I found this boom quite difficult to get into initially but after the 'rules' were established I enjoyed it much more. The storyline was very clever and well-written but the nature of time meant it was quite difficult to follow. The premise is strong and I can imagine that I would enjoy stories from the same universe.

I knew the premise of this book before reading but still wasn't prepared. The movement between the characters and 'days' was masterful. While it did take me a few chapters to get into the flow of the story, once there I was stuck.

So creative. I loved it. This would be a great Fall read. 4.5/5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an e-ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
The 7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a murder mystery combined with the movie Groundhog Day. I’ll be honest. I hate the movie Groundhog’s Day. It’s personally a very frustrating concept for me. This story is the first instance where I immediately fell in love with this storytelling style, read the book in one sitting, and couldn’t get enough!
Evelyn Hardcastle will be killed again. Everyday Aiden Bishop tries to save her, without any success. Here’s the twist, though. Aiden Bishop wakes up in someone else’s body every day that he tries to save her. Aiden is given 8 days and 8 different identities in order to solve Evelyn’s murder.
Every identity and character is secretive and well-developed. As you are reading you only know what Aiden knows, which is both frustrating and exciting. I’ve never experienced such a limiting field-of-view as a reader before, and it’s done wonderfully.
This is definitely one of my top books for 2018. It’s such a unique experience, and it’s rich with information and mystery.

4.5* - recommended.
Aiden narrates Seven (and a half) Deaths. It begins with him waking up in a wood believing he has seen a murder, he makes it to a large house only to find that he is Dr Simon Bell and so begins this well written and well-crafted story.

Aiden finds out that he will wake up every day as another of the guests in this grand, but shabby home of the Hardcastle family and the only way to get back to being himself away from this house is to solve Evelyn Hardcastle’s murder.

We go with him and as the story unfolds we meet the different house guests and pieces of the puzzle slowly emerge. It is well written, gripping and layered as we learn what happened from one point of view we also see how the other protagonists are viewed by each other. Some of the ‘guests’ that Aiden inhabits aren’t what he thinks and other guests aren’t quite what they seem. Will he solve the murder? Will he escape, indeed will he escape alive?

Aiden is also wondering why him? And it is this storyline, for me, that brings a lovely, subtle sub story with a conclusion that makes this an even more gratifying read.

With this book you get a murder mystery with a mind boggling plot to enjoy over and over again. It delivers many levels and delivers on many levels. This is a terrific book and well worth reading. I enjoyed it and would certainly recommend.

With thanks to SourceBooksLandmark, via NetGalley, for providing me with an eBook of The Seven and a half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. I have not received any payment in relation to my review.

Evelyn Hardcastle is going to die; that much has been foretold. But who did it? That is the question Aiden Bishop must answer if he ever hopes to be free of Blackheath. He has eight hosts – each a player on a deadly chessboard he can’t fully see. Eight different points of view, eight chances to solve a mystery before time runs out…

The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is an intense, evocative, intricately-plotted tale that will keep you on your toes. From the start, I was drawn into the rich imagery of the decaying world of Blackheath, its inhabitants unique and vividly drawn. There are so many secrets in this complex mystery, so many puzzle pieces and point of view jumps that it’s no wonder our protagonist needs eight hosts to even have a glimmer of a chance at solving Evelyn’s murder.

The more you know about a mystery going in, the less enjoyable it is, so I’m loathe to say much about what happens in the story. I will say that I loved watching Aiden put the pieces of this sizeable puzzle together. It’s no easy feat, as he’s hindered as well as aided by the hosts chosen for him. In the hands of another author, this story might have been a tangled mess. But Stuart Turton has done an exceptional job of weaving together a massive number of threads to form one solid mystery. The worldbuilding in this book is fantastic and I loved that I couldn’t tell what would happen next. With so many personalities swirling about, no one can be entirely predictable. There’s also a sinister presence dogging Aiden’s steps that adds a slightly chilling quality to the story, which I enjoyed. The only thing that kept me from absolutely loving this book was the ending. When it comes to stories like these, you really have to stick the landing or it’s a bit of a letdown and while the ending was satisfying enough, it did leave me wanting a bit more. That being said, I still highly recommend The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle to anyone looking for an original, engaging mystery and I’m looking forward to seeing what Mr. Turton comes up with next.

