Stuart Turton's "The Devil and the Dark Water" is a perfect storm for audiobook lovers who crave historical mysteries. Set on a ship shrouded in fog, the story unfolds as a complex puzzle, keeping you guessing until the very end. Fans of Turton's mind-bending work, like "The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle," won't be disappointed. Narrator James Cameron Stewart adds another layer of brilliance with his engaging performance, ensuring you're hooked on every twist and turn. While the audiobook clocks in at over 17 hours, it's a captivating journey perfect for those who love to get lost in a good story. So, if you're looking for a thrilling historical mystery with superb narration, then "The Devil and the Dark Water" audiobook is a must-listen.

"The Devil and the Dark Water" by Stuart Turton is a masterfully crafted novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. Set in the 17th century on a ship sailing from the Dutch East Indies to Amsterdam, the story is filled with mystery, intrigue, and a touch of the supernatural.

The central character, Samuel Pipps, is a detective who is being transported to Amsterdam to face trial for a crime he claims he did not commit. But as the ship sets sail, a series of strange events begin to unfold, including a murder that seems to have been committed by a demon called Old Tom. As Pipps and his companion, Arent Hayes, work to solve the mystery, they must also contend with a group of suspicious passengers and crew members who may have their own secrets to hide.

Turton's writing is gripping and atmospheric, transporting the reader to the claustrophobic confines of the ship and creating a sense of unease that only grows as the plot thickens. With its clever twists and turns, "The Devil and the Dark Water" is a must-read for fans of historical fiction, mystery, and horror

Whilst sorting through my Netgalley, I realised I hadn’t submitted my review despite having listened to this t the time! I can only apologise because I absolutely loved this book, a detective duo with a great dynamic and a murder mystery at sea makes for a great combination. I also really enjoyed the narration and have to say this narrator is one of my favourites to listen to.

Thank you for the opportunity and again I’m sorry it took so long to review!

absolutely loved this novel and the audiobook was superb!
Definitely looking forward to more by Stu Turton

I thought the narration was brilliant but unfortunately I just wasn’t invested in the mystery and found it a struggle to finish

I loved the atmosphere this book created, I really felt what that ship was like, how creepy it was and the characters were fantastic. However I found it so difficult to follow for a good third of the book I struggled to keep the story and characters straight in my mind. Great narrator.

What started off as an intriguing and exciting story of adventure became, in the end, something I was desperate to have concluded. By the time the reader starts to get answers, it's difficult to care what those answers are. To me, the answers were contrived and there was no way at all the reader could have worked out what steps had created the conclusion. I don't mind a mystery I can't solve if there's a moment of realisation that something obvious had been over looked and tied up all the threads neatly. The Devil and the Dark Water seems to end on a note of "to be continued" but I won't be back for a second installment.

A really good mix of mystery, historical fiction, suspense and supernatural. I was kept guessing all the way through and would really recommend this genre bending novel.

<b>Real Rating: </b> 3.5

<b>Short review: </b> I read Stuart Turton’s debut novel, The 7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, in 2 days, it was refreshingly different, thrilling and entertaining and I was hoping for this to be similar. Which it was and it wasn’t.
Stuart is a talented storyteller, playing with timelines, with mysteries, with unreliable narrators and genre-bending elements, making this a very unique read.
This story had me hooked in by the mystery and, while I enjoyed the journey, the resolution left me wanting something different. The ending is definitely the weakest aspect.

<b>My advice: </b> arm yourself with patience and a notepad, there are a lot of names and details that connect all characters, keeping up might be a struggle. Also, it’s very slow!

<b>Long review, no spoilers: </b>
<b> Plot: </b>
Defining this book’s genre is a doozey – it’s not a pure period piece, it lacks the detail and accuracy, although it is clearly well-researched. It’s not really a thriller since it’s lengthy and keeping suspense up for 500 pages isn’t realistic. It’s sort of a detective story with a study of characters. It is a disquiet string of events. I wouldn’t call this unputdownable and captivating, more like intriguing and disturbing.

To summarise the plot, there’s a colourful array of characters travelling on a merchant ship (property of the ruthless East India Company), transporting goods and passengers from Batavia to Amsterdam.
Signs of a dark entity named Old Tom starts appearing on board and is twisting passengers’ minds, playing on their desires and fears. This tale is a riff off of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson, except this time Watson has to solve the case.

