This book was remarkably creative and intricate. It is basically "Groundhog Day" meets Agatha Christie. Evelyn Hardcastle is going to die and Aiden Bishop has to solve the murder in order to escape this day he keeps reliving.
He is given 8 days. The catch is that each day he wakes up in the body of somebody new. At first the story was somewhat confusing, but then you get into it, and it is just amazing the complexity of the story. I can't imagine the storyboard the author needed to keep up with all the details of all the different days. The story was expertly told with some very interesting twists. Excellent!!

I'm having trouble with this one because for some reason I'm not able to really connect with these characters. I'm really not sure what's going on in this book and that's worrisome for me. I can't say I enjoy this book.

Thanks for the opportunity to review this book.

I am going to start out with my rating, something I don't believe I have ever started a review with. I give this book 3 stars. I think I am the minority when it came to loving this book. Let me explain why...

This is one of the most confusing books I have ever read. There are so many characters, and each chapter is told first-person from a new character. Somehow I was supposed to remember each character from the previous chapter while starting a new chapter. Oh, and it also switches between past and present. It was just too much.

The murder mystery aspect and weird layout of how the story is told did keep me reading though. I needed to find out what the heck was going on. I had to find out. I'm getting ahead of myself. Here is the description of the novel:

At a gala party thrown by her parents, Evelyn Hardcastle will be killed--again. She's been murdered hundreds of times, and each day, Aiden Bishop is too late to save her. Doomed to repeat the same day over and over, Aiden's only escape is to solve Evelyn Hardcastle's murder and conquer the shadows of an enemy he struggles to even comprehend--but nothing and no one are quite what they seem. ~taken from Goodreads

It sounds like an amazing book, right? I fell in love with the premise and was really excited when I was granted access to the early read by Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark. The first few chapters had me hooked! Then, I just got so confused that I got frustrated. I then lost interest and simply read so that I could make it to the end.

Speaking of the ending, it was just "MEH". I remember shaking my head and thinking "I put myself though all this just for it to end like that?". I wasn't fulfilled and actually wished this book that seemed to last forever was actually a bit longer so I could get a full resolution.

I have to give credit to the author. He is obviously brilliant to write this type of a plot in the way he did. It's a very complex set up. I hate to say it, but because there were so many things going on, it might click better in my mind if there were a movie and I could see it all play out.

All that said, I might actually give this another chance and read it again. One of the things that really kept me confused was the main character's back story. Had that been told near the beginning, I could have focused less on "what is happening" and more on getting to know each character and where they fit in the overall story.

Thanks to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for allowing me an advanced ecopy to read and give my honest review.

"The 7 1/2 Death Of Evelyn Hardcastle" is due to be released here in the U.S. on Sept. 18, 2018. It is available now for pre-order.

Happy Reading!

As reviews have accurately put it: this is a cross between Agatha Christie and Groundhog Day. What most impressed me about this novel is how well the author assembled all of the details. I imagine he had A Beautiful Mind-type wall in his house covered in papers connected by a network of string. The atmosphere was also well drawn.

A word of warning: This book is quite long and has a lot of characters to keep track of. I failed at this and read it over entirely too many weeks. An elaborate guide somewhere would be most helpful.

Things I didn't love: 500 or so pages is a lot for a mystery of this nature, and I didn't feel a deep connection to Aiden Bishop, the main character, mainly because he's never the same person two days in a row and he has no memories of his own. I felt detached from his character. But like Agatha Christie's books, it's the whodunit that matters most. I'd definitely recommend this for people who like trying to put all the details together and craft their own hypothesis.

Mesmerizing. Difficult to keep up with. The reader as entangled as the main character. So much to consider after the final word has been read.

An excellent choice for a book group. It would engender a lively discussion, no pun intended.

Skillfully written. A book definitely warranting a second reading.

Thanks to the publisher-Source Landmark-for providing an e-ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book is one of the best books I have read in a long time. It had so much detail, vivid descriptions, memorable characters, and a fantastic twist at the end.

Aiden Bishop wakes up in a body that is not his own. He is confused and frightened. He soon finds out that he has to solve Evelyn Hardcastle’s death or he can’t escape the situation he is in. He is given 8 chances/days which means he is in 8 different bodies on each day.

What follows is an intricate and complex mystery that I could not put down. There were nights I wanted to skip my responsibilities and stay to up to finish. This was such a fantastic and unique book. We need more like it!

