A wild, twisty time-loop murder mystery with Groundhog Day vibes and a dark family secret. Smart, strange, and a little chaotic—perfect if you like brain-bending whodunits with a Japanese flair.

Meet Hisataro. Roughly once a week he has to suffer a most peculiar phenomenon, whereby one day – without warning – suddenly repeats itself, and again and again, a total of nine times. He can't choose which days, and he can't get out the cycle early. He can perfect things, if he chooses – for the ninth time of asking will be the definitive version of the day that the rest of the universe will carry on from. Today is one of those days – it's January 2, and the extended family are all at the mansion after the New Year's Day meal the night before, and with the succession of the family's restaurant business still unresolved. And his grandfather who is the one to pass it on has just been murdered. Which he wasn't yesterday, the first January 2…

This is clearly an interesting set-up for a novel murder mystery. Will he investigate – while there's that limit to the days he has with which to do so – or try and wrangle a way to prevent the murder? Normally the world seems to try and follow the track established by the first run-through – the initial Jan 2. Just because he would appear to be the only person in the universe to know about his skill, that doesn't mean he's unique. And, of course, who has clobbered the patriarch – while we have to think about the unique situation, we are in a mystery that (at least hopes it) is also unique…?

Thankfully we can consider either side of things, the murderous or the slightly sci-fi, and consider it well, and we probably won't get to the clever reality of it all. There was an aspect to things I had guessed (<spoiler>the nature of Emi's beau</spoiler>) but not as far as what that ultimately pointed to. We also have the comedy here – one scene deliberately OTT was not to my taste, but the sense of humour is definitely a third factor, and is not exclusively concerning the black comedy of the title character just refusing to stay alive.

All told this was fine fun – it seems to be going down very well and as opposed to so many cultish books, any success it gets is probably justified. It certainly continues to be unique throughout, the cleverness of the final couple of chapters is definitely a highlight justifying our time with these pages, and whatever the author's books since this have been like this at least is more than welcome in belated English translation. The fact this didn't get to English for thirty whole years shows a ridiculous situation; the story appears to do so too but it's actually a perfectly acceptable gender-bending mystery, worth a strong four stars. Definitely worth a once-over.

I don’t quite know what to say, other than that was a completely wild ride of a novel.

Kyutaro is your average sixteen year old, just trying to get through high school. Except none of that is quite true. His family may call him Kyutaro, but his name is actually Hisutaro. And he’s anything but average. While he may look sixteen, he’s more accurately around thirty-some years old, mentally—all because of a weird condition he seems to possess where he, entirely at random, will experience a day nine times. When this happens during the annual family get-together at his grandfather’s mansion, things seem perfectly normal. But when the night of the second loop comes, his grandfather has been murdered. And the only possible culprit is one of the other people in the house with him. In this completely unprecedented turn of events, Hisutaro scrambles to find the murderer and prevent his grandfather’s death that was never supposed to happen in the first place.

If the name wasn’t enough to grab you, the premise and breakneck pace of this story will hold you and refuse to let you go. I wasn’t prepared for such a whirlwind novel, even with the exciting concept. Hisutaro’s mind is on full display, mature and yet just as lost as one would expect to be in the middle of such a bizarre situation. He is intelligent and still endearing, despite his ability to put aside the consequences of his actions due to his knowledge that by midnight each day, it won’t matter. It was easy to forget his age, especially with his ability to deduce and extrapolate from the information at hand and come up with ways to reframe the narrative of his days. With the constant action, it’s easy to see how this became such a classic in Japan.

My only two gripes with the book are this: the ending (or, rather, the epilogue) continues the madness of the novel in such a succinct form that it feels like it’s pushing the absurdity of it all too far. It’s clearly meant to demonstrate that the family is just bonkers at its core, and that this particular time loop doesn’t mean Hisutaro is going to float through the rest of his life. It feels almost as though it’s an attempt to continue the narrative while simultaneously shutting down the possibility of a sequel. I’m simply not entirely sure it’s necessary. My other concern is perhaps due to my own confusion about the relationship of the characters in the novel than anything else: Hisutaro and his brothers must be first cousins of Mai and Runa. A possible sexual and marital relationship between some combination of the cousins is a significant plot point. I don’t know if I’m misinterpreting something or if there’s some cultural difference I’m not privy to, but it confused me the entire time.

Overall, if you’re looking for a quirky family drama with a significant dash of magical realism, or just love a good time travel trope, I’d definitely recommend picking this one up!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Vertigo for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Rating: 3.75 stars

Review posted to StoryGraph: July 22, 2025 (https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/4823e3c4-4cab-4902-8486-ecbfbd371b94)
Review posted to Instagram: July 27, 2025 (https://www.instagram.com/p/DMnPIHUxDY3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==)

I loved the premise and found the family dynamics really crazy but entertaining. The only things I didn't like were that it tended to over-explain the time loop logic and the ending went on for too long. Also, there was a big focus on romance between first cousins (though you have to keep in mind that this book was first published in 1995 in Japan).

