The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle: the million-copy global bestseller (Bloomsbury Publishing)

Evelyn Hardcastle has been murdered, and murdered and murdered again. How is this possible? Because each day is repeated! Aiden Bishop also re-lives this same day, can he change the outcome? Can he solve the murder? “How the bloody hell am I going to review this?!!!!”, I said to myself when I finished this book…. because it is just a genius read and flipping fantastically fabulous… sorry for all the f-words, but at least they are all the polite ones rather than the ones I actually thought 😉 When I began reading this book it had already been open for a few minutes as I was busy scanning the map on the front cover. Then as i began the story I thought that it felt a little bit Agatha Christie like. Then a few more pages in I thought Christie didn’t write like this and that was where the similarity stopped and the style of this author came flying out. The setting of a mansion and a cast of characters that any one of which could be the murderer is what made me think Christie. But then as I learned more about Aiden it took on it’s time-loop style. It is up to Aiden to work out all the twists, knots, wrinkles and creases of this story, it is mind mindbogglingly clever…. So to the plot…..I am giving you nothing, nope not a damn thing… Not because I’m mean (some may disagree 🙄) but because I really don’t know how to explain it so that it makes sense, I mean it makes complete sense to me now as I have had time to digest and work out how it all worked out, but to try to explain it to someone who has not read the book would make it ludicrously confusing as I would be jumping back and forward, then I would be mentioning the things that I missed. This is a plot you really need to experience for yourself. Characters, well there are a few and they are the essential part to this story. They really were a random mixed bunch, from serving staff, to lords and doctors, some I liked some I didn’t and you get a feel for who they are and what they do, but not always realising what their motives are. The one thing I did realise was the only one I could (almost) trust was Aiden, and only because it was his story but even then there is that “what is he hiding” thought. Oh dear god! I am being so vague with this post it is ridiculous, so lets cut to the chase here. It is a book to be savoured, I took my time with it because I didn’t want to miss a single word in case I missed some crucial detail. I realised this at the beginning as I had to back track to something I had previously missed. If you take your time you will be able to digest the timings and twists as the plot gets deeper and deeper. It is a book that is so cleverly written that it beggars belief. It is one of the books you occasionally come across that is exceptionally and brilliantly crafted, one that left me a little stunned. You can also add into the mix of positives that it is extremely addictive, brilliantly atmospheric as the suspense and fear of the unknown creep and sneak around and it is so well written. This is an absolute must read for those who love deceptive mystery and murder reads, with a great time loop twist on the classic whodunit style.

The concept behind Turton's novel is an engaging one, the book essentially reading as a historical murder mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie, but with one central twist. The central character Aiden is trapped at Blackheath, destined to relive the same day over and over, the day that sees the death of Evelyn Hardcastle. If he can solve the mystery of who killed her, he will be free; and to aid him he has the bodies of 8 different hosts to inhabit, guests or servants at Blackheath, all with different perspectives, witnesses of different key events during the day. I have to say that it takes a few chapters to orientate oneself and make sense of what is happening, and even then this can be a tricky book to follow, as Aiden jumps from host to host, and interacts with a myriad characters, the details of how each different reliving of the day pans out and sequence of events sometimes becoming a bit of a blur. Furthermore, there are added complications in the story, regarding other characters at Blackheath competing with Aiden to solve the mystery, and the question of why Aiden has found himself in this strange situation to begin with. For a debut novel, this is an impressive one, in terms of Turton's ambition, and given the challenges with this story, I personally thought that Turton did a very commendable job. Blackheath, with all its dark secrets, looms in the novel almost like a character in itself. Furthermore, one of the aspects that I found most interesting was how Aiden reacts to his different hosts, having to contend with their different personalities and keep them in check in order to remain true to himself and his own goals. In addition to its theme of identity, the story also explores themes such as revenge, redemption and forgiveness. The central murder mystery did also for the most part of the novel manage to sustain my attention. Plot consistency can always be tricky with time-travel type fantasy, and whilst I could follow a lot of the logic applied, some things did leave me a little puzzled. I wasn't overly keen on the character of the Footman, and this aspect of the plot; and the ending itself was perhaps a little underwhelming. However, overall I was impressed with the concept of the book, and enjoyed the Cludeo type feel, even if it could be a bit of a demanding and perplexing read at times.

A book with strong prose, and a brilliantly ambitious concept, that, in my opinion, staggers at the last hurdle. If you like straight-forward reads then give this one a miss, although I don't think you have to be particularly intelligent to follow the thread. It's not that complex. The main character has to solve a murder, by reliving the same day in seven different guests. An intruiging concept, and one which gripped me through 85% of the novel. SPOILERS AHEAD: Where the novel falls down, is in the last 15% or so, after the worldbuilding exposition dump that comes fairly out of left field, and unfortunately reveals that neither the cause behind the main hook of the mystery (the time loop), nor the main characters, had anything at all to do with the murders, or the house's history. This was what caused me to drop two stars. It was such an unsatisfying reveal. I was looking forward to seeing how one of the people involved had gotten involved in some magic, or supernatural circumstances, or a wish in the wishing well gone wrong. Something, anything, to tie the concept and the murder mystery together. But it wasn't there. There was some vague hand-wavey exposition about a temporal prison for super bad people,but it was poorly explained. The bad people had to solve a murder to prove they weren't bad anymore? But one of the main characters was bad and nearly solved the murder so... would they have just let that person go? Apparantly. The problem with bringing in a bunch of high concept scifi stuff at the eleventh hour is that we, as diligent readers who have been patiently and methodically piecing the mystery together, are left without any idea of how the rules of the time loop prison actually work. And to find out there was no connection at all to the Blackheath mystery was just infuriating. A second problem with the story, is that the primary main character is forced to play a very passive role, in order to ensure the day goes exactly as planned and create the satisfying meta time loop effect. Passivity is, unfortunately, not that interesting to read though, and although the author did a very good job making it seem like the character had agency, at times it felt like they were taking huge risks and not being at all creative or proactive, in order that everything could neatly fit together. That the time loop explanation was bolted-on and entriely detachable from the actual mystery was so frustrating, in large part because the mystery itself was clever and satisfying. I couldn't really get behind the villain's motives, as they were unfortunately, just a psychopath, so that was a let down. But they were at least a fun psychopath with a clever plot and a reasonable motive, even if part of that motive was a rather uninspiring "I'm just like that". And the rest of the novel had me chewing it over, trying to work out all the characters motives and secrets, just like a good golden-age whodunnit should. So overall, fantastically ambitious and admirable novel, but could really do without the scifi nonsense and unrelated MCs. Next time, make it a wishing well wish gone wrong please!

A man wakes up in a wood, having lost his memory, and witnesses a woman being chased and apparently shot. He finds his way to Blackheath, a stately home where a party with a dark purpose is being held. That evening, the daughter of the house, Evelyn, dies. The next day, he awakes in another body, at the beginning of the same day. A sinister stranger tells him he must solve the mystery of Evelyn's death, and has eight days to do so - the same day, eight times over, each time inhabiting a different guest. If he fails, his memory is wiped and he begins again. To make things more difficult, he has two rivals trying to solve the crime - and only one of them can succeed and escape Blackheath. If that sounds convoluted and strange, that's because it is. It takes a bit of mental effort to get your head around the concept and to follow all the many threads and characters through the different iterations of the day. It's a book that's better read in longer blocks, without too much time in between, otherwise you forget who's who and what's what. It's a compelling book, once you've got into it, so it's not difficult to sit with it for a couple of hours as long as you can spare them. The characters are interesting, although most of the guests are unpleasant (there's a reason for this). It's a dark story, although not entirely bleak. The narrator - eventually revealed to be named Aiden - is likeable and fascinating, even though that grows gradually over time. You want him to solve the mystery and succeed. Although the underlying concept is a complicated, it's also very original and allows for lots of twists and unexpected directions. I couldn't guess the final outcome and the 'murder mystery' itself is fiendishly complicated. All in all, this is an ambitious and original novel that is a cut above the regular crime novel. Whilst the era and setting are classic Agatha Christie, the fantastical element sets it apart and enables some mind bending set pieces. It's absorbing, unexpected and well written. A great book to settle down with when you've got a bit of time and want to get lost in a story!

I must admit that I have been slightly putting off reading The Seven Deaths Of Evelyn Hardcastle. I've heard so much about how complex and intelligent it is that I worried it would go over my head. It is complex - possibly the most high concept novel I ever read - but I absolutely should not have been concerned. I never felt as though I was out of my depth and I enjoyed every second. Aside from that, The Seven Deaths Of Evelyn Hardcastle is going to be very difficult to review without spoilers, and I'm not sure that my few paragraphs will truly explain what how unique and exciting it is as a piece of work. Stuart Turton has gone on to write other novels (which are also on my TBR), but this is his debut and it's, quite frankly, astonishing. It's set in the grounds of Blackheath, the home of Lord and Lady Hardcastle. The author does a wonderful job of describing the house, so that I was able to picture the scenes in great detail and be completely lost in the house and the stories within it. Each day, Aiden Bishop wakes up in the body of a different person who attended the party at Blackheath house, to help him to discover who is responsible for the death of Evelyn Hardcastle. There is a huge cast of characters and there is a guest list at the beginning of the book to help the reader get to know them all, but to be honest, I never needed to use the list because Stuart Turton has developed and described the characters so well, so it isn't difficult to distinguish between them. They do all have different traits and I loved finding out more about them, their histories and their reasons for being at the party. I do not even want to think about how many post its are on the author's wall! The plotting is genuinely like nothing I have ever seen before! I never reached a point where I thought I could guess all the answers, but there are so many twists and jaw dropping moments that it was very difficult to stop reading! The ending and the final reveals are particularly tense and gripping. I am looking forward to reading more by this author!

This book is just out of this world. It's confusing and the story takes so many leaps and twists and turns its hard to follow but it's worth sticking with. The characters are weird and wonderful. Most are despicable and shady but underneath there is some goodness. This book is like a richly entertaining murder mystery with the added element that the main protagonist is stuck in a different body every time he wakes up. Aiden our lead protagonist is shown to be kind, clever, resourceful and capable of forgiveness. At times you wonder if there really is a mystery to solve at all or is it just all an elaborate act. There are clues in abundance but a lot lead to dead ends or false starts. My own theory of who committed the murder was totally wrong. This book is exciting thrilling even. It's hard to put down. Quite long in length but well worth sticking with. The ending was fantastic and in no way a let down. The author manages to create a really special read here. You don't know who is good and who is bad. One chapter you find yourself trusting someone the next you end up doubting their sincerity. This book has an old-fashioned charm yet it's thoroughly modern. This is one of those books you want to 're read again and again to see what you missed. Absolutely fabulous from start to finish. I cannot recommend this book enough!

I honestly cannot recommend this book enough. I read a lot, across a variety of genres, and this is one of the best reads I've had in a while. I'm a big fan of novels that either combine various genres or blur the lines between literary and commercial novels, and this does both of these things really effectively. It's simultaneously a page-turner that leaves you desperate to understand the central mystery, a mind-meltingly well-constructed narrative that plays with time and character in all sorts of clever ways, and a well-written and thoughtful story about vengeance, family, forgiveness and most interesting, ideas of self. At first, the set-up seems to be like something out of Agatha Christie - a country house party full of intriguing and unpleasant guests, buried secrets and mysteries, and, inevitably, a murder. But all of this set up is made more interesting by the fact the narrator has seen something traumatic in the woods and stumbled back into the party with no memories and no sense of his past or personality. Things really get interesting though when he wakes up the next day, only to find that a)he's in a different body, and b)he's actually reliving the same day again. And then the same thing happens, over and over. The result is a double mystery - the traditional one of who killed the murder victim and why, and the much tricksier one of who the narrator really is and why he's stuck in this time loop and constantly jumping between bodies. It's hard to say much more about the plot without spoiling one or both aspects of this, but it certainly keeps you guessing. The time loop stuff is exceptionally well done, with events that happen on one version of the day affecting things that happen on other versions, and the same scene looking very different from the perspective of one version of the main character compared to another. But while that was definitely my favourite aspect of the book, all the cleverness never gets in the way of a good story. Highly recommend, whether you're a fan of murder mysteries who'd like to try something different, a fan of novels that play tricks with time, and above all, if you like books by David Mitchell or early Jonathan Coe than combine exciting stories with brilliant writing and bizarre structures.

Entertaining and very readable – 4 stars. A man regains consciousness. He appears to be in a forest but has no idea of his actual location, or of who he is. Having made his way to Blackheath House, and discovering his name is Aiden Bishop, he is approached by a masked man who issues him with instructions: Every night, at exactly the same time, Evelyn Hardcastle, the daughter of the property owner, dies a violent death. In order to escape Blackheath, Bishop must prove who the murderer is. Until that time, Bishop is destined to repeat the day of the murder over and over again. I found the start of this book really interesting and quickly became engaged with the story. It progressed well too. With Aiden Bishop waking to each new day as a different character in the story, it enables the reader ‘to see’ the day of the murder and to gather evidence relating to the crime from different perspectives. This is a carefully detailed period piece too, with the setting being a typical of what one would expect from a gathering at a large country house in the 1920s. As Aiden takes on different characters, he appears both as some of the invited guests and as some of the staff, thereby giving the reader the opportunity to examine evidence from several points of view. As the story progressed, elements of fantasy become more dominate, and Aiden’s interactions with some of the other characters more mysterious. The tension builds as Aiden becomes aware not only of the time-loop he is caught in, but also that some of the characters appear to have knowledge of the repetition of each day, whereas other do not. Aiden has not only to solve the death of Evelyn, but he also has to do this while working out who is there to help him, and who might be trying to hinder his progress. Overall, I found this an entertaining and very readable novel. The only reason I gave it 4 stars and not the full 5-star rating was that I did feel it was a little long-winded towards the end. Also, parts of the fantasy element didn’t always add to the storyline – in part, I found this aspect of the novel a tad superfluous. Otherwise, this was a very enjoyable history/mystery.

Maravillosamente escrito, es un puzzle que hay que ir resolviendo conforme avanza el relato. A veces es algo lioso pero el autor hace breves recapitulaciones de vez en cuando que ayudan a seguir el hilo de la historia. Totalmente inesperado y con unos giros en la trama absolutamente asombrosos. Recomiendo muchísimo su lectura, sobre todo si te gusta el misterio y las distopías.

This was a Christmas gift for my grandson, he was happy to get it, so I guess it is a good book.

This book is one of the best books I ever read. I came upon it by pure chance and I’m so happy I did. From the first page to the last this story is unbelievable and I couldn’t put the book down. It’s so cleverly written and it’s so unpredictable it keeps you on the edge of the seat. I highly recommend reading it.

Amazing book! It's got the classic feeling of an Agatha Christie's whodunnit, but with an amazingly clever twist. It will leave you at the edge of your seat trying to figure things out. One of the best reads I've had in the last years. 10/10.

It was a great read. Very time loopy. Innovative concept. Good fiction mystery novel. Keeps you entertained but you need to pay attention as it goes through many stages.