This book is something I really love: Different. And in a good way. I had read no more than a few chapters when I thought it was like playing the game of Clue! My GR friend Sandy already said that in her review but the interesting thing is that we had that same feeling separately, so it must really be true!
I can't believe this is a debut novel. It's incredible how the author could keep trace of everything. I'm not sure the plot is completely believable, but how can I say if something was missing while I was lost most of the time!? I didn't try to read it with too much attention, I choose to enjoy the mood and the strangeness of it as a whole thing, made to be admired rather than dissected. I would have never discovered who was the coulprit and I didn't bother to try. In the end I am happy to have read it that way because in my opinion the wodunnit wasn't the important thing. I can't say more because it would spoil the ending which in my opinion was terrific!
When I start reading a book I usually decide my rating very early on, than it could change on the way. A very good ending could gain the novel one more star. A bad ending could detract even two if it spoiled my memories of the story. In that case it was a five stars from beginning to end. The middle was a bit to long maybe, but there was no part I would have cut out. In fact while I was in the middle I was having nightmares at night because I couldn't stop trying to solve the plot (not the whodunnit, they are two different thing, I wasn't wondering who was the killer but why the MC was there)
I have to admit this book is maybe not for everyone, but if you find the plot summary interesting you should give it a try. And yes, the plot summary probably gives away too much of the story, but I don't know how it would be possible to describe the book without giving away at least something, and anyway I was happy to know a little of what was going on, otherwise I could have had worst nightmares!!
I recommend that book with all of my heart! (My mind is still a bit numb)

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for giving me ARC of that book in exchange for an honest review.

Turton has created a true mystery with his debut. When Mr. Bell wakes up in the woods remembering only the name "Anna" and that she is in grave danger. Bell quickly finds himself embroiled in a plot to stop the death of Evelyn Hardcastle, but not all is as it seems. Turton had me guessing constantly, while never leaving me feeling duped by the true ending. He has a masterful sense of writing that will keep even reluctant readers enthralled. Turton has written a perfect bridge for readers moving from YA to Adult fiction by having his debut be so reminiscent of Kristen Cashore's "Jane Unlimited". Highly Recommend.

The Hardcastle family is hosting a masquerade ball and you are invited. Thank you to netgalley and Sourcebooks for allowing me to read this in exchange for my review.

Evelyn Hardcastle has returned from Paris and her parents are throwing a masquerade to celebrate. Only, the ending of this party isn't as extravagant as you can imagine. The story starts off as Aiden (currently a guest named Sebastian) who wakes up in the woods to find that Anna is missing and presumed dead. He doesn't remember who Alice is nor remembers who he is. Before long, he meets the Hardcastle family and starts to piece the mystery together before he wakes up in a different body, seeing the same story happen over again. He keeps waking up in a different body, trying to solve the murder. Who is Anna? Will Aiden ever solve the mystery? How long will it take?

I actually went in on this blindly. I was extremely intrigued about the story at first, but got kind of lost and bored after the main event happened (the first death). I was actually caught off guard once I realized Aiden became a new person the next day and I was intrigued all over again. What a roller coaster ride! I think this is the coolest premise for a story and would make a wonderful movie to watch (kind of like Clue!). It's a nail bitter! You find yourself rooting for Aiden to solve the murder each time and maybe going slightly crazy when he wakes up in a new body. This is a must-read for the year - highly recommended!

4/5 Stars

This is one of those books- you either love it and can't put it down, OR you like the idea and plan, but the follow through is too much to keep up with...

I found myself in the middle of that- some chapters kept me turning pages, and others literally had me falling asleep. The book takes the concept of Ground Hog Day and alters it, as the main character, Aiden, gets to CHANGE bodies every time the day starts over. And as an oddity, he gets to keep the knowledge he has learned from the previous day, while now in a different body. You sense early on that there is a game at foot that is not being disclosed, and that there is much more to the tale than Aiden understands. After reading the mind blowing ending, I found myself having to go BACK and reread some chapters, as obviously there had been clues but they got swept under the carpet and it was hard for the reader to understand they WERE a clue.