But overall, I thought it was entertaining and I enjoyed reading it. 4/5 ⭐ from me

(also, I absolutely love the cover 😍)

What fun but bonkers locked room crime thriller from Japan. This book has been translated into English for the first time for us all to enjoy.

This family is nuts! i guess money will do that to you. But no grandad is ready to step down and name his heir, and the whole family wants in. And it is not a small family. Before he can announce his decision, grandad is dead. But 16 year old Histutaro has a magical ability to live a day over and over… 9 times in fact. Talk about Groundhog Day. Each day leads to the final retelling of the date… the 9th day is the final day. So can he stop grandad from being murdered over and over again?

The ending was very clever. I had a different idea of how it would end but I so far off it isn’t funny! a quick and addictive read.

Thanks so much Pushkin Press for my early copy to read. Published in English on July 29th.

I love time loop stories, and The Man Who Died Seven Times (out in Aug 2025) by Yasuhiko Nishizawa delivers brilliantly. I’ve read the original more than 10 years ago, and I remember it being more like a light novel, making it an easy read for advanced Nihongo learners.

In the story, the elderly Fuchigami dies. Again and again. Seven times in total. Caught in a bizarre time loop, his high-schooler grandson Hisataro, aka Kyutaro, seems to be the only one aware of the repetition. Desperate to save his grandfather, he must piece together the puzzle, uncover the killer's identity, and somehow stop the cycle before it resets yet again.

Despite the recurring death and hint of murder, the tone leans more toward comedic farce than tragic drama. Characters bustle in and out of scenes like in a stage play, and anyone could be the suspect. The novel revels in confusion, contradiction, and misdirection. Nishizawa is clearly having fun keeping both his characters and readers off balance.

The book takes its time in getting started though. The first few chapters are heavy on exposition and introduce a sprawling cast, mostly family members. Slowly, the narrative begins to click into place, and the time loop structure pays off with a clever, unexpected twist. Sooo satisfying!

I thank #NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the opportunity to review this.

This book was sooo fun. I am obsessed with time loop stories and I love murder mysteries -- so the Groundhog Day meets Knives Out vibe of this book was perfect for me. It's an American printing of a classic Japanese novel first published in the 1990s.
Hisataro is a teenager who has an affliction where he periodically gets stuck in loops of the same day 9 times in a row -- he doesn't know when these loops will strike, but he has been able to use them to his advantage before: for example to ace the test for an elite boarding school.
His family has a little bit of a complicated history where his grandfather drove two of his daughters (including Hisataro's mom) away with his gambling. But then his grandfather struck it rich and now the family kinda begrudgingly gathers each year to see if they'll be included in the will. But this year, after the annual New Year's celebration, Hisataro's grandfather is discovered dead -- and it's up to Hisataro to figure out who did it. Each iteration of the same day unfolds with a new challenge for our detective. Who's in the will and who has a motive to see their father/grandfather/employer dead?

A thoroughly enjoyable murder thriller with the twist that the murder keeps repeating despite our main character's attempts to prevent it as he relives the same day. Throw in some family drama and it's a real page turner. And there is still time for a further twist at the end.

a fun and twisty mystery with a time loop that actually played a central role in the plot and the development of the characters and their stories. i thought the time loop aspect would get repetitive and boring after awhile, i was pleasantly surprised that every time loop there was a reveal/twist that i didn't see coming and the motive or reason for death kept changing which kept me on the edge of my seat. i wanted to keep reading to finally see how it was all going to conclude! i really enjoyed the idea of one small minor change causing huge catastrophic sequence of events the next day. and of course, i ate up all the family drama. really enjoyed this one!

This book was such a fun ride!

A classic Japanese murder mystery with a time loop twist...what more could I ask for? I loved how it mixed family drama, inheritance issues, and a messy whodunit into one clever story. The concept of the same man dying again and again while secrets slowly unfold was honestly such a dopamine boost...! I especially loved how the time loop concept was handled. It wasn’t just a gimmick—it played a central role in how the story developed, revealing secrets, motives, and relationships in a layered way.

That said, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a tiny bit discontent towards the end. Some parts felt overly explained, a little repetitive and I couldn’t help but think it could’ve been a bit tighter or shorter. But that didn’t take away from the fact that I had a genuinely great time with this book. Sometimes stories are just meant to be enjoyed for the wild ride they offer...and this one definitely delivered.

Huge thanks to the publishers... Pushkin Press, Pushkin Vertigo and NetGalley for the ARC! So glad I got the chance to read this...!

4.25 stars!

#TheManWhoDiedSevenTimes #NetGalley

I was not prepared for the levels of mind games and focus this book forced on me. I took notes. I read bits and bobs over again, I tried to understand the clues. I was being played by a genius writer who knew how to write to his reader. I absolutely loved this read if adventure, because this writer does it so gooooood. I had no idea how it would turn out, and I like being surprised without feeling silly. Absolutely amazing read. I will not compare the writer with others because he stands best alone on top. I salute this book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me feel special.

