This book is just as magnificent as everyone says it is.

I know it took me a while to finish it, but that's mainly because I had manuscripts I had to read for work. When I have any spare time to read, this is what I go to first. A lot reviewers said you have to read it in one sitting to comprehend the story, I don't think that's the case. I read it in fragments and still appreciate its magnificence.

This is just a beautiful concept executed expertly. It's built on an idea that's often used in science fictions. I can compare it to Altered Carbon and the movie Source Code. But at the same time, it's completely different from all those stories. It reads like an Agatha Christie murder case, particularly similar to Murder on the Orient Express, with an old case buried under the layers of a recent murder.

I don't think it's possible to relay any story points without spoiling the fun of reading this complex and entertaining murder mystery. But going in, you only really need to know what the blurb tells you.

So my conclusion is, read this, whether you're interested in period murder mysteries or not (I'm not). Several authors, some of them have written successful books that sold very well, said they were envious of Mr. Turton's talent or that they wished they wrote the book themselves. That's the highest praise an writer could give another, and I understand why they would say that.

**4.5 stars**
Aiden Bishop is reliving the same day over and over again without any signs of stopping. He is tasked with finding out who killed Evelyn Hardcastle, and why. When he wakes up, he finds himself in someone else's body, something that is obviously disorienting. However, there are more things in motion than what he originally thought. What seemed like a simple task seems even harder now when he realizes he has rivals afoot. 
or me, the reason why this book didn't get 5/5 stars is really simple: There was a lot of front loading in the beginning chapters. There was a lot of information dumping that made me confused. Once I got past those first few chapters, I started reading this novel with a voracity that I haven't seen in awhile. This novel was so good guys. 

I loved that I was able to really experience each day with Aiden over and over and it never got dull. The level of detail that Turton put into this novel is absolutely incredible. 
I feel like this is a novel that would translate really well on the screen and I can only keep my fingers crossed that this turns into a movie or a TV show. That would be amazing. 
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for allowing me to read this novel!!

This is definitely one of the best books I've read in a long time! I did not quite know what to expect when I started it...and by the end it completely blew my mind. I read a lot of mystery/thrillers and because of that, I am not surprised or caught off guard often. I loved the premise, the characters, the structure, and the ultimate resolution. My only negative (which is probably my fault) is that it was hard to keep all the different characters and guests straight. But I read this book in smaller spurts so I think I would forget who was who and which guest the protagonist was at that point. So I think this book is best read in bigger chunks so you don't lose track of people! In sum: fantastic.

cw: off-page sexual assault, unchallenged fatphobia/fatshaming

This was fine. It’s honestly a struggle for me to write a review because I have next-to-nothing to say about it. It’s a shame because the beginning of the book had me pulled right in. I really wanted to know what was going on and who our main character was. The whole thing just gets pulled in so many different directions that there are almost too many mysteries to solve and I kind of stopped being invested in any of them. The reveal about why Aiden is at Blackheath was a bit out of left field and not expanded on enough, I was left feeling like I had been given a cop out explanation with no context. The biggest problem with this novel was that too much time was spent on things that I didn’t care about and too little time was spent on things I did care about.

I also didn’t really like the hosts who Aiden inhabited. He had only male hosts (I’m almost positive? I read it over such a long period of time.) and I think it becomes pretty obvious that this was written by a man. Aside from the general vibe of the writing, there was the way Aiden reacted to his hosts. In the body of an overweight man, Aiden became horribly disgusted and I was honestly horrified at his reaction. All he can think about is how awful this man is and how ashamed he is to be in this body. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2140565637?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">As Hannah points out in her review</a>, this is then juxtaposed with a later host who is an actual rapist and who Aiden feels revulsion towards, but not nearly on the same level as he felt towards his fat host. This may be a controversial take, but only a man could think that being overweight is worse than sexually assaulting women on a regular basis.

I’ve honestly changed my rating several times already. Upon finishing, I figured 3 stars described how I felt about the book, but after a bit more thought, I decided that 2.5 would be closer. Writing this review, though, I need to bump it down to 2 stars. For me, 3 means “liked it” and 2 means “didn’t like it” and I just didn’t like this book. I didn’t feel satisfied with the answers I was given, I didn’t care much for the characters, and I immensely disliked the way Aiden’s different hosts were portrayed.

