How to Solve Your Own Murder (Castle Knoll Files, #1)

by Kristen Perrin

Frances suddenly feels as if they’re all fairy-tale characters. And in fairy tales, when a witch tells you your fate, you listen.

Your future contains dry bones. Your slow demise begins right when you hold the queen in the palm of one hand. Beware the bird, for it will betray you. And from that, there’s no coming back. But daughters are the key to justice, find the right one and keep her close. All signs point toward your murder.

I feel my face crack into a smile. I like that there’s a secret nerd lurking behind his attractive facade.

“No,” I said. “I don’t like riddles. Outside of myth, they’re just an excuse for people to broadcast false cleverness.”

“My favorite chess saying is very simple: You can play without a plan, but you’ll probably lose.”

With her blond hair cutting through the dark, he watched her as if she were a falling star, a streak in the night sky you only see a few times in a lifetime.

First I examine the bookshelves, to get a sense of who Frances was when she died. People’s shelves can be like a window into their minds.

And that’s the thing with lies: They’re much easier to believe when it’s an idea you like.