I seem to have a bit of a thing for cozy mysteries lately – the kind of thing that loans itself to reading in stormy weather with a cup of tea, a blanket and a candle. Nothing gruesome in sight -just small town mysteries being solved by quirky characters.
How To Solve Your Own Murder is a perfect example of this – and was a sweet read although I felt the characters lacked a certain amount of depth and dimension.
The chapters alternate between past and present with our main character Annie in the present investigating the murder of her Great Aunt Francis, a woman paralysed by fear since a psychic told her as a teenager she was destined to be murdered. The alternating chapters are diary entries from young Francis, particularly concerning the disappearance of her friend Emily – a mystery that was never solved. There presence here shows the reader the answer to the current crime lies in the past.
For additional challenge, Francis has told her heirs the entire estate will go to the person who solves her murder – and in the face of it all being sold off to awful developers, the stakes are high. Annie must combat the other investigators as well as the murderer if she is to solve the case.
Light and reasonably well constructed, I wasn’t disappointed with this one.
Welloflostplots 