I may be alone on some of this and I think that if these items aren’t dealbreakers for you, you should give it a shot. Unfortunately, this book just didn’t work for me.

I'm a huge fan of Agatha Christie and Josephine Tey mysteries and since the back cover suggested that I would like this title (Agatha-like), I gave it a whirl. Extremely creative! Not only are you stuck in the same day, you experience it as a different person each time. How can you be a different person and yourself at the same time??
Slightly mind blowing. There were many twists and turns in the tale, but I stuck with it, and it was worth it. While this was considerably darker than my normal mystery choices I did enjoy this title immensely. .

I thought I had the mystery figured out at least 5 or 6 different times. I was wrong every single one of those times. I can guarantee you won't know what truly happened in Blackheath until the very end. Highly recommended.

Oh.My.Gosh! How to review this delightfully odd, somewhat insane and utterly beguiling piece of crime fiction…? *Pondering. I’m pondering here people, give me time to ponder*. Erm…..

Well, it was a wonderful read and you should definitely purchase a copy. Thank you for your time, and goodnight!

Okay, maybe not the most extensive book review you may read today but that’s pretty much all you need to know; that’s my ‘take home’ message’ for Seven Deaths. It is utterly mesmerising as a novel and I do have to wonder exactly how Stuart Turton’s brain works. No, let’s not go there.

Aiden Bishop is in his own living hell. He’s trapped in Blackheath, a dilapidated manor house owned by the Hardcastle family. Every night he falls asleep and wakes the next day in a brand new body. Every day is exactly the same for Aiden; the day Evelyn Hardcastle is murdered at 11pm by the reflecting pool. He’s inhabiting ‘hosts’, strangers to him who have come to Blackheath for a rather macabre party. Aiden knows something isn’t quite right, he battles on a daily basis with his hosts. Their personalities sometimes pushing Bishop to the back, resulting in moments where he is not in control. Aiden is tasked by the Plague Doctor to solve the murder. He must report to the masked man at 11pm, tell him who killed Evelyn and he will finally be free. Will Aiden be able to solve the murder or will he be banished to a life of repetition. The same people, the same day, the same horrific murder, never able to remember who he is and, most importantly, what he’s left behind…

Honestly, I’m a little flummoxed about where to start. At no point whilst reading The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle did I ever, truly, feel like I knew what was going on. This is an incredibly clever piece of fiction which I imagine took a significant amount of time to write. I think it was my friend Joanne at My Chestnut Reading Tree who I first saw compare this book to Quantum Leap. I just want to jump to my feet here and now nodding enthusiastically at you, giving you a look that says ‘YES! Flipping YES!’. This book reminded me so much of Quantum Leap. Quantum Leap plus Groundhog Day with a hefty dose of the classic murder mystery. Time hopping, body leaping and I’m going to have to say it again, OH.MY.GOSH, what a mystery! If you’re a fan of historical crime, if you’re a fan of the mystery novel then you must experience this book. It’s so different, so deliciously complex, so….well, GENIUS! And in a mere 500+ pages as well.

I am fully aware that this is a very different type of review from me today but that’s because The Seven Deaths is unlike anything I have read before. This is such a brilliant tale, so intricate and devilish that I have to recommend it highly. Not only do we have the very likeable Aiden Bishop leaping from day to day and body to body we also have the evil Footman, lurking around every corner ready to slash Aiden’s throat (or rather, his host’s throat) as soon as look at him. I loved the tension the Footman brought to the story; he was also the bringer of gore (and I do love a bit of gore in my books!) which made him a firm favourite in my eyes.

Would I recommend this book? I would. Oh flipping heck, the pressure you have placed upon yourself Mr Turton with that tricky second novel. I think many of your readers will be waiting with baited breath to see what you pull out of the hat next time. What a bar you have set. What an incredible debut. Bravo!

Four and a half stars out of five.

WOAH! This is one of those books that I wished I had written. The characters and all of the hosts are so beautiful written and intertwined. It was a book that makes you think and really pay attention. It's not a quick read in the sense that it keeps you guessing and you are very invested in the mystery of what's going on. I have such high praise for this book and will definitely be telling everyone I know that they need to read it. Do yourself a favor and put this on your TBR list.

This is hands down one of the most creative books I've read in a long time. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is Groundhog Day meets Agatha Christie. Fans who love whodunnit books will enjoy this story with its twists. The main character, Aidan Bishop, relives the same day over and over in a mission to find who murders Evelyn Hardcastle.

