In 'The Devil and the Dark Water' by Stuart Turton, set in the 17th century, the story follows Samuel Pipps, a renowned detective, and his loyal bodyguard Arent Hayes, as they embark on a perilous journey to Amsterdam. Strange occurrences plague their ship, including mysterious symbols, deaths, and whispers of unholy miracles. As the plot unfolds, secrets from the past resurface, creating a suspenseful and eerie atmosphere that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Turton weaves together elements of mystery, adventure, and the supernatural, delivering a complex and gripping tale filled with twists and surprises.
The narrative is rich in historical details, portraying life aboard a merchant vessel and the superstitions of the 17th century with vivid imagery. The characters, ranging from strong-willed women to clever detectives, add depth to the story, while the intricate plot keeps readers engaged till the end. Turton's writing style blends elements of locked room mystery, Sherlock Holmes homage, and swashbuckling sea adventure, creating a unique and immersive reading experience that transports readers to a world of intrigue and suspense.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings can include themes of death, violence, and colonial exploitation which may be distressing to some readers.
From The Publisher:
CHOSEN AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE GUARDIAN, SUNDAY TIMES, DAILY MAIL, FINANCIAL TIMES, DAILY EXPRESS AND i PAPER
'A superb historical mystery: inventive, twisty, addictive and utterly beguiling... A TRIUMPH' Will Dean
'If you read one book this year, make sure it's this one' Daily Mail
It's 1634 and Samuel Pipps, the world's greatest detective, is being transported from the Dutch East Indies to Amsterdam, where he is set to face trial for a crime that no one dares speak of.
But no sooner is the ship out to sea than devilry begins to blight the voyage. Strange symbols appear on the sails. A figure stalks the decks. Livestock are slaughtered. Passengers are plagued with ominous threats, promising them three unholy miracles. First: an impossible pursuit. Second: an impossible theft.
Then: an impossible murder.
With Pipps imprisoned in the depths of the ship, can his loyal bodyguard, Arent Hayes solve the mystery before the ship descends into anarchy?
A beguiling historical mystery from the award-winning author of the dazzling The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.
'Wildly inventive, Turton's tale defies definition as either historical fiction or crime novel, but provides all the pleasures of both genres and more. No novel this year was more fun to read' Sunday Times
'A glorious mash-up of William Golding and Arthur Conan Doyle' Val McDermid
'A locked room murder mystery... by way of Treasure Island' Guardian
SELECTED FOR THE BBC TWO BOOK CLUB BETWEEN THE COVERS AND THE RADIO 2 JO WHILEY BOOK CLUB
SHORTLISTED FOR THE GOLDSBORO BOOKS GLASS BELL AWARD
SHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA IAN FLEMING STEEL DAGGER AWARD
Ratings (36)
Incredible (1) | |
Loved It (11) | |
Liked It (11) | |
It Was OK (7) | |
Did Not Like (6) |
Reader Stats (133):
Read It (39) | |
Currently Reading (2) | |
Want To Read (68) | |
Not Interested (24) |
4 comment(s)
Even tough I gave his first book 3.5 halv stars I don't remember it fondly and maybe I shouldn't have picked this book up. But I couldn't decide what to listen to so I decided to start this. Mehhhh.... This wasn't for me, like the premise sounded good but I just couldn't get into the book. Wasn't anything memorable for me.
Historical fiction at its best.
A fascinating and complex story in which not everything is what it seems.
Turton does what he does best. He tells a complicated and intricate story from the perspective of many different characters, each of whom is equally fascinating and each has some ulterior motives that drive them. And just as I usually don't like a lot of POVs in my books, Turton is able to convince me that this is a great solution if used skillfully in this type of story. Maybe because his characters really are all so fascinating. Gradually, we discover their next layers and hidden motives.
With this author, it's never just one crime or mystery. There's always something more going on in the background or on the side, and it's only towards the end that we find out whether it was part of the main plan, some deviation from it, or maybe just a situation completely unrelated to the main plot. This is incredibly fun.
In addition, we get the main plot bordering on the paranormal or fantasy. And all the time while reading, we ask ourselves, is there really something supernatural going on on the ship, or is it just human scheming? Although, as the author aptly points out at one point, it doesn't really matter, because evil is evil in all its forms. Which makes the whole book really captivating.
Of course, it's hard to avoid comparisons to the author's other book, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. I liked The Seven Deaths better, but only in this comparison The Devil and the Dark Water falls short. Compared to every other mystery novel, this book is really great. I love complex and intricate stories like this. I can't wait to see what else the author can come up with.
Suuuuper boring. DNF at 44%
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The Devil and the Dark Water?
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