‘The Devil and the Dark Water’ is part mystery, part horror story against the background of a trading ship in the 17th century. An eclectic group of people – the governor general of Batavia, the world’s greatest detective, a loyal bodyguard, the greatest navigator in the East India Trading Company, a healer, the last Witchfinder – have all ended up on the Saardam, a ship travelling from Batavia (now Indonesia) to Amsterdam. However, their voyage appears cursed – and as demonic symbols and strange events start to strike the ship, they must all band together to solve the mystery before it kills them all.

The key part of any mystery novel is the reveal at the end, and whilst this is very clever – it’s difficult to guess the key players right until the end, with red herrings left right and centre – the final chapter isn’t entirely convincing. Nonetheless, this is a great read filled with solid characters, and the narrative spins in different directions throughout. There are plenty of historical fiction tropes – forbidden romance, clever women stifled by men, the seductress wanted by every man she meets – but they’re written well, adding to the narrative rather than detracting from it.

The highlights are undoubtedly Arent Hayes – the gruff bodyguard of renowned detective Samuel Pipps, who is heading to Amsterdam in chains to face judgement for an unknown crime – and Sara Wessel, the wife of the governor general who hates her husband with the ferocity of a wildfire. Arent is a genuinely good man, one who became a soldier out of a lack of options but is now so good at it he doesn’t believe he’s good for anything else. Sara is a smart woman who knows there’s no place in the world for smart women and will do everything in her power to keep her even smarter daughter out of harms way. This unlikely pair lead the search for answers – Arent with his fists and his sword, and Sara with her brains and sheer determination. It’s impossible not to root for them both, and to feel deeply for how they’ve been scarred.

The ship makes an excellent setting for what, at its heart, is a locked room mystery. It’s filled with stark divides – rich and poor, passengers and crew – and these dynamics deeply affect each part of the novel. The look into life at sea is fascinating, if regularly horrifying. Stuart Turton never flinches from the stark reality of sailors’ lives, and the imagery he creates is visceral.

Overall, this is a solid historical thriller with an intriguing and varied cast, brought to life by its setting and the vivid language. The ending could have been more satisfying, and some of the characters more original – but this is still a great story. Recommended for all fans of historical fiction and closed-room mysteries.

I am a big fan of Stuart Turton’s 7 ½ deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. So, I was so excited to receive a copy of The devil and the dark water. At first, I was a little bit disappointed because it is completely different to his previous novel. But Stuart Turton is a master storyteller and once I got into the story I was hooked.
It’s 1634 a fleet of ships from the East India dock company and the Saardam at the helm is travelling from Batavia to Amsterdam. Carrying the usual spices and a mysterious cargo. One of the passenger’s detective Samuel Pipps but he has been arrested waiting for a trail for something he did or didn’t do. Included in the passenger list is the Governor general and his wife on the way to Amsterdam who is responsible for the mysterious cargo. But the journey is not plain sailing? And things start to go wrong when there are rumours that there is a demon on board. There is munity of the crew and storms and murder.
This is another great book from Stuart Turton which I thoroughly enjoyed. Don’t get me wrong it was a bit hard to get into at first because of rich descriptive storyline and many characters but as you get into it’s a very good gripping read. This story is part detective novel and I thought it had a bit of Pirates of the Caribbean vibe for me personally. I highly recommend.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was sucked in and throughout I felt like I was in a different world. Such a good read.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for gifting me a copy of this book to review. I read and loves Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle which made me want to read this book. The synopsis of this sounded so interest and I did enjoy it.

The premise of this book really interested me and I liked the idea of a mystery based on a ship where everyone is trapped together. Overall I liked the story and there were parts where I couldn’t put this book down. However at the beginning it took some getting use to as there are a lot of characters and some of them have titles. I also found parts of this book a little predictable and I guessed one of the twists. The setting was really good and there was an inescapable feeling to the boat. I admit some of the boat language confused me at first and I found it hard to work out where things are, a map of the boat would have helped me a lot.

