The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Fun fact: I’ve read more Agatha Christie than any other author, so I’m always down for a good mystery — and The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle delivers with a unique twist.

The story begins with a man waking up in a forest with no memory, only calling out for someone named Anna. He eventually makes his way to Blackheath Manor, where he’s told he is Dr. Sebastian Bell, a guest at a grand party hosted by the Hardcastle family. After falling asleep that night, he wakes — but in the body of the butler!

He soon learns his real identity is Aiden Bishop, and that he has eight days to inhabit eight different guests at the party to solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle, which occurs at 11 p.m. each night. He cannot leave the manor until he identifies the killer, and failure means starting over — waking again as Sebastian Bell with no memory of previous attempts. Each new body offers a fresh perspective, but the clock is always ticking and the stakes turn deadly.

Very loosely defined, the book is technically science fiction, but it’s definitely more of a mystery thriller. The mechanics behind the time loop and body-swapping aren’t revealed until the end, which keeps the focus on the mystery rather than the “how”.

Turton handles the puzzle-like structure well. The clues are never obvious (I didn’t figure it out) but always fair, creating that tension between keeping readers engaged and slowly revealing the solution — like luring a dog with treats. You might be confused right at first, since we experience Aiden’s disorientation alongside him, but this adds to the immersive experience. The first-person perspective makes the plot feel more action-driven than the classic Agatha Christie novels I mentioned earlier.

It’s a standalone read at nearly 500 pages — long enough to feel substantial, but I don’t think the length should scare anyone off. One supporting character occasionally feels a bit like a deus ex machina, but the rules of the world still force Aiden to do the real work.

Nothing here is going to change the world, but it’s an inventive, fun adventure for fans of the genre. I’m a sucker for these types of stories.