The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a novel by Stuart Turton. It follows a mysterious story of the main character whose name we don’t immediately know since he himself doesn’t know it. The book begins in the woods where our protagonist wakes up cold and afraid and witnessed what he believes is a murder of a woman named Anna. He is than thrown into a wild goose chase filled with weird occurences and interesting people who carry sad and thrilling backstories.

I was incredibly excited when I found out I was approved to get an arc of this book. I’ve heard so many great things about it and the premise od the storyline really throw me out of my socks. When I first opened the novel I was filled with enthusiasm. I really was.

And then… Then I was let down. I was sincerely disappointed. The story was not as interesting as I expected and a few thing were in fact quite predictable.
The characters; well, I actually found most of the character quite unlikable, which is not a bad thing most of the time. The problem is the fact that I did not like even one character. The protagonist was very annoying in my opinion and I actually quite despised his character – especially the fact he was such a coward. I, of course, know that is not uncommon in people, it is in fact quite common. But in this character I found that trait very irritating.

There were some good this in this novel of course. For example, the writing style was very enjoying and the descriptions were very well done.

I guess this just was not a book for me.

I received this book in exchange for a review.

This book was very original and very clever! It was so well written and I will read more from this author.

I have never read anything quite like "The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle". It has elements of the classic mystery story, but it is also science fiction set in both the past and the future. It was unexpected, surprising, and it had so many twists and puzzles I could hardly keep up.

I loved the classic mystery setting of the English manor house, with a cast of characters who are never quite what they appear to be. However, this was not a typical whodunnit murder mystery. The central character, Aidan Bishop, takes on the body of a new "host" every day as he tries to solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle. Meanwhile, there are others present who are trying to solve the mystery first, and only one of them can escape the loop. If they don't, they will be condemned to keep reliving the same day over and over.

This was such a unique and clever story. It kept me guessing as I tried to follow along with the shifting characters and sequence of events. Highly recommended to anyone who likes a good mystery and a clever story.

This book deserves five stars, but I unfortunately was not in the right mindset at the time I was reading it to fully appreciate this masterpiece. I was expecting a cozy mystery, not the brilliantly weaved plot that had me gawking at Turton's ability to keep track of it all. I'm going to need to reread this at least a handful of times to capture it all.

Let me be honest - I was looking for plot holes. I'm that awful sort of person that loves to be able to go, "Hah! That doesn't work with what the author previously said!", but nope, I was unable to do that here. Turton has truly weaved a crazy plot that seems to have all added up. But maybe I was just confused...

Anyways, in this clever novel we follow Aiden Bishop as he, for reasons unbeknownst to him, is caught in a loop of the same day from the vantage point of eight hosts as he tries to solve a murder that didn't look like a murder. That's all I'm going to say. Just read it. There's no way to explain this without giving it away.

My only critique of this book is that it is confusing. Maybe it's that I wasn't able to commit to it's cleverness, but if you miss anything you're going to be really lost. I think there were just a lot of moving parts that weren't always easy to follow. Additionally, it's a bit of a plodding novel overall. It took me about the first third of the book to get into it (like I said, I was expecting something else). If you're expecting that and in the mood for it, it's great, but don't expect an action packed thriller from the get go because you'll be let down. Just go into this book expecting a long, masterful ride and you'll love it.

** Thanks for Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. **

This novel was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The 7 1/2 deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a standalone historical suspense that is different than anything I have ever written. Just like with clue the author provides the reader with all the players by way of an invitation to the Hardcastle estate. The books point of view is through the voice of someone who never knows whose body they are in. The rule maker of this game is called "The Plague Doctor" by the narrator of this tale and lets the narrator know that he has 8 days and 8 hosts, but with memories since the first host to complete solve the mystery before it begins all again with no memory of the previous 8 days.

This tales contains twists galore and leaves the reader intrigued to know what is going on around every corner. This is the first book where I have actually written notes to try and solve the puzzle before the clues are presented clearly. This book is such a wonderful discovery for anyone who picks it up and brings the reader into the mystery as if we are a player as well.. I don't think there is anyone who would not enjoy this story and want to reread it someday.

This is a complex book, chock full of quirky characters and a murder mystery that keeps happening over and over again. And apparently will until it is solved. It reels you in from the start and keeps your interest until the last page.. Unique and interesting story.

7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is Stuart Turton's debut novel. This was a lot better than I expected it to be! To be honest, I wasn't 100% sold, especially after reading other reviews that stated that the timeline was difficult to follow. I did not have any trouble at all, you just need to pay attention (absolutely NO skimming even a single paragraph). I tend to rely heavily on the reviews of others, but now I'm glad I pushed them from my mind when requesting to read this.

     This story had me hooked within the first few pages and during times that I wasn't reading, I was thinking about it! It is a very unique story with a couple of crazy twists at the end that really pulls everything together quite nicely. It kept me guessing up until the very end, very unpredictable and I could only speculate who I thought knew what and did what (But I was wrong each and every single time). All in all, it was a fantastic read that kept me engaged and guessing to the very last few pages!