Samuel Pipps, a brilliant detective, is on board, but is imprisoned, so he cannot investigate, thus his bodyguard and capable partner, Arent Hays, is tasked with unravelling the mystery of Old Tom – is it a supernatural creature or a murderer preying on people’s superstitions? He is secretly assisted by Sara Wessen, a kind and clever woman, who is eager to be included in an attempt to pry a bit of freedom and adventure after being terrorised her whole life by her husband, the cruel Governor General Jan.

The story seems fairly simple, but intertwined within is the reveal of human nature, the analysis of confinement on the human psyche and unravelling of many secrets.
There are several mysteries on board: the potential devil, missing people, mysterious cargo, multiple murders.

Capitalistic greed is well-injected into every corner of the ship and the narrative, this is, after all, another tragedy, property of the East India Company.
There were some aspects which I considered to be missed opportunities – some well-deserved revenge, more normal / joyous moments to help contrast the depressing and fearful atmosphere. A better ending.

The disappointing denouement explaining every single mysterious event that happened in the book was particularly cringy and rendered the whole time I spent imagining how things were done a total waste.
The last few pages were, in my opinion, an absolute mockery. The twist came out of nowhere, the resolution a betrayal of our protagonist’ characters and their strong moral beliefs.

<b> Characters: </b>
This is a whodunit type of story so I can’t say too much about who’s who, I will comment however that there were too many random points of view added that should have been either more frequent or completely taken out.
Arent was the stereotypical giant, gruffy mercenary with a heart of gold. Sara the stubborn, prideful wife surviving in a terrible marriage, their budding friendship was heart-warming and sweet, albeit a bit awkward considering the horrific events on the ship.
The rest of the cast is not what it seems, through little flashbacks and stories all their connections are revealed and all are equally shocking.

<b> Writing style / prose: </b>
Turton’s storytelling is where this book truly shines. The writing is insightful, deep and subtle, but not overly obscure (nothing elitist or pompous here!). He masterfully blurs the lines of many genres creating one of his own, similar to how he manipulated his first novel. Characters complex psyches are slowly revealed and their inter-connections are twisted and unexpected.

Moments of empowerment and feminism were sprinkled throughout and it was carefully and tastefully done, in small moments of rebellion, little victories and forbidden relationships, and this was joyous to watch. Anything more and it would have tipped into the unbelievable.

I had issues with the pacing, for such a thick and complex book, the first half of the book took place over only 2 days, we blink and there is a massive time jump which felt jarring. It’s choppy and we go from snail-slow to hyper-explosive events randomly.

<b> Worldbuilding/ magic system: </b> Can’t comment on any magic, it may or may not exist (that’s the point!), but the story is almost exclusively taking place on a large merchant ship, The Saarlam, which was richly imagined and successfully induced a feeling of claustrophobia and built a disquiet, disturbing atmosphere.

The politics and conflicts, both on a small personal scale (Sara and her husband) and on a larger scale (sailors and musketeers, worshipers and sceptics) were richly depicted and sustained the air of tension and mistrust up to the very last page.

<b> Overall, </b> I’m sure this is a very polarizing read. I myself am not quite sure what to make of it. On the one hand, I did enjoy the story and the mysteries being unfolded, on the other, I didn’t appreciate the super slow choppy pacing and the disappointing ending.

I did not download the audiobook for this in time so it was archived before I got to it. Instead, I read a physical copy. So this review will not cover specifics about the audiobook.

This was SUCH an interesting read. First of all: I love the setting and everything about it. The 17th century is ‘my period of history’ i.e. the period of history I enjoy learning about the most in my history degree, the period of history my dissertation is based within, the period of history I LOVE finding in fiction... the list goes on. Secondly, I love that this doesn’t fit into one genre. It’s historical fiction but it’s also not because... well it’s pretty inaccurate in parts! But I don’t mind that, because it’s fiction. You can really tell as well that a lot of research has been done, despite the story not being entirely historically accurate, and that Turton really knew and understood his characters.

I would say that there was quite a large cast of characters and in the beginning it was quite easy to get them mixed up and forget who people were. But the list of key characters at the start of the book was really helpful for that. Also, the movement around the ship was kinda confusing for someone who doesn’t really know much about ships, buttt the map was useful for this again. I also much preferred the plot on the ship - no spoilers but the bit off the ship wasn’t as strong in my opinion and felt a little more confusing.

