.5 stars.

I received a free e-book copy of this title from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Stuart Turton's The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a crime novel (with some sff sprinkles) that is engrossing, fascinating and occasionally infuriating. Sometimes all at the same time.

The protagonist finds himself in the Hardcastle residence, tasked with figuring out who is going to murder Evelyn, the daughter of the family. He has one day to do so-- but he lives this day out in eight different bodies with different personalities and sets of skills, and each of the hosts gives him more opportunities to conduct his detective work.

The beginning is rather slow: the plot takes a while to get going. But when it does, it is difficult to put the book down, as it becomes incredibly engaging, with twists coming from unexpected directions. However, while the twists and the pacing are the author's strength, they may also be his undoing, as the finale raises more questions than it should, providing an entirely new dimension to the book.

Overall, I think this is a good book to read, but not one to overthink while reading (or once the reader is finished), as some elements may start coming apart at their seams.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Stuart Turton's debut has one of the most exciting premises I've ever come across, but when starting it I was also worried and unsure if the author would succeed at handling such a difficult concept. I shouldn't have worried, because The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle turned out to be my favourite read of 2018 so far.

The plot was original, intricate and extremely confusing at times, but that's what I enjoyed the most about it. It is definitely a book which requires attention and dedication, but it is so worth it. I also think it's better to read it as quickly as possible, in order not to forget details. Several mysterious things which happen at the beginning are explained near the end (and it is so satisfying!), so you need to have a good memory. But don't worry - this book is impossible to put down, so you will fly through it!

While mainly a mystery, the book was a mix of genres: it had a strong supernatural element, and the creepy and oppressive atmosphere reminded me of a horror book. I was genuinely spooked by some parts and I became as scared of the footman as Aiden was! As for the mystery aspect, there were lots of twists and turns and many different layers to it. I loved how we gradually came to truth, and I was shocked by the final reveal. It was maybe a little too contrived and improbable, but it still worked.

Aiden was a well crafted main character. It was extremely interesting seeing how each of his hosts influenced him and how their personality and capabilities changed the investigation. I often found myself wondering how much of him was his own personality, and how much was an echo of his host. My favourite were Ravencourt, because he was so cunning, and Rashton, because as a mystery reader I really enjoyed his approach to the case as a constable.

His relationship with Anna was also a very interesting one. The truth about why she was in Blackheath, and Aiden's real intention for being there, were a total surprise.

Without a doubt, this is a book I will think about for a long time (and I already want to re-read it). It will surely end up on my top ten of the year!

I enjoyed this one! I found it a bit confusing in parts, but I was still compelled to keep reading. While I didn’t love it, the author is definitely skilled at creating an unusual plot, and weaving characters together. Requires a lot of concentration, but it’s a fun read!

“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;lskdfjlaksjdf;klajsdfkjlsdkfjkl;shjfklajsdfka = my brain after reading this book.

If I were a thing made alive by an electrical current, then this book would have made me short circuit. It's a lot to process. But so, so much fun.

I would first advise not to look too much into what this book is about, for the payoff of not knowing what's going on is very fulfilling. Stuart Turton does an excellent job at feeding his reader bits of information as the story goes on, making you scratch your head for a while until some things come together and you lose your mind at the revelations and then he flips it on its head AGAIN AND AGAIN. There's no slowing down with this one. It's full speed ahead. I found it increasingly hard to put this book down to go to sleep. On the night I finished it, I looked at my phone and realized it was 2:30am. I didn't even mind being tired the next morning. To me, that's the sign of a good book.

Several times, I paused my reading just to reflect on the fact that Turton was able to craft this story so seamlessly. It boggles my mind. Sure, it's a combination of ideas (It *really* is like if Agatha Christie wrote an episode of Black Mirror that encompasses elements of Clue, Groundhog Day, and Quantum Leap), but it's entirely unique all put together. It truly works thanks to Turton's thoughtfulness and attention to detail. There's so many layers and so much complexity, both of the plot and with the characters. I feel the need to go back and read this book again to see it with knowing eyes. Because he GOT ME GOOD the first go round. Talk about blindsided.

If you're a fan of weird books, books that blend various genres together (particularly fantasy and mystery), books that make you realize you haven't been so mind-blown since you read Dark Matter by Blake Crouch, or books that make you feel like you've never in your life read anything quite like it, then pick this one up. It didn't disappoint me, and I hope you feel the same.

This may be Stuart Turton's debut novel, but he's an absolute devious mastermind, and I applaud this work wholeheartedly. I'm going to keep an eye out for Turton's next project. He immediately became an auto-buy author! The Seven 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle gets a 5/5 from me. Highly recommended!

“If this isn’t hell, the devil is surely taking notes."





TW: murder, violence, mentions of rape, fatphobia

This was complicated, sometimes hard to follow, and I honestly couldn’t tell you if it makes sense from a time-paradox standpoint (that always confuses me).

