3.5 stars.

The 71/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a highly original, intricately layered, jam-packed murder mystery, which promises to confuse, while simultaneously engaging, the reader from the first page to the last. With a multitude of characters and near constant revelations of information, this is not a book you can read while distracted. It demands your full attention, and even then, it is difficult to keep up at times (luckily, the print edition includes a map and guest list in the front of the book, which is a helpful reference). I applaud Stuart Turton for his ability to create such a complex plot, especially in his debut novel, as the amount of organization and forethought necessary to pull this off is astounding.

While I was invested in finding out what the heck was going on, I didn’t particularly care about the characters and found the pacing a bit slow and circular in places, not to mention the fact that I’m still not sure how the logistics of each day/loop works. I loved the reveal of what Blackheath really is, but despite Turton’s best efforts to tie every loose end up, I was left with questions and doubts.

Despite my reservations, this is a truly impressive debut, and I’m looking forward to reading more of Turton’s work in the future.

nineteen years after the death of her younger brother, Evelyn Hardcastle returns home to Blackheath for a celebration, but she won't live out the night.

This book was a definite mystery, showing the day from the viewpoint of eight hosts, while the one inhabiting them, Aiden, tries to use their knowledge to solve the mystery of who kills Evelyn so that he can be released.

The writing was excellent, so descriptive, and evocative of Agatha Christie. I was very surprised by the end, and I recommend this to those who like a little fantasy in their mysteries.

I will say that I wish I had read it in pen-and-paper form instead of an ebook, as it would have made flipping back and forth easier.

To be honest, I probably would have stopped reading after the first couple of chapters if I hadn't read the synopsis and known the premise.

It was slow going as I didn't really care for the character, plot, or pace of the story.

Things started to pick up a little when the Aiden woke up as his second host, then his third.

Reminded me a little of a Quantum Leap-Groundhog Day mashup, only without the humor.

The 7 1/2 Lives of Evelyn Hardcastle takes place at a damp, decaying old manor house. Everything from the house to the guests who have been assembled for a masquerade ball seem tainted in some way.

It is a dreary atmosphere with a cloud hanging over everything and everybody. Did I mention the damp and decay? It practically leaps off the page to wrap you in its chilling embrace.

The premise is what kept me reading.

Aiden doesn't really remember who he is or what he's doing there, so spends too much time trying to figure things out instead of trying to solve Evelyn's upcoming murder.

Then he becomes determined to change something during the course of the day. I'm not really sure why. Just to prove he can? Focus, Aiden! Who kills Evelyn?! That's why you're here!

Who is friend? Who is foe? Who really cares?

Sorry, but none of the characters were particularly likable in my opinion. That's probably why I kept setting the book down to read something else. But then I'd pick it back up again because I was curious.

The multiple hosts and Aiden's reactions to them were interesting. Once I caught on to the host switching, it wasn't hard to keep track of who was who. The chapter headings helped, letting us know which day/host we were on.

It probably would've helped to take notes, especially since I kept putting the book down. I can see why some readers might get confused as it does bounce back and forth a bit.

Maybe I would have enjoyed this more if I was into Agatha Christie or gothic tales, but it simply wasn't my cup of tea.

Inventive is the perfect word to describe this book. I've never read anything even remotely like it. The way the story is laid out is unique and compelling, if a little confounding at the onset.

In the early chapters, I felt certain I was missing something because I really had no clue what was going on. I even went back to see if I'd somehow missed some pages or accidentally skimmed over critical information that would relieve my confusion (and growing sense that I wasn't nearly as smart as I'd thought!), but it was not to be. Fortunately, I persisted and as it all came together, I realized how brilliant the approach was. As the reader, I was put into the same state of confusion as the main character when he initially woke up! Probably the cleverest beginning to a book I've ever encountered. 

And that approach serves the story well throughout. We, the reader, learn new information right along with the MC. He knows nothing we don't! Of course, other characters in the story know a great deal more, and as this quasi-gothic Groundhog Day continues, the clues pile up until a conclusion is reached, as well as a very satisfying ending. 

It isn't very often that a reading experience is a tried and true adventure, but that is exactly how this book felt. Everything about it felt wholly original, the atmosphere was rather gothic (I love gothic, my friends!), and it was virtually impossible to guess what was around the next corner. 