In all honesty, there was something about this that I just couldn’t click with, and I really wanted to

Really great mystery. Kept me up all night. Had to finish it!!! I will be recommending this to quite a few!!

This was such a fun, twisty read! It had that classic murder mystery feel but with a really clever and playful twist—one man dying over and over again in different ways, with each death revealing more about the story and the people around him.

I loved how each version of events layered over the last, slowly building up the full picture. It was smart without being confusing, and it kept me guessing right to the end. Some parts were funny, some were sad, and others made me stop and think—there’s more depth here than you’d expect.

If you enjoy unique storytelling, murder mysteries with a fresh spin, or Japanese fiction with a bit of heart, this one is definitely worth checking out.

Thank you Net Galley and publishers for letting me read an arc of this book in return for an honest review.

What a cool concept this book was. It took a little bit to get into it with all the details and at certain points it was really repetitive but it was very interesting to see how everything came together. It's amazing how one small action can change something drastic about the same day. The twist at the end made you really think and it's definitely a book worth reading again to see all the things that you've missed or see how it comes together differently.

This was INCREDIBLE!

I was intrigued from the very first pages when the main character describes his ‘condition’ which is a time loop trap of a random day repeating itself 8 times. During each loop, the events can be slightly influenced by the actions of Hisataro, however the higher powers try really hard to keep the outcome the same.

Following this brief explanation, we get to the actual story which, at first, I found a bit confusing due to the amount of people involved, but once you get past that it only gets better and better.

How did the events so drastically change from everything going okay to the grandad being murdered by one of the family members? Just how far are people willing to go to inherit a family business? Family feud, mystery, murder puzzle, everything I love in Japanese novels!

This book is engaging and hilarious, and very quickly made it to my top reads of 2025!

Premise: Excellent. Main character sometimes loops a day 9 times + a murder mystery! What's not to love? Chapter 1 ends on a very intriguing note.

Unfortunately, it just goes downhill from there. Chapter 2 is purely an exposition dump, and boy does this author love his exposition dumps. The protagonist explains his ability in one of the most padded chapters I have ever read - it is repetitive, contains passages that are fully copy/pasted, and does not trust the reader to pick up on anything. It also establishes the protagonist as an idiot and 'old for his years', also known as, being a somewhat jaded teenager.

Chapter 3 is the family history exposition dump, where the misogyny and weird relationships in this book become even more apparent. Among other things, his aunt dropped out of high school and married her teacher. And this is where I realize... this book almost makes sense in the context of *anime*.

I haven't read a lot of Japanese fiction, but I do watch anime and read manga sometimes. The style of this book, the long breaks for exposition, the somewhat over-the-top situation, the weird misogynistic lechery and incest are the sort of thing I've seen in anime (albeit not what I would call 'my type' of anime). But even if I could excuse the anime/Japan-isms, the writing is just not good.

At this point (47%), I have only continued reading because I am morbidly watching the trainwreck, but at some point I have to get off and turn to something else.

From the title alone I would never have guessed that this was a funny/spoofy mystery but my god it was. The time loop aspect was interesting but it really was the characters who got me in the end. A solid and enjoyable read.

A dark comedy I'd definitely recommend to fans of Knives Out.

The concept of the time loop is very original but I wish Hisataro had been more clever with using it! He can't control when it happens but he could have been quicker to use the opportunity when it did.

This was a fun one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the ARC.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Looking at the title, I was skeptical. Was this just another ‘copy’ of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle or perhaps like The Man Who Died Twice? But then I learned that though this English translation is recent, the original book in Japanese was published in 1995, way before the two books I mentioned came into existence.

The premise was good: Hisataro, a 16-year-old boy was in line to inherit a vast fortune from his successful grandfather upon his death. His still lively grandfather however, had another shall we say, a mischievous plan. Amongst his children and grandchildren, he planned on choosing a worthy successor and invited them during the New Year’s Day to announce his decision. Unfortunately, the grandfather died an untimely death, before he could crown his successor.

The kick was that unknown to everyone else, Hisataro suffered a condition where he was thrown into a time-loop where on certain days, he had to go through the same date nine times! And unluckily for him, one of those days happened to be on the death of his grandfather. He had at least 8 loops to make things right and figure out what actually happened to his grandfather and possibly prevent his death before the loop ended!

What I loved about the book was how the explanation was done in detail, but straight to the point that it was easy to understand. Time-loop mysteries tend to be confusing because they’re either vague or feature overly done explanations. However, I thought what was done in this book was splendid because it was realistic and easy to digest. I also applaud the translator, Jesse Kirkwood, because the wordings were excellent. I could almost imagine how it could have been worded in Japanese, and I felt like nothing (or even if there was, very little) was lost in translation. I can only assume the translator not only had a good mastery of both languages, but had a good understanding of the culture. No typos either, which is unfortunately rare in the publishing world these days.

Highly recommended to those who love time-loop mysteries!