Ultimately I did enjoy this book, although I did find it utterly confusing at times. The premise is that a person relives the same day of Eveyln Hardcastle's death, each day waking up in a different person's body who is present, in order to solve who killed her. Each time this person wakes up they take on the characteristics of the person who's body they are 'borrowing' both their emotions and physical state.. It is really difficult to explain more without giving away spoilers. I have to confess because of the number of characters, I did have to keep referring back to understand who some of them were. Some of the ending I was not expecting and some of it I was however I really did enjoy this book and would recommend it.

I finished this book yesterday but i couldn't write the review straight away, i needed to collect my thoughts first.

So what can i say about a book that i definitely consider as amongst the top5 of this year?

I can just tell you how it will go if you choose to read it: you start it, you feel confused from the beginning, with each chapter you start finding some answers only to add more intriguing questions, you bravely continue despite the increasing confusion, at some point you abandon the idea of figuring out what's happening on your own and you just focus on getting the information in the correct order, you get to the end, you feel more or less chocked/surprised/confused, you close the book and then you just want to open it and read it all over again. At least that's what happened to me.

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a rather unique or at least a very interesting approach for a thriller. How to solve a perfect crime and prevent a death that's already happened? Seeing the same day over and over again through different perspectives was fascinating, how each of the persons reacts differently to the same moment, how they perceive the same words and looks differently, it definitely says a lot about human nature.

I will not say much of the plot because i think this is one of those book that it's better to start reading without first seeing the plot summary, it spoils a lot of the fun that way. Knowing only the title, at the beginning the reader shares the same confusion as the characters and i think that's necessary to have a better experience with the book.

This was a fun read, and a bit of a brain twister, trying to figure out who the protagonist was, and where he would jump to next. Each new character was fun, and I liked that there was plenty of time travel sort of tricks played that can only be played when you are playing with at least one future yous. The note to the future body and their resulting discussions were fun. There is a real sense of menace throughout the book, and the Footman was lead up to brilliantly. I highly recommend this to mystery fans.

I really like these covers! The title is slightly different for the USA compared to the UK, so I wanted to show both. Also, I think the USA one might not be out yet, but I may be wrong about that. The cover is pretty simple but I like the colors they used and after reading the book the details make a lot of sense!

I was quite confused when I started reading this book, I didn't recognized the name of the main character and I couldn't really get into it. After I kept on reading I realized our main character doesn't know his own name, so while I get a name from the synopsis, our MC wasn't there yet. I really like being surprised so I don't think you need his name. You just have to go on that journey with him! What I really liked about this book is that every time the MC woke up in another body, he assumed part of their personality. And this got worse the more bodies he had inhabited. It was so interesting to read how he changed with that new body and how he had to 'fight' the actual inhabitant for complete control.

There are so many twists and turns in this book and while they flowed naturally I didn't see any of it coming haha. I kept guessing who did the murdering but; NO CLUE! And that was pretty frustrating to be honest haha. I do usually have a pretty good guess, but not this time. Lets just say, this was an amazing murder mystery!

Our MC experiences this day 8 different times, through 8 different eyes. And every time he gets a new body, he also gets a bit of a different personality. I really loved how the original person showed himself through our MC. This was so, so well done. It did make it a bit harder to find out what his own personality was like. I would say he's a stubborn person that just wants to do the right thing. Getting back to the different bodies, there was such a distinction between them! There were good characters, questionable characters, pretty bad characters, scared characters, smart characters, and so on. They all had their own impact on the story and it was so interesting seeing the same situation from different angles.

Apart from our MC we also have Anna, the Plague Doctor, the footman and Evelyn as our most important characters I would say. Other than them we have quite a lot of side characters as well and I think they're all really important to the story. They all bring something new to the story. Anna and the Plague Doctor were hard to read! I didn't know what to think of them and that was so enjoyable. The footman really scared me haha. And Evelyn was so interesting and mysterious. I really didn't know how all the parts fit together until 'the big finale'.

I was so engaged in this story and especially around the halfway mark I just couldn't put it down. If you love murder mystery with a little twist this is the book for you. I really hope the author writes a book in similar fashion. This book gets 4,5 stars from me! I might actually reread this one just so I can see the full story from all angles when I already know what's going on. Highly recommend this book!

I started this book 3 different times. My confusion never cleared up. I may try a 4th time. I am intrigued by the concept of this book, but ultimately too confusing to keep track of.

I love how original this book was to me. A great read to keep you guessing and on your toes trying to work out the mystery before the end....

This book is like a Downton Abbey murder mystery party, with a cool twist: one person plays a different character in the same scenes over and over until the murder is solved. Murder mystery parties are a lot of fun, especially if everyone gets into their character and if they're clever enough to follow along. Every interaction is a clue, and each person's view of the events can be different.

