How to Seal Your Own Fate

• Read: 15 Apr 2026 - 25 Apr 2026.

• Author: Kristen Perrin

• Year: 2025

• Pages: 333

• Remarks: Castle Knoll Files Series Book 2

• Synopsis:

  • After inheriting Gravesdown Hall, Annie Adams met mysterious fortune-teller Peony Lane, who urged her to investigate a fatal historic car crash. When Lane was subsequently murdered in Annie's own home, Annie quickly became the prime suspect. To clear her name, she delved into her late great-aunt's diaries and unravelled a dark web of long-buried secrets and feuds that plagued the village of Castle Knoll.

[25 Apr 2026] ‘How to Seal Your Own Fate’ (2025), by Kristen Perrin.

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Reading Background:

• Took a break from the Harry Potter Series after finishing its first 3 books, and resumed reading the Castle Knoll Files Series introduced to me by Isa and Ange! I actually read about 25% of this book after purchasing it in Jul 2025 (immediately after finishing 'How to Solve Your Own Murder' the first time), but wasn't motivated enough to finish it. Happy that I managed to complete it this time!

• My reading pace has reduced now that I am doing other things during my free time, including watching '神奇宝贝' with G during week nights, and also sim-racing on F1 25, occasionally with Alden.

• I had another health scare earlier this week. A polyclinic doctor changed my medication and it was unsuitable, leading to high HR and BP. I only got better after seeing my GP to change to a more suitable medication and taking 2-day MC to rest at home (though I was a bit too uncomfortable to read).

What I enjoyed about the book:

• The short chapters and overall book length.

  • This was a relatively easy read. The chapters are short, and they provided convenient junctures to pause my reading, as well as motivated me to continue reading on (because the next chapter is gonna be short anyway)!

• The continued exploration of Castle Knoll and the lives of its inhabitants.

  • I liked that this is a proper sequel of the previous book, and not one of those series where each book functions as standalones with little reference to its predecessors. In fact, the core mystery event and individuals surrounding it in this book were already introduced back in the previous one. I found this quite cool, and found that my emotional investment in Castle Knoll and its people were worthwhile!

  • I also liked that there are elements laid down in this book that I am curious to find out more about. This makes me look forward to its next sequel book! 

• The core themes, and character development (through twin storytelling) in this book. 

  • I liked that this book was not a raw mystery crime story, where the mystery and crime solving are the sole focus areas. Rather, I felt that the core themes of this book were about navigating life and identity crisis, as well as relationships - the meaning of love and friendships, the betrayals etc.

  • I also liked that we saw the development of the main characters (Annie and Frances), them maturing and navigating their life and identity crises. I enjoyed the weaving of their 2 narratives into a compelling whole too.

What I found less enjoyable about the book:

• The mystery and revelation felt somewhat convoluted.

  • There were quite a number of characters involved, and many of them appeared both in the past and present narratives. Towards the end, it got a bit confusing, trying to remember who did what and when. 

  • The whole event was actually pretty straightforward on hindsight, but the way the story was told gave the illusion that it was complicated, and I felt that was a bit unnecessary.

• The implausibility of the culprit's motivation.

  • I just couldn't wrap my head around why the culprit would carry out those murders. It felt unbelievable and uncharacteristic of them.

• The info-dumping at the end.

  • The revelation chapter felt like a big info-dump and Q&A session, where dialogue between characters became unnatural. 

My overall thoughts:

• Castle Knoll remains a charming place for me after finishing this book, and I have become even more invested in it and the story of its inhabitants, especially Frances and Annie. I really feel that Perrin was smart to use the twin storytelling method to ground this series, allowing her to tell so much more stories of this place and its people, across time no less. These positive feelings not only allowed me to overlook some of the book's shortcomings, but also made me eagerly await its sequel because I really want to find out what other stories would unfold! 

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• Prologue

  • In 1961, 16-year-old Ellen Jones was arrested after she and Eric Foyle vandalised a purple Bentley belonging to Edmund Gravesdown, a man who had been committing heinous crimes against women. Ellen severed a cable under the bonnet, and while in prison, she decided to reinvent herself under the name Peony Lane. In the present day, an elderly Peony Lane walked towards Castle Knoll, witnessed a derelict pub collapse to reveal the wrecked Bentley inside, and realised a fortune she had told decades ago was mistaken.

• Chapter 1

  • On 1 November, Annie Adams walked to the village from Gravesdown Hall, feeling isolated in the countryside. She encountered Peony Lane, who offered to tell Annie her fortune whenever she was ready to hear it. Peony advised Annie to investigate the historic car crash that supposedly killed Olivia Gravesdown alongside her husband Edmund and father-in-law Harry, suggesting Olivia was actually murdered. Peony then directed Annie to speak with Archie Foyle.

• Chapter 2

  • On 18 January 1967, Frances Adams wrote in her diary about her fixation on her fortune, which predicted she would be murdered. To outsmart her fate, she decided her best course of action was to track down the elusive fortune-teller, Peony Lane.

• Chapter 3

  • Annie visited Archie Foyle at his farm, discussing his classic car restoration business. After a strange phone call from her mother asking for Frances's file on Peony Lane, Annie and Archie heard a clunking noise. They discovered an antique ruby-studded dagger wedged in the farm's water wheel.

