Reviews - De sju morden på Evelyn Hardcastle

28.4k reviews for:

De sju morden på Evelyn Hardcastle

Stuart Turton

3.83 AVERAGE

newarkbornbkmade's review against another edition

4.0

The twists in this story were so crazy! Listening to it made it easier to deal with and the ending tied it all up in a quiet bow.

lelainav's review against another edition

2.75

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Nothing like a book that finds fat people more disgusting than rapists and murderers.

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To be less dismissive, the puzzle box here is not a great example of the genre. A manor house murder mystery is, for me, at least, adjacent to a comedy of manners. Each character is meant to be restrained by their role in society - but none of our side characters have any restraint whatsoever. They are weird, unethical puppets with very little joy in life, who seem not to care about the world of rot they are ensconced in.

There is no light and joy here. What passes for love is the Anna / Aiden relationship, one so hollow we must be continually told they have affection for one another.

And for a story built on the idea that people can be redeemed - there is no true redemption. Only escape.

I would love a version of this conceit that isn’t so buried in grimdark tone and has its narrator start with an ounce of personality or knowledge. Instead, we get this miserable tangle.

Content Warnings

lclel's review against another edition

4.25

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

louiselenka's review against another edition

I was getting confused...need to concentrate for this one

samcrow00's review against another edition

5.0

An amazing murder mystery in the style of Agatha Christie, but with the added twist of being stuck in a time loop. Aiden, as we uncover, wakes up each day in different guests body. Each new ‘Host’ allows him to explore the murder of Evelyn from different points of view with new knowledge and insights and with varying strengths and weaknesses. Its sounds far-fetched, and for the first third of the book I would have agreed. However, as the story progresses and you become enveloped in the time loop and principle the book hooks you in.

Beautifully written with a classic old school feel this plot and pace are perfect for anyone who adores murder mysteries. A unique storytelling that’s making me seek out more books by Stuart Turton immediately.