     I do highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a unique, suspenseful mystery. To someone who enjoys twists and turns throughout the chapters. There was never a dull moment in this story (for me) and I think I would gladly purchase a physical copy to put on my shelves at home.

This is the work of an amazing author with mad skills. His imagination is beyond reach. Every time you try to guess a plot, he gives you a twist. Eventually, your mind is blocked, allowing yourself to go with the flow of the story. His characters are very limited, very crisp that he has total control on all of them. He makes the full usage of every single character to twist and turn the story as much as he could.

In a complex plot like this, a reader gets so many questions about the story while reading, but sometimes the answers are not delivered by the author. It is so much difficult to fulfill the audiences and control their imagination with just your words. I’m in full praise for the author, and hope to see the book on the chart of 2018! This is by far, the BEST THRILLER of the year.

I absolutely loved this book. Not to be cliché, but you really can’t put it down because you want so much to figure out the mystery. If you love Agatha Christie or Kate Atkinson you will love this book. I cannot imagine how the author dreamed up such a convoluted story line and kept all the details straight, even with Post It Notes and Excel spreadsheets. There are so many characters, but each is so well developed that it is not difficult to keep track of everyone. When I tried to describe the story line to my husband (who doesn’t read books) I realized that the whole concept sounded a little loopy. But when I started explaining it to my daughter who loves to read she got it right away.

Aiden Bishop “wakes up” in what appears to be a terrible nightmare and it just gets stranger from there. Blackheath is a remote and crumbling English manor where Lord and Lady Hardcastle are throwing a party for their daughter Evelyn. The book is jam packed with a “host” of creative characters that Aiden must embody to figure out who killed Evelyn Hardcastle. It is so hard to write anything about the plot without giving away information that will ruin the adventure for others. So, suffice it to say that when you think you have it figured out – you don’t!

I did find it a little difficult and somewhat frustrating to keep up with the shifting timelines as Aiden moved between hosts. Other reviewers found the repetitiveness annoying, but I think it was necessary to help the reader keep up with the events. Usually by the time I reach the end of a book I am just skimming to pick up on the important points or dialog, but that was not possible with this book. I had to go back and read the last few chapters again just to be sure I really understood how all the pieces came together.

The author describes it best as a combination of Agatha Christie and Quantum Leap. I would recommend this book to those who love a true old-fashioned mystery with a touch of science fiction but really to anyone who just loves a good story that pulls you in and makes you want to keep reading to find the solution.

It's not that I didn't like this book, it's just that it wasn't the typical book that I like to read. It was a bit more fantastical than I am used to so I had a harder time getting through it just because it's not my typical read. I am not a huge sci-fi fan, so I probably shouldn't be surprised that this wasn't my favorite. I liked it for being a book outside my normal genre preference, but it still wasn't my favorite. But, I usually put down books that aren't in my genre (I know, bad habit) so it's a good sign that I read and finished this book even though it wasn't something I typically pick up.

I think the book went on a bit long - I think the reader could have read less and still been satisfied with the outcome. Overall, I am impressed that I read and finished this book that was outside my comfort zone, but it wasn't my favorite.

This book was not a good fit for me. It wasn't at all what I expected. I got 75 percent done on my kindle and gave up.

A compelling and intelligent read. This is the kind of a book where you want to read and make notes as you go along. It invites you to be a part of it and ‘solve’ the intricate puzzle. Some parts are lengthy and a tighter editing would have helped. This books reminds you of a Sherlock Holmes/Agatha Christie mix! Most of the guests are interesting enough and the characters are developed well. Overall a good read that keeps you on your toes.

Blackheath House was an isolated country manor surrounded by forests. The owners, Lord Peter and Lady Helena Hardcastle planned a masquerade party, a birthday bash for daughter Evelyn. How special was it that Blackheath House would reopen after nineteen years and the same guests would attend the gala? Evelyn Hardcastle, however, would be murdered at 11 P.M, but by whom? Here are the rules of Blackheath House. A guest would be able to return home only upon solving Evelyn's murder, by supplying proof implicating the murderer. Until the case was solved, a Groundhog Day Loop would continue to be activated. Aiden Bishop, here by choice, has been informed that he has eight days to produce the name of Evelyn's killer. In order to view the crime from different perspectives, Aiden must inhabit eight different "host" bodies, among them a doctor, a rapist, and a constable. If unsolved, Aiden's memories and amassed clues would be wiped out and the eight day loop would repeat again, indefinitely, until the murderer was unmasked. Solve the mystery and be released from Blackheath's enchantment.