As I found out through this book, changing your perspective changes your experience. This book does an excellent job at illustrating the importance of perspective, and how different stories can arise with each individual person’s view on the same events. The first few times Aidan had a hard time with the body swapping. Change is often a complex and difficult process especially if it’s a bodily experience! Aidan’s inability to change had him stuck and unsatisfied until he adopted a new way of thinking. When he changed his perspective, he knew that what he was going through had a purpose, even if he did not understand it.

The book begins like a classic murder mystery party where there is very little background information and the reader has to figure out the context. It was a little confusing in the beginning because the narrator's identity isn't revealed until 25% into the book. However, the multiple perspectives are fascinating. The writing is very atmospheric, descriptive, and the setting and characters remind me of Downton Abbey’s charm, humor, and wit. It transported me into the 1920’s with British nobility, socialites, butlers, valets, maids, horses and carriages. The book is a little bit on the longer side, about 500 pages, so it's not a quick read. It’s not in my typical genre, but I enjoyed it and I think you will, too.

Hold on to your top hats, because this book is a wild ride with unique perspectives.

This book is like a special edition Clue board game of Quantum Leap meets Groundhog Day then turned into an Agatha Christie style mystery.
Aiden Bishop wakes up in a forest surrounding the crumbling Blackheath Estate with zero memories. He soon pieces together that he's at the estate to celebrate the return from Paris of Evelyn Hardcastle. Coincidentally, her return coincides with the 19th anniversary of the murder of her brother Thomas Hardcastle and the same guests who were there on that fateful day have returned for this celebration.
A man dressed for the costume ball as a Plague Doctor informs Aiden he has 8 days to solve a crime and the day will be relived in 8 different "hosts" (guests at Blackheath) in order to solve the puzzle.
Each day, Bishop wakes up in a new body, piecing together clues from different perspectives in order to determine who kills Evelyn Hardcastle at 11p.m. and why. Bishop has been warned that there are two other rivals attempting to solve this mystery but only the first to solve it will be allowed to leave this endless loop and return to their real life.
Filled with deceit, carefully constructed secrets, and the feeling of always being one step behind, Aiden Bishop struggles to hold on to reasoning and the clues he's gathered as he jumps from one host to another, suspecting everyone and trusting few. He soon realizes the Hardcastle's secrets cannot stay buried forever and solving Evelyn's murder may depend on finding out the truth of her brother's death first.
An epic "whodunit" with a collection of well developed characters, The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is an entertaining mystery that will keep you guessing until the end!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a very unusual tale. Aidan Bishop is trapped in a crumbling house and awakens every day as a different houseguest. It was a very clever setup and I really wanted to love this book but unfortunately found it a bit long winded. It didn't really keep my interest and I found it a bit of a struggle to get to the end.

Aiden Bishop is trapped at Blackheath. He also wants to save Anna but is this an impossible task.

Aiden’s only escape will be if he can solve the puzzle of who killed Evelyn Hardcastle.

This futuristic mystery will keep you in anticipation as you become involved with each character and the revelation of their individual secrets.

There will be no putting down this compelling novel.

the bones of this book were so good! i loved the concept and was super excited about. but it was so. freaking. confusing. and because it was so confusing it was frustrating for me to read. towards the end I was so lost. idk, it just fell flat for me sadly.

‘For once, it would be refreshing to find somebody in this place who was exactly what they appeared to be’. Solving a murder is hard enough but Aiden is given an almost impossible task – to solve a murder in 8 days whilst waking up in the body of a different witness every day. Can he break the loop?

I always say the mark of a good book is how fast it takes me to finish it, I have a tendency to get completely drawn into gripping stories that are told in exciting and unique ways and devour them, whereas a book I am not enjoying of the same length will take me weeks as I struggle to want to pick up my Kindle. The Seven (and a half?) Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle took me 2 days - I struggled to put it down.

I can’t say much because of spoilers but wow, what a thrill-ride. The mix of time-travel and groundhog day like obstacles to an enthralling murder-mystery plot was so well done and original. The idea of reliving the entire day again from a different perspective leant a great pace to the story and each host was explored so deeply and given such in depth personalities that it was a joy to read. The plot itself is extremely complex with many interlacing threads that come together slowly and cleverly to a final conclusion. I must really congratulate the author for creating such a labyrinth for his readers to get lost in. There are a lot of characters which, especially at the beginning are hard to keep in your head – I think the invitation at the front, which serves as a dramatis personae, would have helped with this more if I had been reading the printed version rather than on kindle.

Overall it’s a fantastic, well thought out book which fully gripped me from beginning to end and I would highly recommend it to anyone. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the chance to read and review the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What comes first, body or soul? Where is the threshold beyond which we become what we think we are or what other tells us we are? What is punishment? And where are its limits?

This book is weird and amazing, it is soul-searching and hair-rising, tantalizing and revolting at the same time, or shall I say 'in the same day'.