So all in all, it's not a bad book, just one that requires stick-to-itness and a willingness to see the forest for the trees.

If you are looking for a 5-star, twisted, mind-bending mystery #readthisbook. Think David Mitchell or Marisha Pessl for read-a-likes; although I’ve never read anything quite like it

It’s nearly impossible to review this book without giving too much away but I’ll give you just a couple of statements about what readers can expect from this one.

I’m going to suggest you enter this macabre mystery without reading anything else about it. That will put you on the same level as the book’s narrator. Entering this mysterious fun-house is kind of like walking into a gothic Downton Abbey setting and then finding yourself in a maze. You follow one path until it ends and then pick up another trail and follow that one until it ends and so it goes.

This book is for those who like puzzles. It’s a big one so set aside some time. You won’t want to stop reading until you figure out what is going on and then you won’t want to stop until you find out what happens.

Sebastian Bell is running through the forest with no recollection of who he is, where he is, nothing, except for the name Anna on his lips...

So begins the story of a man, not only Sebastian Bell, but many other men all living the same day over from the same mind. As the one mind attempts to solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle before time runs out, he finds out that there are much more sinister and complicated forces working for and against him.

This is the kind of book that, if you could, you would read in one sitting. The writing is much more sophisticated than YA books that you can read in one sitting. It’s incredibly unique, fun, complicated, thought-provoking, creepy, unpredictable...

Read this book! Don’t even try to figure out the end or the inner workings of how this world works. Just read it and enjoy!

The premise of this book is what drew me to it.  Aiden, has eight days to figure out who murders Evelyn Hardcastle.  He is a different person each day, and the same day repeats. So, he gets different perspectives and clues each day.  I admit, it was a bit confusing at times with all the jumping between characters but I trusted that the author had the timeline right and I kept going.  There were many, many characters but they were all so wonderfully written and unique that it was worth trying to keep track of them.  A couple twists at the end made this mystery/thriller worth the read.

(4.5*) This is a very original and clever story - I just could not put it down.
The less you know about this book coming in to it the better, but ultimately this gave me Downton abbey meets Groundhog day vibes and i am here for it.
I found the story to be utterly engrossing and i stayed up well past my bed time trying to finish it. Highly recommend this read.

This would have been a 5* read, if i didn't have so many questions left unanswered!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the free eARC of this book to read and review.

This book follows the Hardcastle family. One evening the family is hosting a masquerade at their family home. During the masquerade their daughter Evelyn will die. How did Evelyn die? Is someone responsible for her death? Who is it?

Evelyn will continue to die every day until the circumstances surrounding her death re revealed. Aiden Bishop has to determine what happened that fateful night. Aiden is tasked with uncovering the truth and identifying the killer. Until he can solve Evelyn’s murder, each day he will wake up to that one day over and over again to the date of the masquerade. Evelyn will continue to die. However, each day Aiden will wake up in a different body of some of the guests at the masquerade until he can solve the mystery of her death. Will Aiden be able to solve the mystery and stop the cycle?

This book was very interesting and it had me intrigued from the very beginning. Once I began reading it was hard to out this book down. I wanted to know what would happen next and see if Aiden would be able to uncover what really happened that night.

It was very interesting to see Aiden wake up each day in the body of the different guests. To play the day over and over again from the different points of view of the various guests.

A must read to add to your TBR list if you haven’t read it already.

Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
An amazing book that is novel - as in new. While a murder is about to occur, there is one who will stop it. If not now, then the next time. Think Agatha Christie at her best with Groundhog Day.

What's a fellow to do when he has to solve a murder, but he wakes up in a different "host" every day? How does he keep his facts straight, his reactions and reasoning intact and-most importantly-who can he trust? This intricately plotted time-shifting mystery compares with Agatha Christie--if the grand dame of mystery got into Quantum Leap, that is. Fascinating, weird, suspenseful to the end; highly recommended!

