TL;DR
Overall rating: 5/5
Genre: Mystery & thriller
Length: 480 pages
One-sentence summary: In this murder mystery, the narrator must live the day of the crime over and over again from the perspective of different witnesses until he figures out whodunnit.
Tough topics: murder, suicide, adult use of drugs and alcohol
Read-alikes: Books by Claire North and Kate Atkinson, The Silent Patient, Where the Crawdads Sing, And Then There Were None
Available formats: Audio and electronic
You know a mystery novel is quality when you can't put it down--and I read this one in one long, sleepless night! It's a totally unique mix of:
Agatha Christie - Perhaps the most beloved mystery writer of all time, Christie was known for beginning her novels with "an apparently impossible situation and we go mad wondering 'How can this be happening?' Then, slowly, she reveals how the impossible is not only possible but the only thing that could have happened" ("An Interview"). The 7-1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle drops the reader directly into the middle of the story. The narrator awakens in confusion and the action begins immediately, leaving him and the reader to figure out what is happening together. I felt very much like I was part of the story.
Groundhog Day - In one of my favorite comedies ever, a self-centered weatherman (played by Bill Murray) wakes up to the same day every morning, doomed to keep reliving Groundhog Day until he becomes a better person. In The 7-1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, Evelyn will die every day until [the narrator] 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 at Blackheath Manor. And some of his hosts are more helpful than others" (Turton, cover). As it turns out, the narrator isn't the only person jumping from body to body, which means that we, as readers, can't trust that anyone or anything is what it seems.
Downton Abbey - Like the very popular T.V. show of a few years ago, The 7-1/2/ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle takes place at the country manor of a once well-to-do family. It isn't totally clear where or when the story takes place, but there is a definite historical vibe, if you're into that kind of thing. The story happens during a weekend house party, so imagine well-dressed British folks hunting during the day and drinking champagne at night.
I can't give you too much more information because, like any good murder mystery, there are twists that shouldn't be ruined. You'll just have to read it, if you want to know more!
The 7-1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is available through the North High library in audio and electronic formats. Find them on the Sora app or Soraapp.com!
Works Cited
“An Interview with Sophie Hannah.” Agatha Christie, Agatha Christie Limited, 22 Aug. 2016, www.agathachristie.com/news/2016/an-interview-with-sophie-hannah.
Turton, Stuart. The 7-1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. Reprint, Kindle ed., Sourcebooks Landmark, 2019.
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