Blackheath is the place not to be. It is the place never to be found, located, mapped or visited. It is in no country, in no time and in no reference setting what so ever. It could have been in England or in the United States. The events could have happened after the World War 1 or North South War... It does not matter. The time and place does not matter.

What matters are the essence of the people and the lengths they are prepared to go to achieve their goals. Their goals matter too. Are they selfish or selfless? Are they for the benefit of others or for greed?

The book started very slow, but then it took me (the same way the main character was overtaken by events around him). I read and read. I could not wait to finish it to find out what, where, who and how.

The story made me think so many thoughts. It made me question our own essences. Yes, there is body and there is soul. But what if we really can travel from body to body? Do we become the body we are in?

The deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle as well as many other deaths in this story are important and intersting. The mystery and revelations are mysterious and revealing. But what I found most interesting is the story of the story itself. How it was all planned out, by whom, why and to what end...

Brrrr. What a story. Read. Gape. Enjoy

This book is a thriller that I'm not quite sure how to review! I alternately loved it and didn't like it much. There's a Groundhog Day element to the book that kept me on my toes as I read it, and the setting is very atmospheric. The ending was a letdown after all the nail-biting of the previous chapters. I recommend it because it's one of the most unusual books I've ever read.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Somebody’s going to be murdered at the ball tonight. It won’t appear to be a murder so the murderer won’t be caught. Rectify that injustice and I’ll show you the way out.

A crafty mystery told by several perspectives about a murder occurring at a grand ball at Blackheath House manner. This sounds straightforwards until you realize that the main character Aiden Bishop will wake up in a different body for eight days in the Blackheath house until he solves the murder.

A stellar concept for a story told seamlessly and yet confounding. This plot will demand your every attention to detail.

This is a must read novel and you will find it difficult to put down.

Loved this book. Didn’t want it to end. Highly recommend.

Love love love. Incredible book. Fabulous book club pick too

"These masks we wear betray us. They reveal us.
We are never more ourselves than when we think people aren't watching."

Ok, that was awesome! Not sure if I'm a fan of the ending but I couldn't put the book down and that's actually all I wanted so there you go.
Loved it.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book (entitled The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle pre-publication) without really knowing what it was about. I have a tendency to skim synopses or skip them altogether so I am in for a surprise. I call this literary roulette and it works out all sorts of ways.

But I digress. The moment I started reading, I was hooked. I found the character to be endearing, and the mystery involved and delightful. THEN, it got even better as it was revealed that this is a most original, unusual story. It has a dark, gothic feeling which is also somehow infused with charm and wit. It's like Clue with time travel. It will leave you guessing at every turn, and the prose is lyrical and engaging. You'll have a hard time putting this one down, and probably won't be disappointed with the ending. I wasn't. And I said aloud when I was finished, "WOW". Definitely give this one a read!

The book itself has a lovely art nouveau design which lends itself very well to the style of crime writing inside. Initially, the book reads like an early 20th century crime novel, full of suspense building up to the expected plot twists at the end. (no spoilers though - there's some real out there brilliant twists here!) thoroughly enjoyed it, unlike anything else I've read recently for sure and is already a favoured recommendation to customers. I like to think of it as a cross between Agatha Christie and Cluedo with a healthy dash of The Twilight Zone for good measure!

Warning: this book may cause anti-social behaviour! This trippy blend of classic mystery and time-travel left my head reeling, and is one of the few novels I’ve read recently which is truly worthy of the label ‘unputdownable’.

The unusual combination of Golden Age mystery, reminiscent of Agatha Christie at her best, and new age, Groundhog Day-esque time travel which reminded me of a couple of my favourite movies, Momento and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, makes this book something really special. There’s layers within layers and a complex cast of characters which are difficult to keep up with at times, but persevere and the author will give you a satisfying ending which makes all the layers of mystery and the twists and turns worthwhile.

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn HardcastleWe first meet our protagonist as Doctor Sebatian Bell. He’s attending a party at a grand manor in the heart of the old English countryside, but he has no idea how he got there or who he is. All he can remember when he wakes is a name; Anna. Pieces of the puzzle are gradually revealed to Bell, until we get to the real twist. He’s actually Aiden Bishop, doomed to wake as eight different visitors to the ball until he solves the mystery of the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle, for whom the ball is being thrown for. He gets to live the day leading up to her death through the eyes of eight different guest, and on the eighth day he must have the answer to the mystery, otherwise he is doomed to start all over again.

Already confused? This is just the basic premise to a trippy, bizarre story which kept me guessing until the last few pages. The feat this author has undertaken is truly staggering, creating an entire cast of characters and their intermingling lives, and the meticulous detail into which he must have constructed this day and the clues and red herrings scattered along the way is eye-watering to think about. This book was completely different to anything else I’ve read this year, and I loved it.