Summary:
Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered at 11:00 p.m. Eight days, eight witnesses, and one chance to solve the crime. Aiden Bishop wakes each day in the body of a different guest, reliving the same day over and over until he can identify Evelyn’s killer—and break the cycle. A mind-bending, inventive debut, this story twists together a mystery and time-travel elements that keep readers guessing until the very last second.
Review:
Oh wow—this one is wild. Stuart Turton takes the classic murder mystery and flips it on its head with a brilliantly twisted time-loop mechanic. Aiden jumping into different bodies each day kept me on my toes, trying to piece together the puzzle alongside him. I wanted to reach into the book and give him hints!
At nearly 400 pages, it moves surprisingly fast thanks to clever plotting, sharp writing, and relentless suspense. Sure, there were moments where the complexity got slightly confusing—but that’s part of the fun. It’s like a literary Rubik’s cube: the more you try to solve it, the more satisfying the eventual clicks feel.
The combination of murder mystery, thriller, and light time-travel mind games makes this a standout debut. By the end, I was both amazed and a little giddy at the sheer inventiveness of it all.
✨ If you’re a fan of intricate puzzles, clever twists, and a mystery that keeps you guessing, The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a must-read.
Have you read it yet? Could you figure out the killer before the final reveal—or did Turton sneak past you, too?
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Trigger Warnings: Violence, murder, psychological tension, time-loop disorientation.