Published By: Quercus
Pages: 384
Released On: 26/03/2024
In 1965, seventeen-year-old Frances Adams was told by a fortune teller that one day she’d be murdered. Frances spent the next sixty years trying to prevent the crime that would be her eventual demise. Of course, no one took her seriously – until she was dead.
For Frances, being the village busybody was a form of insurance. She’d spent a lifetime compiling dirt on every person she met, just in case they might turn out to be her killer. In the heart of her sprawling country estate lies an eccentric library of detective work, where the right person could step in and use her findings to solve her murder.
When her great-niece Annie arrives from London and discovers that Frances’ worst fear has come true, Annie is thrust into her great-aunt’s last act of revenge against her sceptical friends and family. Frances’ will stipulates that the person who solves her murder will inherit her millions.
*****
Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
We follow two timelines in this book, one set in the 1960s and one set in the present time. In the 60’s, we get to meet Francis, who has her fortune told, only to be consumed by its threats for the rest of her life. We also meet her friends Emily and Rose. Francis is also in the present timeline, told as a crazy old lady who lives isolated in a big house. She’s very elusive and obsessed, and has quite a tragic life story.
In the present timeline, we get to meet Annabelle, who is Francis’ Great Niece, as well as Annabelle’s mother Laura. I felt a kinship with Annabelle, this dream of writing a novel, always having books and notebooks with her, this creative soul who is just falling short of her dreams. I really liked her, she was a great main character. We don’t get to know her mum that much, only that she is a struggling artist hopeful that a new exhibition might bring her back some of her success.
There are a lot of other characters, both in the 60s and in the present. These include Annabelle’s friend Jenny, who is really lovely and caring; Detective Crane, a curious fellow who I thought might be hiding something; Oliver, the charismatic mysterious Solicitor’s son; Saxon, a big brutish man who is definitely hiding something; and Elva, a rude, high-maintenance lady who felt she was above everyone else and I really disliked her. And then we also have Joe, Magda, Dr Owusu, Walt, John, Beth, and Archie. Some of these characters straddle the two timelines, and some are only in the present.
I felt the characterisation was brilliant. As stated above, there are quite a lot of people in this book, and they’re mostly female, and so it can be so easy to make everyone exactly the same, but you can see the differences in each character that work brilliantly against the others. They’re women we know and work with and hang out with and love and are related to and identify with.
It’s set in Castle Knoll, which after some Googling, I believe is not a real place, but it sounds absolutely delightful (murder aside) and full of Dorset charm.
I had started an online diploma in novel writing when I started reading this, and one of the first things the course said was to make your first chapter an introduction, introduce main players and themes and really hook your reader in, which is exactly what Kristen has done here. The first chapter is set in the past, and the next in the present, so I almost consider it to have two opening chapters to introduce us to all the goings-on, and it really works.
If I’m being completely honest, it took me a while to get to grips with the to-ing and fro-ing between the past and the present, and to remember who was whom and how they all related. It wasn’t enough to hinder the story at all, it was still very enjoyable, but for me, I did have to get really into it, but once I did, I could seamlessly go back and forth and instantly be right into the heart of the scene.
There is definitely something Agatha Christie about it. It can be difficult to write a murder mystery without it being linked to Christie, because she perfected so many familiar aspects of the genre. And in doing so, modern novels can feel a bit like a substandard copycat. But I think Kristen has found the perfect balance between honouring a legend of the craft, and making her own mark.
There are almost two mysteries going on here. The main present-time mystery, and one from Francis’ Past (which I won’t spoil). They interlink marvellously, but I wasn’t expecting it. I was expecting a straightforward linear whodunnit, but it isn’t, and that can always be a bit complicated, but she’s managed the balance of the two mysteries well.
My general rule is that I don’t read my Kindle in bed, and I only read happy things in bed. I broke both rules with this book, as I just had to keep going with it as it was so addictive.
Like any good whodunnit, it is full of red herrings, twists, turns, and suspects, and whilst I had my suspicions, I still wasn’t confident in my guess. The reveal – which I obviously won’t reveal – caused an actual audible gasp.
It is wrapped up nicely, but there is room for more, and I do hope this might be the first in a whodunnit series. But whatever line Kristen intends to take with her writing, I am eager to read it.
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