I'm going to give this a 3 star review, even though I didn't finish it. It wasn't my cup of tea, but Turton is an adept writer, setting up the atmosphere of the novel beautifully and utilizing genre conventions to great effect. This novel and its characters feel grounded in the 1920's, yet it still feels contemporary and edgy.
That being said, I personally didn't connect. I found it difficult to follow and I just couldn't get attached to any of the characters (all of whom are depicted as being despicable in their own ways, though their negative traits aren't clever or devilishly entertaining). The only character I was interested in was Evelyn, who is conspicuously absent throughout. Based on the other users' reviews, maybe I'd have found its brilliance if I stuck with it through the end, but I have a feeling it's just not for me.

This is one of the most mind-blowing and original books I have read in a while. Turton accomplished something incredible with The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle - a book I recommend going into without reading too far into the synopsis. All you really need to know is that this is a murder mystery where the protagonist gets to relive the same day 8 times, in 8 different bodies in order to solve a 20-year-old murder that took place at an estate. I haven't stayed up late to read in ages, but this book is truly un-putdown-able.

Cast of Characters

There is such a diverse set of characters in this book, both the hosts our protagonist inhabits – and borrows characteristics from – and the supporting cast. They all seem very distinct, despite Aiden being the driving force behind them. You can tell who he’s currently inhabiting, and it’s remarkable how often you’re reading his point of view and not realize how subtly the voice, the style of thinking, has changed. We don’t get to enjoy as much of a view into the minds and motives of our supporting characters, but Aiden more than makes up for this.

Pacing and Plot

I was immediately invested in the story – I had forgotten most of the synopsis, and as such I was just as lost as Aiden as to what was happening. This I felt is the best way to go into it, and I wish I had remembered even less! You’re along for the ride, and the story really draws you in, enticing you to try to solve the mystery together with Aiden. There’s a very speedy pace going throughout the story, and though it covers multiple days they flew by. I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been to keep track of all the different timelines and characters, and making sure everything works in the end, given that so much is connected!

Worldbuilding and Writing Style

Our world is a small one, the house and estate of Blackheath. I immediately got a 1930’s/Agatha Christie sort of vibe, with a house full of party guests and murder on the horizon. The setting felt very cinematic, if that makes sense – I could easily imagine it as a series or movie, the environment very atmospheric. I came across a hardcopy version in the bookstore, and it actually has a map on the inside cover – very informative, and gives off a Clue-vibe! There’s a very easy writing style, I had no trouble whatsoever in following along, and it does change very subtly depending on which host we’re in.

Enjoyment and Evaluation

I highly enjoyed this read – I didn’t want to put it down! I did not figure out the mystery before the twists, and though there were some reveals that felt too jarring compared to the world we’re in, the solution was very in-theme for the murder mystery genre. I would love to go back and reread it at some point, to see if there are clues and hints that I missed the first time. Given the intricacy of the story line I feel like there might have been many a breadcrumb hidden along the way.

As I said before, I would highly recommend going into this story as blind as possible, as sharing the struggle of figuring things out creates a real connection with the main character.

My Rating – 4 out of 5

This is a whirlwind of a book. You need to be ready and you need to read this when you have time to pay attention, otherwise it’s a goner for you.

Wow. I have never read anything so unique and just confusing af but I still was still sucked in.

Aiden Bishop has 8 days, and 8 hosts to solve a murder. The day repeats itself over and over again until the murder is solved. But everytime he wakes up in another host, it’s a different time of the day or he’s a day ahead of his other self. It gets extremely confusing so I want to try and explain it without spoilers.

Okay. 8 different people, all on the same day. Aiden is inside each of these 8 people, the whole day BUT for him it’s different days. Each time he goes to sleep he wakes up in another host. So on the first night he goes to sleep and wakes up in the 2nd host but because the day is repeating itself, he’s still technically in the first host but he’s also in the rest of them too they are just ahead of him. I hope this helps because I almost lost the book completely by not understanding that. It isn’t a spoiler at all... but anyways


Also blackheath is awesome af and that ending. Yessssss. Didn’t see any of that coming. At all. Amazing

Wow! This is a really unique book. I was trying to figure out what to say about it and saw that another reviewer described it as Groundhog Day meets Agatha Christie. Yep. It's that and so much more. I don't want to spoil anything, so the short version is that the same day is replayed over 8 times from different perspectives in order to try to solve a murder. It is intricate and at times confusing, but it's well-worth sticking with it. I loved the writing and the originality of the story

My only complaint about this book is that it starts off slow with no intro into whats going on. That being said by the time you are about 30% into the book, and things start to click and you think you have an inkling whats going on, its not until the end that you realize why the book starts off the way it does and that it probably needed to start off that way. Sadly even with it being necessary, the first 30% is still slow. Still a great book!