The book is set in 1634 which was interesting and a good choice for this book. I enjoyed the mystery of who was killing people on the boat and how they were doing it. I liked the reveal of who it was. I also enjoyed the superstition of is it a devIl or a man? The mystery, the superstition and inescapable boat made the dark side of characters come out which made it a really good read.

The characters were a mixed bunch. I really liked the main character Arent who is big and strong and usually the sidekick of the great detective Samuel Pipps. I loved Arent and how he had to figure things out and he did with help from a few others. I also really liked Samuel Pipps and I would read more about him and Arent. Sara is another main character who is the wife of the General Haan. I thought she was okay but I didn’t like the romance aspect. There are so many other characters I could mention but I don’t want the review to be too long. I liked the majority of the characters.

The ending was okay, I wish I got to know what happened to most of the characters or that it showed what happened next. I just felt a little let down by the end and it felt rushed to me. Overall I enjoyed this book but I was a little unsatisfied by it.

Stuart Turton is making his mark as an incredible author after giving us both The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and now The Devil and the Dark Water. He is proving himself at writing gripping fiction that reels readers in unable to let them go.

The Devil and the Dark Water follows Detective Samuel Pipps in 1634 as he travels with his bodyguard to Amsterdam from the Dutch East Indies to face trial and possible execution for a crime he may, or may not, have committed. When a leper appears delivering a warning before dying, this is when the true mystery begins. This ship holds secrets on top of the mysterious cargo its delivering.

The story goes many places while also blending genres. The writing is dark and atmospheric And the ending really ramps things up. If you’re looking for an original, clever, well-written, twisty novel, this is a good one to check out. Highly recommended!

The year is 1634 and detective Sammy Pipps and his bodyguard and right hand man Arent Hayes are on board the Saardam, bound for Amsterdam. The Saardam carries many secrets amongst its cargo of spices, some so valuable that those aboard would do anything to protect them. So when a leper without a tongue appears. delivering a stark warning before bursting in to flames, more than one of the passengers is worried. The leper’s claim that ‘Old Tom’ is on the ship and all who sail on it are damned does not stop Governor General Haan from continuing with the voyage as planned though, the stakes are too high and the secret cargo must make it to Amsterdam. As Old Tom begins to make his mark all over the ship and the three promised ‘unholy miracles’ start to take place, time is of the essence to find out who’s responsible. The only problem Sammy is in chains as prisoner of the Governor so it falls to Arent to solve the mystery and stop Old Tom before it’s too late. With the help of the governor’s spirited wife Sara, will they save themselves and their fellow passengers, or does a grim fate in the murky waters await them all?

I jumped at the chance to read this latest offering from Stuart Turton but I had mixed feelings going in to it. I’m not usually a fan of stories set at sea, nor do I like archetypal male detective characters, however I absolutely loved The 7 Deaths or Evelyn Hardcastle so I hoped I might overcome those preconceptions with this book.
Initially I found it hard to get in to as there are a lot of characters with varying titles and trying to work out the lay of the ship took some thought, but I’m glad I persevered as the story reeled me in. Full of twists, turns and intrigue, you’re never sure what’s actually going on and who can be trusted, right up until the last few pages. I thought the way it all panned out was clever, the ship setting was perfect for creating an inescapable, claustrophobic atmosphere, and I loved that there were so many strong, female characters.
It was refreshing to see the right hand man Arent plunged in to the leading role, he’s a treasure, along with the wonderful Sara, although the end seemed to be setting up for a sequel and I’m not sure I’d like to see that dynamic change. Also the conclusion seemed a little rushed, I wanted to know what became of the other characters too and would have liked for it all to be tied up in this book rather than suggesting another. I’m not sure how Turton might’ve done that but 7 Deaths was so well constructed from start to finish that the end of this felt like a little bit of a let down in comparison. That said though overall it’s a very good story that, once it had me, kept me hooked until the very end, so I would still definitely recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery. The Devil and the Dark Water is another great read from Stuart Turton!


