A review by hilaryreads89
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix

5.0

🪴 Mysterious, Magical Game of Clue🪴

“Tomorrow can be whatever I want it to be, which means for the first time in decades, I can look forward to it. Instead of being something to fear, it can be a promise I make myself. A chance to be braver or kinder, to make what was wrong right. To be better than I am today. Every day after this one is a gift. I just have to keep walking until I get there.”

🪴 When our main character wakes up, he doesn’t know much. He doesn’t know his name, his past, his interests, or even his purpose. He does remember one name. As his day unfolds, he makes it his purpose to save Evelyn Hardcastle from being murdered at 11:00 pm. But then he wakes up and repeats the day as a different person. He realizes he is in a cycle that he is unsure how to break.
The beauty in this book is the reveals along the way so I don’t want to say too much. I would consider this a locked-room style mystery. Everyone is at the Hardcastle Mansion on an island for a party. The setting is expertly described and the characters are straight out of a game of Clue.

When Groundhog’s Day meets Agatha Christie, this book will keep you wondering right up until the end.
❤️ Turton’s writing was precise and beautifully executed. I loved this book.

đź“– Tips: I did flip around in this book pretty frequently to reference things that happened on previous days. I did enjoy it in print; I may have been frustrated with an audio version.

❤️ If you love a mystery…seriously this one is for you. It is fun, smart, and kept me trying to sort out the details! Seriously…I had a notebook. ❤️

There is a bit of “magic” that may require you to suspend your disbelief. If this is going to bother you, this may not be the book for you.
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