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cdkurtz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
marialeon_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
Leap. Die. Repeat: Murder mystery with a bit of body swapping
4.5 stars
Source Code, Quantum Leap, Edge of Tomorrow, David Levithan's Every Day... And Then There Were None! All of these are channeled in this genre-bending debut, which mystifies from the get-go.
We've all read or know the formula of a murder mystery, and this novel includes many of them: a big house, a woman dead with no obvious motive, multiple suspects, red herrings and of course the sleuth brought in to solve the conundrum.
But where this differs is in the sleuth... he awakens on the day of the murder in a body and with an identity he does not know. The murder occurs and the following day.... it is the day of the murder again. And he finds himself in another identity.
Aidan will eventually register his own self, and learns that (much like a certain Bill Murray film) the day will repeat itself ad infinitum until the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle is solved. He must find the killer by using the identities he can inhabit.
I must stop there for fear of giving details I myself wouldn't want to know. While the mystery itself conforms to the genre outline through much of it, Aidan himself and the whole reason why the repeating day is happening is a meta-mystery that needs a solution as much as Evelyn's killing.
A totally fresh feel to what could have been very much a by-the-numbers murder story, it is fantastic to see new spins put on long-standing genres, bringing them a contemporary feel that will appeal to a wider, younger audience than the typical Christie.
I accessed this as an audiobook, and found the narrator clear and entertaining though there were so many character names and facts to keep up with that I did find myself straining to keep them straight in my mind.
The author has designed a conundrum that is a challenge to solve and offers such a cathartic relief once the solutions are known. It is like reading a detective novel and a dystopic fiction at the same time.
I look forward to seeing Turton's next big idea, definitely one to look out for. This will make an excellent TV series or film.
An Audible copy was provided by Nudge-Books.com for my honest thoughts of the book.
4.5 stars
Source Code, Quantum Leap, Edge of Tomorrow, David Levithan's Every Day... And Then There Were None! All of these are channeled in this genre-bending debut, which mystifies from the get-go.
We've all read or know the formula of a murder mystery, and this novel includes many of them: a big house, a woman dead with no obvious motive, multiple suspects, red herrings and of course the sleuth brought in to solve the conundrum.
But where this differs is in the sleuth... he awakens on the day of the murder in a body and with an identity he does not know. The murder occurs and the following day.... it is the day of the murder again. And he finds himself in another identity.
Aidan will eventually register his own self, and learns that (much like a certain Bill Murray film) the day will repeat itself ad infinitum until the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle is solved. He must find the killer by using the identities he can inhabit.
I must stop there for fear of giving details I myself wouldn't want to know. While the mystery itself conforms to the genre outline through much of it, Aidan himself and the whole reason why the repeating day is happening is a meta-mystery that needs a solution as much as Evelyn's killing.
A totally fresh feel to what could have been very much a by-the-numbers murder story, it is fantastic to see new spins put on long-standing genres, bringing them a contemporary feel that will appeal to a wider, younger audience than the typical Christie.
I accessed this as an audiobook, and found the narrator clear and entertaining though there were so many character names and facts to keep up with that I did find myself straining to keep them straight in my mind.
The author has designed a conundrum that is a challenge to solve and offers such a cathartic relief once the solutions are known. It is like reading a detective novel and a dystopic fiction at the same time.
I look forward to seeing Turton's next big idea, definitely one to look out for. This will make an excellent TV series or film.
An Audible copy was provided by Nudge-Books.com for my honest thoughts of the book.
midici's review against another edition
4.0
~spoilers~
Not going to give away the ending, but some information is going to end up in this review. In the morning, Aiden Bishop wakes up in a body that isn't his, with no memory of his own beyond the name "Anna." At 11 pm, a woman named Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered. Aiden has eight chances - and eight hosts - to discover who the murderer is. He has one friend in the house, a woman named Anna, who is trapped there like he is, only she remains set in one body with only one days worth of memories. He has at least one enemy, the footman, who is attempting to kill as many of his hosts as he can before Aiden can escape.
