It was a really interesting idea, and I loved the mystery element, but it got too convoluted and I struggled to stay engaged with it. I also struggled with the fatphobic language, and was surprised that this wasn't picked up by more reviews.

I know that The Seven (or 7 1/2, depending on the edition) Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle has been receiving a lot of attention, but I was unable to finish it. Looking back at some of the Goodreads reviews, I see that readers are focusing on the plot, although some complained that it was confusing and that characters kept changing identities.

Certainly when I started out reading the book, it seemed promising as a throwback mystery, with maps of the estate grounds and a floor map of the stately home where the novel is set. But I was only a few sentences in when the overwrought, highly embellished writing style with its inapt metaphors started irritating me. In short, I find it one of the worst written novels I have ever read.

Someone please tell Mr. Turton that bedrooms don’t have lips so they can’t be tight-lipped (p. 16), not even in metaphor. Similarly, sounds a character is hearing at the present time are not memories (p. 2). One’s eyes cannot roam, as they are attached to one’s head (p. 2). This is not colorful language, it’s the inept use of a thesaurus.

I also thought characters’ reactions were ridiculously unbelievable. When the main character arrives disheveled at the front door of a house and asks for a phone, and the servant gapes at him, he shakes him and says, “Don’t just stand there, you devil!” What? Then characters who appear subsequently show very little alarm at the news that a woman has been murdered in the woods.

This could be the most brilliantly plotted novel ever written, but I have no way of knowing, because I could not bear to read it. I stopped at page 21. I even stopped reading it and gave it a rest, hoping it wouldn’t bother me so much when I started again. That didn’t work.

"The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle" was an interesting Agatha Christie-style English manor murder mystery, but with the added twist of body-jumping and repeating the same day over and over until the mystery is solved.

It took me a couple of tries to get into the story, but once I did, the story grabbed me and I would read large pieces of the book at one time.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. There’s a lot to like in this book. It might be the most complex and intricately plotted story I’ve ever read. The story of the same day is told eight times, from different characters’ points of view, and sometimes out of sequence. The effect is dizzying, and certainly adds to both the mood and the mystery. Further, the plotting pays off, as the book builds nicely to a series of final reveals that are surprising, largely unguessable, and generally satisfying.

That said, I must confess I did not love the book. It’s a period piece (taking place in the 1920’s) and that is not my favorite genre. But I think my hesitation ran deeper than that. A drawback of the intricate plotting is there are so many rather arbitrary rules imposed upon the different characters, especially the narrator, that there are places where you can feel the story being artificially propelled by these rules. Characterization is hard because the narrator keeps shifting hosts, and his general confusion makes understanding other characters difficult (though that does enhance the mystery). And among the many late reveals is one that is certainly required by the way the story is constructed, but probably raises more questions than it answers.

I would recommend this book to anyone. It is a challenging read, and won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. But it is ambitious and original, definitely worth trying, and will become some readers’ favorite book.

These are the rules of Blackheath - Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered at 11:00 p.m. There are eight days, and eight witnesses for you to inhabit. We will only let you escape once you tell us the name of the killer. Got it? Well, then. Evelyn Hardcastle will die every day until Aiden Bishop can identify her killer and break the cycle. Every time the day begins again, Aiden wakes up in the body of a different guest and some of his hosts are more helpful than others.

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton is one of the most hyped up books of the season - and I'm stunned I managed to get approved for a copy via NetGalley. The premise is fascinating and luckily for me it's one of the coolest mysteries I've had the opportunity to read. It was such a fun challenge to work my way through. I was a little worried about keeping track of the timelines and POVs. I'll admit I was a bit thrown at first, but once I got into the swing of things I became absolutely hooked on Turton's lushly detailed and atmospheric writing style. Everything is plotted out magnificently - I can't imagine how it would look to be on the other side of the page keeping all of it straight. Wow!

Overall, Turton's debut totally delivers with only a couple of minor snags along the way. It's addicting, fast-paced, and just the right kind of loony. Thinking back on it now, it would say it could be even more intriguing to go in blind. Anyway, I don't want to give away anything more, but just take my world for it you need to pick up this new release. I can't wait to see what Stuart Turton does in the future.

2018 has had some really inventive novels, and The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is definitely on the list. This book was a murder mystery that definitely took some extra attention but was absolutely captivating. Rich, interesting characters and an absolutely original concept made this novel one of my favourites of the year so far! This book took me 6.5 hours to read. 4 stars.

