This review is based on an ARC of The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle which I received courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher (Sourcebooks Landmark).


How delightfully murderous! The 7 1/2 Deaths is the best modern mystery (i.e. not Agatha Christie or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) I've yet read. Not only do I LOVE the plot and the changes of characters/POVs, I love the complexity of the mystery. Layers upon layers upon layers--this is an onion of a book!

I was ultimately too occupied to take notes for my review, but I can assure readers that this novel is a whirlwind of intrigue, deep characters, and oh yeah! murder! All tied together with wrappings of elegant prose.

The only down side to The 7 1/2 Deaths was that, in being complex, sometimes I got lost in the layers. This is time travel after all, not an easy storyline to follow along. There area also a lot of characters to remember, along with this being a biggish book. Although these things made the book confusing at times, I nonetheless enjoyed every page of this story! I am definitely a Stuart Turton fan from here on out.

I'm between a 3 and a 4 here; I'm giving the book a 4 for the plot structure.

There are books I remember because they did something special, more than the usual reader's pleasure. "The Night Circus" is one, as it is a masterclass in setting and description. "The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle" is in this category, because it delivers on an ingenious plot structure. The best I can sum it up is that it is a Who Done It? in a circle hall of mirrors, a plot that is shaped as more box and levels than forward motion to a narrative end. (That's why a large portion of the reviews will say "mind blown" or some variation of the same.)

The book is very transparent in its premise, so there's no spoiler here--we're on an estate which is set up for a party and every night, Evelyn Hardcastle is murdered. It is our narrator, who enters the story with no memories, who must solve the riddle of her death. When I first started the book, I mentioned to my mom that it felt like Clue-meets-Agatha-Christie, and I was delighted to see the author acknowledged that (along with another reference I didn't get at first, but in hindsight is obvious) at the conclusion.

What's good: That plot structure, which takes us through the same day through a cycle of different perspectives, feels very novel to me. Maybe others have done something similar, but I have never read it. The amount of thought put into this by the author--I know this is a book that would be a great re-read and re-re-read, because I suspect there are all sorts of clues I walked right by.

What's iffier: The ending and explanation came a bit out of the blue. It felt as if we were teetering on the edge of breaking the assumed internal rules of the story--something felt off in the author's ultimate explanation. I suspect that will be grounds for debate. Also, the characters--some tended to melt together, although I can tell the author or editor attempted to stop that with the cast of characters at the front of the book (for easy reference).

Overall, bravo to the author for a fun, interesting, original story--this is one I'll remember.

Although an entirely unique premise, this book just wasn’t for me at the this time. I have a very difficult time suspending disbelief and it was honestly too much work for me to keep track of what was going on. I will give it another go at some point.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and Stuart Turton for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book is so creatively twisted and awesome! It's like Agatha Christie meets Groundhog Day. Aiden Bishop has to solve a murder. Evelyn Hardcastle will die over and over again.....and Aiden will witness the event repeatedly, each time living it as a different eye-witness. His only escape from the loop will be to solve the case. Who killed Evelyn Hardcastle...and why?

At first I had a bit of a confusing time settling into this story....but once I figured out what was going on, I couldn't stop reading. While the basic plot idea -- reliving an event over and over -- isn't anything new, I love how it's applied here. The concept of investigating a murder by re-living the event within the consciousness of different people who were there.....just awesome! Very creative. Very twisty. A bit confusing here and there....but it was meant to be that way.

Very well-written. I really enjoyed this story! Looking forward to more by this author!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Sourcebooks via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

I received a digital copy of "The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle" from NetGalley and SourceBooks, the publisher, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The novel is set at Blackheath House, an isolated country manor surrounded by a forest, the nearest village miles away. Lord Peter and Lady Helena Hardcastle, the owners of the mansion, planned a birthday party/reunion gala for their daughter, Evelyn, returning after 19 long years of being away. At precisely 11:00PM, she is to be murdered but it doesn't look like a murder, so it's up to Aiden Bishop to discover who the real killer is. The plot twist to this novel is that each and every night, Aiden Bishop wakes up in a different body of a guest who'd attended the gala, the whole thing on loop until the mystery is solved. He has until day 8 to solve the impending crime, otherwise he's forced to live on day 8 indefinitely.

Though the premise of the novel sounded intriguing, I was on the fence about this novel. Finally, after seeing the rave reviews nearly everywhere, I caved and was able to obtain an advanced reader's copy. I wish I could say I had a fantastic time reading it but I didn't. Ultimately, the book dragged on for me and I had a hard time getting invested in the characters or the plot. I credit the author for devising an intricate mystery and a unique premise but I think that at a certain point, it just became confusing to follow along every thread. At about the halfway mark, I shelved it, knowing I wasn't enjoying it.