With many thanks to NetGalley and Raven Books for providing me with a copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved Turton's first book, Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. It was different, exciting, had a high pace with a very gripping plot.
So, this was a must read for me.

The story is set in one of my favourite times in history the 1600s and details sailing from Indonesia to the Netherlands which was a long journey in those days. This is definitely a different ship, strange events start to happen from the beginning and you and the characters are trying to figure out what's going on. Is it ghosts? who knows at this stage.

The book was very gripping at the beginning. We're also introduced to the many many characters of this book slowly which was challenging to remember who was who.
The story is one big mystery! its hard to explain without giving it away. The end of the book was very good, when things started to happen really fast and the mystery was coming together. The plot was good, twists were good as well.
I need to say the length of this book, and particularly the middle of the story really dampened my enjoyment, hence the rating to a 3.5. There is a good chunk of the book, where things happen really really slowly, or nothing happens at all. If the book was shorter it would have been a really terrific, enjoyable one.

The book is very different from the first, and I was a tad disappointed. But Stuart Turton's the master of character and plots and it all comes together superbly at the end.
I would definitely recommend it but for those who like a slower paced book that keeps you guessing or swinging in your hammock on a ship as it is in this case.

This is a wonderful book to luxuriate in.

Everything about it is enjoyable, the prose, the plot, the characters - everything.

I love the layers of plot - essentially a locked room mystery within a locked room mystery with enough betrayal, twisted relationships and shiveryness to satisfy anyone.

The characters are all have multiple layers and colourful histories so the whole thing hangs together wonderfully.

I managed to work out a little bit of the mystery and I want to read it again to see if I can pick up the clues I missed the first time round. I honestly think this book will stand up to multiple read throughs with readers getting something new each time.

I have read almost 20% and I am unwilling to spoil a good read by continuing. The formatting is atrocious: line breaks; -O / - 2/ wonder what that means? Yes, so do I! Text littered with these and other symbols. The story was drawing me in but the random symbols were taking all the pleasure away. I have given four stars for the pleasure I might have had.....

A ship filled with secrets sails the seas from Batavia to Amsterdam.

Why is Samuel Pipps imprisoned?
Who was the leper that cursed this ship?
What is the Folly?
How will I stop myself from calling in sick at work to finish this book?

Those are the first questions I asked myself and far from the last. The intrigue is almost unbearable with The Devil And The Dark Water and just as with Turton's previous novel I find myself desperate for answers.

Let me share with you an excerpt from early on in the novel.

"All eyes were on the symbol on the sail, so nobody saw Creesjie Jens grip the railing of the quarterdeck, the colour draining out of her cheeks. Nobody saw Sander Kers close the huge book held in Isabel’s hands, hiding the picture of the eye drawn there. Nobody saw the boatswain, Johannes Wyck, touch his eyepatch in memory. And nobody saw Arent stare incredulously at the scar on his wrist, which was exactly the same shape as the mark on the sail."

This was the moment I really settled in for the ride.

At a mere 15% into the book the first plot twist leaps out from just one flippant sentence and already I knew this was going to be another spectacular tale from Stuart Turton.

Ooh that world building. You can almost smell the sea and sweaty sailors, hear the creaking of wood and feel the weight of claustrophobic darkness over your head. Incase you hadn't already guessed I LOVED this novel. The atmosphere is palpable and changes to perfectly reflect each characters perspective.

I adored Arent in particular. Cliche as it might be, the loyal and loveable thug with a dark past gets me in the feels every darn time. A man that can even bend the will of the uncaring General Haan, Arent's selflessness and respect for Pipps and Sara was a heartwarmer on a dark and scary voyage. The 'bear and the sparrow' tell of an endearing friendship and I was immediately invested in their plight.

I was thrilled to discover a new POV at 75% in, I won't spoil the surprise but the additional insight to this character's backstory was a welcome treat. I've never known an author to pack so many twists and questions into a novel the way Turton does. The careful unspooling and interlinking of plotlines flows so well that nothing feels unnecessary. Every event whether major or minor has a purpose that you'd never predict.