I’m not going to summarize this book because it has such an AMAZING plot, and I don’t want to give any of it away. Amazon and Goodread don’t even offer much of a summary. This is one of those novels you should just jump right into without a lot of background information. The book reminds me of Space Mountain at Disneyland. It’s filled with thrilling twists and turns, dips and drops, and all at a fast paced speed. At the end of the ride you think to yourself, “That was one hell of an adventure!” If you love murder mysteries, and you don’t mind a sci-fi twist, you won’t regret reading this book. In fact, you won’t want to put it down.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC. #NetGalley

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle blew me away, so much so that I actually didn’t take my usual notes. I just read it, from beginning to end, using my Kindle’s glorious highlight abilities to keep track of the various threads weaving through Blackheath house. The concept of the book is wonderfully unique – a man has eight days to solve a murder, living the day over and over again in a series of host bodies and attempting to solve the riddle of just who murdered Evelyn Hardcastle.



“My mind has gone blank. I don’t know who Anna is or why I’m calling her name. I don’t even know how I got here.”



And you are literally dropped right in there, a man is bleeding, standing in the middle of a forest screaming a woman’s name, unable to remember who or where he is, and he hears a woman being shot. There’s no run up to this, no gradual introduction of the concept, just ‘what on earth is going on here OH GOD THERE’S BEEN A MURDER ALREADY’. Each host comes with their own physical and mental talents and drawbacks, meaning that the mysterious protagonist has to fight to find traits in each that he can use. Of course, it isn’t until he wakes up on the second day that he realises something terrible is happening to him. He hasn’t just lost his memory from too much drink and wandered into the woods, he isn’t Sebastian Bell – the cowardly doctor who viewed Blackheath with such confusion, but that just means he doesn’t know who he is at all.



“I have the sense of having stumbled upon something sleeping, that uncertain light the heartbeat of a creature vast and dangerous and still.”



Blackheath is a hotbed of lies and manipulation that crosses class barriers and hides murder and bribery behind smiles and dancing. In Blackheath, nobody is what they seem and they are willing to do anything to prevent the truth from coming out. It has been nineteen years to the day since the murder of Thomas Hardcastle, Evelyn’s brother, and clouds gather overhead.

This book is stunningly written, the crumbling house and its inhabitants – each individual, most of whom are despicable, are rendered in such exquisite and realistic detail that envisioning it is no trouble at all. From Doctor ‘Dickie’, characterised initially and often thereafter by his enormous moustache, to the halls freshly painted and reeking of paint, the reflecting pool where Evelyn dies again and again to the skeletal remnants of a boathouse long abandoned after the tragic death of a child. Haunted by chess pieces carved with names, notes and warnings that make no sense, and a looming figure in a plague doctor’s mask, the protagonist – Aiden Bishop (hardly a spoiler, it is in the blurb) – struggles to make sense of the day’s events. The same thing happens every day, and yet there are so many secrets at work, so many motivations and actions that even in the isolated setting of Blackheath it seems almost impossible to get to the bottom of it. We see conversations overheard from multiple perspectives, actions explained by the actions of Bishop’s hosts yet to come. Afraid of ruining the plans he is formulating, Bishop scarcely interacts with previous or future hosts, waiting instead to see the world through their eyes and add thread to the tapestry. The timeline bounces back and forth – Bishop has a day with each host, bouncing back and forth between them when he falls asleep or unconscious…or when he is murdered. It is complex, exhilarating and endlessly changing. One mystery is solved, two more show up – there’s something more at play here than one party, one murder, one guilty party, one victim. History repeats itself in more ways than one as Bishop stumbles about Blackheath, trying to find the mysterious Anna whose name was on his lips the first moment he awoke.



“I’m a man in purgatory, blind to the sins that chased me here.”



I cannot recommend this book highly enough. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a masterfully crafted story of guilt, redemption, murder and identity. Unaware of who he once was, Aiden Bishop is forced to make himself in the image of who he wants to be, trapped in the crumbling prison of Blackheath house and the endless cycle of death that keeps him there. A fresh look at the murder mystery genre that’s sure to leave a lasting impression, this is definitely one I’ll be talking about for a long time.



Overall rating: 5 books out of 5.



A copy of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I honestly do not know how the author kept this story straight while writing it. I am going to have to reread this again because I know that I missed so much. I didn't expect that ending at all! Great read but expect to be engrossed for a while. This is not a book that you want to start and stop a lot. I only deduct one star because it was really hard to keep up with at some points.

