The book began very slowly, to the point that I felt it was almost dragging itself, but even then you could feel the noose of the mystery tightening around your neck. The 7 1/2 deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is simply put an amazing debut, one that unless you read and go through it, you'll never realise how brilliant Turton truly was.

This book had an interesting premise. It was very Black Mirror-meets-Agatha Christie, BUT I did not enjoy it as much as other readers have. I had a problem with the main character's monologue, the thinly-veiled fatphobia, the constant switching between POV, which never allows the readers to dwell upon the NOW.
It felt like, in an attempt to make the story complex, the author over-complicated things. Part of my disappointment may be attributed to the fact that I had sky-high expectations. This book had a lot of potential but I'm sad that it didn't quite work for me the way I thought it would.

I could not put this book down! For me, it is so rare to find a novel that keeps me up late and I was so pleased that this one did. It had an incredibly unique premise, yet it kept in line with many of the things that I've always loved about mysteries. It's always so fantastic to pick something up and know you will love it, as I did with The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. This is one that I will be recommending to everyone!

I really enjoyed this book. The slow build up to become quite a who did it. I just wanted to read quicker to see if I had picked the right ending. I was kept on the edge of my seat and just wanted more. I am a huge Agatha Christie fan and this was just the book I needed. Murder mystery, with a time loop, I loved it!

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this.

This was so twisty and turny. It was such a fun, clever story that kept me guessing until the very end!

If Edgar Allen Poe and Agatha Christie co-wrote Groundhog Day, this book would be the result. Alternatively, Stuart Turton wrote a book and this actually was the result, which is way cooler. I’ve been super stoked for this book since its UK release earlier this year, which was followed by tons of positive reviews. It’s definitely an odd book and one that takes a bit to wrap your head around, but it really takes off once you understand what’s happening.

Aiden Bishop is tasked with solving the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle, in a single day that keeps repeating until he does. The catch is, Aiden will wake up in seven different bodies, each with their own advantages and disadvantages and he must solve the case soon because he has competition…

This is an incredible, mind-bending tale with SO, SO MANY LAYERS, LIKE AN ONION. Aiden doesn’t remember why he’s here, and at first can barely remember who he even is, so the whole story is a bit of a discovery in that regard. Even more interesting is finding out who Anna is – why does he remember her name when he first awakes? The whole book is basically a series of discoveries and revelations, capped off with a gruesome murder at the end of each body’s day. The best thing is, when you think you know who did it, when you’re sooo certain it has to be a certain person, you’re probably wrong. AND, there’s actually a reason for it instead of “just because”. Plus, there’s mystery inside of the mystery!

Because this is a book that should not be spoiled for potential readers, I’ll keep this short and sweet and vague on the details. What fun is the mystery if something is given away? I would highly recommend this book, and autumn is the perfect time for such mysteries. Grab some pumpkin spice everything and settle down for an engaging read. Trust me, if you can get over any initial confusion you may feel, it’ll be worth it!

I wanted to love this! Nobody can even imagine how much i wanted to enjoy this and come here and rave about this.

sadly this book was a huge mess for me personally.

The constant "rebirth" was just utterly confusing for me and not in a positive way, the whole mystery to me got very lost in the constant body switching and trying find an understanding on not only what is going on and who "we" are currently but also what is going on.

I enjoyed the idea of this way more than the actual book itself.

Clearly i am not on the popular side with that option and i do confess the ti read this book on a day i was not at all feeling well so that might have had a lot to do with how little i felt comfortable in and with this book.

It is defiantly book that i can say i want to give a re-read to and give it another try knowing what i am walking in to reading this and with that knowing when i am in the mood for this rather strange murder story.

All in all i can only say that it is not for any reader that wants a logical mystery and defiantly not for anyone that wants a clear story line!

But if you love to be mystified about what is going on until the very end and even than still not get a real answer on what was going on, this is perfect for you!

Eh... This book did not catch my attention. I just couldn't get into it. I was very bored. I also don't like how many characters were introduced in the first few pages.

I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

If you're into mind-twisting stuff like the movies Inception and Coherence then hesitate no more, Turton's debut novel will, without a doubt, fit that criterion snugly.

Each character was distinct, with their own unique quirks. Not everyone was likeable, hell, almost everyone had some not so desirable traits but they were tastefully incorporated into each character.

There was deceit, confusion, mystery, riddles and wondrously life-like characters. If I had to complain about anything, I'd say the repeated pulling of the rug beneath your feet whenever you thought something was the true explanation. You're left unsure if everything's over, kind of like there isn't closure. However, this was a minor quip. The other issue depends on the reader, as in, it may be a little too complex to keep up at times.

What I took away from this book was how easy it is to fall back into engrained habits and that you have to repeatedly go against the current to break the spell.

I, honestly, do not know how Stuart Turton has written this or how many drafts had to be pulled up to get all the ends tied up. I can't wait to see what other stuff he can come up with in the future!

If you're still reading this, I'm utterly flattered but what are you still doing here?? Go get the book!

Recommended for:

Those who enjoy a mind-boggling mystery, historical environment, Quantum Leap, Time-travel, Agatha Christie, Downton Abbey, Groundhog Day and Cluedo.

