A Noise Downstairs and The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

A Noise Downstairs

Linwood Barclay

If you want a light read but a riveting story you can't go wrong with Canadian writer, Linwood Barclay. Barclay has a long list of novels to his credit. A Noise Downstairs is his latest.

A Noise Downstairs was a quick read. While it was difficult to put down - "must find out what's going to happen"- I often had to close it and go for a walk or prep vegetables for dinner just to lessen the intensity. Surprisingly I also found that the story was agonizing to read because the details were revealed in such a painfully slow way. Still good!!

Like all good suspenseful novels, there are twists in the tale. The ending was compelling. 

In case you want to know a bit more about the actual story, here's the publisher's blurb:

The New York Times bestselling author of No Time for Goodbye returns with a haunting psychological thriller that blends the twists and turns of Gillian Flynn with the driving suspense of Harlan Coben, in which a man is troubled by odd sounds for which there is no rational explanation.

College professor Paul Davis is a normal guy with a normal life. Until, driving along a deserted road late one night, he surprises a murderer disposing of a couple of bodies. That’s when Paul’s "normal" existence is turned upside down. After nearly losing his own life in that encounter, he finds himself battling PTSD, depression, and severe problems at work. His wife, Charlotte, desperate to cheer him up, brings home a vintage typewriter—complete with ink ribbons and heavy round keys—to encourage him to get started on that novel he’s always intended to write.

However, the typewriter itself is a problem. Paul swears it’s possessed and types by itself at night. But only Paul can hear the noise coming from downstairs; Charlotte doesn’t hear a thing. And she worries he’s going off the rails.

Paul believes the typewriter is somehow connected to the murderer he discovered nearly a year ago. The killer had made his victims type apologies to him before ending their lives. Has another sick twist of fate entwined his life with the killer—could this be the same machine? Increasingly tormented but determined to discover the truth and confront his nightmare, Paul begins investigating the deaths himself.

But that may not be the best thing to do. Maybe Paul should just take the typewriter back to where his wife found it. Maybe he should stop asking questions and simply walk away while he can. 

I usually have 2 or even 3 books on the go at one time. In one of those wonderful instances of serendipity, I am reading Stuart Turton's The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle at the same time as A Noise Downstairs.

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle 

Stuart Turton

What, you wonder, is the connection?

It turns out that Paul Davis, the protagonist in A Noise Downstairs has reason to think that he has some sort of amnesia - he simply can't remember details from the past - conversations or promises he made or even possibly using a typewriter in his sleep. Meanwhile, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle opens with a character that can't remember who he is, doesn't know anything about where he is, or what he's doing there. Hmmm...

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, which I'm still reading, is a murder mystery by newly-published British author, Stuart Turton. The plot is complicated, dark and quirky. Time travel might be involved. Updates on this novel still to come.

Another connection: both Linwood Barclay and Stuart Turton come from a background of journalism. 

First Update:

• It would probably be best not to try reading The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle on an e-reader because, fair warning, you will want to page back and forth and also consult a map and a list of characters throughout your time with this book. In fact, even reading a hard copy, a paperback, I found it easier to refer to the map/list of characters after I had printed it out. It's turning out that this novel is a page-turning, rounding-back-on-itself puzzle. Our main protagonist jumps from body to body and from time to time.

Second Update:

• I just found out that the alternate title for The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle in the USA because of some issue around a book of similar title, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, also a terrific read, though in no way similar to Deaths. Author Stuart Turton insists that the (curious) symmetry between the two titles is just a coincidence.

(By the way, my review of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is here)

Third Update:

• Ok. Well, it's 3 days later and I've finished reading The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. I loved it, even though at times I was impossibly lost. Once I decided to just trust the author and keep going I could hardly put it down. In fact, I feel I would really enjoy a second unravelling read of this book, now that I'm clued in on the timeframe and understand the characters and their motivation better. The mystery of the novel is complex, yet expertly revealed with writing that sets a dark mood, dialogue that flows and characters that feel real. It was a pleasure to read. 

This is one of those time I wish I'd bought the book instead of borrowing it from the library, where there are multitudinous holds on it. I just might have to go out and buy my own copy!

Here's author Stuart Turton talking about his book. By the way, I mentioned on Twitter how much I enjoyed reading Seven Deaths and Turton was kind enough to notice and tweet a reply. Sometimes social media really brings us together!

In case you're still interested, here's another short video that may entice you into borrowing/buying this book, maybe for yourself, or if you're brave enough to give books to people, as a Christmas gift.