Sebastian Bell wakes up in the middle of the night, lost in the woods. He has no memory of anything, including who or where he is. The only thing he's very sure of is that he just heard a murder take place. As he stumbles through the rest of his day, he tries desperately to grasp on to anything that may bring back his memory. The next day is no better. In fact, it's a bit worse as he finds himself not to be Sebastian at all. Now he's an entirely different person. The narrator, learned to be a man called Aiden Bishop, learns he is in a puzzle of sorts. He has eight days and eight host bodies to find out who murders Evelyn Hardcastle, free-spirited heiress of Blackheath Castle. Each morning, Aiden resets in a new host, using their particular strengths to try and find answers. But he's not the only one. Someone else inhabits the castle with the same task and they'll willing to resort to murder themselves in order to be free of the puzzle. As time runs out, Aiden and his hosts are pushed to their ends in order to try and stop a murder before they end up victims themselves.

What an interesting read. Turton's writing is quite compelling, keeping you guessing throughout. Normally when I read a mystery novel, I like to try and figure out the answer on my own. However, this book really didn't attract me to try and solve the case. With all the ups and downs and body-jumping, I just decided to go along for the ride and don't regret it. I'm not sure if I would have figured it out to begin with. It's interesting to watch as Aiden slowly loses himself to the personalities of his hosts. The author works to blend the characters very well. Overall, I don't know if I agree with the author and his take on redemption, but to each his own on the subject. I would recommend to anyone who loves a good thriller. Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.

This follows our main character Aiden over the course of 8 days as he tries to unravel a murder that hasn't happened yet. He finds himself at Blackheath, an old rundown estate, trapped in the body of someone else. He is looking for someone named Anna who he believes is dead. Aiden comes to find out that Anna is not dead, and that he is at a party, he is on a mission to solve a murder that hasn't happened yet, and his life is also in danger. He is assisted by Anna and the mysterious Plague Doctor who give him clues throughout the course of the investigation. Each day Aiden wakes up in the body of a different person who has a different perspective on the murder Evelyn Hardcastle, one of the party's hosts, if he fails to solve the murder he wakes up in the body of someone new the next. He remembers all of the knowledge he gained from his previous hosts in order to string together what he's learned by the 8th day in order to solve the unsolvable puzzle of Evelyn Hardcastle.

I really loved this. It was such a unique concept and I really enjoyed the twists and turns. Every time I thought I knew what was going on something else happened to prove my theory wrong. I loved that I didn't know "who-dun-it" the entire book.

There is a lot going on in this book, and it is fairly long. It doesn't feel like it though, the author does a great job keeping you engaged in the mystery and helping you keep all of the characters straight. It isn't fast paced, but it isn't slow either. The pacing was just right for the writing and story. I think that was quite a feat given the nature of the book. With the timeline and character switching this had the potential to be very confusing, and I always felt that I knew which character we were following and where we were in the story. Given the fact that the main character jumps characters several times and the timeline shifts several times the characters and side characters are fairly well developed for having so many. I really enjoyed this writing style and I'll be looking to read more of Turton's work in the future.

It’s been a couple of days and „Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” is still fresh in my mind. Unlikely I would forget such a memorable and refreshing story, a take on a murder mystery that I’ve never quite encountered before.

Aiden Bishop, our main protagonist, is tasked with solving the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle. Stuck in a vast but ailing mansion of Blackheath, a place that’s known family tragedy and is about to know more. He doesn’t know how he got there. He has no recollection of his own name. That is, until a mysterious woman Anna gives it to him. The rules of Blackheath are cruel but simple: he is to solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle within the span of the next 8 days. Each day his consciousness will wake up in a body of a different host, somehow relevant to the murder mystery. On top of that, he’s being hunted by a villain he knows nothing about, someone determined to eliminate him from the game and squash his chances of getting out. If Aiden fails, he’ll forget again and the cycle of 8 new days will begin anew.

I love murder mysteries. I loved this one because, thanks to the supernatural element, it changed the game and gave me as a reader something completely unheard of: I could be different people as Aiden’s consciousness had different hosts. It was magnificent. They weren’t all stellar people. Most of them were quite despicable but each one, even the most evil one, provided Aiden with a set of skills that propelled him closer to solving the mystery and thus gaining freedom. Each day it was harder for Aiden to remember who he was and what he was doing there as the hosts were getting stronger. It was no easy task to stay on the course, to remember himself and his goal, not to give in to unwanted urges, not to wander off.

It was a psychological thriller as much as it was a murder mystery. The internal struggle was a presence as each host was excellently fleshed out and different, each skill set a vital addition to the endgame. I was at the edge of my seat, at first trying and guessing who the culprit was, what the hell transpired?! and then, when I finally admitted total and absolute defeat and the story was coming to an end, a reveal within my grasp, I was just delighted at how clever it was. I was fooled and I was glad for it as “Seven Deaths…” deserves to be absorbed first, rather than analyzed while you read for the first time. I imagine that then, once you’ve read it, you can get back to it and pick to the story apart, see what you missed and when you missed the key elements to deducing right but reading for the first time? It’s so FUN to let go and BE fooled!

