I really wasn't sure what to expect from this book when I started listening, and I knew that it was going to take some time to make that mystery journey with Arent Hayes and Samuel Pipps a the audio book is over 15 hours long, but I'm very glad that I made the decision to listen as I was faced with a story that was part mystery, part superstitious ghost story and and totally an utterly engrossing. Over the course of the book, I became more and more invested in the characters, most intrigued by the mystery, and definitely more and more curious as to what was really behind the strange happenings aboard the ship, the Saaradam.

Now although this is, technically, a historical novel, and it does drawn upon much of the styling of one in terms of authentic and atmospheric setting and the background of the characters, that is probably as far as the similarity ends. You will not find yourselves embroiled in a saga full of elaborate and ancient feeling language or, as I can sometimes find with historical fiction, drowning in the authenticity of the period. There are echoes of the time and the behaviours of the characters are reflective of what I would expect from the time, misogynism, the arrogance that can only come from wealth for example, but the narrative, and the spoken language are far more accessible, which is a blessing. As much as I enjoyed the book, I'm not entirely convinced it would have been as smooth sailing had. everything been in more measured seventeenth century style dialogue. Because it was more accessible, more like having a conversation with a peer than a figure from history, it made the characters easier to bond with, made me more interested in them.

The opening to this book is definitely memorable - a leper warning the passengers of the Saardam that they are in danger, effectively forewarning of a curse that will befall them should they choose to take the journey back to Amsterdam. The Governor General, Jan Haan, believes nothing of the warnings, and even when the messenger bows out in absolutely spectacular fashion, he dismisses the curse, determined to fulfil his orders to transport Samuel Pipps back home. Now after such a dramatic opener, I was all the more curious to read how this would impact the voyage and the passengers, and affect them it did. Needless to say they should have heeded the warning as what comes to pass, seems a combination of ghostly goings on and folk tales told to scare people into action. Readers are introduced to the legend of Old Tom, a man said to be the incarnation of evil, and whose 'presence' on the Saardam soon starts to cause all manner of wrong doings.

I really liked the character of Arent Hayes. There is something kind of enigmatic about him - a man of honour who has committed to protecting Samuel Pipps, even though he is only aboard the Saardam as a prisoner. He is strong, dedicated, and although not without fault, he is principled, determined to maintain peace when all around him give over to anger. He determines to uncover the truth about the threat to the ship, to save those aboard, particularly Pipps, and this puts him in danger as well as at odds with many others on board the ship, particularly the soldiers and the crew. There is just something about his nature which makes him immediately likeable, and the more I read, the more I wanted to see him succeed. he has secrets, revealed to readers over the course of the novel, ones which add a new perspective to the threat they face, but there is a confidence about him that made me want to listen on.

It is not all about hayes though and Pipps himself is an intriguing character. A puzzle solver, he understands far more than those around him, and I was as intrigued to know why he was incarcerated as I was to find. the truth about Old Tom. Then there is Sara, wife to Haan, and mother to Lia who has an empathy for the people around her that defies the gruff nature of her husband. The chemistry between her and Hayes is clear, the circumstances of their meeting, far from ideal. Add in the Governor's Mistress and her family and a whole cast of shady and temperamental characters, and the scene is set for a very turbulent journey.

This is not a quick read, or indeed listen, and at times, getting to know the characters and the legend of Old Tom does take some time, but it is all important. All relevant. And this is very carefully spun yarn, so many elements which seem to take readers on a tangent, and which cast suspicion amongst all of the characters, even to a degree to Hayes himself, that it is almost impossible to see where the story is leading. But the way it pulls together, the clever almost Christie-esque discovery of the truth behind the mystery, is both surprising and satisfying. Part of me sort of expected what came to pass, another part was still surprised by the revelations. All of me was entertained.

If you are looking for a fast paced, all action sea-voyage of a thriller then this isn't the book for you. Likewise, if you are looking for one-hundred percent historical accuracy, then it's probably not there either. There is much that is of the era, but the boring bits (IMO) have been dropped in favour of far more accessible characters and narrative arc. If you want a Christie style, not-quite-cosy, gothic edged read set amongst all the thrills of the high seas, then. this could be the books for you. It's a kind of locked room mystery and also not, and the suspect pool is finite given that it can only be someone on the ship that is causing trouble. Of can it? I guess that rather depends on whether you believe in ghosts ...

