The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton | A Unique Murder Mystery for Agatha Christie fans!

What do you do when someone dies at her own welcome party? And what the day repeats itself over and over again, and you watch Evelyn Hardcastle kill herself for the thousands of times?

Aiden Bishop knows what it feels like when you are incapable of helping, watching the death approach again and again. Watching it through the eyes of 8 different hosts, 8 different people with their own habits, strengths, and weaknesses.  Watching and hoping that the next day you will come closer to solving this mystery.

GoodReads Blurb: How do you stop a murder that’s already happened? At a gala party thrown by her parents, Evelyn Hardcastle will be killed—again. She’s been murdered hundreds of times, and each day, Aiden Bishop is too late to save her. Doomed to repeat the same day over and over, 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 is quite what they seem. Deeply atmospheric and ingeniously plotted, The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a highly original debut that will appeal to fans of Kate Atkinson and Agatha Christie. Amazon |  Bookdepository  | Author’s Website

Disclaimer: *Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own and not influenced by the company or its affiliates in any way.*

«My mind has gone blank. I don’t know who Anna is or why I’m calling her name. I don’t even know how I got here.»

Thrown into the mists of the unknown, we follow our main character and narrator who wakes up in the forest without any recollection of what happened. It is as if his memories were wiped blank. He is calling for Anna, but why? And who this mysterious Anna is?

Many guests were invited to Blackheath country house for a welcome gala of Hardcastle’s daughter Evelyn. But only one person knows how to escape Blackheath, and he is not willing to share his knowledge without something in return.

«Somebody is going to be murdered at the ball tonight. It won’t appear to be a murder and so the murderer won’t be caught. Rectify that injustice and I’ll show you the way out. (…) This day will be repeated eight times, and you’ll see it through the eyes of eight different hosts. (…) When you have an answer, bring it to the lake, along with proof, at 11:00 p.m. I’ll be waiting for you.»

ARE YOU READY TO PLAY THE GAME?

It is true to say that I’ve never read or heard of any similar concept. There are plenty of murder mysteries out there, but Stuart Tuton went even deeper, planned even harder and came up with an incredibly captivating novel, full of twists, secrets, with elements of Sci-fi / Fantasy, that was very hard to put down.

I’ve been hearing a lot of praises for this book, and it is well deserved! I even dare to say that «The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle» is comparable to Agatha Christie’s atmospheric murder mysteries, and even surpasses them in its uniqueness and creativity.

My rating:

★★★★☆

Captivating characters, well-planned events and surprising twists make this book a must-read of 2018! If you don’t own a copy yet, make sure to order it right now.

What do you love the most in murder mysteries? And what do you think about mixing mystery with elements of sci-fi / fantasy?

Let me know in the comments down below!

 

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