I have waited for some time to write a review of this book, because I honestly had to think about it for a while, as this is the kind of read that sticks with you. This was a very twisty-turny book for me. Throughout the first half, I found myself a little exasperated due to the large cast of characters and the timeline; I forgot about the character list at the beginning of the book, which would have been more than helpful. After I got the hang of everyone, however, it became a very intriguing read that I could not wait to figure out. There are layers of stories and conflict here, and the ending went beyond my expectations. Ultimately, I enjoyed the read, but I do think I will give it a higher rating on a second read of it. This was unlike any other book I have read, and I highly recommend it to someone who enjoys interwoven thrillers with unexpected endings.

What an intricately designed plot. This is not a book that you can read flippantly, you really do need to concentrate and read each word. You will want to draw yourself a map but I’m not even sure that would help. The sending blew me away.

This book was incredibly unique. A historical psychological thriller, but with elements that lean toward the supernatural or maybe the sci-fi but without any futuristic things. The main character wakes up in a different house guest's body every day until he can solve a murder. He finds out he's in competition with other "guests" and that only one of them can make it out of the loop. But he's determined to break the game. I loved the writing, the pace of the story never slowed, and it kept me reading. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I think it would make an excellent movie. The ending leaves quite a few questions unanswered, but only in a good way.

I have nothing else to say except that this book was absolutely phenomenal. If you are looking for a story that will keep you awake at night because you have to find out what happens next - then this is the book for you. The premise of this murder mystery has one of the most unique executions: the protagonist relives the same day over again, in a different body each time, in order to try and solve the case.

I could not recommend this book enough - I think it has a little something for everyone!

*Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sending this book my way in exchange for an honest review*

This one was a fabulous read. It might not suit everyone, but I enjoyed this book.
Everything needed to make a mystery good - the atmosphere, the characters and a plot, were there in the book.

I received this e-book from NetGalley for my honest review. It took me a few extra days to work my way through this murder mystery. It was such a complex story, one in which I really had to commit to because you can’t breeze right through this one. You definitely have to pay attention! I’m not the best at keeping these types of stories straight, but if you enjoy a fun mystery that will keep you on your toes, you will love this book!

It is a very original story yet at times reminding me of a “Clue” type mystery where some parts of the story are replayed from a completely different point of view.

Aiden Bishop finds himself at a party where a murder is about to take place. It will continue replay until the murder can be solved. There are several twists to this mystery but I’d rather leave it to be discovered.

Overall, this is a very compelling mystery! I enjoyed the twists, and each new day in the story! Thank you so much NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and the author, Stuart Turton! My opinions are my own. This book was released September 18, 2018, go check it out!

I've had this book in my TBR stack for several months and kept choosing stories from further down. I can't believe I did that, this book was fantastic. How can you keep track of 8 people in one body in one week? I thought it would be confusing but it was a tight well written story that was easy to follow and had unexpected outcomes in just about every chapter. This is a great who done it set in the late Victorian era in a broken down/ ramshackle estate that was once glorious. Aiden Bishop must solve the murder or be stuck forever in this loop of 8 days. Great read for fans of historic, cozy, suspense and murder mysteries. Would be a perfect gift. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Very innovative and gripping. The writing style is beautiful. There is a classic vibe to it. loved the setting. The concept is new and engaging.

Debut author Stuart Turton’s The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, originally published earlier this year in Great Britain as The 7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, is an intricately plotted murder mystery, set in an isolated early 20th century English mansion, with a highly imaginative speculative element that is only gradually revealed, as our main character tries to figure out who he really is, and how to solve the mystery of Evelyn Hardcastle’s pending death … or has her death already occurred?

The plot and setting are worthy of Agatha Christie: Lord and Lady Hardcastle have invited a number of guests to their British country mansion, Blackheath House, for a weekend party to celebrate the return of their daughter, Evelyn, from Paris. (The notable guests and household staff are conveniently listed in a copy of the party invitation at the beginning of the book.) One of the guests, Dr. Sebastian Bell, suddenly comes to himself while running through the forest surrounding Blackheath. The name “Anna” was on his lips, but he has no idea who Anna is or who he himself is. His memory is completely blank. Bell is horrified to see a man chasing a woman through the forest, and then a scream and a pistol shot.

