The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton (eARC review)

TITLE: The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

AUTHOR: Stuart Turton

RELEASES: 04 Sept 2018 by Sourcebooks Landmark

GENRE: Mystery & Thrillers

I’m a man in Purgatory, blind to the sins that chased me here.

I couldn’t put this down at all once I started it. The level of detail and intrigue is unreal and unmatched by most other crime thrillers I’ve read previously. I would put this on par with the like of b.a.paris if I had to compare it to something. It doesn’t just go into one category, though. There’s the bit of sci-fi in it with the Plague Doctor that appears randomly and the fact that Adrian relives the same day 8 days in a row in various bodies. What even is this world?? I was so confused at first, as I didn’t read the synopsis before I began. Once I caught up to what was happening, though, I was entirely hooked!

“Do you know how you can tell if a monster’s fit to walk the world again, Mr. Bishop? If they’re truly redeemed and not just telling you what you want to hear? You give them a day without​ consequences, and you watch to see what they do with it.”

When Aiden’s entire objective changes from finding the murderer to saving Evelyn from being murdered at all, there is a bit of push back from a few other characters. His moral compass is so interesting, but I found myself asking if I would be making similar choices. Or would I have only gone as far as to figure out who was murdering Evelyn? There were so many inconsistencies in the original story of Evelyn’s homecoming and those closest to her, so it really made for a wonderful novel!!

How lost do you have to be to let the devil lead you home?

If you’re a fan of whodunit thriller novels, then you’ll love this novel. The characters not only work on discovering who they are and what they value most, but are also in the middle of a murder mystery! This crime thriller will have you on the edge of your seat exploring every little nook and cranny in which potential evidence could be hiding!

How do you stop a murder that’s already happened?

The Hardcastle family is hosting a masquerade at their home, and their daughter Evelyn Hardcastle will die. She will die everyday until Aiden Bishop is able identify her killer and break the cycle.

But every time the day begins again, Aiden wakes up each day in a different  body as one of the guests.

Aiden’s only escape is to solve Evelyn Hardcastle’s murder and conquer the shadows of an enemy he struggles to even comprehend. But nothing and no one are quite what they seem.

Deeply atmospheric and ingeniously plotted, The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a highly original debut that’s an Agatha Christie mystery in a Groundhog Day Loop, with a bit of Quantum Leap to it.  Perfect for fans of Kate Atkinson and Claire North.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for providing me with an ARC. All quotes are taken from an ARC and may not match the final release.