The Devil and the Dark Water

Stuart Turton’s sophomore novel was well worth the read. He takes us on an adventurous voyage aboard a 17th c. East Indiaman ship commissioned to travel from Batavia (now Jakarta) to Amsterdam. What besets the crew and the passengers is nothing short of devilry. Although the story is set in 1634 and evolved from some true events in 1629, this is not strictly historical fiction. The period naval vessel filled with rugged sailors, mercenary soldiers and a small number of nobility provides the setting for a gritty voyage in uncharted waters. There are ties back to Conan Doyle in that the mystery plays out in a Sherlockian pattern, but with the Watson character taking the lead role. The upstairs/downstairs design of the ship and the show more rascalian nature of the crew create many opportunities for twists and turns of the action and the plot. Some readers have suggested the book is unnecessarily long, but it held my interest throughout. I admire Turton’s writing style, his storycraft and his satirical sense of humor. The ending is morally controversial, but it comes after nearly 500 pages of moral gray areas. If you like your seafaring adventures sprinkled with the supernatural and a lot of locked room tropes, this will be in your wheelhouse. If, like me, you don’t identify with those descriptors, try it anyway. I did and was glad of it. show less

This book is set almost exclusively aboard a large cargo vessel sailing from Batavia (Dutch East Indies) to Amsterdam in 1634. The voyage is cursed and there is a growing belief among passengers and crew that at least one of their number is possessed by a demon intent on terrorising and killing them all. Is there really a demon aboard and, if so, who has it possessed? Or, is someone using the fear generated to advance their own agenda of violence?

Trying to resolve this mystery are Arent, a sort of John Watson to Samuel Phipps (a detective held prisoner on the ship being transported back to Amsterdam to face charges of spying) and Sara, wife to the Governor General of Batavia.

The mystery component to this book is excellent. Strange show more events appear to be inexplicable and suspicion falls on every character at some point or other. Tension is ratcheted up very nicely and we are never truly certain of whodunit until near the end. The post-denouement stinger is an excellent touch.

As the author freely admits, the story takes precedence over the history, so the milieu details are generally sketchy and, most noticeably, the language is plainly modern in tone and vocabulary. This did not, for me, detract from the story at all.

I found the ending slightly disturbing. Ends seem to justify means, especially if done with righteous intent. Should people who have done unspeakable things be allowed their own happy-ever-after?

Very highly recommended. show less

This is a cunning combination of detective novel, horror fiction, and high seas adventure, set in the 1600s. The baddies: the Dutch East India Company – as is so often the case in books of this era, right? The detectives: Samuel Pipps & Arent Hayes, the Holmes/Watson duo assigned the task of tracking down a potential saboteur before they manage to scuttle the ship that is transporting an East India Company VIP, his entourage, and a suspicious cargo from the profitable outpost of Batavia (Indonesia) back to Amsterdam. The complication? The saboteur may or may not be a demon by the name of Old Tom.

Most of this was a rousing read. The characters may be derivative (the preternaturally brilliant detective, the world-weary mercenary, the show more plucky female protagonist, the merry courtesan with a heart of gold, the brutal governor, the pompous businessman, the scheming chamberlain, the villainous boatswain), but they’re an engaging lot. The overlay of supernatural horror – devils’ marks carved in posts, creepy lepers that spontaneously combust, dark alters, ghost ships, impossible murders - is wonderfully done. And Turton has a rare gift for creating plots with a huge number of moving parts. Characters constantly fall under and then emerge from suspicion, clues are scattered as abundantly as leaves in winter, mysteries nest within mysteries, and throw-away details in one chapter cleverly reveal themselves to be critical clues a few chapters later.

Moreover, unlike some mysteries, where the puzzle occurs in the first chapters and the rest of the book is given over to decidedly less interesting investigation, Turton’s tales are propulsive things that get more puzzling and interesting as they go along. This is both a literary gift but also, as it turns out, a bit of a curse, because by the time you do get to the part where “everything is unveiled,” he’s created such a tangle of nested mysteries that the only way out is a denoument so complicated and unlikely as to strain credibility – by a lot. I had the same beef with Turton’s “7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” – the first 3/4th of the book hits as a breathless roller coaster ride, but the last 1/4th just hits as bumpy and jarring. And the bit at the end where the main characters resolve upon a future course of action? This definitely smacks of authorial manipulation, an unconvincing artifice intended to spare Turton the necessity of punishing characters he’s obviously grown fond of. Admit I would have liked to have seen what this novel might have become if Turton had taken this in a different direction: less detective story, more psychological exploration of the dynamics of fear, superstition, and mass hysteria. But what’s here still provides a rewarding read, even given the leggy bits at the end. show less

It’s 1634 and Governor General Jan Haan and his family are setting sail from Batavia (modern-day Jakarta, Indonesia) to Amsterdam, The Netherlands. On board their ship is a famous prisoner: Samuel Pipps, a legendary detective, or problemetary as he calls himself. Pipps has been accused of a crime for which the penalty is death. His sidekick/Watson, Arent Hayes, knows Pipps is innocent but is unable to convince the governor general of this fact.

