One of the most intricately written books I have ever read, I couldn't put this down! A very unique premise with a definite grounded message written superbly.

"The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle" by Stuart Turton, Sourcebooks Landmark, 448 pages, Sept. 18, 2018.

If you are looking for a fiendishly clever novel, look no further. "The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle" can be described as an Agatha Christie, Groundhog Day and Quantum Leap blend that is complex and brilliant. And mind-boggling.

Aiden Bishop, the narrator, is a guest at a party at a country estate in England called Blackheath House. He wakes in the woods and calls out for Anna. He doesn't know why; he doesn't think that he knows an Anna. But he isn't sure because he has amnesia. He hears a woman yelling for help, but he can't find her.

He searches for the woman and sees a house. When he reaches the house, people refer to him as Sebastian Bell.

Bishop soon learns from a man who is dressed in a medieval plague doctor costume that he has to solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle. The property is owned by her parents. Evelyn is, at this point, still living. It is the 19th anniversary of her brother, Sebastian's, murder when he was a child.

The plague doctor tells Bishop that every day he will wake in the body of a new person, and that he won't be freed until he solves her murder. If Bishop doesn't solve the murder after being in eight different bodies, he will repeat the cycle. Bishop has no idea how long he has been there or how many times he has already gone through the process. There is also a psychopathic footman who keeps murdering Bishop. You may ask why he doesn't just leave. He tries and fails.

Bishop also learns that there are two others trying to solve Evelyn’s murder, but he doesn't know who is on his side and who is plotting against him. Only one person will be freed.

This was published in England under "The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle," but it is the same novel. I warn you, it is very hard to put down. I tried several times and kept picking it right up again. It is very atmospheric. The plotting is brilliant. The ending is a total surprise. Stuart Turton is an author to watch.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the Advanced Readers Copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book just wasn’t for me. It took me a long time to get into it, and I can’t say that I was ever fully into it. I did like the Wayward Pines vibe I was getting from it but ultimately I think it took way too long to get to the meat of the story and it was a little all over the place for me.

(Review will be posted on my blog, www.pingwings.ca, on September 19, 2018)

I was so intrigued by this synopsis! It sounded like an intricate and twisty mystery, and I'm always up for one of those!

It took me a few chapters to really get into this book, but once I did, I was hooked. I got a real Agatha Christie vibe. This was a really fun, inventive, absorbing mystery - and I definitely didn't solve it.

I had some reservations about the ending though. For all the fantastic build-up in this book, the end was a bit disappointing. Most of the book feels like a mystery with a bit of a sci-fi twist (living the same day over and over in the body of a different host) and I really liked that, but in the end, it felt like the more the book tried to explain itself, the less I enjoyed it. But I don't think I can say anything more without spoiling this book, and I think this is a very fun book if you don't know exactly what you're getting into.

I think The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a good pick for mystery lovers, and I'm sure it's a book I'll be seeing on a lot of favourite lists at the end of the year. Recommended!

Only two mystery/thriller books have ever had the ability to leave me dumbfounded; Night Film by Marisha Pessl was one and The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton is the other one. What a ride!!! Stuart Turton presents us with a masterpiece of mystery à la Agatha Christie. The characters (with many ssssss) are well defined and ingeniously calculated. They each bring essential clues to solve this mystery.

Aiden Bishop has 8 days and 8 hosts to crack Evelyn Hardcastle’s murder and be free. He will encounter allies and antagonists along the way but constantly will have to look over his shoulder to circumvent being murdered himself. When you think you have resolved the murder… think again! So many twists and turns and not to mention details dropped here and there which will lead you to think you know, but you don’t. The spectacular ending will leave you panting and come to realize that it all makes sense. Well done!!! A must read for all mystery lovers.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this thrilling ARC. The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton will be at your favorite bookstore on September 4th, 2018.

This is a book that’s gotten a ton of praise, and has been described as Agatha Christie meets Groundhog Day.  As a murder mystery, it’s great fun, playing on the great murder mystery tropes: a group of wealthy, bored socialites in a dark and dusty mansion somewhere in the middle of nowhere (a little like Clue).  But this book has a twist.  Our narrator is being forced to relive the same day, eight times, in the bodies of eight different people. He knows the murder will happen but has to find out who does it, or he won’t get his own body back. He doesn’t know who he is or why he’s there, or whether he can change the course of events and save Evelyn Hardcastle. But he’s determined to try.

The thing about this book is, like the narrator, just when you start to feel like you’re getting it, you find you’ve got it all wrong.

