Reviewed by Craig Sisterson
A murder on the high seas. A 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.
Three years ago British author Stuart Turton announced his arrival on the crime scene with THE SEVEN DEATHS OF EVELYN HARDCASTLE, an astonishing debut that was a sort of cross-breed of Agatha Christie-style country house murder mystery and Groundhog Day, salted with Quantum Leap.
It was a mind-bending, genre-blending tale; intricate, engaging, and utterly fresh. So, what next?
Turton’s second novel is another witches’ brew.
THE DEVIL AND THE DARK WATER is a concoction of varied elements, including several that aren't commonly used in mystery fiction. Genre-blending if you will, while still being an historical mystery at its heart. It is 1634 and Samuel Pipps, the world’s greatest detective, is sailing to Europe from a Dutch colony in Southeast Asia. But not by choice.
He’s manacled, a prisoner facing trial and execution.
Devilry is afoot; even before they set sail a tongue-less leper shouted a warning on the docks before bursting into flame. At sea strange symbols appear and a voice in the darkness promises unholy miracles to the passengers. Can Pipps’ loyal bodyguard Arent Hayes uncover what is happening while also finding a way to save his friend? What part will noblewoman Sara Wessel, the abused wife of the Governor-General, play? Is everyone on board marked for death, not just Pipps?
Turton does a superb job taking readers into a vivid world of seventeenth century seafaring, from the claustrophobic conditions and imminent dangers to the superstitions and folklore so entwined with life on the oceans. There’s a vibrant and deep cast of characters, far beyond the leads, and action aplenty once things really get going. We're pulled in all sorts of directions as the pages melt by.
I really warmed up to THE DEVIL AND THE DARK WATER as I read more and more. Overall it's terrific read; sparkling in its intricacy and cleverness while never failing to be hugely entertaining.
Craig Sisterson is a lawyer turned features writer from New Zealand, now living in London. In recent years he’s interviewed hundreds of crime writers and talked about the genre on national radio, top podcasts, and onstage at books festivals on three continents. He has been a judge of the Ned Kelly Awards and the McIlvanney Prize, and is founder of the Ngaio Marsh Awards and co-founder of Rotorua Noir. His first non-fiction book, SOUTHERN CROSS CRIME, was published in 2020. You can heckle him on Twitter.
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