The voyage seems to be cursed from the start: a dramatic doom-laden prophecy sees them off at Batavia, then there are dead men roaming the decks, ghost ships on the horizon, and devilish symbols appear without human intervention. Has the devil been unleashed on board? How many will die? Will show more they make it to Amsterdam alive?

I’ll preface my assessment by stressing to prospective readers that this is not going to be exactly like Evelyn Hardcastle. Evelyn was a brilliant, mind-bending book. It’s a tough act to follow, and I like the direction Turton has taken. The mystery is a sort of locked-room mystery, which fits the puzzley vibe of Evelyn, and the single timeline makes it a bit more straightforward. I liked Sara and Lia as characters, and the atmosphere was tense and the plot kept me turning the pages. The book itself is lovely too, a beautiful cover, and the trade paperback edition I had could even lie flat easily. I also very much enjoyed the author’s note and the conversation with the author at the end where he explains the writing process and what elements he’s changed and how he drew on history to write the story he did.

One element I also enjoyed was the reference to Pipps’s and Hayes’s previous cases, and the fact that you can imagine the characters living on after the story has ended. I like this room that has been given for Turton to dip back into this universe if he wants to—or for others to take up the fan fiction pen (especially those who have a crush on Hayes; Turton mentions them in his author’s note).

I’d recommend this if you like locked-room mysteries with elements of the supernatural, and if you liked Evelyn Hardcastle, with the warning that this is not going to be the same book as Evelyn. I’d even recommend it if you haven’t read Evelyn, because there is no time-jumping to contend with. (I love time-jumping myself, but it can be hard to keep track of sometimes.) show less

It is 1634 and the governor general of Batavia in the Dutch East Indies is sailing back to Amsterdam to take up a position among the Gentlemen 17, the group controlling the powerful Dutch East India Company. Among the passengers are his wife and daughter, and his mistress and her two sons, as well as Samuel Pipps, the world's greatest problematary, in chains as his prisoner, and Arent, the problematary's assistant and bodyguard. But the voyage is cursed, and mysterious and inexplicable events revolving around the demon Old Tom terrorise the passengers and crew. With Pipps incarcerated, will Arent be able to solve the mystery before they all become the demon's victims?

The story is set almost entirely aboard the Saardam, which not only show more provides the narrative with plenty of atmosphere and tension, but also turns it into a very clever locked-room mystery. For a large chunk of the novel I couldn't tell whether there really was a supernatural agency involved or whether it was all masterful trickery. The atmosphere and suspense certainly had me hooked for the vast majority of its 552 pages; sadly the ending doesn't quite live up to expectations and the book's earlier promise, but it's still one heck of a ride!

What will Stuart Turton come up with next? I can't wait to find out. show less

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. The Devil and the Dark water is the second book by Stuart Turton. I asked to read this book because I was curious as to whether he could top his first book, the 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, which I enjoyed immensely. The short answer is yes, he can. This story takes place in 1634 aboard the Saardam, an Indiamen galleon owned by the United East India Company travelling from Batavia to Amsterdam carrying a cargo of mace, pepper, spices, silks and treasure along with Governor General Jan Haan, his wife Sara Wessel, daughter Lia Jan, his mistress Creejie Jens and her sons, as well as prisoner Samuel Pipps a Sherlock Holmes type solver of mysteries and show more his bodyguard and assistant Arent Hayes. The voyage is cursed even before they leave port, and with Pipps imprisoned, Arent and Sara race to find Old Tom, the bodies pile up while devils stalk the ship, and we learn that the passengers and crew all have links that go back many years. As well the author pulls no punches when describing the heinousness perpetuated by colonization.
This was a story kept me guessing at its twists and turns and awake long into the night, pondering solutions to the mystery. I highly recommend this book. Publishing Date: October 6, 2020. #TheDevilAndTheDarkWater #StuartTurton #SourcebooksLandmark #MysteriesandThrillers #bookstagram #bookstagrammer show less

I would not survive on a ship at sea in 1634. This story felt so real that I barely survived reading it.

When I read Stuart Turton's first book last year, The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, I became an immediate and, perhaps, obsessed fan. I might've begun stalking both Turton and Sourcebooks on social media while I awaited another book. Then this one was announced, and I got my hands on an eARC, and I screeched happy sounds. Then I paused with trepidation because, you know, it's difficult to follow up on perfection.

No such worries here. I loved The Devil and the Dark Water, and I remain obsessed with Stuart Turton's writing. (Just his writing. I'm not dangerous. I swear!)

We're led into this story with a slow burn, immersing us in show more the atmosphere, allowing us to settle in, get to know the characters, and feel comfortable. Then, just when we get our footing on that ship's deck, the stormy waves hit us full force in the face.

In Samuel Pipps, we have a respectful nod to Sherlock Holmes. We also have a fascinating cast of characters, strong females, adventure, eerie suspense, a spattering of horror, and twists you won't see coming.

If you're looking for unique, immersive historical fiction that dangles you in the occult, this is it.

*I received a review copy from the publisher, via NetGalley.* show less