On top of the plot being fantastically clever, the author definitely knows his penmanship. This book wouldn’t have worked without a gifted writer to tell it and Stuart Turton was nothing short of remarkable. Having said that, I would also love for him to write another one to somehow… maybe?... explore another prison world, a brand new murder mystery, another clever set of rules to help our new main solve it. It could be a series of standalones with a similar premise of sorts. I’m sure fans of “Seven Deaths…” would line up, eager to get their hands on it!

If you’re a fan of murder mysteries, do not hesitate and just buy this book. It will blow your mind and it will do it in a great, memorable way. If you’re not a fan of the genre, I do implore you to check it out despite that. Perhaps this one will get you into it, change your mind, alter your life! You know the drill – as all amazing books do.

**massive thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

I'm not sure if I can actually do this book justice with my review but I will try!

We start the story with a man coming to his senses in the middle of the woods with a woman's name on his lips. He has no memory of who he is, where he has come from or why he is dressed for a formal dinner party. He then realises that he has no recognition of the body he is in let alone anything else.

We learn that this man is Aiden Bishop.

Aiden Bishop is a man in purgatory. He has attended a party in which Evelyn Hardcastle is murdered. His quest: to discover who murdered her from the party of people staying at the Hardcastle estate - Blackheath. Could it be her mother who hated her since she was little and left her small brother on his own (which led to his murder)? Her arranged betrothed who (despite his large age gap and size) has agreed to pay a tidy dowry which will help her family out of their impending poverty? It would certainly get him out of paying a huge sum that he didn't seem keen on in the first place. Plot set up nicely like an Agatha Christie yes? Oh no friends, this story is one brilliantly twisted spectre to behold.

The twist being is that Aiden Bishop is stuck in Groundhog Day. Each day he wakes up as a different character within Blackheath and has no memory of how or why he is there. Or why a plague doctor keeps appearing to warn him that the Footman is coming for him.

He has 8 days and 8 bodies to inhabit to discover who would commit such an abhorrent act. But with everyone in the house keeping some sort of secret, and 2 other rivals inhabiting bodies to beat him in this mystery, will Aiden manage to solve the deathly puzzle?

My description of the synopsis can't really put into words how utterly genius this plot is. I've never read anything like it. It has all the hallmarks of a brilliant classic murder mystery, yet the sci fi element of having to go through the day again and again uncovering new secrets.

The setting and era (the 1920's) of this story make it a perfectly delicious gothic read. The backdrop of Blackheath estate fallen into disrepair is a character in itself, lending to the ominous secrets it holds within.

Where it does become a little lacklustre in my opinion is that each time Aiden appears in a new body he loses more of himself and becomes more of the person he is inhabiting. In this sense I lost the connection with Aiden a little bit as it kind of interrupted the flow of the story.

However overall this was an absolute mind blowing smasher of a read. I highly recommend.

A dazzling 4 star read for me.

I would like to thank Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Do you love a good Mystery? Do you need a new novel that will keep you awake late into the night because you can't put it down? Would an interesting twist on grab your attention? Look no further than this novel! My new favorite mystery tale of 2018. I will be re-reading this all during the winter months and putting it in the hands of everyone. I could not turn off my Kindle from page 1, the setting, the descriptions and the characters are utterly captivating. Stuart Turton's setting is like a dark Gothic novel combined with the opulence of Downton Abbey. If you are looking for a "dark and stormy night" kind of novel, pick up this book NOW.

The 7 ½ DEATHS OF EVELYN HARDCASTLE by Stuart Turton is a tightly plotted, wonderfully moody and atmospheric story that works perfectly as a straight detective story as well as a time travel tale story with a dash of make believe. It’s sort of QUANTUM LEAP meets GROUNDHOG DAY while combining the simple pleasure of an Agatha Christie novel with the intellectual subtlety of Umberto Eco.

Turton is unusually skilled in narrative and gets everything right with his pitch perfect prose and unusual characterizations that drive a plot that is as odious as some of its cast.

The narrative begins with a bang featuring unusual and unsettling episode and develops into a roller coaster ride of artful reversals. I could go on for pages about this amazing tale but suffice to say that Turton has provided a seven course banquet for readers with an appetite for the unusual.

