The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

by Stuart Turton

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a stunning debut novel from Stuart Turton. Released 18th Sept 2018 by Sourcebooks Landmark, it's 448 pages and available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audio formats.

I read a -lot- (roughly 300-400 books per year). I read carefully, but very very rarely re-read modern popular literature. This book has taken me months to review because I have re-read it twice since my first reading. That is unique in my experience.

My two favorite genres are murder mysteries (especially golden age country house murder mysteries) and science fiction. This book got right under my skin and blew me away. On a first read, I was struck by the intricacy of the plotting and the deftness of the dialogue and writing. The tone of the dialogue is simply pitch perfect. It really feels as if it could've been written by Christie, Armstrong, Brand, et. al.

The rules of engagement aren't really spelled out for the reader. I was dropped headlong into the plot and it took a while to get my bearings. There is no hand-holding or spoon fed plot elements. During my first re-reading I figured out what had subconsciously appealed to me the first time around. In some ways, it reminded me of Quantum Leap, one of my favorite TV series. As other reviewers have remarked, there's also an element of Groundhog Day. This book is not derivative of either, but enhanced by some similarities to both.

During my rereads I've noticed subtleties which had escaped me on my first read. I really love the meticulous detail and I'm sure I would notice more things which slipped by me the first time around. The really stunning part of the book is the craftsmanship. This is a very well written book and definitely the best book I read in 2018. I wonder how well it might translate to film, and I hope it's being considered.

Five stars. Beautifully written. I eagerly await the author's future work.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.