There's a very Poirot/Holmes tone to the grand finale of both novels by Turton in the way the characters finally piece the puzzle together. These revelations are so intricately detailed they leave the reader in awe whilst giving the story definitive closure.

In a word. Wow.

After reading Stuart's debut novel "The Seven deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle" which I absolutely loved, I am not sure what I expected from the The Devil and the Dark Water, but it is completely different whilst being as baffling. A very mysterious start introduces us to some of the eclectic travellers due on the seventeenth century Batavia. The journey is already predicted to be a disaster... There's a demon (or is there?), there are secrets, prisoners, three unholy miracles. Will the ship sink with everyone on board? Certainly a unusual novel with elements of history and the supernatural. The characters are like no others. The plot is complex and interwoven, the story perhaps a little too long. Unique!

Stuart Turton returns with a cracking piece of historical fiction, a spine chiller that drips with colour and atmosphere set in the 17th century. In 1634, the cursed and doomed East India merchant ship, the Saardam, carrying spices and other mysterious cargo, sets sail from Batavia (Jakarta, Indonesia) for Amsterdam, voyaging on the dangerous high seas, stalked by life threatening storms, plagued by fears, folklore and superstitions of the period. There appear to be presence of devils in the form of 'Old Tom', the devil's mark, a leper ghost with his tongue cut out, a crew of murderers and cutthroats, a Daemonologica, and prophecies of 3 unholy miracles that will take place on the ship, feeding the chaos and mayhem that comes to pass as the body count rises. Travelling on the ship is Sammy Pipps, a famous detective, a prisoner set to be executed in Amsterdam, accompanied by his loyal bodyguard, Lieutenant Arent Hayes, a relationship that echoes that of Sherlock Holmes and Watson.

Passengers include a group of nobles, headed by the Governor-General, Jan Haan, a powerful, ruthless, and cruel man who controls and beats his wife, Sara Wessel. Sara has refused to be cowed, has lost two sons, is a gifted healer, and is intent on protecting and looking out for her gifted daughter, Lia, imprisoned all her life. This is a world in which women have no rights, even if they are noble, Sara tries to get Lia to hide her superior knowledge from men, men are dangerous, fickle of mood, likely to lash out without reason. With Pipps imprisoned in his cell, it is Arent that is tasked to investigate the crimes set to take place, aided by the able Sara. Arent has no faith in his abilities, he believes only in Sammy, Sammy is his religion, but he has no choice but to turn detective. Does he stand any chance of succeeding, surrounded as he is by sinners, intrigue, greedy, ambitious and evil men, and devil whispers in the dark bargaining for souls?

Turton's storytelling is vivid and vibrantly alive with its details of life on the Saardam, and his creation of a wide ranging cast of characters beguile, charm, scare and horrify, individuals that including a dwarf, swashbuckling musketeers, witchfinders, the Governor-General's mistress, Creesjie Jens, and the feared boatswain, Johannes Wyck. This is a fantastic, hugely entertaining, read, superbly plotted, that will have you investing in the characters, holding your interest right from the get go, having you avidly turning the pages until the sparkling reveal at the end. Do yourself a favour and read this! Highly recommended. Many thanks to Bloomsbury for an ARC.

I gave a 'Whoop!' when this book came through to me. I loved 'The 71/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle' so was anticipating a rollercoaster of a ride with twists, turns and a complex plot.

What did I get? The complexity of the plot is there, along with a tense and dark atmosphere, and a cast of characters ranging from lepers, mistresses, brainy maidens and a dwarf. All good - but it just did not quite hit the spot for me. It is incredibly long, for 3/4 of the book I really was not sure what was going on. That is a long time to set the scene.