The mystery was so compelling and difficult to figure out so the twists and turns were always quite shocking. But nothing really ever HIT me, you know? I feel like if something really stood out to me it would have been a 5 star read but 4 stars is still brilliant and it was a fab reading experience. Would recommend!

A really good mystery thriller which I found enjoyable. The narrator (audio book)was excellent and kept my attention, all the characters came alive with the reading. The style of the book was different and I wouldn't know which category to put it in. A bit historical with supernatural mixed in. Excellent listening and I will look forward to reading or listening to more books from this author.

Mystery Thrillers are not typically my bag. I'm attempting to broaden my reading horizons and read from genres further out of my comfort zone, but Stuart Turton has previously been a success for me with The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, so this seemed a safe bet.

The novel actually has quite a lot of similarities to its predecessor, despite being entirely separate and not at all similar in terms of the world. But the story remains to be told in a closed environment, in the form of a ship this time instead of Hardcastle's Manor home, and has multiple characters potentially responsible for a murder. On top of this there is an additional potential supernatural component, as there was with Hardcastle. I guess if the formula works, why change it?

And it does work here. The book grips you from the first pages, as a strange figure looms on the ship and the clues begin to build as to who killed them. It is impossible not to one to pursue the murder yourself, quite frankly. But as with Hardcastle, the flaws remain the same too. The Devil and the Dark Water has a relatively disappointing ending, a host of characters who I struggled to truly connect with and quite a slow pace. None of these things sink the ship, so to speak, but the overall feeling when you finish is somewhat bittersweet.

Nevertheless, I think Stuart Turton is genuinely a rare talent with an exceptional mind for imagination and a unique ability to weave a story almost backwards so as to keep you guessing. I think he's exceptional. I'm just not always excited in the way I think his stories truly deserve.

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.

The narrator of the audiobook was superb and the netgalley app worked well for me.

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

Dark and twisted, this book will keep you gripped from the first page to the last.

An interesting story of dekons, murders and some likeable yet realistic protagonists, this story is clever my and fluently written

This is the case of It's me, not the book.
I've listened to the audiobook narrated by Julian Rhin-Tutt who has a charismatic voice which was a delight to listen to.

The issue i had was that the book has a large number of characters and I found it a bit challenging to keep up with who is who when listening. I ended up rereading chapters on my kindle to get the story straight.

I enjoyed this! I found it an intriguing and engaging mystery, with a really interesting set of characters. It's certainly not a cosy mystery, but it's not too dark either and for me the balance was just right. I really enjoyed the setting on a ship as it makes it a closed circle mystery - but even so I only managed to guess at bits of the ending and the twist at the end I really did not see coming.
A lot rests on the ending of a book for me (especially when there's a mystery) and in this case it worked for me. It did feel perhaps a little rushed given the relatively slow pace of the rest of the book, and I do think that some people would not like how it ended, but overall for me it was good.
The only other criticism I have is that I found the characters a little difficult to keep track of as there were a lot of people with similar ish sounding Dutch names, but this might well have been partly due to listening to the audiobook instead of reading a physical copy, and I did manage to mostly follow the plot.
Overall an enjoyable read, and I would recommend to fans of historical mystery.

First I would like to preface that I had already started reading the Hardcover copy when I was accepted for the audioARC via Netgally in mid December (2 months after initial release). so I did skip the initial portions of the Audiobook and listened to the remaining as I read along with my purchase copy. To the quality of the audio version I would say the Narrator is excellent and really put voice to the characters and the story. I enjoyed the experience of listening along while reading as it meant I could continue to read even when my eyes began to tire.

The story itself I have mixed feelings about I both loved it and was so thoroughly disappointed in the ending that it made me somewhat disappointed in the book itself. Like the previous novel from Stuart Turton (The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle) the world building was beyond atmospheric and was almost engulfing. It was a really interesting choice of setting, a Dutch merchant ship in the middle of a perilous journey, which Turton made eerie and almost sinister at times that really played into the hints towards the supernatural even more present.

I enjoyed the characters also. They both fulfilled there rolls within a classic great detective story with Pipps being the almost Holmes like hero, Arnt his dedicated and diligent companion and Sara the intelligent woman that can’t rise above the constraints of her sex, as well as twisting and shattering these tropes. They combined with the ensemble cast make for such engaging characters, painting the outline of this world in there own way and adding even more to the atmosphere. This leads to a plot filled with twists and turns, mystery and second guessing. It is filled with Red Herrings that will have you pondering what the actual explanation could be.

This brings me to my point of contention. That after all this phenominal world building, story telling, building us up to the big reveal, there is a harsh switch and then an ending that feels very rushed and unexplained. I was lucky to have the audio at this stage as it also has an interview with Turton that explains he re-wrote the ending many times, not sure on quite how to end it and it shows! It just seems to just fall flat after all the beauty and construction of the story before it.

I still adore Turton’s writing, his ability to world build, to create mystery and drama are second to none. The ending just didn’t live up to the promise of the rest of the story. He is able to so clearly portray the tone and setting of the time period he has chosen to set his works in and it makes them beautiful to read. I will continue to read his works with eagerness.

I thoroughly enjoyed this Sherlock inspired mystery! A dark yet gripping take on crimes most famous character. When Samuel Pipps, a famous detective is arrested and taken prisoner on a ship headed to Amsterdam, his loyal bodyguard Arent Hayes is determined to save his friend. But then bodies start to drop, and a demon called Old Tom is blamed. Tensions rise on the ship and Old Tom sow’s chaos as Arent must solve this mystery without the help of his clever friend.

The Devil and the Dark Water features a great cast of characters all trapped on a ship that quickly descends into horror. It was deliciously creepy, and I loved the blend of horror and mystery elements. I would eagerly anticipate any sequel with these same characters, and I would love to read their next adventure. However, I did feel that the length of the book made the pace suffer.

I listen to the audiobook and I loved the narrator, Juluan Rhind-Tutt. He did an excellent job with the narration and it was a delight to listen to him. My only issue is that the audiobook was a lot quieter than any other audiobook I’ve listened too. It was sometimes a struggle to hear it at the highest volume even in quite settings. I had to use a volume amplifier on my phone for most of it.
Thanks to Bloomsbury for giving me a free audio proof in exchange for an honest review.

Set in 1634, a convoy of ships are about to set sail from Batavia, in the Dutch East Indies, to Amsterdam. Heading the voyage is the ruthless Governor General, Jan Haan, a man poised to join the Gentlemen 17 who wield power throughout the vast region.

Samuel Pipps, this world's greatest detective, is on board as a prisoner, accompanied by his friend and bodyguard, Arent Hayes, who is determined to prove his Pipps’s innocence. If Pipps is Turton’s answer to Holmes, Hayes is a Watson reimagined in the body of a Hercules.

Before the ship even sets sail an horrific incident takes place on the shore, with the brutal death of a leper, an injured, tongueless man who yet somehow shouts a curse.


No sooner has the ship set sail than strange symbol appears on the sail, one with which Arent is already familiar - the mark of Old Tom. Could a devil be responsible for the terrible occurrences or is there a more human hand at work on board.

With Pipps imprisoned in a locked, dark room, Arent is charged with solving the mystery and saving his friend and the passengers and crew. But his past is catching up with him.

This is a rollicking good mystery with lots of red herrings and dead ends to satisfy all those who like to guess the way the story is heading. There are also lots of great characters and lots to keep you both interested and guessing.

I did dock one star because I felt a bit frustrated by the ending. After such a long journey with these characters this was not the most satisfying way in which to leave them. That is always going to be a personal response though and certainly shouldn’t put people off reading this.

I listened to this as an audiobook, narrated by Julian Rind-Tut. I loved his delivery and thought that it Complemented the story perfectly.

With Grateful thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury UK audio for an ARC of this novel

I both listened to and read this book, and wow! Though I loved Evelyn Hardcastle a little bit more, I am dumbfounded by the author’s skill as a writer, how well he plots his books, and how he manages to keep the reader guessing until the very end without using conjuring tricks.

My one gripe was that it perhaps was a tad too long, as I found myself losing interest halfway through when there were so many lines of possibilities, so many mysteries to solve. The ending did satisfy me completely though

Julian Rhind-Tutt is my favourite narrator from having listened to his Poirot narrations, and he suited this book perfectly. He did an maxing job with the Dutch names. I am glad I also bought a copy of the book as the characters were hard to keep track of and I had to use the list of characters often.

Highly recommended for lovers of a complicated suspense read with real heart.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me the audio book in exchange for an honest review.