The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart  Turton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a great book. It is original, engrossing, and fun to read. The author does an awesome job of creating suspense, tension, uncertainty, and mystery all while immersing the reader in the world of Blackheath. I think any lover of mystery should read this book!
The biggest problem that I had with the book was the first several chapters, or the first two "days" for our hero. You see, as the book opens, we are introduced to an apparent amnesia victim, who wakes up in a forest and believes a woman named Anna has been murdered nearby. As this man begins to learn of his identity and make connections with the other inhabitants of the old English manor house where he finds himself, he is nonetheless overwhelmed with sadness at the person he believes himself to have been. The desolateness of the location and the shabby yet foreboding manor house make for an oppressive atmosphere. When, at the end of the day, Evelyn Hardcastle, the new friend our hero has made, dies in front of all the guests gathered for the house party, the real mystery begins. And when our hero wakes up the next morning, in a different room, in a different body, yet on the same day, the mystery is compounded. Our hero, and the reader, is completely confused, uncomprehending, and frightened. This was the point where I almost stopped reading the book. It was very bleak, depressing, and dreary, not to mention with a feeing of dread.
I kept pressing on however, and was very glad I did. Eventually our hero discovers his true name is Aiden Bishop and as he wakes up each morning he finds himself in the body of a different inhabitant of the house. He's racing agains time to find the killer of Evelyn Hardcastle, as well as find the reason he's stuck at Blackheath living the same day over and over. He only has a few "days" and "hosts" left before he will lose his chance to bring the killer to justice and escape the strange time loop he is in.
I really enjoyed this book. It has definite Agatha Christie influences while being completely original. The "world-building" was great, as well as the characterization of Aiden Bishop. The author is able to weave together incredibly complicated strands of create a complex and fascinating story. The mystery is well-thought out and very suspenseful. I felt on-edge the whole time I was reading it, but I had a very hard time putting it down. Although it is a long book, it felt as thought it was just the perfect length. The ambiguous time period of the book, as well as the slight touch of sci-fi towards the end was just the right touch.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries, suspense, and Agatha Christie. I think it demands a second reading.


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