In the last quarter the book takes a turn towards the Scooby Doo model of mysteries. We have the scary characters and a couple of plucky kids trying to solve the mystery. Having discovered the secret passageways, unearthed treasure and cracked a baffling puzzle Fred and Daphne (Sorry, Arent and Sara) unmask the baddy - who if it hadn't been for those pesky kids would have got away with it.

There is so much to enjoy in this book; the claustrophobia and panic aboard the ship builds to a crescendo as fear and superstition causes the ship's crew to turn upon each other. The characters are engaging and the plot, once it gets going, a masterpiece. Perhaps a little more judicious editing would make the pace a little faster, and then it would be perfect.

In 1634 a fleet of ships is heading to Amsterdam from the Dutch East Indies with a very special, very mysterious cargo alongside the usual spices on one of the ships. This is the ship that also holds the Governor General returning with his wife and daughter to take his place in the powerful Gentlemen 17 as a reward for bringing this mysterious cargo. Also aboard are a brilliantly portrayed set of characters including the world’s greatest detective Samuel Pipps and the mercenary Arent who has played Watson to his Holmes as he’s travelled the world solving baffling crimes but is now charged with keeping Pipps safe until he arrives in Amsterdam to be tried for a nameless crime that will keep him locked up for the entire voyage. As the ship is being loaded a leper warns them they are doomed before bursting into flames but the Governor General is so determined to deliver his prize that nothing, not even the daemon known as Old Tom who stalks the boat at night bringing mayhem and death, will stop him.
Fantastic mix of historical adventure and horror brought to life in a fast paced plot with very believable characters.

Plot
It’s 1634 and the United East India Company’s ship the Saardam is starting its journey from Batavia to Amsterdam with some special cargo on board. As well as a cargo hold full of spices, the ship is also home to Samuel Pipp, a famous detective who has been arrested and is being brought to Amsterdam for trial. With him is his partner and sworn protector, Arent Hayes who is determined to prove Pipp innocent to the Governer who had him arrested.

Despite a warning from a leper that the ship is cursed and will never reach Amsterdam, the Saardam sets sail. But no sooner is it out to sea than strange things start happening. A symbol appears on the sail that’s eerily similar to a scar on Arent’s wrist, the leper that died on the land appears at the ship’s windows, and the livestock on the ship are brutally slaughtered.

Are the strange happenings due to a demon like the leper warned? With Pipp imprisoned it’s up to Arent and the Governer’s wife Sara to figure out what’s going on before the demon claims a human life.

Living up to the hype
I was a little worried about reading Turton’s second novel. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle was sooooooo amazing and I knew it would be hard to match it. But once I started reading my worry was gone. The Devil and the Dark Water well and truly lives up to the Evelyn Hardcastle hype.

The gripping mystery starts right from the get go. Firstly we want to know why has Samuel Pipp been arrested? And Why is Arent so hellbent on protecting him? Then we’ve got the leper and his vow that the ship is doomed. Is the ship really cursed? How did the leper speak when his tongue had been cut out? How did he burst into flames afterwards? And this is all just in the first chapter!

It doesn’t get any less gripping as the story goes on. More questions are raised as Arent and Sara undertake their investigation, and I have to say, for the last quarter of the book I absolutely could not put it down. This is actually the first book in a long time that I finished in less than a week (which is quick for me, I can sometimes be reading one book for a month).

Get your sea legs ready
You’re going to feel like you’re right there on the ship with them. Turton is so good at setting up an atmosphere that you’re going to feel the grime of ship on your skin and smell the mix of spices and salt sea in the air.

I was worried when I started reading that I would get confused with the amount of characters (There’s a list of passengers on board the Saardam at the front of the book). But, again, Turton’s writing is so good that each character is so clearly defined and feels so real that it’s impossible to get them confused.

I love Sara and Lia especially. Their story of trying to find freedom from the Governor so that Lia doesn’t have to hide how smart she is is so heartbreaking and makes you root for them so much. Sara’s line to Lia of ‘men don’t like being made to feel stupid, and there’s no other way to feel when you start talking,’ made me smile.