This is a book I'll remember for years to come.

Structurally, this book is a triumph. I can't even imagine the writing process for something like this, not only to conceptualize such a unique story layout, but to also actually pull it off. Five stars, indisputably, for writing and plot building that's among the most complex and exceptional that I've encountered.

This was almost a five-star book in terms of the story as well, if not for some muddled content toward the end and the backstory of Anna, which really, really soured me on my previously held, extremely high opinion of the book. That perspective evaporated significantly when the nauseating "forgiveness" theme began to pervade.

Perhaps Aiden is just a nicer person than me, or a more forgiving one. Perhaps most people are. But I could not abide the idea that someone like Anna could be who she was before Blackheath and be rehabbed into what she is now, and especially that Aiden (considering how their pasts are linked) would see her as such.

Most criminal psychologists would tell you it's actually impossible. Perhaps Turton is asking us for suspension of disbelief on this particular point since much of what happens in the book can't happen in reality anyway. Still, it felt disingenuous and disappointed me greatly, resulting in my knocking a star off the rating and contemplating knocking off two.

That issue aside though (and I imagine it bothered me more than it would bother most people), this is a really unique story that was loads of fun to read. It does require a lot of concentration in a way that most novels don't, so fuel up on caffeine accordingly before diving in.

I definitely had to pay attention while reading this book, and I never saw the ending coming. Even though I was confused slightly throughout, I enjoyed the premise of the narrator switching bodies (hosts) throughout the novel to solve the murder.

⭐ 5 stars

✏ I loved the writing, fast-paced but never over the top.

📚 The story was a-ma-zing. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. With so many unreliable characters, it was impossible to guess all the plot twists. While at first I only focused on a few characters, I soon realized that you pretty much have to pay attention to everyone and everything. I don't often re-read books but I might give this one another read as it was soooo good.

🏠 The setting of the story was dark and, to me, the house was a real character in the story. It was easy to imagine this old, creepy house and I loved the nature that surrounds it.

🎬 The ending was great in my opinion. It wasn't what I had in mind and I was surprised by (nearly) everything.

This is a marvelous book that I would recommend to everyone!

What a wonderful mystery. The book drew me in instantly and didn't let go. I honestly couldn't predict how all the pieces would fall together. I thought this book was such a unique concept--solving a murder from various perspectives--and also the background story of the person solving the mystery. I can't even imagine what a beast it was to get this timeline right, but Mr Turton nailed it. It was a thrilling ride from start to finish and it was so hard to stop reading! I would highly recommend this book!

I could not get through this one. I made it to page 165 and had to stop. I couldn’t focus and kept falling asleep. I really had high hopes for this book but it did not connect with me.

Interesting premise and original, but I did not enjoy this novel. I felt it dragged on and on and it took me awhile to figure out what was going on.

WOW!!! This is such a wonderful mystery one definitely worth reading! It’s definitely a unique mystery that caught my attention from start to finish. I was trying to figure out who done it the whole time. Turton wrote an excellent cast of charecters with quite a few suspects with an extensive range of motives that really kept me turning the pages. This book needs to be made into a miniseries, it’s that good. Its like Turton wrote a mystery with a dash of Groundhog Day & Quantum Leap he definitely wrote a hit. I’m now a big fan of Stuart Turton after reading this one & look forward to reading more by him.

I first got wind of this book through Booktube. Emily Fox was absolutely raving about it. So much so that I not only requested it on NetGalley but purchased it through Book Depository as well. In this debut novel by Stuart Turton our main character, Aiden Bishop, is doomed to repeat the same day over and over again until he solves the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle. The caveat is that he must do this while assuming the personas of a host of different characters. These "hosts" range from different social standings and include a doctor, lawyer, butler, police officer and socialites. Each one of these characters holds different pieces of the puzzle. Each one also has their own weaknesses which puts Aiden at risk and makes it harder for him to get to the truth. His predicament is made more difficult in that he has competition in this sordid game and the other players are unknown to him. Therefore, in order to freed from this vicious "Groundhog's Day" cycle, Aiden must be the <b>first</b> to solve the murder. What makes the mystery all the more intriguing is that it is set at Blackheath House, the site of young Thomas Hardcastle's murder exactly 19 years earlier. Then a young hand was hanged but his accomplice got away. Tonight when Evelyn dies every person who was present when Thomas died will be in attendance. Is one of them his killer? Which guest has a secret big enough for murder?