This isn't your ordinary crime novel though. In this book, Aidan is able to 'jump' from one character to another, allowing him to live the same day through someone else's perspective. I found this part of the book particularly clever and plotting the book with all the time shifts Turton adds to the mix must have been a mission and a half. It worked incredibly well though and it was my favourite thing about the book.

One thing that didn't work well for me was the pacing. The book kicks off with a great start but after reading 20% of it, it stalled quite a bit as Aidan relived each day. The mini hints and clues kept me reading but it also got quite repetitive. The last 10-15% of the book then became very action packed as it tied everything together. The thing is, I loved the reveal and what came after it BUT since the book also introduced some new information at the end, I was left wanting more.  So yes, it's a solid standalone, but I also wished it was a series? I mean that's a good sign, right?

Overall, I would recommend this book for fans of mystery/crime/thriller books. It's a unique novel with a blend of genres and I'm always going to love it for that.

The 7 [½] Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, a body-switching whodunit by debut novelist Stuart Turton, has been described as an Agatha Christie-style murder mystery in a Groundhog Day time loop.

Inspired by the author’s love for time travel and the eighties TV series Quantum Leap, the book is set in an isolated, crumbling 1930-ish British country house at some point in a dystopian future. The events of a single day will be repeated eight times, with the main character Aiden Bishop switching between eight host bodies, leaping at 24 hours or when the host falls asleep, accumulating hosts’ knowledge and new memories from each, as he races against several others to solve a murder.

Although it is more difficult to assess character development in a story that features body and identity switching, Aiden’s character develops in a linear fashion from his own very first reaction of distaste and disgust as he learns about himself in the guise of Dr. Bell.

The book twists and turns to an ending for Evelyn that surprised but did not disappoint me.

I encourage anyone who has not yet read this book to do so, slowly and carefully. I will need to reread it now it to fill in missing pieces of the puzzle: the footman’s identity, background and motivation; if and for how long the house party had been going on before page 1; if and why the day first described in the story was different those that came before; the extent to which Evelyn’s parents and brother were involved in various aspects of the plot. I also need better insight into Evelyn’s character, whether her behaviour as a child is inconsistent with her behaviour as an adult, the inital apparent fondness of her character for Dr. Bell, and more details on her time in Paris and friendship with the missing and mysterious Felicity. Not knowing whether I overlooked clues or they weren't there make the difference between a 4 and 5 star recommendation for me.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle for free via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The plot and premise seemed really fascinating, but ultimately the book failed to draw me in. I struggled to get through the multitude of implausible plot twists in order to finish. Not my cup of tea.

What a unique, interesting thrill ride of a book. It's like Benjamin Button meets Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind meets Inception, only with more death. This is compulsively readable and SUCH an interesting premise, I don't know how Stuart Turton came up with it, but I cannot wait to read more.

Wow, this book is so different to anything I have ever read! I’ve had to take a few days to try and get my head around it all and I’m still not 100% sure that I have! This is going to be one of those annoying reviews that appears quite vague as I don’t want to include any spoilers so I apologise right now!
The 7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a bit like an Agatha Christie novel crossed with Groundhog Day with a handful of steroids thrown into the mix.
We follow Aiden Bishop as he wakes up at Blackheath, a crumbling mansion in God knows where. However, he has woken up in another person’s body and will continue do so (constantly changing bodies) until he solves the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle who will be murdered at a ball that evening. The only way to escape this repeating nightmare is to provide the identity of Evelyn’s killer. Just to make things more interesting, there is also a sinister footman picking off the guests one by one. Each guest means an extra day for Aiden to find more clues so he needs to stay a step forward.
Stuart Turton has written a marvellous book, it is dark, creepy, clever and addictive. There were points where I felt so overwhelmed by everything going on but I could not stop reading. The characters are full bodied and fantastic and Stuart Turton is like a master puppeteer as he manoeuvres them around then stage of Blackheath.
The ending of the book took my breath away; maybe I didn’t follow the plot closely enough but the final twist was a total surprise to me.
I highly recommend The 7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, it’s a fantastic read.

Taken from the back of the book…

<b>THE RULES OF BLACKHEATH

<I>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.