No spoilers, just read the book
I don’t want to say too much more about this book because I don’t want to give anything away. But the point of this review is really just to say: read this book. It’s brilliant. It’s like if Sherlock Holmes was set on the high seas, except Holmes is locked up and it’s up to Watson and Mary to solve the mystery.

Stuart Turton is a brilliant writer and I think The Devil and the Dark Water just cements that. I already can’t wait for what he brings out next.

First. Let me be clear. I enjoyed this, the second book from the author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. Second, this book is nothing like The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. It's an historical whodunnit, which fits nicely with my current taste in reading but that said, defies any definite classification.

If you thought Seven Deaths was a strange book, wait for this one. Part Conan Doyle, part Lovecraft, part Dickson-Carr, it almost can't decide what it wants to be. We have a very Sherlock-like detective, of whom we actually see very little, a warrior sidekick wth a mysterious past, a female wannabe sleuth and a back story that emerges in bits and pieces. There's even some nice folklore type stuff going on too. None of which detracts from the story, which moves ahead well enough, with a few colourful characters and events to keep you turning the pages, but it all feels very uneven. I can't quite decide what the author is aiming for, so it comes across as a bit of a confusing mess at times. The fact that virtually the entire book takes place on board ship should add a sense of claustrophobia, but didn't feel it.

All said, I did enjoy The Devil and the Dark Water, and would recommend fans of Evelyn H to give it a go. I'll be very keen to see what direction the author's third book takes.

Having read and loved Stuart Turton's debut, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, I was very excited to be able to read and review The Devil and the Dark Water.

I knew from the start that this would be a very different story. Set in the 1600's, the plot follows "Problematory" Samuel Pipps, who has been imprisoned for a crime he may or may not have committed, aboard a ship setting sail from Batavia to Europe. He is accompanied by his bodyguard, Arent; there are similarities between these two and Holmes/Watson, though there are MANY more differences, which makes these characters uniquely compelling.

As they board the ship, the crew and passengers behold a demonic premonition of the problems which will besiege the ship in the coming weeks, and the promise of a terror which may (or may not) be supernatural.

The duo are assisted in their investigations by a feisty female heroine and her teenage daughter, while blighted by other passengers and select persons from the crew. The plot is a highly complex mystery, with many twists and unexpected revelations set against a historical backdrop which left me breathless at times.

I was right to anticipate this novel highly! Though there is a section in the middle which slows ever so slightly, the overall novel is fascinating, intelligent and at times, rather frightening. The brilliantly constructed ending provided a strong sense of satisfaction which tied up the intricacies of the mystery and made me long for more.

As a huge fan of Stuart Turton’s first book, I was incredibly excited to read his second. It does not disappoint.

A wonderful combination with of history, fantasy and crime, The Devil and the Dark Water is a wonderful second novel. I was honestly left guessing until the last page.

The crime itself is very cleverly plotted, with some great Christie and Sherlock Holmes nods. But the true genius was choosing to set the novel in a time and place where a series of mysterious deaths could just as easily be a demon as a person.

A great read.

I was eagerly anticipating this novel as I loved The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, however it fell flat for me.

An unsatisfactory plot, cliched characters and unbalanced pacing made this book a slog. It could easily be 100 pages shorter and still tell the story as there are large sections of the book where nothing happens.

The ending was also a disappointment as whilst the mystery had a decent conclusion, the story ended on more of a fizzle than a bang.

I persevered in order to finish the novel but can't recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the ARC.

This book is absolutely fine, but unfortunately only fine. Like <i>The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle</i>, it has a compelling concept and atmospheric setting, but a plot that just doesn't satisfy. I was fully set to enjoy this more than Turton's debut novel - I love a nautical yarn, I love the time period, I love demons. While all of these were indeed a lot of fun, I felt the book stretched on and on, and the mystery was just too convoluted and contrived for the reveal to be satisfying. I've seen the hype about both books, so I know other people must enjoy them - so I think I have to say 'Stuart Turton, it's not you, it's me'.