Reminiscent of Agatha Christie, <b>The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle</b> is a fiendishly delicious maze of a tale.

<i>Special Thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark publishers and Stuart Turton for access to this galley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

I’m torn on how to review this. I just didn’t like the book. It wasn’t for me. The description made it sound like it was my type of book, but it wasn’t. The plot just wasn’t something I enjoyed.

That being said, the writing itself was really well done and the book itself is super creative and something I haven’t seen before (and that’s saying something, because I read A LOT). So, I’m just going to leave it with three stars.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC

Complicated and interesting. There is a great gothic flair to this mystery, and like all the good ones, it takes quite a bit of unraveling to get to the reveal. I loved the Groundhog Day element – reliving the day over and over, but from many different perspectives. (And the subplot mystery of WHY this was happening was my favorite part…) It can be confusing at times. Like a game of Clue, there’s a cast of characters, an endless variety of weapons, and plenty of places to wander along the estate – sometimes I had trouble keeping everything straight. Part of the confusion seems to be on purpose – keeping the reader constantly in a state of perplexed bewilderment. The writing is good, and the puzzle all winds together.

This. Was. SO. COOL! I loved the concept of this story where the main character wakes up in a different body each day and has to try to solve a murder. Like, sign me up this is right up my alley. The writing was fantastic and the atmosphere really added to the suspense and almost creepy feeling that I had throughout the story. This is a book that I would definitely read again and highly recommend to anyone looking for a unique reading experience!

I absolutely loved this book, pretty much right from the start. Extremely well-written and so very different from anything else I've read in a long time! For reasons we don't understand, Aiden Bishop will inhabit 8 different people who witness Evelyn Hardcastle's death. It's his responsibility to find the killer before he is "released" back into is true life. Although the book was a little difficult for me to follow in the beginning, I soon caught on---to the point where I was even trying to catch mistakes in the author's timelines (I didn't find any, which made me even happier about this book!). I highly recommend if you're looking for a non-standard suspense story, with some odd characters and humor mixed right in!

This is a very detailed and intricate story surrounding the death of Evelyn Hardcastle. I completely agree with many of the reviews on this one…if you love Agatha Christie with a Groundhog Day/Caraval kind of twist, you’ll love this book. If you try to map out the evens in the story in order to solve this murder mystery, you’ll only make yourself crazy. You won’t do it. Many have tried. All have failed.
This is a classic case of “nobody is who they seem” but Stuart Turton keeps you so involved in the story, you can’t wait to find out who is who! This was a good audio book for me because I feel like if I read it in paperback I would have given up. I had to rewind a lot and listen to certain parts several times but it was one of those books I was determined to finish as it has been on my list since release day! It was a very unique read and a change of pace. I’m very happy to be able to check it off my list!
This was Stuart Turton’s debut novel. His writing style is extremely unique and it’s obvious he is very talented. Even though at times it was challenging, that’s what made it fun to read! Sometimes not being able to figure it out is very exciting. I have no idea how he was able to weave together the events in this story as the characters kept going back and forth between bodies! I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a challenge and has time to sit down uninterrupted

Downton Abbey meets Agatha Christie in this London house party mystery. The novel opens with an unreliable narrator, who wakes up in the woods with no memory. Believing he has witnessed a murder, he must unravel the mystery and discover who he really is.

“Stuffed inside is a dead rabbit with a carving knife stabbed through its body. Blood has congealed at the bottom, staining its fur and almost obscuring the note pinned to its ear.” I gave up here. Is this book a parody, a joke, an exercise in obfuscation? I don’t care who killed Anna or Evelyn or whoever the hell winds up dead in this book. I’ll leave it to other people to try to figure out what’s going on here but I’m not wasting any more of my time on it. Body hopping is definitely not my thing. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

My book club read this for our December book pick. I really loved it all the way until the resolution, and even then I liked it a good deal. I love love love the twisty plot. I loved seeing how all the different hosts came together and knew about each other. I can't even fathom how the author was able to conceptualize this, let alone write it. My only complaint is that the pace slows down quite a bit at the resolution and I wished that the steam had continued. My book club much enjoyed it as well.