While many readers have said they couldn’t put the book down, it felt long to me.  I did enjoy the body-switching, and having the narrator adjust to a new personality each day.  The interesting thing about the “host body” premise is that our narrator has some of the knowledge and most of the personality traits of each host.  He has to come to terms with the physical and mental flaws of each body.  I found several of the characters he inhabits quite interesting.

But I didn’t love this book as much as many of my esteemed fellow bloggers.  That's mainly because really twisty-turny time travel stories tend to lose me at some point.  I find that some time travel can be a fascinating plot device – but I like a story to be fairly linear, and when time starts looping back on itself too much I start to tune out.

All the jumping around into different bodies at different times made it rather hard to get a feel for the characters and the chronology.  There were things that didn’t make much sense to me, and in my mind I was constantly trying to figure out how it all worked.  I had mixed feelings about the conclusion, which also went on a bit too long for me.

If you like puzzling your way through mysteries with lots of twists and turns and small details, you’ll enjoy this book.  Certainly, Turton has created an incredibly original story with a rich classic-mystery atmosphere.  And if you like books involving time loops, this is one of the most complicated time loop stories I’ve read (though in fairness I haven’t read a lot of them).

So, not one of my favorites this year, but certainly a memorable book.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and publisher Sourcebooks Landmark.  This book publishes in the U.S. on September 18, 2018 (in the U.K. it's titled The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle).

Stuart Turton has to be a genius, really. That's all I could think while I was reading the brilliance that is The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, well that and the fact that I was utterly mind blown.

This is not an easy review to write because I don't want to give away too much more than the book's synopsis since The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a book you want to go into knowing very little so you will be as shocked, amazed, engrossed, and addicted to this wildly original, clever murder mystery like I was!

While reading it, I definitely understood the comparisons to Agatha Christie's classic whodunits since it had that old-fashioned vibe. Yet Turton's debut is completely modern with elements of fantasy, sci-fi, psychological suspense with his own intricate and complex touches! Just so fabulous and well-done, and I can't say that enough!

But this is so much more than a murder mystery in the conventional sense of the word as Turton has written a tale with such a complicated, multi-layered, and detailed plot where the same events keep happening over and over again! It's a race against time for Aiden Bishop to save Evelyn Hardcastle from being repeatedly murdered and he only has 8 days to save her and only 8 host's bodies to inhabit before times up...tick-tock!

I will be honest and say that the first 20% of the book that I was confused and wondered what the heck was going on! I had so many questions!! Who was this Anna person that kept popping up? If the book was about Evelyn, then where was she half the time? Why on earth was there a Plague Doctor at a country manor house? And what is Aiden Bishop escaping from that he even needs to stop Evelyn from dying?

Trust me, you'll have questions, and the answers aren't going to be handed to you either. This is not a light read, and you have to intently follow the clues Turton's masterfully weaved throughout the novel and put on your thinking cap to actually solve this puzzle! And I rarely ever get baffled or can't figure out who did what or what twists are coming when I read a mystery or suspense, but I never saw anything Turton threw my way! I was shocked and flabbergasted every single time, and there were times I had to reread parts to make sure that what was going on just happened because it was so wild!

Be forewarned, this book will mess with your head, but that was half the fun in my opinion! I loved the way it turned me every which way but sideways and made me feel like I was drunk on a roller coaster...not that I have any idea what that's like, but I can imagine! Whee!

Obviously, this book is not for everyone since it takes a lot of thought and attention as you delve into it, but I already know that it's one of my favorites, if not my favorite read of 2018. It's dangerous, sinister, captivating, enthralling, and one of the most shrewdly written books that I've ever read just for its sheer uniqueness and cleverness alone! Turton has a new fan, and I'll eagerly be watching to see how he tops his debut! Highly, highly recommend The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle!

**Thank you, NetGalley, Sourcebook Landmark, and the author for an ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review.**

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is part “Groundhog Day,” part golden age murder mystery, and part Sci-Fi thriller all rolled into one. It’s an innovative and thoroughly entertaining read that had me flipping through the pages and scratching my head to figure who was responsible for Evelyn’s death. In addition to the eponymous murder, there are: poisonings, fistfights, romances, thefts, time-shifts, body-swapping, men dressed as plaque doctors, chase scenes, mistaken identities, a glamorous party, and a secluded country estate. I’ve certainly never read another book like it!

Turton has crafted a unique and labyrinthine mystery. There are countless twists and turns; clues come together only to then shift into something new, as if they were images in a kaleidoscope. Readers are left as confused and anxious as Aiden himself. We’re only ever given tiny fragments of the larger picture, but this buildup only makes the final denouement all the more satisfying.