A close quarters, mystery/whodunnit.

This is set on a boat in 1634 and there’s various mysteries going on. Our main character, Aren’t, is a big bear-like strong man who has spent 4 years protecting a man who solves mysteries and sees things others don’t (a bit like Sherlock).
Samuel, the World’s Greatest Detective, is on the ship to be transported to Amsterdam to be executed for a crime he may, or may not, have committed. With his friend locked up and unavailable to solve the mysteries of the ship, Arent is asked to investigate some of the strange goings on.

This is an intricate, well written story but (as with Evelyn Hardcastle) the ending is a bit disappointing. 4 stars.

Incredibly gripping and story focussed book. Did find aspects slightly unbelievable, but is incredibly readable for such a short book

I really enjoyed The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by this author so was eager to try his new book, especially as it was set in one of my favourite centuries - the 17th.
I also love genre-benders : the mix of historical fiction and mystery.

From the first page the descriptions created an exciting, slightly mysterious atmosphere with the key characters quickly presented to the reader.
Once on board the claustrophobia of ship life was felt keenly as was the barely suppressed violence of the crew.
The seemingly supernatural occurrences and the appearance of ‘Old Tom’ lent an overtone of evil to the already tense, threatening ambience.
And then there is a murder…..

But who or where is the real evil?
There is the Governor himself, demanding and vindictive to all who serve him, A man who beats his wife savagely and openly keeps the company of a mistress.
We have the violence and cruelty of the crew, living in insufferable conditions and always ready for a fight.
There is the East India company scouring the world for the easiest way to turn a profit and destroying those who stand in their way.
And the men who are willing to set aside their principles and carry out nefarious deeds at the bidding of the East India company in return for riches and the hope of a better future.

I loved that it was the women, albeit with the help of a man, who set out to investigate the mysterious occurrences, doing their best to overcome the difficult conditions and the limits imposed on them.

There was one element which seemed too obvious to ignore but they did and when they didn’t it was a bit of an anti-climax.
Otherwise I found the investigation and character revelations as thrilling as the mystery itself.

Although I was quite satisfied with the solution to the mystery as with his previous book, the ending caught me completely unawares and I am beginning to wonder if it is a generation gap thing.
Even so this is a 4.5 star book and I will be looking forward to his next.

This is a good murder/mystery book which is set in the 17th century, where the characters are on board a ship called the Saardam which is going to Amsterdam. The main characters are called Sara and Arent and they have to solve the mystery of Old Tom, who is said to be a demon. I found the story interesting, I liked the characters and the writing was very good.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. There were definitely some good parts, and it is readable, but as a massive fan of Evelyn Hardcastle I wanted this to fill the hole that has been missing in my life since I finished that, and unfortunately it did not.

I found it very hard to be captured by the first half of the book. Whilst the stories of Arent and Sara were interesting it just felt that there was a lack of urgency in reading their story, just as they seemed to have a lack of urgency in solving the problem of the curse on the ship. I was glad I persevered as I did enjoy the second half and the conclusion, it surprised me and was very clever. I just feel that the first half of the book was nowhere near as exciting ofmr captivating as I expected and as Stuart Turton has shown he can write before.

It took me a long time to get around to reading this book and whilst i didn't enjoy it quite as much as i did "7 deaths" i am glad i picked it up.
This is a very original idea and i think it was executed really well.

I really wanted to like this more than I did as I loved The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle so much and there were lots of things about it that I admired but it was just sooo very long! The atmosphere, the scene setting, the tension, the claustrophobia of the ship were all brilliantly done. I loved the development of the love affair between Sara and Arent and the strong female characters. However, it was just too grim and brutal for me, with too many characters to keep track of and even though the denouement was clever, I really had to battle through the second half of the book to get there!

