great read for fans of the series, and for anyone who hasn't picked these books up yet, what are you waiting for?
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
How to Cheat Your Own Death is the third book in the Castle Knoll Files mystery series. I love this series and this book did not disappoint at all. It was such a great read that I stayed up way too late to finish it. I just couldn’t put it down! The story again switches between Annie in the present and Frances in the past. The way the mysteries work together in the past and present is very clever and hard to figure out. It took me almost as long as the characters to figure out what was going on. I found the character development to be really interesting too, especially between Annie and her parents. It was also fun to see how well Annie and Rowan can work together as a team. The way that Ms. Perrin connects mysteries from the past into situations going on right now is really great and just shows how decisions can have repercussions for years to come. I loved the cliffhanger too and I am eagerly looking forward to the next book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was invited by the publisher to review this book. In 1968 London, Frances is drawn into a glamorous, yet dangerous world through her friend Vera, who is then murdered. Decades later, Annie Adams discovers a similar killing when visiting her mother, Laura. Her mother's protégé is found dead, and Annie realizes the crime mirrors the one described in Frances’s old journals. Annie, of course, must investigate this newest murder, but then Laura becomes the next target, and Annie suddenly has limited time to find the killer before their next murder happens.
I was so excited to return to the Castle Knoll series, as I do love the world and characters this author created. In this book, the setting shifts some as a lot is set in London. I enjoyed getting to know the backstories of characters a bit more. The mystery kept me guessing, though, and the ending cliffhanger makes me can't believe I have to wait for the next installment already!
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was so excited to return to the Castle Knoll series, as I do love the world and characters this author created. In this book, the setting shifts some as a lot is set in London. I enjoyed getting to know the backstories of characters a bit more. The mystery kept me guessing, though, and the ending cliffhanger makes me can't believe I have to wait for the next installment already!
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Our Castle Knoll characters are back although not necessarily at Castle Knoll. This was definitely my favorite of the series. I love Kristen Perrin’s writing style of how she lays out a mystery so that you have a chance to figure things out but still feel suspense and surprise. The love story will-they-won’t-they is heating up and I think will continue.
Annie is reconnecting with her mother when there is a murder, her mother Laura’s mentee is found murdered with her heart removed. This reminds Annie of a murder in the 1960’s from her great aunt Laura’s journal about her socialite friend. Two identical murders 60 years apart!
The following narrative is dual timeline- I thought the swinging 60’s chapters were really well done and I liked the setting. Detective Crane is investigating the old murder and Annie the new. I found the ending to be really satisfying!
3.5/5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for the arc. Book to be published April 28, 2026.
Annie is reconnecting with her mother when there is a murder, her mother Laura’s mentee is found murdered with her heart removed. This reminds Annie of a murder in the 1960’s from her great aunt Laura’s journal about her socialite friend. Two identical murders 60 years apart!
The following narrative is dual timeline- I thought the swinging 60’s chapters were really well done and I liked the setting. Detective Crane is investigating the old murder and Annie the new. I found the ending to be really satisfying!
3.5/5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for the arc. Book to be published April 28, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
"How to Cheat Your Own Death" may be the third book in the series, but it is by the far the best one yet! I love the dual story lines in the series with past Frances and present day Annie. It is amazing to watch the threads from the different times come together a merge! We really got to see some relationship developments (and not just romantic!) that I hope to see continue in the series! There was also a perfect balance of suspense, intrigue and plot twists that made it impossible to put the book down! Don't start reading this book if you have anywhere you need to be! The book ends on a fantastic cliffhanger at the end that made me cry a little knowing it is going to be a while until the next installment!
Highly recommend this book and series!!!
Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for the eARC!
Highly recommend this book and series!!!
Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for the eARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Annie finds herself back in London after her mum reports some disturbing incidents. As soon as she arrives she finds her mum's first and only apprentice dead, and the death looks a lot like one in Francis's diaries. Oh, and the apprentice just so happens to be Detective Rowan Crane's childhood sweetheart.
As with the first two in the series, I really enjoyed this installment. Kristin Perrin is simply a master at generating tension through the dual timeline mechanic. This installment moved things forward in both Annie and Francis's lives in a satisfactory way while also nicely setting up the next installment of the series, and the characters showed realistic growth. The mystery itself was well written, providing compelling clues without giving away the twist.