Along with the mystery, the characters themselves are multi-layered and full of surprises. I found the large cast of characters to be surprisingly easy to keep track of. There was enough life breathed into each of them that they never seemed two-dimensional. Turton does an excellent job of maintaining Aiden’s voice alongside those of the individuals he inhabits over the course of the eight days. This is no small feat, especially considering our protagonist has no idea who he is, where he comes from, or often whose body he currently finds himself in.

I read this quickly, and think that is the best way to approach this novel. It’s not a book to mull over or take your time with, but one to race through with your heart in your throat. I could see how the premise might grow tired and seem too repetitive if you were to read this over a longer length of time. Much of the plot might not hold up to excessive scrutiny either. Instead, The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is made to be read as if the reader themselves is under a life or death deadline to solve the mystery. It’s a fun, adrenaline-filled dash to the final page.

If you can put aside the hype and suspend some of your disbelief, The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle has a lot to offer. There is enough murder, mayhem, and magic to keep you on the edge of your seat. Although not a perfect novel, its clever premise is backed up by strong writing and solid plotting. Stuart Turton has written a truly unique work that is cinematic in scope and an absolute thrill to read.



⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

**A huge thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review**

Exceptional story, loved the twists and breathtaking plots! A must recommend from my side. I would classify it as a perfect summer mystery thrill read

This book was one wild ride. I saw someone describe it as a cross between Agatha Christie and Downton Abbey. I couldn't agree more. The setting is a long-abandoned estate located deep in the woods and far from any civilization. Lord and Lady Hardcastle host a large party to celebrate the return of their daughter Evelyn who had for many years lived in France. The party is held on an anniversary of their son's death who was murdered at a lake near the estate almost 20 years ago. The same guests who were present at the time of his death, are re-assembled here now. But on the night of the party, the guest of honor Evelyn will die.

Now comes the Agatha-Christie-with-a-twist element of the story: Aiden Bishop has 8 days to solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle. He will relive the day of the murder 8 times, and he will do so while inhabiting 8 different guests present at the party. This book is unpredictable, action packed, creepy and unputdownable. Even though I zoomed through certain sections of it, it is quite a chunker at over 500 pages, and took me over a week to read.

If you are someone who likes murder mysteries, I highly recommend this one. It is original, and very well and realistically written. I could not guess who the murderer was, and there are so many twists and turns that you have to hold on to your seat to the very end. 5 out of 5 stars from me. I cannot wait to see what else this author has in store!

I received an e-ARC of this book from NetGalley. The novel will officially come out in the US tomorrow, September 18th, 2018.

Actual Rating: 2.5 stars

It's possible that this book will work better for people who read a lot of mysteries, but while I enjoyed parts of it, I thought it was too long with an overly convoluted plot and stereotyped characters. While the larger premise of the book is a very interesting one, we don't find out what is really happening until near the end which was just too late to save it for me.

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a sort of Groundhog Day murder mystery where our main character inhabits a different body every day to relive the same day until he solves the murder. He is visited by a spectral figure known as the Plague Doctor who informs him he will relive this 8-day loop until he can provide an answer to who the murderer is. Among his hosts are an extremely obese man (it is alluded to at one point that he might engage in sexual relations with his young male employees and I wasn't a fan of his semi-offensive characterization), a rapist, and a doctor selling drugs.

I won't say too much more because I don't want to spoil things, but I thought this was much too long, the plot too convoluted, and some of the characters not-well drawn. I found the ending to be intriguing, but it was too little too late. I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I totally admit that the first thing that drew me to The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle was that bold, captivating book cover, as well as the intriguing book title. I was instantly curious! One of my goals for this year was to step out of the box and try reading new stuff, and I’m all about mystery novels at the moment, so this book sounded right up my alley. It was definitely worth the read!!

Imagine having seven days to solve a murder that has already happened, and each day you wake up in a new host’s body, where you have to figure out what exactly happened from each person’s perspective. It’s a vicious reoccurring cycle of events, and the only way you can finally get free is to solve the murder by the end of the last day, or the cycle starts over again. That, dear bookworms, is the mysterious, addictive story you get with The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.

Let me start by saying that I don’t think I’ve ever read a book like this before. The story was completely engrossing, and kept me guessing as I flew through the pages. It actually took me a while to catch on to the fact that there were different hosts in the story, but once I figured it out, I found it to be completely fascinating! Seeing the same story happen from so many different viewpoints, and for each person to be so completely different from one another, well... it was interesting! Also, the setting for the book was perfection, and fit the storyline perfectly. The storyline was full of twists and turns that totally kept me guessing as I flew through the pages. I didn’t know what to expect by the end of the book, but everything came together rather nicely, which made for a really great read!!