Intrigued by the title; absolutely fascinated by the story. From the very first page to the last, I was captivated. I never expected the answer, and that is the hallmark of an amazing mystery.
There was so much about this book that I loved. The mixed-up timelines and the uncertain chemistry between Aiden and Anna reminded me of River Song and The Doctor. Each of Aiden’s “hosts” was so well-crafted and their movements so intricately woven together, it was mind-boggling. The lyricism Turton entwined throughout the story brought beauty to what could have been an overly dark plot. He managed to write a non-stop, mind-bending mystery wrapped in lyrically intense prose with a dash of social commentary…and it was awesome!
I most highly recommend you grab a copy of The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle as soon as it hits the shelves next month. You will definitely enjoy the ride!
Many thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark Publishers and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of this novel for review purposes. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my very own!

I received a free e-copy of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle from NetGalley for my honest review.

This book blew my mind. It was like a real life version of the game Clue. Aiden Bishop wakes up in the body of somebody else and the only thing he knows is the name of a woman, Anna, but he has no idea who she is. He finds himself in Blackheath, where everyone seems to know him and slowly he discovers that day will be repeated eight times. Each time, Aiden wakes up in someone else's body until he figures out who killed Evelyn Hardcastle that night. Evelyn Hardcastle is going to die seven times. Aiden Bishop's job is to prevent her death.

You are asked to solve a murder. You have eight different host bodies that you will inhabit. Each host has their own set of weaknesses and strengths. Will you be able to stay true to yourself or will their personas overtake you? Can you play up their strengths or will you fall victim to their weaknesses? Will you make it out of this crazy train? Or will you be forever stuck in the loop? So many questions...

Aiden Bishop has been invited to a mysterious party hosted by Helena and Lord Hardcastle. The party takes place at an old estate named Blackheath that the family has owned for many years. To add to the mysterious atmosphere, the estate is surround by forest and is very hard to locate. The guests have all been brought in by the hosts before the party to ensure everyone is there on time. The timing of the party seems ironic since their son Thomas Hardcastle had died exactly 19 years earlier. Aiden Bishop quickly discovers that Evelyn Hardcastle is going to die a tragic death on this weekend. It is his obsession to stop it in time. The thing is Evelyn will die over and over again.

This author deserves mad props for this creation. This is one of the most original and creative books I have ever read. As someone else had compared it to Dark Matter in their review, that is really all I kept thinking that it was comparable to. The author has taken such great detail to describe the setting that you feel you can see it. That being said, I quite enjoyed the book but it was a bit too long and detailed for me personally. There are so many different hosts and characters that it is a little exhausting to keep them straight. I am glad I had several days off of work to really concentrate on this book because I found myself having to reread several paragraphs. You must stay focused with this book. That is just me personally though. This book is very popular and getting a lot of rave reviews. It deserves it. It just was not my personal cup of tea, but I am glad I got the opportunity to read it.

Thank you so much to Stuart Turton, Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for this ARC.

4 .5 brilliantly messed up stars

Hands down, this book made me its puppet and consumed all my thoughts throughout the day. Stuart Turton really knew how to mess with his reader's minds and I feel a bit like I am in the middle of a labyrinth trying to figure how I got to the end. One little critique is that I felt it had a tendency to be a little slow around the middle, but definitely this book earns a place on my favorites of 2018.

I absolutely love this book. It had a bit of a slow start but it definitely is worth reading. It's a blast to read and it definitely deserves the chance. I definitely liked the characters and the premise. It's so good. I'm glad that I gave it a chance.

Joining this site was worth it just to get to review this title. I have not read a book this fun and compulsively readable in a while.

I often roll my eyes at the comparisons publishers make for these titles, so I worried when I saw a Black Mirror shout-out. However, if this book isn't the perfect companion novel for those of us whose favorite episode of the show is White Bear, I don't know what is.

I had a hard time getting into The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle at the beginning. But then, WOW! What a ride, what a read, what a story! Don't give up on this novel; the mystery is worth it in the end. I've only recently discovered that I enjoy a good mystery/thriller plot so I don't have much to compare it to, but please give it a read when you are crazing a good twisty book!

This was a very fast paced sometimes confusing but really really good thriller! I enjoyed all the characters and even though I had 50% of the time no idea what was going on I really loved how everything came together in the end and made sense!
I just had a hard time getting used to everything in the beginning but after that I couldn't put this book down! Really recommend it to everybody who loves fantasy and crime!