Ok so I didn't love it but I didn't hate it. And I'm not actually sure I understand what happened but I suppose that was the point? It's a solid 3.5 anyway

The tale of a body jumping conciousness, stuck in an endless loop of a single day. From the viewpoints of 8 different men. All of which he has inhabited for a single day, But they talk to each other about what's happening???

I loved the premise of this when i read the synopsis - it sounded amazing and very Christie with a twist (guaranteed to steal my attention for a few hours). Alas it wasn't all I thought it would be. Perhaps it was the hype, perhaps it was my ridiculously high expectations, or maybe it was just that I need to reread it to 'get it'.

The individuals whom Aiden inhabits were well planned out, no character was the same. I appreciated the inclusion of Anna who seems to play a larger part than I initially expected,

The plot twists were generally enjoyable. I especially didn't see the boathouse coming though I feel I should have.

I found the frequent changing of characters to previous hosts distracting as some interactions were literally 3 sentences long and had no real impact on the overall narrative. The inclusion of the psychotic footman was a welcome distraction from my confusion but unfortunately he alone could not push me to a rating of 4/5 stars.

While I didnt love it, I would recommend it to fans of Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle.

I received a arc of this title from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Rules of Blackheath House (where the Masquerade Ball and the murder of Evelyn will occur)

Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered at 11:00 PM (again and again and again until the murderer is unmasked)

Aiden Bishop has eight days, and will inhabit eight “host bodies” in an attempt to figure out WHO murdered Evelyn

He can only escape if he can tell the name of the killer to The Plague Doctor (almost like a game master) at the end of the eight days.

This book is being described as a cross between an Agatha Christie story (a murderer amongst the guests) and GroundHog Day (days keep repeating themselves but each day you are in a different host body) with a touch of Downton Abbey thrown in ( characters are from upstairs and downstairs (the staff).

Aiden isn’t the only guest trying to solve the murder. Only one guest can persevere.

I’m at a loss for words as where to begin with my review. I don’t know that I will be able to convey into words my love of Stuart Turton’s book, “The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.” A work of genius and for anyone who loves mysteries or the true old-fashioned “who dunnit”, this is your book. This is not a modern day mystery/thriller but an honest to goodness murder mystery with a multilayered plot.
This work of art requires your complete focus and attention otherwise you might miss one of the many crucial details. I found myself going back and rereading pages to make sure I didn’t miss a clue. At times, I felt totally lost but then another clue was revealed and I would be back on track.
Turton’s book is not linear in the way the mystery is first revealed and ultimately solved, it will have the feel of taking one step forward and two steps back before the bigger picture becomes clear. He gives us a complex, intelligent and original novel that gave me renewed faith that there are great mystery writers out there with stories that force us to use our brain cells to figure it out.
As I was nearing the end of the book, I started to turn the pages a little slower as I wistfully realized this novel was coming to an end. It’s the ultimate paradox, you want to get to the end to see the conclusion but it also means the end of this remarkable experience.
As a fan of escape rooms, I love the challenge of trying to solve the mystery to get out of the room. Now imagine solving the mystery, unlocking the room only to find yourself in another room and faced with another mystery and repeating this pattern multiple times before you can escape. Solving the mystery of who killed Evelyn Hardcastle is only the beginning to unraveling the bigger mystery.
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a labyrinth, a three dimensional puzzle and a great ride all in one book. Run, don’t walk, to get a copy of this book but then catch your breath, pour yourself a glass of wine and savor each page of one of the best mysteries you will read.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley.

I did not end up enjoying this book as much as I'd hoped, and even though I managed to finish, I found the plot overly convoluted and the resolution unsatisfying.

This was one heck of a mystery ride that I did not want to get off of. But please note, this is not a book to breeze through, you must pay attention. I had to also stop trying to figure it out, because that was distracting me as well. Aiden Bishop has to solve a murder, and has only the 7 days leading up to the 8th day, when the actual murder takes place, to do so. He lives each day over and over until the 8th day in the body of a different ‘host’, which is a person close to the victim in some way. Confused yet? Intrigued? Smh? Oh, I should also mention there are others like Aiden and a footman trying to kill him. You know, just to add to all of it in case you thought you had it straight.

Like I said, you have to focus because this is an intricate, complex story, but it was so well thought out, and unique, and interesting, and it honestly blew my mind. The ending was not what I expected, I didn’t know whom to trust, how this would end, but it was so very good. I loved how it had the feel of a classic mystery, and the comparisons to Agatha Christie are spot on. The twist though of repeating everything daily but learning more and more as you go gives the narrative a fresh update and is just clever. It is because of this I absolutely recommend, it is great for a rainy day read for sure.

Thanks to NetGalley for an electronic copy to review, all opinions above are my own.