The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

This Post is Spoiler Free!

Let me just start this by saying that I am not a detective. I am fantastic when it comes to memory, but ask me to solve a riddle and I’ll be lost. I wish I were better, but alas, that is something I’ve just never been particularly good at. So… keep that in mind while I’m talking about The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton. It’s a Mystery book (hence the disclaimer above). I honestly really liked it, even with my lack of crime solving abilities.

First things first, a lot happens in this book. And when I say a lot… I mean a lot. Like… a lot a lot. The book is 460 pages (so it’s a pretty large book) and the plot was more like an ever-growing infinite loop than your typical bell graph of rising and falling action. If you’re expecting/wanting a gentle and slow read, this book ain’t it. It’s fast-paced and mentally engaging. I felt like this book really did perfectly embody the whole Mystery (and some might even add in Thriller?) genre, with all the twists and turns and clues and deceit. I was on my toes the ENTIRE time! 

Remember how I mentioned that I’m good at remembering things? Yeah, that came in handy while reading this book. I may not be a detective, but I have a good memory and I am adequate when it comes to basic math. Because of this, I was able to sus out one of the biggest plot twists I’ve ever encountered before the main character did, and just AHHH. I actually jumped to my feet and yelled. It was a lovely experience.

Moving on! Aside from the plotline/flow of the book, I also really liked how Turton wrote the characters. This is no spoiler (it’s literally in the synopsis), but the main character ends up experiencing a day in 8 different hosts. It was interesting to see how the narration, which was in first person POV, changed with each of his hosts. It was done very well, in my opinion.

Honestly, the only thing I didn’t like was the last chapter. And it wasn’t that I disliked it… it’s just that it didn’t quite feel right. It felt a little too rushed, and the motivation behind both the crime and the main character didn’t live up to my expectation? The entire book had an incredible build up, but the ending didn’t follow through. It was so close but sadly not quite there.

Had the ending been there for me, I would have given this book a solid 5 stars. As it stands, though, I was disappointed enough in the ending to knock it down to 4, as it was definitely an incredible book (and don’t get me wrong… the ending wasn’t horrible, it just wasn’t great). Will I read it again? Yeah, I probably will. If the author writes another book, will I read it? Yup… Turton’s next book will be an auto buy for me. Do I suggest this book to you? Yes! 

Do you read Mystery books? If so, give me a recommendation! If not, what’s your favorite genre?

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

My Next Read:

I… actually don’t know. It’s as much of a guess to me as it is to you!