Stuart Turton strikes again in this wonderfully original locked room (ship) mystery. The crew suspect supernatural happenings when a herald warns them that their impending voyage is doomed. But the man has no tongue, so how could he have delivered the message? I was swept away across time and tide reading this - and truly did not expect it to go where it did! If you love your historical murder mysteries with a touch of the gothic, this book is perfect for you.

Stuart Turton's previous book set a very high bar. The Devil and the Dark Water shows that Turton can turn a hand to anything.
There are superb characters in Arent and Sara Wessel and a great deal of misdirection. The bulk of the story takes place on a voyage that is cursed from the start.
Sammy Pipps, the great detective of the age, is brought on board in chains. A leper dies. The journey is doomed. In Sammy's absence, his deputy Arent and noblewoman Sara have to work out if the Devil really haunts the ship.
The book leaves you wanting a sequel. It feels like the origin story for an even greater adventure.

Stuart Turton is such a household name! When I saw his new book was to be published, I just had to read it!
I did, however, find it a bit confusing, and a bit too dense with characters.
But as always, his writing style is impeccable and his stories incredible.

This was a murder mystery set on the 17th century high seas. The premise was amazing, but I struggled to engage with the characters or story. I finished it but this one wasn’t for me sorry.

This sounded like my sort of book and is undoubtedly well written but for some reason I was unable to get into the story.

From Good Reads:
A murder mystery set on a ship in the 17th century - who wouldn't love this.
Hugely entertaining, great storyline, well plotted, a hint of the supernatural, and a fantastic range of characters.

This was a rare DNF for me, especially after hearing so many great things from this author and about this book. I got to about 40%, and I just found the pace so slow, I was impatient to get to read something else.
The boat has barely left the dock, and nothing much had happened. I liked the relationships in the characters, and there seemed to be an alternative Holmes & Watson partnership developing, but just not fast enough for me to keep engaged.

I may well try again in the future, but not for now.

My first read by this author and definitely not my last! This tale was original - set in 1634, most of the action takes part on the high seas on the Saardam. Each person on board has selfish reasons for their actions, no one is safe. Are the events man-made or performed by the devil? There are so many evil characters it is hard to tell the difference.
This book is so well written depicting the hardship on board, the cruelty of the sea, the fears of each major character - it is a must read.
My only criticism after many startling plot explanations is that the end is tied up very neatly and sweetly which is not in keeping with the rest of the book which is harsh, violent and disturbing.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Stuart Turton/Bloomsbury Publishing for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

A suspenseful thriller that takes place on a boat, it makes it all the more claustrophobic. I enjoyed the debut novel, and I could not foresee the gothic and supernatural overtones of the hotly anticipated second book. I wasn't sure what to expect after reading The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. Would it be more of the same? This is where it really surprised me, it took such a jagged turn from his other work, it really flexes Stuart Turton's writing muscles to extraordinary effect. I'm intrigued to what will come next from him, it really could be anything, it's guaranteed to be superbly written.

I was impressed by his ability to meld genres without resorting to tropes. This book has touches of the supernatural; it's historical, set on a ship and contains a story that crosses genre boundaries with ease. It was entertaining to witness the close quarters and tensions on a boat. The plotting was so intricate that I'm sure I missed some clues first hand, but there is a particular joy in devouring a book, immersing yourself in the story - especially when it's this good.

I loved this book! Deliciously dark, full of intrigue and a fascinating pirate ship setting. What more could you want? I think I even prefered this to Seven Deaths - a book I adored.

Having read and ADORED Stuart Turton’s debut novel The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, I added The Devil and the Dark Water to my Most Anticipated Reads list as soon as it was announced. Owing to the joys of Pandemic PhD life, it has taken me a few more months than I expected to set aside the time to really sink in and devour this one (Seven Deaths was definitely a book you just wanted to sit and gobble up over the course of a long weekend) but, thanks again to the lovely book club crew at The Write Reads, I was finally got chance to cosy with this 548 page chunkster and can confirm that it did not disappoint!

As with Seven Deaths, The Devil and the Dark Water is a novel that defies genre expectations. It’s set in 1634 so technically it’s a historical novel. As Stuart Turton points out in his afterward though, the history cedes to the story so those coming to the novel expecting a wholly accurate depiction of historical life a la Hilary Mantel or Patrick O’Brien will be disappointed.