5/5 stars, I can't wait for the next! Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
As with the first two in the series, I really enjoyed this installment. Kristin Perrin is simply a master at generating tension through the dual timeline mechanic. This installment moved things forward in both Annie and Francis's lives in a satisfactory way while also nicely setting up the next installment of the series, and the characters showed realistic growth. The mystery itself was well written, providing compelling clues without giving away the twist.
5/5 stars, I can't wait for the next! Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is book 3 in the Castle Knoll murder mysteries. In this story, Annie travels back to London after her mother receives an ominous threat. While throwing out the trash, Annie stumbles across a dead body with eerie similarities to a murder that took place around 60 years ago. Once again, Aunt Frances’s diary holds important clues to help solve the case. Detective Crane and Annie have to put all the puzzle pieces together before Peony Lane’s fortune for Annie comes true.
I loved this addition to the series, especially the peek into Aunt Frances and Ford’s budding romance through the diary entries. I also enjoyed seeing Annie’s character gain some emotional depth throughout this installment. I highly recommend this book and this entire series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I loved this addition to the series, especially the peek into Aunt Frances and Ford’s budding romance through the diary entries. I also enjoyed seeing Annie’s character gain some emotional depth throughout this installment. I highly recommend this book and this entire series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
January 15, 2026
How to Cheat Your Own Death cements Castle Knoll as one of those rare mystery series that truly improves with every installment. From the start, it has captured the cozy, nostalgic charm of Clue, Nancy Drew, and classic Agatha Christie mysteries without ever feeling dated or derivative.
I mentioned this in my review of the previous book, but it bears repeating here. One of my biggest reader pet peeves is overly descriptive writing or unnecessary fluff. Perrin avoids that trap entirely. Every sentence feels intentional, every detail purposeful. There is nothing to skim and nothing wasted, which is no small feat in a mystery. That kind of writing deserves extra kudos.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I mentioned this in my review of the previous book, but it bears repeating here. One of my biggest reader pet peeves is overly descriptive writing or unnecessary fluff. Perrin avoids that trap entirely. Every sentence feels intentional, every detail purposeful. There is nothing to skim and nothing wasted, which is no small feat in a mystery. That kind of writing deserves extra kudos.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was such a fun read! It’s part of a series called Castle Knoll Files, but this is the first book I’ve read by this author. I enjoyed it and don’t think my reading experience was diminished by not reading the other books first. I’m sure I missed a few easter eggs, but that’s all. The story held up on its own. The characters were well developed and I enjoyed them a lot. There was a past and present timeline between Annie and her aunt Frances’ diary. The mystery was solid and was mostly unpredictable. I will probably go back and read the previous books at some point. I highly recommend this book if you’re looking for an intriguing mystery.
Thank you, NetGalley and Dutton for allowing me to read this early. The opinion in this review is my own.
Thank you, NetGalley and Dutton for allowing me to read this early. The opinion in this review is my own.
January 15, 2026
4.5 stars
I absolutely adore this series and this was another great installment. I really love the characters especially Frances and Ford in this series. Watching their relationship grow was even more satisfying than Annie and Rowan.
Perrin does really great job creating two stories in one book that is interesting and captivating, This book wasn't quite as great as the first two but it still was really well done. I didn't find the mystery quite as interesting and Annie was a little grating to me at times.
I recommend this series to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries. This one does it well and I really love the romance subplots in this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for this advanced Vader copy my review is voluntarily my own.
I absolutely adore this series and this was another great installment. I really love the characters especially Frances and Ford in this series. Watching their relationship grow was even more satisfying than Annie and Rowan.
Perrin does really great job creating two stories in one book that is interesting and captivating, This book wasn't quite as great as the first two but it still was really well done. I didn't find the mystery quite as interesting and Annie was a little grating to me at times.
I recommend this series to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries. This one does it well and I really love the romance subplots in this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for this advanced Vader copy my review is voluntarily my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for the eARC.
Annie returns to London after her mother finds a bloody heart on her doorstep, tells her that she's hired an apprentice and that her father has returned.
When the apprentice is killed in the exact manner of a character in her Aunt Francis' diaries, she's shocked to find the victim is the past girlfriend of Detective Crane.
The shifting between her Aunt's 1960's timeline and Annie's today is very effective, it works very well.