Eventually Bell, with a little mysterious help, makes his way back to the mansion, where he tries to convince the other guests to search for the woman he is certain was murdered in the forest. But nobody at Blackheath knows (or in any case admits to knowing) a woman named Anna, and they’re dubious about Bell’s improbably story, particularly in light of his amnesia. Bell meets several of the other guests, including Evelyn Hardcastle, a blonde woman in her late twenties who quickly strikes up a friendship with him (“I loathe getting to know people, so whenever I meet somebody I like, I just assume a friendship immediately. It saves a great deal of time in the long run.”) In the late evening Bell sees something that frightens him so much he faints. He wakes up in another person’s body ― the butler, Mr. Collins ― in the morning of the same day that he just lived through as Sebastian Bell. His day as Collins is even more hellish than it was the first time around. And then he wakes up again, early in the morning of that same day, in another person’s body. Is there a way out of this nightmare?

I went into The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle without knowing anything about its plot; I had conveniently forgotten the blurb by the time I began reading the book. Normally I hate not having context in a novel, and being confused about what the book I’m reading is generally about. But in this case going in blind was highly appropriate, because our main character (who does find out his real name eventually) initially has no idea who he actually is or what is going on around him. The light sheds very gradually, but it all comes together in the end with an awesome set of twists and turns that Dame Christie herself certainly would have admired. Characters often aren’t who they seem, and events that seemed to signify one thing frequently turn out to have an entirely different meaning.

The plot of The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is so layered, with a tremendously tight timeline and so many interwoven elements and characters, that I can’t help but picture Turton writing this novel in a room filled with vast numbers of Post-it notes and crisscrossing strings tying everything together, like in the old Heroes TV show.

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(Turton has, in fact, stated that he used a massive spreadsheet, a notepad for each character, and a map of the setting ― as well as the aforementioned Post-it notes ― in the process of writing this book.) The speculative element is fascinating, if slightly far-fetched, but undeniably creative. When the main character realizes that the personalities of his host bodies are leaking through, affecting his thoughts and reactions, it deepens the plot.

On top of this, Turton adds insightful writing that’s a pleasure to read. I highlighted some sixty passages in the book; some of them were to help me keep track of the plot and characters, but others were simply for the beauty of Turton’s writing.

"She’s trying to anchor me with words … but I’m impervious to reason, consumed by my hatred for the man I was. His flaws I could accept, perhaps even overcome, but this is a betrayal. He made his mistakes and fled, leaving me holding the tatters of his scorched life."

Turton also adds symbolism to The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, including the decaying mansion, Blackheath, which echoes the failings and degeneracies of the upper class characters who are the guests at this dubious house party. A chess piece appears and reappears. A person in the costume of a plague doctor shares information with our main character about his situation and his mission.

This compelling murder mystery, wrapped in a soft science fiction enigma, is a truly impressive debut novel. Its combination of classic British mystery, Groundhog Day and Quantum Leap blew my mind! I enthusiastically recommend it, and I seriously can’t wait to see what Stuart Turton comes up with next.

I LOVED this book!! It is fantastical in the same way as The Night Circus - a fantasy but you don’t have to buy into a whole new world. It seems to coexist with the world as we knew it.

It was so jam packed I kind of wish it could have been a series but was also glad I could come to a resolution in one book!

Bravo!!

A brilliant, explosive, mind-blowing debut. Everything you need to get book-addicted you’ll find it here.

Evelyn Hardcastle is meant to die over and over again at a gala party organised by her parents. She has been murdered hundreds of times and each day, Aiden Bishop is unable to stop it. As the same day repeats itself, the only way Aiden can escape is by solving Evelyn’s murder and win over an enemy he can’t see or understand. The catch, each time the loop restarts, he loses all his memories and forced to start from scratch. Can he put a permanent end to an endless day and find the murderer?

A new, refreshing, gripping debut that makes your adrenaline run high. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a unique murder mystery with a brilliant twist that pulls you in from the beginning. It’s 500 pages of

Stuart Turton creates a unique world that not you don’t only read about, you live it in every sense of the word. It’s atmospheric, very well described and developed, with enough details to keep you interested. It’s a dark setting, much like the Gothic style; it builds up suspense and leaves in anticipation of what might be lurking in the dark corners of the story. It takes place in England, The murder mystery is perfect, it keeps your mind turning and the fact the main character keeps waking up with no memory and seeing a young woman being murder is both brilliant and scary. It’s a concept that marks this novel as one of a kind. Turton leaves no loose ends and you’ll never guess who the murderer is until the very end. Additionally, Turton gives you different angles to the murders each time a new cycle begins. It’s like the pieces of the puzzle come together with each scene.

