The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

Stuart Turton is a journalist. This is his first novel. If I had not read that somewhere, I never would have known. It is such an intricate storyline that is almost flawless (I say almost because I am sure if I don't someone will find a flaw) in its execution. I am not going to share the Goodreads description because it spoils something that made me go "HOLY HELL", so you instead get the first section of the review I posted instead:

You're in the woods. Someone's dead, and you think you're friends with them, but you can't be sure because you have no memory of who you are, let alone those around you. Things escalate. People die. And you need to solve a murder if you ever want to go home.

It's got a pile of elements to it; based on my own interests and experiences, I'd consider it a combination of Downton Abbey, anything by Agatha Christie, Veronica Mars, and Groundhog Day. Read it. You will be glad you did.

---

This is a discussion thread for people who have read or are reading the book in question. With that in mind, there are likely to be spoilers throughout. However, in the event of major twists or “how it ends”, please wrap content in spoiler tags.

Code:

[spoiler]Surprise!content here[/spoiler]

  

---

— Aldous walks with a cane and pronounced limp as the result of a splinching accident. —

— graphics by lady ❤ —

I loved this book so goddamn much. The initial premise, the deeper premise (spoiler from the end of the book so like, not going to write it here), the characterizations...everything was v. on point for me. A couple discussion questions:

— Did you know enough about the story going in to know about the transition from Day One to Day Two? I sure as hell didn't, and I'm very glad for it!
— Did you find the first/present narration a boon or a hindrance when reading?
— WHO WOULD YOU CAST IN A LIMITED SERIES FOR THIS?

For my casting, I have...

Evelyn: Lily James
Michael: Daniel Radcliffe
Lord Hardcastle: Clive Owen
Anna: Oona Chaplin
Bell: Martin Freeman
Cunningham: Tom Hiddleston
Daniel Coleridge: Richard Armitage
Dance: Charles Dance. I know, it's on the nose, but I could not picture anyone else when I was reading!
Grace Davies: Jessica Brown-Findlay
Donald Davies: Ed Westwick
Millicent: Eileen Atkins
Jon Derby: Richard Madden (Boy needs a chance to play against type!)
Ravencourt: Roger Ashton-Griffiths
Rashton: Allen Leech*
Dr. Dickie: Michael Gambon
Stanwin: Iain Glen
Collins: Jim Carter  because no one else is Butler Material in my mind, apparently
Lucy: Anna Popplewell
The Footman: Tom Hardy or Michael Fassbender. I like my sadists to be good-looking, at least.

SECRET CASTING:

Show

Lady Hardcastle: Michelle Dockery, as we'd presumably only ever see her young in flashbacks...
Carver: Also flashback city over here. Bradly James, perhaps?
Gold: Richard E. Grant - Seriously, picture him driven mad.
Madeline: THE REAL SLIM SHADY. Alicia Vikander

* SYBIL AND BRANSON 5EVER.

  

---

— MJ never ceases to impress ♡ —

BEHOLD! A cast of British TV actors the likes of which you will never see on screen together (lol, jks, they all know each other). Also, you have no idea how long it took me to do this, there are FAR too many men and my pool for them is limited.

Evelyn: Jodie Comer
Michael: Ben Hardy
Lord Hardcastle: Dominic West
Lady H: Anna Wilson Jones

Show

AWJ works for current as I would include scenes of her at the boathouse and with Michael ranting and raving, Dockers is good for flashbacks but I would totally just use AWJ for the same scenes and have them hazily lit. It's very forgiving.

Anna: Jessica Brown-Findlay
Lucy: Amy James-Kelly
Cunningham: James Norton
Collins: Alun Armstrong
The Footman: Burn Gorman
Madeline: Sophie Rundle
Carver: Rufus Sewell
Mrs Drudge: Anne Reid

Show

Same as AWJ for Carver here. Just make it all sepia, it'll be fine. Also Sophie Rundle has consistently played delicate, sweet girls and she desperately needs to be a secret psychopath.

Sebastian Bell: Martin Compson
Donald Davies: Freddie Fox
Lord Ravencourt: Roger Allam
Jonathan Derby: Aneurin Barnard
Dance: David Bradley
Jim Rashton: Jack O'Connell
Gregory Gold: Alex Hassell

Daniel Coleridge: Sam Reid
Grace Davies: Stefanie Martini
Millicent Derby: Michelle Fairley
Dr. Dickie: Steve Pemberton
Ted Stanwin: Sean Bean

  

---

fabulous set by Lady <3

Omg the fact that I didn’t think of Burn Gorman myself absolutely breaks me.

  

---

— Aldous walks with a cane and pronounced limp as the result of a splinching accident. —

— graphics by lady ❤ —

Omg the fact that I didn’t think of Burn Gorman myself absolutely breaks me.

The man was born to stab.

  

---

fabulous set by Lady <3

Omg the fact that I didn’t think of Burn Gorman myself absolutely breaks me.

The man was born to stab.

One day I will post here for real but YES BURN GORMAN LIGHT OF MY LIFE

The following 1 user Likes Elias Grimstone's post:1 user Likes Elias Grimstone's post
   Aldous Crouch

---

look ANOTHER beautiful bee!set <3