Annie's and France's attraction is palpable, I hope that the next in the series will expand on that!
I really enjoyed the story, but think I would have benefited from having read the previous 2 in the series.
Annie returns to London after her mother finds a bloody heart on her doorstep, tells her that she's hired an apprentice and that her father has returned.
When the apprentice is killed in the exact manner of a character in her Aunt Francis' diaries, she's shocked to find the victim is the past girlfriend of Detective Crane.
The shifting between her Aunt's 1960's timeline and Annie's today is very effective, it works very well.
Annie's and France's attraction is palpable, I hope that the next in the series will expand on that!
I really enjoyed the story, but think I would have benefited from having read the previous 2 in the series.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
How to Cheat Your Own Death by Kristen Perrin, published by Dutton is book 3 in the Castle Knoll Files.
The books are interconnected and best read in order.
This is the highly anticipated thrid book and I couldn't wait to get my hands on the book.
Annie inherited her aunt Frances' estate and fortune and is living in Castle Knoll. Her newest case leads her to her mother Laura. Laura is an artist with a colorful past. A past that is about to show up again.
Intriguing, a slow burn with twists and turns, highly entertaining. 5 stars.
The books are interconnected and best read in order.
This is the highly anticipated thrid book and I couldn't wait to get my hands on the book.
Annie inherited her aunt Frances' estate and fortune and is living in Castle Knoll. Her newest case leads her to her mother Laura. Laura is an artist with a colorful past. A past that is about to show up again.
Intriguing, a slow burn with twists and turns, highly entertaining. 5 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.
I love a good mystery. I also hate when reviews spoil! No spoiler here.
The FMC was likable and I enjoyed the twists throughout the story. The pacing felt rushed in some places and slow in others. I enjoy it best when I can't put down a mystery. This was easy to put down and walk away from, and I don't mean that in a bad way. The author makes you comfortable with her world building and the characters feel almost like friends. I personally would like to read this series from the beginning.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is Perrin’s best yet in a series I already adore. This book has so many fun twists and turns. You’ll find yourself suspecting everyone at some point. I loved the journey into the London in the 60s, and the budding romance for Annie. This was a witty, lavish. glamorous delight. It’s hard to discuss without giving spoilers, but this book introduces a few fantastic characters that I am hoping to see more of in the future!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I will wait to give a detailed review until closer to the published date. This book was an absolute masterpiece, I read this book as quickly as I could, the twists and turns had me guessing and reading to find out. If you haven't read this book run to get a copy and clear your day or night because once you start, you won't be able to stop reading it!! I have read all 3 books in the Castle Knoll series and will be reading the next one after this.
January 9, 2026
I got this book early thanks to NetGalley , these books were the first I have read of this author .
It’s a smart, engaging mystery that’s easy to sink into. The story jumps between past and present as Annie Adams investigates a murder that echoes a decades-old crime, and the dual timelines add just the right amount of tension and intrigue. The setting is atmospheric, the clues are well placed, and Annie continues to be a likable, determined lead. Highly recommend!
It’s a smart, engaging mystery that’s easy to sink into. The story jumps between past and present as Annie Adams investigates a murder that echoes a decades-old crime, and the dual timelines add just the right amount of tension and intrigue. The setting is atmospheric, the clues are well placed, and Annie continues to be a likable, determined lead. Highly recommend!
December 26, 2025
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. I had read the first books in the series and I really liked them so I was excited to read this book. It did not disappoint. I really love all the twists and turns and going from you know one point of view to another point of view different timelines it’s just a really enjoyable book. I will continue to read this author. She’s great.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I really enjoyed this book! Mystery with a wee bit of romance. Going back and forth between times and the buildup. It kept me guessing the whole time and I think I guessed just about everyone but the actual suspect. A page turner for sure. I couldn't wait to get a chance to read it when I could. Thank you Goodreads for the advance copy!
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December 31, 2025This mystery is even better than the first two! I loved how Annie gets involved in this new murder, and the sloooooooow burn between her and Crane is starting to pay off. Great story, great characters!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I continue to really enjoy this series and while the main mystery of this book is solved by the end of the book....but Detective Crane just dropped a bomb on Annie that has me eager for the next book...and this one isn't even out yet!!
Note: I read this as a free eARC from Netgalley
Note: I read this as a free eARC from Netgalley
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