But I really enjoyed it. It was intricately plotted, hence the hard to follow, but it feels like it works. Beyond that, it’s a lot of fun trying to not only piece together the big whodunit, but how the day unfolds and follow the threads that come out of order. It feels like Agatha Christie meets Memento meets Groundhogs Day.

The only part that I was indifferent to was the how we ended up there in the first place but honestly, it seems like it’s included because there had to be an explanation. But there’s so many more interesting things going on that it’s not even something I let myself wonder about. It didn’t take up a whole lot of time so it doesn’t distract from the stuff that’s really at the center.

This was such an incredible concept, and executed with an absolutely brilliant eye for detail and connection. I cannot even imagine how difficult it must have been to write and plot this interwoven tale of Aiden Bishop and his quest to solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle. There are secrets and lies everywhere and no one is who they seem - including Bishop himself, who has no idea who he even is for much of the first third of the book, as he struggles to wake up each day in a different body with no idea why, where he is, or what he's supposed to be doing - other than staying alive. It's difficult to call those around him a supporting cast, since so many are iterations that Bell wakes up as, but regardless of how they're described, each and every person in this story is a tale unto him(or her-)self. The population at Blackheath is stunning in its complexity - almost as stunning as the mysterious setting itself. Blackheath's secrets are revealed with devastating slowness - in an absolutely spot-on display of the prowess of suspense-building... The Big Reveal took me utterly by surprise - as did many of the smaller mini-reveals along the way. That doesn't happen often. And while it was nowhere near where I thought things were going, and could easily have felt over-the-top or eye-rollingly odd, somehow it worked for me and felt satisfyingly plausible.

I couldn't put this one down. Turton has crafted a brilliant tale and demonstrated a master's eye - and ear - for storytelling. I do hope to see a lot more from him in future!

Aiden Bishop wakes up in someone else’s body in the middle of the forest, with no idea where, or in fact who, he is. What he does know is that Anna is in trouble and he has to help her.

Managing to find his way to Blackheath, a run-down mansion, Aiden discovers that there is going to be murder that night, a murder that won’t look like a murder, so the culprit will get away with it.

He is going to get 8 chances to solve this murder, reliving the day in 8 different bodies. If he succeeds he is freed from Blackheath and will regain his memories and body. But if he fails, he is doomed to go back to the beginning and start the 8 days over again, and again, and again.

But he’s not the only one trying to break free from Blackheath. There are two others there with him, and only one of them will be allowed to escape. So Aiden must try to solve the murders before they do, while also avoiding the violent footman who is trying to kill him, one host at a time.

This book. Oh my god, this book. I’m not entirely sure how to put into words how much I enjoyed this book.

As we all know I love a good whodunnit. But there’s so many of them around nowadays that it can be hard to get too excited about them. It can all get a bit samey. But let me tell you, you can get excited about this one.

The premise of The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is unique to this genre, while also fitting in quite easily. The best way I can think to describe it is a mash-up of Poirot and Cluedo with the gothic horror of Sleepy Hollow, all held together with the help of Groundhog Day. Now if that doesn’t intrigue you then I don’t know what will.

I love a book set in the 1920s. The glamorous atmosphere and over the top characters are fascinating to me. And the characters in this book don’t disappoint. They range from socialites to doctors, to maids, and stable boys and each of them has a unique voice, even if some of them are being inhabited by the same person. Each character that Aiden wakes up in still have their own personalities fighting through, so it’s interesting to see how they each react.

If I had to pick something bad about this book (and I’m only doing it for the sake of being a well-rounded reviewer) it’s that it does take a lot of effort to get through it. There are a lot of characters to keep up with, and you have to pay attention to every single thing that happens. Every step the characters take, every word they say, it’s all important. So don’t start reading until you’re ready for that kind of commitment.

In saying that, it’s worth every single second of that effort you have to put in. Seeing how everything intertwines together, how one thing affects another so seamlessly, is amazing. I can only imagine the copious amount of notes and planning Turton must have had when he was writing. He is obviously a fantastic writer because he’s able to write an extremely complex plot without making it so confusing that you get frustrated. At no point did I want to stop reading.

The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is such an original premise for a murder-mystery but doesn’t go so far as to give up any of the good things about the genre. You still get a good plot, clues dropped throughout, and a satisfying ending. There’s nothing about this book that would make me say don’t read it. So go read it!

Unique premise kept me reading but the ending felt a little out of the blue without enough foundation to support the 'reveal'.

Hmm, what to say? I did want to enjoy this book but unfortunately, because I read it over a period of eight days, it was just too confusing. I couldn't remember who some of the characters were and what they had done and it all got just a bit too much. I recognise that it is well written and if you have the time to read it all in one go, I am sure it would be amazing. However, I stuck with it to the end and did enjoy it to a degree, but I don't feel I got out of it what I could have done in a single reading.