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is our neighborhood book club pick for November. If one of my best book store friends hadn’t loved it, I might have quit it towards the beginning but I’m glad I stuck with it, the payoff was huge. This book was so confusing. I was SO CONFUSED all the way up to the last 20%. Here is how I’d describe it and I am not even sure I’m close to what it is: Evelyn Hardcastle is going to die. Our narrator wakes up each day – the SAME day – for eight days. Each day he inhabits the body of a different guest at this giant manor on the day of a big party. If he can tell the Plague Doctor (??) who murders Evelyn before 11pm on any of those days, he will be free from the cycle. If not, he starts over, losing a bit of himself every time he awakes in a new body. Pretty confusing, but if that sounds at all interesting to you, get it because the ending was great. 4 stars.

This extremely complex and compelling mystery presents us with a puzzle. A man wakes up each day as a different person, compelled to live the same day over and over again. His job is to solve a murder that will take place late in the day,

With elements that reminded me of Victorian fantasies of George MacDonald and a twisty plot, the plot will keep you guessing.

It's so well written that it is not dull or repetitive in spite of the fact that you go over the same actions again and again, albeit from different points of view. I thought it was a compelling book.

This book is completely bonkers. It's a little bit Kate Atkinson's Life after Life and a little bit Clue. I'm not entirely sure I know what I just read, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. That is about all I can say without giving a lot away.

This book is a nice twist on the typical murder mystery story. In the book, the protagonist must solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle, while repeating the same day over and over again. However, the character wakes up in someone else's body each time he falls asleep or loses consciousness. This made the book a very enjoyable read. The plot was intricately woven and cleverly done. The only issue I had with the book is that the plot is so intricately woven that it got confusing. I felt like I needed to keep notes on all of the characters and a timeline of all of the events. While a little hard to get into at first, this book had me hooked after the first few chapters and until the end!

I really wish I had been able to read this book in big chunks... possibly all at once, instead of the 15 minutes here, 20 minutes there, that I had. That, and that I had a large piece of paper to chart the happenings. Someday, I will. This is more of a mystery than I thought it was going to be. It is the sort of book that would be difficult to spoil because the situation changes just when you think you have something figured out. Read this book!

I have heard so much about this book but ultimately it was not my thing. I found it hard to keep up with the characters involved and felt like I almost needed a notes sheet to keep everyone straight. It must be a good back based on all the positive reviews but I did not particularly care for it. Thank you Netgalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and Stuart Tarton for the ARC for my review.

Evelyn Hardcastle will die. She will continue to die until Aiden can solve her murder. He has 8 days and will inhabit 8 different bodies with 8 different points of view. He wakes up each day as a different person. Can he solve Evelyn's murder?
This book was extremely original, twisty and intriguing and grabbed me right away! I enjoyed Aiden and the different personality traits and points of view of each different person. It was Groundhog Day meets Clue. I think I Thank you to Stuart Turton, Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the ARC of this fantastic book!

I started this book and got about halfway but really do not like it enough to continue. I don’t think it would be fair of me to post a review when my feelings are quite personal and not a reflection of the quality of the book—it’s just not for me.

When Aiden Bishop awakes each day, he is inhabiting a different body of a guest at the Hardcastle estate. Each day, he tries to solve the mystery of Evelyn Hardcastle's death while keeping himself and his hosts alive. He will be released from these loops only when he solves the murder.

This was a tricky, addicting novel. The large cast of characters kept me on my toes as I tried to recall who was who throughout the book, even as Aiden changes hosts day to day. I found it difficult sometimes to remember all the characters and their different motivations. Eventually, I gave up trying to keep the timeline straight and just focused on the story, which at its heart is a Agatha Christie-esque tale of a hate filled family and their guests, all of whom have deeply held secrets.

But there is another layer, which isn't revealed until the end, so I won't be giving anything away. Suffice it to say, I found the hints as to what was really going on in this book fascinating and would have loved to know more. What a great book!

The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is perfectly timed for the Halloween season, a Gothic Groundhog Day thriller with a twist as our hero starts each new day in a different one of the house guests attending a week-long country manor house party that ends with a big ball celebrating Evelyn Hardcastle’s birthday. A celebration cut short by Evelyn’s murder and our hero, Aiden, must solve her murder in order to escape this endless mystery.

It’s ingenious in a way. How better to solve a mystery than to inhabit different witnesses, seeing what they see, experiencing what they experience, and always acting to change the outcome. But it’s complicated because our hero is not the only one trying to solve the murder and escape, so collaborating is counter-productive. What then does it mean when someone collaborates. Do they really want to help or to sabotage? So much to ponder.


I think The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is ingenious. It’s far more original than “Gothic Groundhog Day” sounds. It’s so incredibly original that I found myself more caught up in the device than the plot. It also became so damn complicated–not so I couldn’t follow, but so that I thought it got tedious. It was a constant and then this happened and then this happened. I began not to care.

However, I am not much into the supernatural. For people who really are into Gothic thrills and complex skullduggery that will pull a new zombie rabbit of a hat (there are no zombies) then this book will be perfect for them.

I received a copy of The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle from the publisher through NetGalley.

The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle at Sourcebooks
RAVE review from IndieBound
Stuart Turton author site

DNF at 27%

Ultimately I found this really confusing and nowhere near as good as I'd built it up to be in my head (obviously this is partly my own fault).

There is also a lot of fatphobic language used which was unnecessary and irritated me a lot.

I put this one down about 2 months ago and haven't picked it back up, can't see myself finishing unfortunately.