The concept behind "The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle" by Stuart Turton is refreshing, a debut crime novel replete with infinite twists and turns, keeping the reader guessing. It has a true 1920's Golden Age "feel". I applaud Turton for his uniquely original debut tome, however, I was a bit overwhelmed despite concise note taking. This was a challenging read, a spooky mansion with deeply embedded secrets, a masquerade ball and an intricate murder mystery.

Thank you SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle".

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I thought this book was a well written, clever and unique murder mystery.
This is the author’s 1st book and I can’t wait to read what he writes next.
I highly recommend this book.

It’s very hard to review this book without giving anything away, mostly to its true to form mysterious configuration. It’s been a while since I haven’t read such a puzzling mystery, and if you’re like me and found the title intriguing, the book itself will fascinate you much more.

The setting strikes me like the typical English countryside, with a manor somewhere in the woods, far away from the nearest village, isolated, its rooms many and its structure like a labyrinth. In a way similar, I could say, to Agatha Christie’s ‘And then there were none’. At first, you’re introduced to a certain character which you think will be the main one, but then as time passes another one comes into view, and then another one, and so on, basically multiple points of view intertwined, becoming an interesting study of human character, responses and emotions. Each person is so different from the other and reacts in peculiar ways to the same situation. As far as character building goes I was quite fascinated, each one making perfect sense, like a little cog in a bigger machine. I loved the way they were introduced and how the relationships between them evolved over time. A honorable mention, one of the characters that you will meet has amnesia, a detail that helps to slowly introduce the others as completely new persons for him, but also for the reader, somehow giving you a sense of calmness as not even the character knows what is really going on there.

The plot is anything but predictable, it keeps leading you astray making it a really fun read while waiting for the final reveal.

The only downfall with this book, if I can call it so, is that at first it is really slow building. Not much happens at first until the tension starts to build. I would have liked to see a little more action in the first third of the book. That would be my only complaint. Besides that, the writing was gripping, nothing too excessive or boring. A really fun read, and as far as reviews go, the less you know the better.

The debut novel by Stuart Turton was definitely a doozy of a book. While it was a fun and intriguing read, it definitely kept me up at night trying to solve the mystery, I found myself frustrated at some of the aspects of the novel.
While I understand the stylistic choices the author made in regards to the backstory and why there was so little of it. I found myself not really caring about the fate of the main character because of it. I wasn’t really able to invest in who the characters had become, because I didn’t really understand who they had been.
All that aside, the novel reads like a game, an impatient whodunnit where the winner solves the mystery first. I found myself trying to solve the puzzle even before our main character did. If you have the time to dedicate to this book, (it requires a lot of attention to detail) I definitely suggest it! 4/5 stars!

Hmm. This book took me awhile to get into, but then I was hooked!

The Hardcastle family is throwing masquerade at their home. Their daughter, Evelyn will die at the end of the evening. Aiden Bishop must race to solve the mystery of who did it.

However, it is not that easy. Part of Aiden's quest is to discover WHO he is and who are each of the characters around him, and even more importantly WHO can be trusted!

There is a lot of mystery and many puzzles to solve to discover who did it. A very twisted but interesting story. The further in you get the more the day and mysteries begin to unravel. Good read!

*I received an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What a great book! There are so many twists and turns which made it fun to try and play along. There are a lot of characters and moving parts, so it isn’t a book to read if you know you’ll have a lot of distractions. Set aside some time to settle in to Blackheath!

Wow, this book is unlike anything I've ever read before! 

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is such a unique murder-mystery with an incredibly clever plotline, it had me hooked from page one!

The main character, Aiden Bishop, has been trapped in Blackheath re-living the same day over and over, waking up in bodies of different people. The only way for Aiden to escape Blackheath and return to his normal life is by solving the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle who is shot at 11pm every evening. Not knowing who is telling the truth and who is an enemy, Aiden has only 8 days to figure it out before his memories are wiped out and the cycle starts again.  

As a big fan of Agatha Christie I found this book to be a compulsive read that I thoroughly enjoyed, however, I can see why this book might not be for everyone. The story is scattered in bits with events presented in random order, which can be confusing at times. This is not a book where you can relax your mind and switch off. On the contrary, it is important to stay focused as nothing is in chronological order and new details and clues are revealed with each chapter which might only become significant much later in the story.

The end of the book is very rewarding as finally all questions are answered, secrets exposed and everything comes nicely together. I absolutely loved this from start to finish and will be watching out for the next Stuart Turton's book.

I'm not sure how to rate this book actually so I went with a neutral 3 star rating.
For most of the book I was confused. I had a hard time keeping track of the characters and who had done what. I almost felt like I should be taking notes.
The story did eventually explain itself and the mystery was well done and had you guessing towards the end.
To enjoy this book you have to suspend reality although I wouldn't describe it as fantasy.
The author himself describes it as a cross between time travel, quantum leap, and Agatha Christie so if that's up your alley this book is for you.
Overall it was well written and enjoyable, I just had a hard time following along at times.
Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC.