Wonderfully spooky and atmospheric. Stuart Turton has done it again. I loved The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, and here we have another clever, twisty mystery story. This time the setting is a ship of the East India Company, returning to Amsterdam laden with spices and secrets. Everyone, it seems, has something to hide. Superstition is rife and tales of Old Tom, a devil, plague the journey from before it even starts. As the story is set on board a ship, when things do start to happen, there is nowhere to run. I really liked the claustrophobic feeling of the story. It added to the sense of foreboding throughout. A great read for a stormy autumn night!

4.5 Stars

While not quite as twisty and bingeable and all-round mind-blowing as The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, this was still a really great mystery story that plays with genre in a super fun way. Is this just an historical thriller with a Sherlock and Watson vibe, or is a paranormal fantasy too? You'll be asking that question until the very end!

Though I think Evelyn Hardcastle is still the better book overall, for sheer uniqueness if anything, The Devil and the Dark Water did improve upon it in one way. I found myself connecting to the protagonists of this tale far quicker: chivalrous Arent and determined, ambitious Sara. They are both very sweet characters, characters who in their lives have never been seen as the heroes, but rather the trusty sidekick and the wife in the shadows. There's something quite lovely about their development as detectives and as people as the story goes on - how they finally come into their own when given the chance to blossom. The secondary characters are all pretty interesting too, though it's hard to say too much about them without spoilers!

The big reveal at the end was...interesting. Certainly not what I expected!

Overall I did really enjoy this. I didn't binge-read it in a day like its predecessor, but it was a good one to take my time with. I can't wait to see what Stuart Turton has in store for us next!

This book solidified for me that I'd read everything Stuart Turton ever writes. The Devil and the Dark Water is inventive, unique, and manages to feel contemporary in the most brilliant way, despite being set in 1634! I love locked room mysteries, but find so many people approach them in the same way - this was such a fresh take! Absolutely loved it. Thanks netgalley.

This was well worth the wait after Stu's amazing debut. This gorgeous blend of tropes and genres kept me reading well into the night and keeping my wife awake as I had to keep telling her what was going on. This was a real page-turner to curl up with.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing UK and ANZ for the arc of Stuart Turton's new book.

4 star read, this was a well written, sensational book with great story, characters and the whole book overall, i loved this so much! If you loved and fan of The 7 deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle then you'll love this for sure! I recommend so much!
⭐⭐⭐⭐

I adored Turton's first masterpiece so was really eager to get my hands on The Devil and the Dark Water. Unfortunately it didn't hit the mark for me or indeed anywhere near it. I felt it was a bit muddled, over complicated and unfortunately didn't hold my attention. Essentially the opposite of his first book.
I appear to be in the minority of negative reviews, with a huge chunk of people giving 5 stars. For me I was just expecting so much more after Evelyn and found myself forcing myself to sit and read this.

*Many thanks to Stuart Turton, Bloomsbury Publishing and NetGalley for arc inexchange for my honest review.*
Having read Mr Turton's debut novel, I was looking forward to his next offering. I found it interesting but it did not resonate with me as much as I had wished.
It is a solid historical fiction, with some dark and mysterious deeds and cargo on a ship returning to Europe from Batavia in 1634. There is a plethora of characters, including the detective who is to be executed and his bodyguard, the governor, his wife, and many others whose names were a little confusing for me at the beginning.
The idea of of a ship taking the passengers across half of the globe is captivating as they are limited by the space and their own company, which in consequence enforces interactions which are not always that welcome.
The book is long as I believe Mr Turton meant to give each character a chance, which is fair on them, however, at times I felt some I was offered too much of them.

7/10

When I saw the author of “The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” had a new book coming out I was keen to get on board (no pun intended) and as this was set on the high seas and a murder mystery to boot then there was no doubt I was going to read it.

There is a sense of claustrophobia as you’re stuck on a ship with strange goings on and deaths coming thick and fast and the descriptions and writing style are done well as expected from his previous novel. The main characters were fleshed out enough to make you invested but there were a number of other people on the boat who just blended in and often left me confused as to who they were. Some of the names were on the ridiculous side too, but I’m guessing that they were more authentic for the time and Dutch connection. I’ll give the author the benefit of the doubt.

My main issue with the book was that it was a bit too long and a few parts could have been trimmed to make it tighter and the ending, whilst satisfactory, wasn’t what I was hoping for. Sometimes that can be the case when a magician reveals how he does his tricks.

Overall, not quite as enjoyable as his last book but there is something about nautical tales and murder which work well in my mind and the pages went by quickly. Worth picking up if you enjoyed his first book.

Old Tom Cobblers and All

It’s the 1600s and a fleet of Dutch ships sets sail from Batavia in the Dutch East Indies for Holland. Before setting sail a mysterious leper who proves to be without a tongue, solemnly curses the flagship and its voyage. His ghost (as well as a demon called Old Tom) subsequently haunt the ship engendering terror, destruction and death. On board the ship, but clapped in irons, is the world’s greatest detective, Sammy Pipps, a Sherlock Holmes type figure, who cannot solve the strange events from his prison cabin. At large however is his honest and blunt assistant who does his best in the circumstances. A cast of suspicious characters, storms at sea, mutiny, murder, shipwreck, lost treasure, desert islands mark an exciting, if implausible adventure. The ultimate revelations and the plot denouement defy credibility, even if they are ingenious. The concluding debate displays a morality which is dubious at best.

"The Devil and the Dark Water" is the second novel from Stuart Turton following his debut with "The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle". It is also my second encounter with the author's prose and, safe to say, just as successful as the first one.

In the novel, we follow a cast of characters brought together by the journey they embark on. The story is centered around a detective duo, Arent and Sammy, who take it upon themselves to figure out what is happening on the ship and who is responsible for it.

Because the mystery is crafted so skillfully, I had many doubts about its resolution along the way. Turton has a way of engaging the reader in the story to the point they can feel like a part of the ensemble of the ship themselves. There is also the possibility of supernatural elements and to the very end, it is unclear if the events on the ship were the doing of some dark forces or not.

By and large, "The Devil and the Dark Water" is one of the best novels I've read this year. It's incredibly atmospheric and moody, perfect for long evenings under the blanket with a cup of tea ready. The author never ceases to surprise me with the convoluted, yet interesting plots and fascinating sets of characters. It's storytelling in its finest form.

This is not my usual type of book, perhaps that is why I didn't enjoy it. I'm not a Holmes story type lover, and historical fiction isn't my forte but I didn't feel that the characters were believable. They didn't feel rounded off or planned out enough. The writing felt a bit lazy, inconsistent and I couldn't warm to it. I did a lot of eye rolling. It might also be helpful to understand what a dowry is, if you are going to write about it.

PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION:

An impossible murder
A remarkable detective duo
A demon who may or may not exist

It's 1634 and Samuel Pipps, the world's greatest detective, is being transported from the Dutch East Indies to Amsterdam, where he is facing trial and execution for a crime he may, or may not, have committed. Travelling with him is his loyal bodyguard, Arent Hayes, who is determined to prove his friend innocent, while also on board are Sara Wessel, a noble woman with a secret, and her husband, the governor general of Batavia.
But no sooner is their ship out to sea than devilry begins to blight the voyage. A strange symbol appears on the sail. A dead leper stalks the decks. Livestock are slaughtered in the night. And then the passengers hear a terrible voice whispering to them in the darkness, promising them three unholy miracles. First: an impossible pursuit. Second: an impossible theft. Third: an impossible murder. Could a demon be responsible for their misfortunes?
With Pipps imprisoned, only Arent and Sara can solve a mystery that stretches back into their past and now threatens to sink the ship, killing everybody on board.

NO SPOILERS
I loved, really loved, Stuart Turton’s debut novel The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle so was chuffed to be given the chance to read an Advance Reader Copy of The Devil and the Dark Water. I like a good whodunnit and howdunnit; where the impossible is shown to be possible, where the irrelevant proves to be crucial. Agatha Christie was the absolute queen of this genre. Stuart Turton is the best example I have read of how not to write such a book.

Plot and story-wise, this is a muddled mess (something Evelyn was not) with a reveal which felt like it was written to fit and make sense of the story as an afterthought, instead of having a plan and executing it; with so many improbable and “Nope” moments which took way too long to explain; and a final twist which makes a mockery of the whole tale. This is a tedious, convoluted book which was not worth the time spent reading. It’s rare I feel this way about a book but there you go!

Style-wise, I have never come across so many similes, some of them quite entertaining, most of them atrocious and nearly all of them unnecessary. The dialogue is bland, backstories clunky, structure a mess. This could do with a re-write and some heavy editing.

I am sure many will love The Devil and the Dark Water and I can usually see a why book will be loved by others though not me; but not this time.

And one more thing, it took me a long time read because frankly, I didn’t care how it was done but knew who did it very early on…one cliche led to another.

Incidentally, the ARC I received was too difficult to read so I waited until the ebook was published. This is no reflection on Turton but it contained more typos than any other I have read.


Thank you to NetGalley and Raven Books for the complimentary copy of the book, which I have voluntarily reviewed.

An interesting version of a whodunnit tale set around the Dutch East India company with seeming demons on board a galleon for Amsterdam. Violent deaths galore in a tale where everyone seems a suspect apart from the actual perpetrator! A classic storyline that grabs and holds the attention from the start to the intriguing end.

The Devil and the Dark Water

Stuart Turton has cemented himself as the most inventive murder mystery writer with this brilliant follow up to Evelyn Hardcastle.

The action here takes place on a ship rather than a country house but the plot and the ending once again conjure images of Turton surrounded by diagrams and plans to keep track of who was where, when and why.

We are introduced to Arent and Sammy, our mystery solving duo in a way that almost suggests that this is the latest instalment of an ongoing series following their antics. A fairly large cast of characters is used here but was easy enough to keep track of; a useful guide at the beginning of the book being on hand for those times when you’ve just forgotten who is who.

The spirit that haunts the Saardam and it’s passage to Amsterdam was creepy; the atmosphere of a ship far out at sea that had strayed from the rest of its fleet lending itself to the general vibe.

The plot was intriguing and I didn’t see the explanation coming at all.

I was already a fan after his unique debut but this book has definitely added Turton to the list of authors I’ll look out for. Whilst I enjoyed Evelyn Hardcastle, it seems to have been something of a marmite book, but I think this one will be more likely to appeal to a wider audience.

I picked this up not knowing too much about it, other than I loved Stuart Turton’s debut novel and therefore I needed to read this one. And it did not disappoint.

This is a truly compulsive read, it went through it in a matter of days and really struggled to put it down. I had so many questions and I genuinely didn’t guess any of the plot until it was unveiled in front of me. And thank god it was broken down and explained because otherwise I really would have been confused. It isn’t complicated per say, it’s just so incredibly clever that it deserves the detailed explanation that it gets.

I loved that I spent the whole book wondering if the supernatural elements were real or not. I debated between the two and it’s just so hard to tell. (I’ll leave it there because spoilers).

I loved the cast of characters. The passenger manifest at the start was super helpful because I have to admit I had to check back a few times to work out who was who (but I also know I’m very bad at remembering names of characters). Arent was the surprise protagonist, for some reason I thought it was going to follow Samuel Pipps more so I was pleasantly surprised. Arent is Pipps right hand man, and more the brawn than the brains of the operation, but he’s tasked with trying to solve the mystery on the ship. He mixes trying to think like Pipps with his own ideas and it worked so well for me. Sara is another notable character. She’s a very well educated woman who wants to more independent than her station and sex allows. But she gets some free rein on the ship and becomes such an invaluable part of the team, without becoming the token woman!

The mystery of Old Tom is atmospheric, and creepy. From lepers catching fire, to mysterious altars in the bowels of the ship Old Tom sticks to the shadows and I just loved the concept of it all. Ghost ships and strange symbols, it was just haunting.

I loved this book. It’s the perfect read for the darker months, and it’ll keep you guessing the entire way through.

Gripping, compelling and menacing, I devoured The Devil and the Dark Water as quickly as I possibly could. Stuart Turton’s novel was an immersive experience, full of claustrophobic atmosphere and fascinating historical detail. A perfect winters eve read of suspense and evil doings aboard a doomed ship. Like his first novel, Turton brings something fresh and new to a genre bending book; merging historical, crime and thriller with a little pinch of supernatural to unsettle the reader further. Turton is swiftly becoming one of my favourite authors.

I knew that this book would be so entirely my thing that I pre-ordered myself a gorgeous hardback copy because I couldn't wait to see whether the NetGalley elves would be kind enough to grant me an ARC! I loved Turton's previous book, 'The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle', and was awaiting this one eagerly.

And I was right. It is so entirely my thing!

The story is set in 1634 on board a ship sailing from Batavia (in the Dutch East Indies) to Amsterdam. On board the Saardam, one of a fleet of seven ships sailing together, are an odd group of shipmates, including the governor general and his family, his mistress, a famed detective and his bodyguard, There's also a whole host of unpredictable and bloodthirsty crew members, some musketeers and a mysterious cargo consigned to be watched over at all hours.

A horrific incident at the docks before boarding has rattled them all and introduced the idea of Old Tom, a demon under whose malign influence the Saardam is predicted to fall. When things on board the ship start to go wrong - often in disturbing and horrific ways - the ship seems doomed and all lives in danger. With the celebrated detective locked in a holding cell for a crime he may have committed, it falls to two unlikely passengers on the ship to unravel the dark events that threaten the voyage.

I loved this book from the beginning when we are first introduced to Arent Hayes (bodyguard) and his master, Sammy Phipps - the celebrated detective who has more than a shadow of Sherlock Holmes about him. Powers of deduction? Tick. Widespread renown due to his sidekick's reporting of his exploits? Tick. Slightly hedonistic tendencies when bored? Tick. It is fair to say, I was bought into this from the start!

When Sammy is confined to the cell, Arent becomes the main focus for the story and he is an interesting character in himself. Out of the shadow of his famous master, we see a man struggling to have the courage of his own convictions. He is someone who is more known for brawn than brain, although this seems unfair as the novel progresses and Arent is forced to use his intelligence as well as his strength. He is a realistic character with a shady past and I found myself really wanting him to prove himself.

Aside from Arent, what I loved about this book were the strong female characters. Sara Wessel, wife of the governor general of Batavia, is the main one who comes to the fore and she is a formidable woman, albeit one with contradictions. On the one hand, she is a clever, spirited woman with a talent for healing, but she is also subject to a domineering and violent husband and living in what essentially is a gilded cage. She makes a brilliant heroine because she is both so good and yet so plagued with her own problems too.

The setting of this book was also part of its considerable appeal for me. Although I can't claim to know much about the East India Company and the technical details of the Indiaman ships, it felt authentic - the historical research was lightly worn and never felt laboured at all. Indeed, Turton claims (in a note at the end of the book) that 'this is historical fiction where the history is the fiction', but it all felt right to me and I was happy to be carried along in the wake of the compelling plot while admiring the history along the way! In fact, it has made me want to read more about the East India Company and this time period, so I've since bought 'The Anarchy: The Relentless Rise of the East India Company' by William Dalrymple which I hope will enlighten me further.

I think it needs to be said that this is a very dark book - the clue is in the title! It probably isn't for the faint at heart as there are murders, fights, gruesome injuries, tales of abuse and lashings administered on the ship. When a story opens with a dying leper, you know there's more horrific things to come! Still, none of the violence ever felt gratuitous and it added to the authenticity of the danger of the high seas.

It's really hard to say more about the plot without giving spoilers, which I absolutely don't want to do. Let's just say that the twists and turns are there, everything is cleverly plotted and the final resolution is satisfying. Given that I didn't know if I was reading a historical crime novel or a supernatural mystery, it's safe to say I had no clue where everything would end up. However, there is lots to keep any reader occupied and I raced through the pages looking for clues.

I'd recommend this highly to anyone who enjoys any of the following: locked room mysteries, historical fiction, strong female leads, supernatural creepiness, claustrophobic thrillers, a nautical slant to proceedings... there really is something for everyone and an awful lot of ground covered. As a seasoned reader of mysteries, I thought there was little left that could genuinely surprise me, but Stuart Turton has proved me wrong. Bravo!

As well as my lovely hardback copy of this book from 'Forbidden Planet' (there's even a map of the ship - I was sold on that alone, to be honest!), I received a free e-copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

There's so much expectation behind this one after the roaring success of Seven Deaths, and DATDW is a very different, but equally as cleverly constructed tale. An immense ensemble cast, a story that taps into some base level of supernatural dread, and almost a locked room mystery feel to it within the confines of the ship. Experty told y an author at the top of his game.

I really enjoyed this book and read it in only a couple of sessions. The characters were well written and I kept reading as I needed to know what happened to them all. The period and the conditions on board were described well and evocatively.

Turton is clever – a clever writer with a clever premise and a clever plot. The detail in this book is breathtaking, and the plotting is exquisite. It begins in a port town in Batavia (the Dutch East Indies – this is set in around the 1630s). A ship, The Saardaam, is due to sail back to Amsterdam, carrying the usual commercial cargo, and the Governer General of Batavia and his family. There are other passengers, including a predikant, or priest, and noble families, along with the crew.

Even before they board the ship, a leper pronounces a curse upon the ship, before bursting into flames. Once aboard the ship, talk rises of a demon called ‘Old Tom’ who can possess people. In a time of witchcraft and devilry, strange happenings are attributed to Old Tom, and fear sweeps the ship.
Various people die, the animals are slaughtered, and there seems to be an eighth ship lit up at night, even though the company only set out with seven…

The characters were wonderfully multi-layered. I felt like I already knew them and this was part of a series, even though it isn’t. There were various alludes to previous encounters or adventures which rounded the characters. Turton’s wordplay is masterful and the characters are just there. They appear on the page, fully formed. That is the skill and craft of a writer, so that we know these people through the story.
I felt as if I was on the ship itself, going up and down on the waves, as the story bobbed up and down with who I thought was involved and why. I did guess who ended up being the main antagonist, but that’s because I read 100 crime fiction books per year and consider everyone!

Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable.