The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton (New Beginnings) – That’s What I’m Talking About…
Audiobook review: The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
When he wakes in the woods with the name Anna on the tip of this tongue, Dr. Sebastian Bell remembers nothing of who or where he is. Spending the day believing he witnessed a murder is only the start of his troubles, especially after he wakes the next day as the butler and reliving the same day.
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a twisty-turny whodunit with a massively unique twist: each day the main character wakes in a new body. Think Quantum Leap. What a perfect fit for this month’s TBR Challenge theme of New Beginnings!
The story is massive and complex. There are intricate rules and volumes of details. Aiden has eight days to solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle in order to escape the loop or his memories are wiped and he goes back to the beginning. Even though it’s eight total days, Aiden experiences the same day over and over. In addition, there are rivals inside Blackheath, trapped like Aiden, and only one can escape.
It is so engrossing and exciting to follow the characters relive each day, hoping to make enough small changes in order to alter the outcome. I love that Aiden retains a part of the host’s personalities and knowledge when he inhabits each one. At first it’s extremely subtle, and he’s not really aware. But with each new host, Aiden loses more of himself. The author does a great job integrating these different aspects of each character and host. I love how Aiden learns and makes the decisions he needs to succeed despite the odds.
I will confess that at times I was completely confused. It’s like a time travel paradox as he comes across himself in different hosts and how he can do something in the future to impact the present. There are definitely parts that don’t seem to play by the rules, but it’s so mind-blowing that it really didn’t matter to me.
Narration: The story is shared via the first person POV of Aiden. The narrator employs an upperclass British accent for Aiden, which remains the same with each iteration. Dialogue is altered for each character, including Aiden as he inhabits different hosts. Stewart does an amazing job melding Aiden and his hosts. While Stewart does alter dialogue based on gender, the female characters sound a bit over-the-top, and are not overly feminine but clearly different than male characters. Each character is unique. I like how the plague doctor sounds like he’s wearing a mask.
In the end, I completely enjoyed The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and highly recommend for fans of a twisty murder mystery.
My Ratings
Story: B+
Narration: B+
Jen
About the Book:
Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered at 11:00 p.m.
There are eight days, and eight witnesses for you to inhabit.
We will only let you escape once you tell us the name of the killer.
Understood? Then let’s begin . . .
Evelyn Hardcastle will die. Every day until Aiden Bishop can identify her killer and break the cycle. But every time the day begins again, Aiden wakes up in the body of a different guest. And some of his hosts are more helpful than others . . .
Author: Stuart Turton
Narrator: James Cameron Stewart
Series: Standalone
Genre: Historical Mystery, Magic Realism
Audiobook Release Date: September 18, 2018
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Length: 17 hours; 3 minutes
Source: purchased
Audio Speed: 1.2x
#TBRChallenge 2026: New Beginnings
