The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

Last week I read 'The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle' by Stuart Turton. It has taken me a few days to get around to reviewing it because life happens and also I'm not entirely sure how to put into words what I read. Ha! The book was really good and I gave it a 5 star review on Goodreads but it confused me so much at times!

So, let's see if I can do it any justice at all. The story is about a man, Aiden, who is caught in a time loop to try to figure out who killed Evelyn Hardcastle on the night of a party at Blackheath. The catch is that Aiden wakes up in the body of a different party guest each day. Then he has to figure out who he is that day and how they might be able to help figure out who the killer is. He is given eight days and eight hosts to try and solve the crime.

Not long after he wakes up on the first day, Aiden is met by a person dressed as an old plague doctor, mask and all. He gives him clues of what to do and how to navigate this task he has been given. If Aiden can tell the "plague doctor" who the killer is by the eighth day, he is free to go back to his life. The only problem is he doesn't remember his life or how he got to Blackheath. As he goes along, Aiden realizes this may not be possible but he doesn't give up. All of his hosts know something that the previous one didn't. Aiden figures out a way to start keep tabs on hosts that can help him later and also how to give himself clues on what is coming next or progress that he made. This was the most confusing part for me. I lost track of what was going on so many times, I often had to reread to know what was happening in the story. That's not a bad thing, it's just not what I am used to. I told my husband that I hated not knowing who the killer was and being able to figure it out early on, as I am able to do most of the time. That was a great challenge for me!

As always, I don't like spoilers or even clues that can help you figure out what happens in the end. I will say this- if you love books with suspense and mystery, this is definitely for you. It is also great if you enjoy a good murder mystery or anything that involves time travel. This book basically covers a ton of likes and genres. Ha! For a debut novel, that is pretty good!

Look this book up if you are in the mood for something just a little bit different. If you do read it, let me know what you thought!

Happy reading!