• Chapter 4

  • On 20 January 1967, Frances recorded a conversation where Archie found her in the library. Archie explained that his brother Eric and Peony had vandalised Edmund Gravesdown's car, and that Peony had severed the brake cable, which caused the fatal crash days later. Archie claimed Ford Gravesdown intentionally hushed up the investigation, and he proposed that he and Frances team up to find Peony.

• Chapter 5

  • Annie questioned Archie about the dagger, but he deflected her inquiries. Annie noticed several missing volumes of Frances's diaries from 1967 to 1972 on his shelf, which he falsely claimed were farm ledgers. Archie then recited his own ominous fortune from Peony Lane, which labelled him a bringer of death.

• Chapter 6

  • On 20 January 1967, Frances and Archie met at the Dead Witch pub to discuss the crash investigation. Archie pointed out his brother Eric working behind the bar, explaining Eric's involvement in the vandalism.

• Chapter 7

  • Archie's granddaughter, Beth, joined Annie and Archie in the farm kitchen. Archie recited his full fortune, which mentioned a bird returning, the bringer of death, a shadow of a shape not your own, and a list containing a foil, an arrow, a rat, and a sparrow.

• Chapter 8

  • Annie took the ruby-handled dagger to Detective Rowan Crane at the police station. She requested the old accident report for the Gravesdown crash. Crane confirmed Peony Lane's 1961 arrest but noted the car was repaired before the crash occurred. Annie also met the abrasive new Chief Inspector Toby Marks.

• Chapter 9

  • Frances's diary detailed her conversation with Eric Foyle. Eric explained that Edmund Gravesdown drugged and assaulted women at a local pub, and Peony disabled his car to protect them. Eric revealed that Edmund himself bailed Peony out of prison, and that the drugged girl they rescued that night was Birdy Sparrow.

• Chapter 10

  • Annie's friend Jenny arrived from London with treats. While eating lunch in the tropical solarium at Gravesdown Hall, they noticed a sparrow fluttering in the ferns. Upon investigating the undergrowth, they discovered Peony Lane dead, stabbed in the back with the same ruby dagger Annie had found earlier.

• Chapter 11

  • On 20 January 1967, Frances and Archie discussed Eric's revelations. Archie pushed to ruin Ford Gravesdown, but Frances realised she needed to uncover the complete truth about Ford's involvement, even if it meant ending their romantic relationship.

• Chapter 12

  • Annie and Jenny waited outside the solarium for the police. Chief Inspector Marks arrived and unnecessarily smashed a glass pane to open the door, ignoring Annie's instructions on how the latch functioned.

• Chapter 13

  • Marks questioned Annie and revealed that Peony died holding Archie's written fortune with the word "MINE" scrawled across it. Crane confiscated Peony Lane's file from Frances's archives. Jenny informed Annie that her mother had recently been spending time with Birdy Sparrow.

• Chapter 14

  • On 10 February 1967, Archie climbed into Frances's bedroom window with an illicit police photograph of the crash scene. They deduced from tyre marks that the brakes had functioned, and from scratches on the boot that Olivia Gravesdown survived the impact and frantically tried to retrieve something from the boot before dying in the road.

• Chapter 15

  • Crane visited Annie and Jenny late at night, revealing that someone calling from Gravesdown Hall had logged 11 fake harassment complaints against Peony Lane using Annie's name. Annie and Jenny suspected Saxon Gravesdown was framing her.

• Chapter 16

  • Annie and Jenny walked to Castle Knoll, where Jenny departed to visit family in Southampton. Annie spotted Saxon Gravesdown leaving a hardware shop carrying Frances's stolen file on his mother, Olivia.

• Chapter 17

  • On 15 February 1967, Frances broke off her relationship with Ford Gravesdown over dinner. Ford claimed Peony gave him an evidence file against Edmund, which he took to the police before it mysteriously vanished. Ford insisted he suppressed the crash investigation solely to protect his young nephew, Saxon.

• Chapter 18

  • Annie confronted the police receptionist, Samantha, about the fake calls and noticed a 1987 photograph proving Chief Inspector Marks started his career at that station. Crane intervened and took Annie to question Saxon Gravesdown.

• Chapter 19

  • Saxon revealed he had an alibi for Peony's murder. He showed Annie the crash photograph and shared his theory that his mother Olivia did not die from the crash impact, but was already dead and locked inside the boot before the car ever left the estate.

• Chapter 20

  • On 15 February 1967, Frances encountered Archie's date, Samantha, in the restaurant bathroom, who warned her that the Gravesdown investigation was all about money. Frances later watched Ford pull Eric out of a police car, leading her to suspect Eric was a police informant.

• Chapter 21

  • On 6 March 1967, Archie and Frances discussed Ford manipulating Eric in a high-stakes poker game, which caused them to lose their farm. They drove towards Crownell to find Peony Lane, but Archie spontaneously rerouted them to Southampton for an adventure.