Understood? Then let’s begin…</i>

Evelyn Hardcastle will die. Every day until Aiden Bishop can identify her killer and break the cycle. But 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 most inventive debut of the year twists together a mystery of such unexpected creativity, it will leave readers guessing until the very last page.</b>


Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? I thought so too, but it was not to be. Quite frankly, this book exhausted me. The energy I had to expend just trying to keep everything straight was monumental. I was 141 pages in, and still didn’t have a clue WHAT was happening or WHY it was happening or WHERE the story was going. Ultimately, I decided it just wasn’t worth it.

I was curious enough to read the last couple of chapters, but since I hadn't read the entire book, everything pretty much remained as clear as mud. Oh well, the premise of the story was wonderful but it just became too convoluted for me.

NOTE: Interestingly enough, the title of my NetGalley copy is “The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” and the Reader’s Group Guide asks the question<i>”What or who do you think are the deaths in “The 7 ½ deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle”? Where does the half death enter the narrative?</i> I wonder why the title was changed, and how the book changed to accommodate it. See, even the title is confusing!

<img src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/511LlsDyjBL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg " width="200" height="400" alt="description"/> <img src="https://media.bloomsbury.com/rep/bj/9781408889572.jpg" width="200" height="400" alt="description"/>

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley.

3.5 stars. The Groundhog Day meets Agatha Christie concept is solid, but at times the book gets bogged down by too many hard-to-keep-track-of characters and its own cleverness.

I love the uniqueness and mystery that this book offered to readers. The story is about a man who has to relieve the same day 8 times to try and solve a murder. However, each day, he will be in a different body. The main character, Aiden Bishop, doesn't have any clue why he ended in that situation. He has to solve the murder or else he will be living again this infinite loop. The tension increases when a mysterious mask creature tells him that there are other two players who has the same situation as him. Unfortunately, they have to compete because only one of them will be free from this predicament. The plot is mindblowing and complex, but the author successfully explained every concept which this book is about. Indeed, it has a lot of twists and blends a lot of genre into one book; crime, mystery, scifi, psychological, and thriller. Although it has a great start, after a few chapters, the story was too slow to pick up the intensity again. Other than that, the writing was superb.

Overall, this book is such a great read. Definitely I'll highly recommed it to all who want to read a unique detective novel.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me an earc of this book.

I loved this book! The whole time that I was reading, I kept thinking, this is like the board game Clue with a magical twist! Lots of atmosphere building. It felt like a good old fashioned murder mystery book. Aiden Bishop wakes up to realize he doesn’t know who is he. He finds out that he has a murder to solve and he has 8 days and 8 different hosts to do it. I couldn’t put this book down! The story kept getting more interesting and more complex as it went on. It was one of the best new mystery books I’ve read In a long time.

3.5 stars

Aiden Bishop has tried countless times to stop Evelyn Hardcastle being murdered, but he always fails.
Aiden relives the day of the murder, attempting to find out the identity of the murderer. But he's not the only one. People are working against Aiden, and they will do anything to be the first to discover the murderer's name in order to escape Blackheath.
Who wants Evelyn dead?
Can Aiden escape Blackheath?

It's not often that big, slow-paced books can hold my attention, but this book managed it.
The plot was intriguing and full of twists that I didn't see coming. There was a lot of information to wrap my head around, so I did get a little confused once or twice.
I liked Aiden and was rooting for him. There were several characters that I liked, but there were so many characters that I sometimes had to really think to remember who they were.
The writing style was engaging and easy to read.
If you like murder mysteries, Cluedo and time travel, then I would recommend you read this.

Overall this was an enjoyable, unique read.

What an amazing mystery this was! I can't imagine how the author kept all the characters and timelines in his head! Delightful book. Right days to solve a myder, and each day spent in a different bidy, sounds impossible. I think I will start from the beginning and read it all sgain! Whatcha would love this ine!

I thought the beginning of the book was a little abrupt but this is such a fantastic story. The premise of a man waking up in the body of another and tasked to solve a murder while shifting between eight hosts linked to the victim was genius. The author does a great job of building the suspense (supplied in part by the main characters being pursued by an insane man called the Footman). The story weaves back and forth at a blistering pace as crucial parts fall in to place one by one. I was up til 3 am finishing this book and I was not able to guess the outcome at all. The only downside to the book at all is that there are so many characters involved it takes quite the effort on the part of the reader to keep them all straight. I really liked this book. It invoked the same feelings I had when reading The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield..