Author: Stuart Turton
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Year of release: 2020
Genre: Historical Fiction, Adventure Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Fantasy
Release Date: 1st October 2020
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Trigger Warning Livestock is slaughtered, domestic violence is addressed
Synopsis
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 to Amsterdam to be executed 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.
But no sooner are they out to sea than devilry begins to blight the voyage. A twice-dead leper stalks the decks. Strange symbols appear on the sails. Livestock is slaughtered.
And then three passengers are marked for death, including Samuel.
Could a demon be responsible for their misfortunes?
With Pipps imprisoned, only Arent can solve a mystery that connects every passenger onboard. A mystery that stretches back into their past and now threatens to sink the ship, killing everybody on board.
Review
The year 1734 and the greatest detective the world has seen is set to board a ship bound for Amsterdam, Samuel Pipps is due there to face an execution, his own for a crime he may or not have committed. Samuel Pipps doesn’t travel alone he travels with his long-time friend and attendant Arent Hayes whom during their time on the high seas plans to prove his friend innocent, innocent of what both he and Pipps aren’t sure.
The morning to depart Batavia and board the ship has arrived whilst the Saardam is accepting passengers and their belongings on board there’s an incident, that will require further investigation not long in the journey. The ship and its passengers begin to experience and witness strange events that threaten to ruin the Saardam’s safe return passage to Amsterdam.
Can Arent Hayes prove his dear friends’ innocence as well as keep the Saardam and her passengers safe before time runs out?
A book that takes place on the high seas during the 17th century that promises mystery with a Sherlock and Watson duo at the helm, what’s not to get excited about?
I was immediately emersed into The Devil and the Dark Water the promise of mystery delivers right from the get-go, this reader is always happy to have a descriptive read at her fingertips and author Stuart Turton has delivered.
Thanks to his skilful writing life aboard the Saardam comes to life. I was impressed how women were depicted within these pages, they made for excellent minor characters. I really enjoyed the mystery elements of this book I didn’t see the reveal coming and for that I love this book more. I will say there were times when the long list of characters and their role within the story did become confusing at different times but Turton does make the effort to refresh the readers memories throughout.
“That’s the problem with summoning demons, you see. Sooner or later somebody else raises them against you.”
Stuart Turton- The Devil and the dark water
I’m not usually sold on the Fantasy genre but the elements in this story were what kept me turning the pages. I’ve not read anything like this, the plotline was original because of this it has me eager to read Turton’s first offering The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and soon.
Having just finished this read I find myself hoping The Devil and the Dark Water will become a series or even a sequel I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.
With continued thanks to Bloomsbury Publisher for sending a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.