Blackheath House is hosting a masquerade ball, supposedly to celebrate the betrothal of Evelyn Hardcastle to Lord Cecil Ravencourt, on the anniversary of the night young Thomas Hardcastle was brutally murdered. The guests are all hiding secrets. Each one seems to be there fr their own purpose. Aiden has to work with the strengths and weaknesses of each host, checking the clues his other selves leave him, to try and discover the answer.
Beyond Blackheath's crumbling walls lie even bigger questions. Who is the Plague Doctor, with his ominous warnings? Can Aiden really trust Anna? Why is this happening to him, and what will happen to him even if he succeeds?
This is a murder mystery to the nth degree. Trying to keep track of who Aiden is in each moment as he interacts with himself and others is tricky and the more Aiden digs into the up-coming murder, the more secrets he reveals. I'm somewhat satisfied with the ending but there are a few things I wish we had less information about. In the same way that we don't fully know the end fate of Anna and Aiden, I wish we had a little less information on Aiden and Anna's connection to each other outside of Blackheath. Besides that however, I have almost no complaints about this book.
One of the absolute best parts was how the nature of each person Aiden wakes up as effects his own thoughts and actions. Some of the people are cowardly, some are conniving, others brash, others calculating, and so on. Aiden has to perform a careful balancing act of trying to either ignore or suppress the worst of his hosts or amplify and utilize the best of them in order to try and prevent this murder, and his own.
Not going to give away the ending, but some information is going to end up in this review. In the morning, Aiden Bishop wakes up in a body that isn't his, with no memory of his own beyond the name "Anna." At 11 pm, a woman named Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered. Aiden has eight chances - and eight hosts - to discover who the murderer is. He has one friend in the house, a woman named Anna, who is trapped there like he is, only she remains set in one body with only one days worth of memories. He has at least one enemy, the footman, who is attempting to kill as many of his hosts as he can before Aiden can escape.
Blackheath House is hosting a masquerade ball, supposedly to celebrate the betrothal of Evelyn Hardcastle to Lord Cecil Ravencourt, on the anniversary of the night young Thomas Hardcastle was brutally murdered. The guests are all hiding secrets. Each one seems to be there fr their own purpose. Aiden has to work with the strengths and weaknesses of each host, checking the clues his other selves leave him, to try and discover the answer.
Beyond Blackheath's crumbling walls lie even bigger questions. Who is the Plague Doctor, with his ominous warnings? Can Aiden really trust Anna? Why is this happening to him, and what will happen to him even if he succeeds?
This is a murder mystery to the nth degree. Trying to keep track of who Aiden is in each moment as he interacts with himself and others is tricky and the more Aiden digs into the up-coming murder, the more secrets he reveals. I'm somewhat satisfied with the ending but there are a few things I wish we had less information about. In the same way that we don't fully know the end fate of Anna and Aiden, I wish we had a little less information on Aiden and Anna's connection to each other outside of Blackheath. Besides that however, I have almost no complaints about this book.
One of the absolute best parts was how the nature of each person Aiden wakes up as effects his own thoughts and actions. Some of the people are cowardly, some are conniving, others brash, others calculating, and so on. Aiden has to perform a careful balancing act of trying to either ignore or suppress the worst of his hosts or amplify and utilize the best of them in order to try and prevent this murder, and his own.
megn317's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting. Different. Kept me guessing. There are many characters to try and figure out but with patience it all comes to light in the end. I’m not sure that I loved how it ended, but the answers did reveal themselves instead of leaving me guessing. Good but not great!
abigailsue's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
carriehickmannn's review against another edition
3.0
This was such a hardcore thrilling concept that I kind of forgive it for having a disappointing ending, I’m not sure it would be possible to write this book without it collapsing under its own weight. But it was at least 100 pages too long. And I agree that the grotesque descriptions of an overweight character in this book were super unnecessary
sambolter's review against another edition
2.0
phew this one was a doozy. So difficult to finish. Every time I got pulled in I was annoyed by something else and pulled out. It’s a very unique book forsure but I just didn’t really enjoy my time reading it.
blchase12's review against another edition
Didn't like this in the digital form, going to read the physical copy