Unfortunately this book just didn't work for me. The premise had great potential, but the execution fell quite flat. I was invested enough to finish the whole thing, just to find out the resolution, but the payoff wasn't enough to redeem the reading experience.

I want to thank Netgalley, the publisher, and the author, for allowing me to read this advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
I tried. I honestly, really tried to get into this book but I. Just. Cannot. Do. It.
What am I reading? What is this writing? Which character am I now? HELP ME!
I am no stranger to this style of writing; however, I don't think I've ever been more confused. I find myself having to reread several sentences and I'm sorry but ain't nobody got time for that!

(4.5 stars) I really wanted to give this novel five stars. It's unique, imaginative and I can only imagine the writer had one hell of a diagram on his wall whilst he wrote it because I'm not ashamed to say there were several times that I was hopelessly lost. Not only did I not know what day it was I also had no idea who was who or what time it was, but that really doesn't matter. I loved the first third, got bogged down in the middle (hence the lost half star) and then raced to the end sliding in sideways sending a shower of omgs all over the back cover. Read it because everyone else is going to and you will want to be part of the discussion.

I can not get over how much I loved this book, every single moment from beginning to end was filled with twists and turns that keeps you guessing all the way to the final reveal and it’s a wild ride.

“7 Deaths” is unlike anything I have ever read before where each day a man wakes up in the body of a different guest at a masquerade celebration trying to solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle in order to escape his loop only to discover that the case isn’t as simple as it appears. With an ever growing suspect list, a timeline that jumps around as often as his consciousness and a family secret that carries more weight than originally thought, this book manages to grab you’re attention and not let go until the final line.

The entire concept of this novel is a bit like a Groundhogs Day but bloodier where each new day helps to solve part of the riddle or reveal a new enemy as Mr. Bishop struggles to solve the murder all the while being hunted by an unknown villain hellbent on destroying his chances of escape.

I can’t get over how amazing this book is and as much as I hate to admit it, it’s one of the only times I’ve ever guessed wrong and for that alone it’s worthy of my recommendation. It’s definitely one to read if you enjoy a good thriller and the overall message at the end is surprisingly uplifting given the context and all the steps it took to get there making this one of my favorite books in the genre.

**thank you to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

I received a copy of The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was intrigued initially by the summary and am happy to report that the book did not disappoint!

The good: a plot that moves along and was not a dime a dozen snoozefest (i.e. original!). This book had a well-woven story and plenty of intrigue and mystery to keep the reader engaged, without creating endless/fruitless plot threads or rehashing the same old (boring...tired) thing.

The not-so-good: there is a lot going on and if you don't pay attention, you'll miss subtleties. I admit, I did have to re-read a little to catch things I had overlooked the first time.

All in all, reading The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton was an enjoyable way to spend a winter evening, and I am happy to have had the opportunity to do so.

How many times can one person die? And how many days it will take to solve the murder? I don’t know if you will love this book, or not but I can promise you one thing: you’ve never read anything like this before! The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton is a superbly original crime story lingering into fantasy genre and it’s a must-read.

This was a mind-blowing, unstoppable read for me. Imagine Agatha Christie decided to write fantasy... I devoured some-500 pages in a day!

The story is set in a stately home – although once grand, the house is neglected after a tragedy the owners suffered in the past. Everyone -friends & family are summoned to Blackheath to celebrate the return of Evelyn Hardcastle, the daughter of the family, from Paris.

Evelyn will be murdered. But how? and more importantly, by who?

Our protagonist, is set to solve that. But we also don’t know who our protagonist is. The only thing we discover shortly after starting the story is that he’s set to live the same day in different bodies; again and again, until he finds out who kills Evelyn.

There are so many characters in this book and there are excellently portrayed. I was amazed actually, as this is a debut and admired Stuart Turton for writing such a complex, layered story. It is also beautifully written.

This was so close to being one of my all times favourites, 5 star read. Unfortunately, parts of the ending didn't work for me and I wish somethings were laid out differently. Still by far the most enjoyable read of this year, and would be looking more to read from the same author.

This book is thought provoking, it is a mystery and a delight. I was trying just as hard as Aiden Bishop to find the murderer before the end. I was just as confused and perplexed as who I could and could not trust. This is honestly one of the best books I have read this year.

I received and ARC of this book from NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark

I absolutely LOVED this debut from Stuart Turton. I picture him writing it while holed up in a closet with a serial killer style murder evidence board with links to all the different 'timelines' and bodies and days. I had to start taking notes at the beginning to keep everything track. But not a single thread feels 'undone' or unexplained, I absolutely love it.