Turton style of writing is lyrical, descriptive, seductive and highly intellectual. The author digs deep into The descriptions are complex, involving and you don’t grow bored of reading them. There are several plots at play at the same time, it’s quite hard to keep up with all of them without losing the reader or the threads of the story, but the author does a great job in keeping everything perfectly tied together.

The characters are very interesting and twisted. It’s the perfect cast for a perfect plot. Aidan is your eyes inside that ballroom and he explores, discovers clues and meets the guests at the party. He gives you the chance to get to know the characters and develop a clear image of each one with each cycle. Everyone changes and transforms throughout the book and they all contribute to the great ending.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough. To the fans of mysteries and murder plots I just one thing to say: read it, it’s very much worth it.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Sourcebooks Landmark and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book.

What a unique take on a mystery thriller! There are so many twists and turns that the book was difficult to put down. I don't want to give away too much but the entire premise of the book is completely original and unlike any that I have read before and I think that alone is enough reason to recommend the book. It was difficult at times to keep track of who was who and where we were during the order of events. Halfway through, I remember the front page that lists the characters invited to the ball and their relationships and that helped keep things straight.

This book has been knocking around my blogger friends for a long time so I was very excited when I finally managed to snuggle up with it.
While this is a good book, I wasn't exactly enamoured with it. The story kept me entertained but it somehow fell a bit flat for me. I would still recommend it to people who are into certain genres, but maybe not one for everybody.

Thank you for Netgalley, Sourcebooks and Stuart Turton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are 100% my own and independent of receiving an advanced copy.

Imagine being trapped in another person’s body, your memory wiped and the same day keeps repeating over and over again. That is the situation Aiden Bishop finds himself in. The only way to escape is to solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle. He has 8 days and 8 different “hosts” to help him.

Welcome to Blackheath Estate, or should I say Hotel California. You can stay, but you can never leave. Well, you can leave, but first you have to find out who the murderer of Evelyn Hardcastle will be, seeing as she isn’t dead just yet, today. The reader is thrown into this story and kept off balance, trying to figure out this maze of events, people and places. Aiden wakes up in these different guests bodies and has to walk a fine balance of using his hosts skills to aid in his endeavour, while trying not to succumb to the darkest parts of their souls, all the while trying to hold onto the bits of his own personality and not lose himself to the host. Aiden has to be careful as there are two other also trying to escape. Can he trust them to help? Probably not, since only one can solve the mystery and be allowed to leave.

What an original premise. A fresh idea that plays out into the most interesting, intricate, spooky thriller that I have read this year. This lives up to and exceeds all the hype it has received. It is multi-layered, smart, and so complex. You are glued from beginning to end. You follow each host through a roller coaster ride desperately trying to fit all the clues together, but don’t bother. You will never see the end coming. Turton does an amazing job of keeping the plot clean and tight, I can’t even imagine how hard that must have been. The characters are so well drawn, each having their distinct quirks, and all relevant to the plot. Never do you feel overwhelmed by different plot lines or lost with the amount of characters. It is seamless, from beginning to end.

Very reminiscent of Agatha Christie, “Murder on The Orient Express”, with multiple characters, multiple storylines that somehow fit together. Think the character of Death in “The Book Thief”, with The Plague Doctor all-knowing and setting the rules of the world. I know people have alluded to “Groundhog Day” but it is not a true repeat of each day. First, the main character inhabits eight different hosts, so each time we repeat a day, it is a different character, with a new perspective and new personality traits. Second, the day doesn’t repeat the way it does in “Groundhog Day”. He can enter into a different host at any point during the day. Thus, it feels more like a new day each day, rather than a repeat of one day over and over. The one linking event is the death/suicide of Evelyn. There are so many interesting, thoughtful parts to this story but rather than spoil it I am trying to keep the details brief. It would take an essay to unpack what there is to talk about making this the perfect book club novel.

It is such a remarkable read. I don’t think I’m doing it the proper justice here but I highly recommend it. I think it is pure genius how Truton weaves together this fantastic tale. The build up of tension and excitement meant that I couldn’t put it down until I finished it. The characters were authentic and multi-dimensional. I suspect that reading it a second and third time will only increase the charm of this unique story. Which I plan to do.

I hesitate to take to say this, but I really don't know if I've ever read a better book in my life. Of course, I am a sucker for layered, clever stories. You must be of a sober mind to read this. And if you want to learn how to write well, write beautiful language and well-constructed sentences, this is a must-read. I am totally in awe of this book and this author. How he came about this premise and how he constructed at the plot is a mystery to me. There is no telling how many hours it must have taken him to work through all this. Bravo bravo bravo, well done.