Fell a Bit Flat
Actual Rating: 2.5 stars
It's possible that this book will work better for people who read a lot of mysteries, but while I enjoyed parts of it, I thought it was too long with an overly convoluted plot and stereotyped characters. While the larger premise of the book is a very interesting one, we don't find out what is really happening until near the end which was just too late to save it for me.
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a sort of Groundhog Day murder mystery where our main character inhabits a different body every day to relive the same day until he solves the murder. He is visited by a spectral figure known as the Plague Doctor who informs him he will relive this 8-day loop until he can provide an answer to who the murderer is. Among his hosts are an extremely obese man (it is alluded to at one point that he might engage in sexual relations with his young male employees and I wasn't a fan of his semi-offensive characterization), a rapist, and a doctor selling drugs.
I won't say too much more because I don't want to spoil things, but I thought this was much too long, the plot too convoluted, and some of the characters not-well drawn. I found the ending to be intriguing, but it was too little too late. I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
It's possible that this book will work better for people who read a lot of mysteries, but while I enjoyed parts of it, I thought it was too long with an overly convoluted plot and stereotyped characters. While the larger premise of the book is a very interesting one, we don't find out what is really happening until near the end which was just too late to save it for me.
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a sort of Groundhog Day murder mystery where our main character inhabits a different body every day to relive the same day until he solves the murder. He is visited by a spectral figure known as the Plague Doctor who informs him he will relive this 8-day loop until he can provide an answer to who the murderer is. Among his hosts are an extremely obese man (it is alluded to at one point that he might engage in sexual relations with his young male employees and I wasn't a fan of his semi-offensive characterization), a rapist, and a doctor selling drugs.
I won't say too much more because I don't want to spoil things, but I thought this was much too long, the plot too convoluted, and some of the characters not-well drawn. I found the ending to be intriguing, but it was too little too late. I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.