This book slots neatly in to the period, time travel, stuck in hell, detective, thriller section of your bookshelf. Yes, there is a lot going on, if the reader doesn't know what is going on that is probably because the main character is struggling alongside you. However it is well worth taking a deep breath, and carrying on, slowly little glimpses of comprehension light the pages and the book delivers as a page turning thriller.

Stuart Turton has my full admiration for writing this book. The walls of his writing room must have been covered with layers and layers of post it notes and string. Even when I thought I had got a grip on the events at Blackheath the plot managed to take another twist, even in the last few pages.

A great read, probably best not read just before you fall asleep as if you can't remember everything that has gone on you will be mighty confused!

This book was a hell of a mystery and something I’ve never read before. It’s twisty and confusing and so tricky, I had to concentrate and work as hard as Aiden to find the real murderer. The writing is excellent and I have to give points to the author for coming up with such an idea. Kudos.

All in all a good book.

Was hard to follow all the characters in this book in addition to the 8 hosts that the narrator must go through.

Writing was very well done!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book!

It was a thrilling read. The title and the blurb had me hooked from the beginning. But the first chapter was pretty confusing so I didn't continue reading. I'm glad I gave it a second try. Once you know your way around the book is unputdownable. There were times when I was confused as hell, but at the end all the puzzle pieces fit together.Hats off to the author 's imagination and the way how he connects all the dots. Even though the climax has some great twists, I felt something was missing. It reminded me of Agatha Christie novels. It is recommended to read the book in one sitting so that you don't forget all the clues left by the author. Eventhough the law of crime thrillers say that the person whom you least expect will be the killer, the twists surprised me

What the actual fudge was that? I don't even know how to review this book.
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is definitely one of a kind. The Hardcastles are having a sweet party to celebrate their daughter's return from France. Instead, she's murdered in a time loop repetition until someone can solve her murder. The main character, Aiden Bishop, possesses eight different people to help solve the case. The suspects are many and the secrets literally cover the walls of Blackheath.
It feels like Agatha Christie meets Groundhog Day. It's different and the plot is interesting, but confusing. The mystery of Evelyn's murder is only a piece of the larger puzzle and it's big and I find it confusing with such a big reveal.
The characters never seem to feel real, like stock characters in a play.
It's an OK book, but make sure you put on your thinking cap when you read it.

I really struggled with this book for all the wrong reasons. The language/writing is period set which isn't what I normally would read. I found it hard to keep focus as it was too intricate. I've picked this up and put it back down more than a handful of times. I am sure its an amazing story, the concept alone dragged me in. But I just couldn't get into it at all. I'm classing it as a DNF but ask that my review be ignored as I feel if it were not for the language issues and writing style this would have been a 5 star read.

This was probably the most confusing book I have read in a long time. One truly needs to pay attention to understand it, and I still did not quite get it. I never liked Groundhog Day, and people getting murdered, beat up and what not, is really not my cup of tea. Never the less, I plowed through to the end. I always wonder what inspires authors to write certain books, and this was one of them. I appreciated reading the Author's notes at the end of the book. He put so much effort and thought and really great writing into this story. I really didn't like the book, but I gave the author 4 stars because it was so well thought out and so well written. Thank you to Netgalley and Raven books for the perusal of this book.

One of the most original whodunit style stories I've ever read. The protagonist wakes up with no memory of who they are, running through a forest with the name Anna on their lips. That's how we get introduced to this story. We then spend the rest of the book cycling through 8 "hosts" that the protagonist goes in and out of, who are other characters in the tale, in a desperate bid to solve a murder that may not really be a murder, before the hosts run out and the cycle starts all over again. There's a bit of a revelation at the end that sets the whole story on its head and makes me want to know more about who these characters are, how the ended up there, how the whole thing works, and that is my only complaint about the book. We simply don't get a lot of answers in that regard, but all in all in was still well worth the read. It was truly a unique spin on a murder mystery, fast paced, and fun to read!

My brain hurts. This was one hell of a complicated book. Read the synopsis and thought this was right up my alley, but there was so much more going on. Honestly, I didn’t really care for it, and it was a struggle to push through and finish. Too jumpy. Too many moving parts. I think there is possibly a really great story in here, but it gets lost in the confusion.

This has to be one of the cleverest stories I've read in years. The story is a little slow to start, but once it takes off, it's OFF! Imagine you wake up in someone else's body and discover you are trapped into living the same day over for 8 days and in 8 different bodies until you can solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle. If you can't solve it in 8 days, you're doomed to live those 8 days over and over. The deft writing and imaginative, complicated plot make this a surefire hit with those who enjoy a little challenge with their mystery. Ultimately, the plot reminded me of Dante's Circles of Hell. Blackheath would be one of them.

It's scheduled for U.S. release in September 2018. Highly recommended.

Wow, this was really great. It's a really unique concept that is so well-executed. A man has to relive a day over and over again as he tries to solve a murder. This book really sucks you in, and it's so much more than your typical Agatha Christie murder mystery. Highly recommended.