I loved this book! Like Black Mirror, it takes you on a ride and you'll need all your wits about you. The narrator, Bell, wakes up at a country house, witnessing a murder. Though everyone at Blackheath knows him, he has amnesia and can't convince his friends that what he saw really happened.
I read this mystery compulsively over 24 hours, and enjoyed the complex plot and morbid country house party setting. Bodies abound, but the author is generous to his characters, allowing many of them to deepen and show gleams of gold. Such a curious mix of classic mystery, Downton Abbey with a dystopian/science fiction twist, great fun.

This was absolutely crazy! Mindf*cking genius!

I will not try to retell the story. I don’t know if I really understood everything. I experienced a revelation a few minutes ago about one thing I was wondering about and it made me gasp in adoration about the cleverness of the story. This unusual book is a mix of a good old crime story à la Agatha Christie, time travel, Groundhog Day and something else which I have no word for. Neither in English nor in my mother tongue German.

Imaging yourself waking up every morning to the same day but inside a different person. You have to live through the same day again and again. You remember what happened the last time you relived it and what the person you were did. I began to ask myself very soon why this is happening and how this can be possible. To my great pleasure the riddle was solved at the end. And in a way I did not expect.

I will not even try to summarize the complex story. It is full of details and surprising moments. There were many situations in which I asked myself how this could work and how the main character Aidan had figured this all out. I was totally lost with the time table. I just trusted Aidan and the author of getting it all right. But at the end I –almost- understood everything and it left me back in awe of the talent of the author. What a great story and a great concept. What an amazing piece of work.

The book takes its time and it is a very long book. But it needs all this pages to unfold its story with every detail. You can be sure that your patience and confusion will be rewarded at the end. I was so pleased how everything turned out and was explained. This is the kind of story where a struggling ending could have ruined everything. But here happened quite the contrary. The end and the moment I really got the book finally made it for me all the better and it turned into a 5 star while I considered it temporarily as a 4 star.

This book may not be for everyone. It is beautifully written but also a bit slow and confusing. The story is so far away from everything I have read in the last years and that was so refreshing. It was worth my time and the little struggle with keeping up with all what’s happening. I really had to focus while reading. But it was fun and amazing. I really enjoyed it. If you are up to something unusual and want a challenge then this may be the right book for you.

Are you an avid reader of murder mysteries and think you’ve probably read it all? Well, it’s fairly certain you haven’t read it all until you’ve read Stuart Turton’s The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, which is one of the most innovative and fascinating murder mysteries out there. Protagonist Aiden Bishop has eight days to solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle, and each day serves as “host” in another guest’s body seeing the murder through other eyes. Aiden’s only way to be released from the hell of seeing the murder through all of the different bodies is to solve the mystery. It’s kind of like Groundhog Day in a murder mystery, laced with Agatha Christie, and others to make for an extremely unique take on murder.

Although the book is captivating, the details can get a bit repetitive. However, new issues pop up as the novel progresses, making the reader (and Aiden) more aware of important details that may lead to solving the mystery. Each host has something new to offer, and the story unfolds in what would be atypical for a regular murder mystery. There is plenty of building suspense, as well as twists and turns, even though it is the same story told over and over.

The mystery is compelling, and so different, that suspense/thriller readers will be blown away. It is as far from the same-old same-old as it can be, and The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a must-read for any thriller aficionado who is seeking something new. It will change the way readers look at the suspense/thriller genre.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Wow! This novel is the perfect blend of mystery, thriller, and science fiction! I was hooked from the beginning and loved all of the twists and turns this puzzle of a novel presents to the reader. I felt like I was unraveling the truth while also piecing together the possible explanations for the situations Aiden Bishop is presented with in each of the eight characters he embodies throughout the course of this fateful day. Yes, the entire novel takes place in one day on a loop. I kept hearing that mind blowing Inception music on repeat while I dug deeper into the mystery. I highly recommend this one!

This is a whodunit like no other. It has all my most favourite things. Murder mystery? Check. Set in a dilapidated mansion? Check. Long list of suspects? Check. Twists and turns galore? Check. A sprinkle of sci-fi? Check.

Aiden Bishop is the main character, although you won't find that out until later in the book. When we first meet him, he's occupying the body of Sebastian Bell who is wandering through a forest, believing himself to have witnessed the murder of a woman named Anna. He can't remember who he is, or where he is, but a mysterious voice whispers in his ear, hands him a compass and tells him to travel east. Bell finds a rundown old mansion - Blackheath - filled with people gathering for the birthday party of Evelyn Hardcastle. But tonight, Evelyn will be murdered.

