The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

By: Stuart Turton

Narrated by: James Cameron Stewart

Length: 17 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

The rules of Blackheath: Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered at 11:00 p.m. There are eight days and eight witnesses for you to inhabit. We will only let you escape once you tell us the name of the killer.

Understood? Then let's begin....

Evelyn Hardcastle will die. Every day until Aiden Bishop can identify her killer and break the cycle. But every time the day begins again, Aiden wakes up in the body of a different guest. And some of his hosts are more helpful than others....

The most inventive debut of the year twists together a mystery of such unexpected creativity that it will leave listeners guessing until the very last second.

©2018 Stuart Turton (P)2018 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Readers may be scratching their heads in delicious befuddlement as they work their way through this novel, but one thing will be absolutely clear: Stuart Turton is an author to remember." (Booklist starred review)

Absolutely fantastic

When the book opened, I expected a dry murder mystery, with straightforward plot twists and turns. Even when the mechanic of multiple hosts was explained, I had no idea to what lengths the story would unfold. This was a great story, and I would highly recommend it!

Pay attention

Wow, there is a lot to keep track of in this convoluted mystery-fantasy-horror hybrid. Multiple characters, repeating timelines, a sprawling decrepit estate with many locations. Other reviewers have likened it to Clue meets Groundhog Day, and that is a good comparison, but there is much more complexity. While I admired the concept and the author's intention, I think it's a little too confusing at times and definetely too long. Credit to the narrator for giving all of the multiple hosts unique vocal qualities, which helped enormously in keeping track of the characters.

Gripping

Elements of time travel, murder mystery, and deeper themes of right and wrong and the point of existing. Deeply engaging. 5/5

confusing

I love a good mystery and I love a good audio book. But wow was this ever confusing. I found myself having to go back and relisten to entire chapters just to see what war going on. Not my favorite.

A masterpiece

It’s a book I will read and reread.
It’s intelligent, challenging, surprising.

A real page turner.

Trust me worth the credits!!!!

Did not Finish- ableism, fatphobia, classism

The premise is interesting enough, but the perspective character is a judgmental and thoughtless person, actively disgusted by the bodies they inhabit. I had to stop about halfway through, when this perspective character describes the disabled body they awaken into as “disgusting”, absolutely playing up associations between fatness and ill health, and ill health with being unclean. That’s a whole mess of prejudice to add onto genre-typical classism and the misogyny and racism of the period being described. Just altogether an unpleasant experience no matter how well-acted by the performer.

a mixed bag

So many names and, yes, surprise twists. But frustrating that characters are referred to by either first or last names, and there are not just the eight "hosts" who provide the through line, but other main characters.
A bit unclear whether they are aware of time loops or start fresh every day
Perhaps I was not smart enough to keep the plot line straight
I did stay with it right to the end, however. And that with some pleasure.

Unexpected

I really enjoyed this book. It surprised me. The description of Groundhog Day mixed in mystery is apt. I did get a bit confused in the middle but it was beautifully sorted out. I did not see the ending coming, which I appreciated. It was nice to be surprised.

May be my new favorite

As you read this, your brain tries desperately to anchor to know facts. This does not always workout. I have read time travel stories and love the way fate intervene, however in this story it is not only time but people, the main character / Characters, watch themselves, interact with themselves, it is like a new drug! WOW!

intriguing

very interesting mystery that kept me guessing to the end, which left me wanting more