Overall; The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle was just the thing I needed to read at the moment, and I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to read it! I will most definitely be keeping my eye out for more books by Stuart Turton in the future, as I would absolutely love to read more of his work as well. If you like a mysterious read that keeps you guessing, do check out The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle!!

Happy Reading!!

Think Agatha Christie meets Groundhog Day with the body hopping of Quantum Leap and you have the gist of this one. The story has a Gothic feel and for every question our protagonist finds an answer to, there's another question or predicament to deal with. We aren't given much information about the main character in the beginning, which is a bit of a double-edged sword. His confusion is conveyed quite well, but since we don't know any more than he does, it doesn't give the reader much in the way of a connection with Aiden. I was curious about why he was stuck bouncing around and becoming other people, but without anything personal, it's hard to find much empathy for him. The story is a little like being told about the events of one day from several points of view, but some characters were more distinctive than others so at times, the jumps from one person to another led to some confusion. For me, this one had its ups and downs, but it did keep me reading, trying to figure things out - sometimes trying to solve the puzzle and sometimes just trying to figure out what was going on. The author certainly has a way with words, and the book is loaded with some absolutely brilliant prose, so I would certainly read other works by him.

4.5 Stars

The hardest part is to put this book in a niche. A noir version of Agatha Christie meets Groundhog Day? Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered. It is Aiden Bishop's task to discover who the murderer is. Every time he wakes up, he is within one of eight hosts. He will live through this day a total of eight times. By the end of the eighth day, he must name the killer if he is to escape Blackheath.


Not only is this novel clever and puzzling (take notes!) and frustrating, it is also perfectly written. I would be barreling along through the story when, suddenly, a phrase would be so exquisite, I would have to stop to enjoy it before moving on. It's very hard to believe this is a first novel. But I am looking forward to any and everything else Turton writes.

Expected Publication: September 18th!

Ok first of all, let's just get this business about the title out of the way. Some versions of this book are published as "The 7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle" and some are published as "The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.". For the longest time I thought they were two books in a series but they are, in fact, the same book.

Now that that's out of the way, let's get into the review. I cannot even begin to describe the plot of this book without giving things away, so in this case, I will use the publisher's description:

***

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.

Understood? Then let's begin...

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...

***

At first blush, this book was a combination of Clue and Groundhog's Day. It's definitely a whodunit type of book, but with some very sinister twists.

I was so impressed with Stuart Turton's ability to keep the book straight. There were so many intertwining story lines and characters that it would be quite easy to thoroughly confuse the reader. But, he built the characters so well and summarized enough periodically throughout that I was able to keep up and not get lost.

That being said, before you pick up this book, make sure you don't have any other pressing engagements because once you pick it up, you won't put it down. Being at 400+ pages, it's not a quick read (and it does require some brain power and thought). Once I found myself committed to finding out the truth, I. Could. Not. Stop. Reading. I was hooked.

The ending was surprising and satisfactory. I definitely did not see some of the twists coming. This is definitely not your run of the mill, standard, mystery/thriller with the same old story and plot. This was something completely unique and I very much enjoyed the change.

-I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Stuart Turton, and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to review.-

I received a complimentary ARC copy of The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton from NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark in order to read and give an honest review.

"Stuart Turton’s debut novel is genius, he has written a clever, unique and deeply psychological novel that will keep you guessing to the very end...."

This has got to be perhaps the most creative, clever and brilliant novels I have read this year.  Stuart Turton writes a novel that blends an Agatha Christie feel with the movie Groundhog Day or Memento, overflowing with atmosphere, complex characters, an intricate plot, psychological twists and turns all of which leading the reader to a completely unexpected ending.  Murder, mayhem and body swapping, who could ask for more?  

A brilliant cast of characters is attending a memorial party for Thomas Hardcastle who was murdered as a child years ago at Blackheath. Thomas’s sister Evelyn Hardcastle who was supposed to supervise him that day was blamed by her family and fled to Paris but after a long time estranged, she is invited to the party by her Mother. Poor Evelyn doesn’t visit for long, she is murdered at 11 pm the night of the party by one of the guests and guest Aiden Bishop feels driven to solve her murder. Aiden wakes up not knowing who he is, where he is from and every time he sleeps he wakes up in another person's body, reliving the day but not just from another’s perspective but with fuzzy vague memories of what secrets he learned through his previous host.  He is also visited by a man dressed in a plague doctor outfit and learns that he is not alone there are two others just like him and whoever solves the crime first is the only one to be freed from Blackheath.  There is also a murderous footman determined to murder his hosts so he can no longer jump. With each host, he battles their personalities', some good, some evil but all begin to bury his own personality.  During his jumps, he figures out who the other two “jumpers” are and they decide to work together, leaving clues and notebooks so they remember what they have learned the previous day, but will they betray him? 