There is more than one murder (plus at least one theft) and there’s a detective so is it a crime novel then?

Again…sort of? But the detective is locked up on charges unknown for most of the book, and the murders might be the work of a demonic supernatural entity.

So…horror novel?

Not quite. Whilst there are horrific acts a plenty, this isn’t simply a tale of things that go bump in the night . The devil might be on board the Saardam but it takes human agency to commit the acts of violence being inflicted upon the increasingly terrified passengers and crew.

The best I can come up with is that The Devil and the Dark Water is a cross between Assassins Creed: Black Flag (age of sail shipboard shenanigans), Murder on the Orient Express (enclosed murder mystery with limited suspects and a brilliant, eccentric detective) and Jaws (terrifying horror stalks everyone on board and you are DEFINITELY going to need a bigger boat). See what I mean about genre-defying?

The end result is, however, utterly brilliant. Turton once again weaves seemingly disparate plot strands and characters into an intricate and tightly bound web to create an elaborate and mind-bending puzzle that kept me guessing right up until the final pages.

In the characters of Arent Hayes and Sara Wessel, Turton has created two fantastic and likeable protagonists who, by the time the novel was over, felt like old friends and comrades. Sara is strong, compassionate, determined, inquisitive, and intelligent – everything a nobleman’s wife shouldn’t be. She quickly became one of my favourite characters – as did Arent, whose imposing frame and bloody history belies a fiercely loyal and gentle heart. The supporting cast are equally well-realised – from the cocksure genius Samuel Pipps to lively, flirtatious Creesjie Jens and silent, watchful Cornelius Vos, I could envisage them all in my head and frequently felt as if I had been picked up and placed next to them when reading.

The vivid characterisation really helps during the (infrequent) moments when the plot starts to lag a little, and also allowed me to forgive the (in my opinion) slightly rushed ending. Saying to much about either of those points would be to spoil the novel but, for me, the chapters following a major late-book dramatic incident aboard the Saardam felt didn’t have quite the same energy, and I felt as if some of the decisions taken at the end of the novel didn’t fit with the established morality of the characters involved. This certainly didn’t diminish my overall enjoyment of the book however and many other readers may feel very differently about the ending!

Although there were the occasional moments where the pace dropped, The Devil and the Dark Water was – for me at least – a page-turning read. There were definitely times when I had to use all my willpower to stay in-line with our Write Reads book club schedule – it was so tempting to read ahead! Because of the contained setting and the number of characters, this is a novel that you have to settle in to a bit – I’d definitely urge anyone struggling with the pace at the beginning to stick with the book for about 70-100 pages, when the action really begins to surge ahead at speed!

I also really loved the way that the supernatural was used in this novel. Again, I don’t want to say too much because of the risk of spoilers but the novel does a great job at examining the way in which fear and superstition can be utilised to justify prejudice, greed and other uniquely human follies. The Saardam is a ship full of sinners – everyone has a secret, everyone is out to get something, and nearly everyone will betray the man, woman, or child next to them to do it – and Turton has done a fabulous job of making this largely dishonest, cutthroat, and untrustworthy collection of characters both intriguing and, in many cases, relatable. As such, The Devil and the Dark Water works well as both a damning morality tale and an observant commentary on societal hierarchies – in addition to being a highly entertaining novel, of course!

Superbly written and with an intricate yet tightly controlled plot, The Devil and the Dark Water is a worthy successor to Seven Deaths and marks Stuart Turton out as a writer unafraid to blur the lines between genres and defy the expectations of what a particular type of novel should be. Packed full of relatable and vivid characters – in all their messy and selfish glory – and with a richly imagined setting, this is sure to delight fans of Turton’s previous novel – and will hopefully entice many new readers to discover his work.

The devil and the dark water by Stuart Turton. I loved his first book and was looking forward to this one. Thankfully it didn't disappoint. A murder mystery on the high seas, with interesting characters and multiple suspects, it draws you in and almost has you believing in Old Tom.