Each day for eight days, Aiden awakens in the body of a different party guest. A man wearing a plague doctor costume explains Aiden must solve Evelyn's murder in order to escape Blackheath forever, and he must do so before his rivals beat him to the solution, and before his hosts are picked off one by one by a creepy footman. It's like a Cluedo version of Jumanji - Aidan has been sucked into a game where he doesn't know the rules and with real life consequences. He's trying to piece together a jigsaw puzzle without having the picture on the front of the box, but he soon comes to the conclusion that whatever's going on is linked to the death of Evelyn's brother, Thomas Hardcastle, nineteen years earlier.

Stuart Turton is to be applauded for brilliantly pulling off such an intricate narrative, tying up all the loose ends and providing satisfying answers to all of the questions. The meticulous plotting and planning is truly admirable as Aiden switches back and forward between the hosts he inhabits each time one of them falls asleep (or is knocked out) and the story has more surprise reveals than any other book I can think of. But Seven Deaths is best read without too many spoilers so the reader can peel away the layers, page by page, without knowing what's to come.

Seven Deaths is beautifully written, rich with vivid metaphors that bring the characters and the setting to life, including an early scene where a man verbally abuses a maid in a crowded drawing room and everyone is shocked into such silence that "even the piano bites its tongue", but a "heroic clock" still "drums up its courage and ticks." All of the hosts Aiden inhabits are distinct, well-rounded characters with specific strengths and weaknesses and even the more deplorable ones are given redeeming qualities. His relationship with "rival" Anna is the strongest of the story as it grows from uncertain beginnings into a solid bond of trust and kindness, and yet we still wonder whether she is his ally or his enemy.

I could wax lyrical about this book for hours, writing thousands of words about how much I enjoyed reading it. It's spooky and sinister and it'll give you a few chills, but it also reflects upon the futility of retribution, the notion of whether someone can transform themselves, and the importance of being kind and giving second chances, making for absorbing and spellbinding reading. It's only March, but I think it will be difficult to find a book I love more than this for my 'best of 2018' list.

This was a highly original read. Evelyn Hardcastle is going to be murdered, and it’sup to Aiden to prevent this from happening-the only catch is that Aidan wakes up on the same day over and over again, but in the body of a different person. Aidan is a guest at a country house party to celebrate the return of Evelyn Hardcastle from overseas, hosted by her family. Unfortunately for Evelyn somebody wants her dead. Every time Aiden wakes he has a new chance to change the day and stop the murder from taking place, but someone is trying to prevent him from stopping the murder, and time is running out.
This was an interesting book full of twists and turns with an unusual ending that you do not see coming, this was a highly original read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Stuart Turton, and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for allowing me to read and review The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.

I enjoyed this book and plan to buy it once it's in stores. 5/5 stars.

This is a good idea, spoilt by the number of characters which make the whole story nearly impossible to follow.

This confused me. This is the type of book where you have to pay attention the whole time but with my mood at the time of reading it I just couldnt. I will give it another try at a later date.

I thought the writing style and characterisation were very good, but in all honesty l did not like the story line (l thought l would, but instead l found it jumpy and confusing).
I DNF this book at 43%. I tried and tried to go back to it, but it felt like hard work to me. I cannot rate the whole book, but l am giving the bit l did read three stars (for writing style, not for story). I think there are people out there who will really enjoy this, and l have seen quite a few 5 star reviews, but this book just wasn't for me.
I am certainly interested in checking out the authors next book, maybe it will be a better fit for me.
Thanks to Stuart Turton and Raven books.

Outside of a decaying old manor house in the countrysidd, a man comes to, bleeding, fending off an attacker. With no memories--not even his own name--to comfort him, all he knows is that he saw a woman murdered. And he also knows her nams: Anna. So begins The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, a complex, confusing novel of murder, deceit, and supernatural justice.

While very little is clear in this novdl, the audience is to know this much: a collection of guests has been assembled by the Hardcastle family for a macabre celebration--and during this celebration, someone will murder their daughter Evelyn, recently returned from Paris. Our amnesiac narrator is tasked with discovering who kills Evelyn, and failure to do so will result in a never-ending loop of the same eight days, each of which sees him inhabit the body of another of the Hardcastle family's repugnant party guests.

Sound confusing enough? It is. With so many characters and parallel storylines, it is hard to keep track, at tmes, of what is happening in the story. While some find the novel's ultimate resolution disappointing, I was surprised by it and found it a clever and fitting end for the story. While the novel at time seems to plod along, it is clear that author Stuart Turton revels in exposing the crassness and vileness of his characters. A solid 3.5 star reading experience. Thanks to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for this ARC.

Engrossing story that shows what it would be like to try to change the course of history without knowing the answer of how to make the change.