“Thirty seconds,” I mutter. That’s how long I hesitated when I first spotted her, and that’s how far away I was when she was murdered. Thirty seconds of indecision…thirty seconds to abandon somebody completely.”

Part Groundhog Day, part body swap, and all of the mystery!

Starting off with a warning: this is not a book you can just sit and mindlessly read. It takes a bit of concentration to be able to keep up with the who’s who and what’s what from chapter to chapter.

Our main character, Aiden, wakes up in the woods outside of Hardcastle not know his name, where he was, or why he was there. He eventually learns that he is stuck in Hardcastle on a time-loop, and he can’t escape until he solves the mystery of Evelyn Hardcastle’s murder during a ball. He comes to figure out that’s not the only secret within the walls of Hardcastle; a tragedy from years ago still haunts the family and everyone in Hardcastle is keeping secrets.

Aiden gets eight days (and eight bodies) to figure out who is the murderer before everything resets itself and he starts all over again. It’s amusing and a bit annoying because he doesn’t know which body he’ll jump into next. He interacts with his past or future self without him knowing that he’s talking to… himself. Confusing? Yes. And of course there’s the mysterious guy in the Plauge Mask that says he’s trying to help Aiden, The Footman who is trying to kill him, and the mysterious Anna that you don’t really know what to think of. Can you keep up? No? Good.

As Aiden hops from body to body, he can get a little tedious. Sometimes you see the same event from a different perspective, other times you’re just reading about the same event over and over. It can get long winded and a little boring with the repeats, but it can also hold a important clue for latter.

The ending left me feeling a little cheated. All the mystery surrounding Blackheath, all the anticipation, and we’re left with a rather mellow conclusion. Honestly I think this book would have been great with open-ending.

A repeating day. Aiden wakes up in a different body everyday, but the result is always the same… Evelyn Hardcastle dies. The only way for Aiden to get free of the repeating day is to solve the mystery behind Evelyn’s death.

This novel is a murder mystery, but with a dash of science fiction and a smidgen of historical fiction. The repeating day and body hopping is very sci-fi, the setting and characters read like a period piece, and the atmosphere has a very Gothic feel.

Aiden is in a different body each day, but the story isn’t told in a linear fashion. The body hopping combined with time hopping made for a confusing read. Some of the bodies Aiden inhabits are very similar to one another, and I had trouble keeping up with which guy he was each day. I realize the hopping around adds to the story and makes it more complex. After all, Aiden himself is confused about what is going on. In that respect, it is like you’re in the mind of Aiden and his perplexing situation.

Clever and complex, but confusing. A unique and imaginative debut novel.

I received a free eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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

Now that was a rockin' debut novel! While the first half was a little slow, once you get deeper into it, it's compelling enough to be hard to put down. It's such an interesting concept - Agatha Christie meets Quantum Leap - that you just have to know what's going on!

I have to say, I figured out the first part of the mystery (as in who killed Evelyn) but then there was still 20% left of the book! Twist after twist after twist, and another one of my suspicions was correct.

Turton laid out the clues like a master, just like Christie, all the while hiding them in plain sight, in the middle of paragraphs where they fade into ordinary and don't stand out, but then when you get to the end and see the solution, you start to remember all those little things that were right there in front of you.

I'd definitely recommend this book as a great read with a really interesting take on a murder mystery scenario. I'll also absolutely be following the author to see if his sophomore book goes slump or champ!

First of all, thanks to our friends at Net Galley for the advance reader copy here in the good Old U.S.A., well, you know what I mean.. I read the version The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle since I live in the states. As you can see at the top of the page under questions, Mr. Turton assures us we are getting the same amount of murder for our money! This novel is described by some as “Ground Hog Day meets Agatha Christie. I would describe it more a cross between “Being John Malkovich” and Agatha Christie? Not matter what you call this novel, just don’t call yourself late to reading it! The term “unputdownable” is thrown around all the time in book reviews, but this story and mystery was the definition of the word! Great atmosphere and intelligence! So I will not insult your intelligence and tell you any more about the story, trust me, it is worth going into without too much backstory. Great characters, riddles, and mystery, what more can we ask from a novel? Thanks for reading, now get to reading!