Stuart Turton’s debut novel is genius, he has written a clever, unique and deeply psychological novel that will keep you guessing to the very end. Highly recommend it!

Thank You NetGalley for the free ARC.

This book is like a never ending puzzle. The day's events repeat and end with the same result - a murder. The protagonist seems to travel from body to body, watching the events unfold but never quite understanding what actually happens.

This book. Wow. The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a book you have to give a chance, and if you do, the pay-off is immense if mysteries are your cuppa.

I’m offering a basic synopsis because it is best to go into this one with all doors of possibility wide open.

Evelyn has been murdered before, countless times. Her parents are throwing a gala, where she will be murdered again. Luckily, Aiden is tasked with solving her murder.

Evelyn’s story is detail-laden. Knowing that, it is on my short list of best mysteries because of its originality and refreshing storytelling.

As I mentioned above, ample patience is required. It is not a book you will be able to speed through, but if it clicks with you like it did with me, it will be a compulsive, addictive, and impossible to put down.

I spent most of the read analyzing and using my noggin trying to piece everything together, and I LOVED THAT. The writing is comforting and warm in its heaviness, and overall, I found The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle to be brilliantly plotted.

Thank you to Sourcebooks for the complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.

I know there are many great reviews for this book, but I don't understand it. I mean it is a good book, but you have to like that type of book first. This book leaves your brain spinning because not only do you have an unknown person jumping into different bodies back and forth, but the book jumps back and forth in time as well. I personally am not a fan of books like that because you spend so much time trying to keep track of what character you are reading that you lose sight of the story. I just kept wondering if the author wrote mini stories for each of characters with scenes on separate little note pages and then threw them in the air, stacked them up and wrote the book. If the author's aim was to have you wondering what is going on through the entire book, then he did an excellent job. The book was a constant turmoil for Aiden Bishop (and the reader) trying to solve a murder that may or may not be murder or there may be two. He may have friends or enemies, you don't find out until nearly the end and just when he thinks he has it figured out, well, he didn't have all the information yet. It was well written but chaotic. One of the reasons I like mystery books is to figure out who the murderer is, but in a book like this, you can't because he keeps changing things to lead you through the book without any of way of figuring out until he tells you what happened. So, no fun for me.

The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle reads like a mash-up of Quantum Leap, Groundhog Day, and The Great Gatsby.

Our main character, Aiden, travels between different host bodies as he repeats the same day over and over, trying to solve the mystery of who killed Evelyn Hardcastle. The setting is a 1920s high society party at Blackheath manor.

It reminds me of The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, written between 1378 and 1400.

The Canterbury Tales is comprised almost entirely of its archetypes. The premise is simple: people are on a journey and compete for who can tell the best story. The individual stories are the interesting part, but even more so are the people who tell them. They represent and are defined by their different archetypes. The Wife of Bath, the Man of Law, the Clerk, the Cook, the Miller, the Merchant. The Friar. They are all representative of a character trait.

We see the same construct used in many other stories throughout history. Think of Murder on the Orient Express with the detective, the governess, the butler, and more. Or The Breakfast Club with the brain, the jock, the princess, the criminal, and the basket case.

And now with The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, Turton uses the construct for the different archetypal hosts Aiden uses; the cop, the old widower, the corpulent man, the criminal, the shady doctor.

The benefit to this type of story is that the characters are almost instantly identifiable and relatable. We know in an instant who they are, they types of lives they lead, their economic situations, and much more.

The problem, one that’s explored in stories like The Breakfast Club, is that these archetypal roles can be confining. Characters are boxed in, trapped, and sometimes one-dimensional.

Turton solves this a bit by the very nature of Aiden’s hosts. He lives inside their brains and sees their longings and thought processes. At the same time, though, we barely get to know Aiden himself.

The main drawback to The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is that there’s just a bit too much wonderfulness. The guests overstay their welcome. The book could have been just as effective and much more tightly written had poor Evelyn suffered only 3 ½ deaths. By the surprising ending, I was exhausted and ready to just leave the party already.

Otherwise, the story is a lot of fun! It makes me want to dress up in my finest 1920s-era regalia and play a rousing game of Clue.