• Chapter 22

  • Annie returned to Foyle Farms and discovered the wrecked Gravesdown Bentley hidden under a tarpaulin. Eric Foyle appeared, suggesting Peony and Edmund worked together. Crane arrived and forcefully crowbarred the Bentley's locked boot open.

• Chapter 23

  • Crane opened the boot to reveal Samantha's dead body hidden inside.

• Chapter 24

  • On 6 March 1967, Archie and Frances explored a secret market in Southampton, smoked marijuana, and ate Indian food. Frances felt a profound desire to escape her predicted fate and embrace a vibrant, free life with Archie.

• Chapter 25

  • Annie, Jenny, and Crane reviewed security footage and deduced that Beth unknowingly let someone else into Gravesdown Hall while making a delivery on the morning of Peony's murder. Annie received a suspicious call from her mother regarding Peony's file.

• Chapter 26

  • On 6 March 1967, Frances and Archie stayed in Southampton, attended a concert, and confessed their deep love for one another.

• Chapter 27

  • Annie and Crane secretly broke into Peony Lane's house. Annie found an ornithology book stating sparrows do not migrate, and discovered a marriage certificate proving Frances and Archie were married on 6 March 1967.

• Chapter 28

  • On 6 March 1967, Archie proposed to Frances with the disputed ruby ring. They hastily married at a registry office in Southampton before driving back towards Castle Knoll.

• Chapter 29

  • Annie and Jenny searched the estate's insurance archives, learning the ruby dagger was central to a historic feud between the Gravesdowns and Foyles over a stolen ring. They camped in the library and confronted an intruder, who turned out to be Archie returning Peony's file.

• Chapter 30

  • On 16 March 1967, driving back from Southampton, Frances realised she did not want the constrained rural life Archie envisioned. They stopped at Peony Lane's house, where Birdy Sparrow answered the door and reacted with horror upon seeing Olivia's ring on Frances's finger.

• Chapter 31

  • Archie explained to Annie and Jenny that he found Samantha poisoned at his farm and hid her body in the Bentley to protect Eric from police scrutiny. He surrendered Frances's yellow diary to Annie so she could uncover the truth.

• Chapter 32

  • On 16 March 1967, Birdy and Peony confronted Archie about the ring. Archie confessed to Frances that he stole the dagger and was forced into the Bentley by Olivia, Edmund, and Harry Gravesdown on the night of the crash.

• Chapter 33

  • Annie and Jenny read the yellow diary through the night. They theorised that Peony's fortune applied to Peony herself, and that Frances had deduced the true killer's identity but protected them out of love.

• Chapter 34

  • In a 1970 addendum, Frances recorded Archie's account of the fateful night: Olivia tried to drown him, he struck her with a rock in self-defence, and Edmund forced him to load her limp body into the boot. Birdy then revealed she had been in the back seat and heard Olivia wake up screaming inside the boot.

• Chapter 35

  • Reviewing the security footage, Annie realised her mother had posed as Beth to sneak into Gravesdown Hall and steal the file. Annie visited Saxon, who confirmed Peony Lane was with him at the estate during the night of the crash, providing Peony a solid alibi.

• Chapter 36

  • In 1967, Birdy explained to Frances and Archie that she caused the crash by jerking the steering wheel from the back seat, but was knocked unconscious. She realised someone else had arrived later and killed the surviving Gravesdowns.

• Chapter 37

  • Saxon showed Annie his father's silver flask. He explained that forensic tests proved Ford had drugged Edmund's flask on the night of the crash to incapacitate him, inadvertently contributing to the accident.

• Chapter 38

  • Crane called Annie to warn her that Samantha's hair had been planted in the BMW she was driving, framing her for murder. As the police arrived to arrest Annie, she and Jenny fled Gravesdown Hall into the woods and encountered Birdy.

• Chapter 39

  • Birdy drove them away while Annie pieced the clues together: Eric Foyle had killed the Gravesdowns with a branch after the crash and kept the boot keys. To protect Eric from discovery, Birdy attempted to run over Archie on the road, but Annie grabbed the steering wheel, causing them to crash into Eric instead.

• Chapter 40

  • Eric survived the impact. Annie learned her mother had reunited with her estranged, manipulative father, explaining her sudden need for money and her attempt to steal the valuable files under Birdy's guidance.

• Chapter 41

  • In 1967, Frances ended her relationship with Archie, devastated by his lies and his deep involvement in the Gravesdown tragedy.

• Chapter 42

  • In the hospital, Eric confessed to killing the Gravesdowns to protect his brother and Birdy, explaining he kept the keys because Ford blackmailed him. Eric admitted to murdering Peony Lane and poisoning Samantha because they uncovered his secret, and framing Annie due to his hatred of Gravesdown wealth. Birdy confessed to stabbing Peony's corpse to obscure evidence.

• Chapter 43

  • In 1967, Frances decided to pursue a university education in London. Ford visited her at the bakery, and they mutually agreed to investigate Peony Lane together.

• Chapter 44

  • Annie renovated the solarium and hosted a Christmas party for her friends and the locals. After learning Archie and Beth intentionally opted out of Frances's inheritance to avoid the corrupting influence of the Gravesdown money, Annie finally opened an envelope containing her own fortune.