I knew that this book would be so entirely my thing that I pre-ordered myself a gorgeous hardback copy because I couldn’t wait to see whether the NetGalley elves would be kind enough to grant me an ARC!
I loved Turton’s previous book, ‘The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle’, and was awaiting this one eagerly.
And I was right. It is so entirely my thing!
The story is set in 1634 on board a ship sailing from Batavia (in the Dutch East Indies) to Amsterdam. On board the Saardam, one of a fleet of seven ships sailing together, are an odd group of shipmates, including the governor general and his family, his mistress, a famed detective and his bodyguard, There’s also a whole host of unpredictable and bloodthirsty crew members, some musketeers and a mysterious cargo consigned to be watched over at all hours.
A horrific incident at the docks before boarding has rattled them all and introduced the idea of Old Tom, a demon under whose malign influence the Saardam is predicted to fall. When things on board the ship start to go wrong – often in disturbing and horrific ways – the ship seems doomed and all lives in danger.
With the celebrated detective locked in a holding cell for a crime he may have committed, it falls to two unlikely passengers on the ship to unravel the dark events that threaten the voyage.
I loved this book from the beginning when we are first introduced to Arent Hayes (bodyguard) and his master, Sammy Phipps – the celebrated detective who has more than a shadow of Sherlock Holmes about him. Powers of deduction? Tick. Widespread renown due to his sidekick’s reporting of his exploits? Tick. Slightly hedonistic tendencies when bored? Tick. It is fair to say, I was bought into this from the start!
When Sammy is confined to the cell, Arent becomes the main focus for the story and he is an interesting character in himself. Out of the shadow of his famous master, we see a man struggling to have the courage of his own convictions. He is someone who is more known for brawn than brain, although this seems unfair as the novel progresses and Arent is forced to use his intelligence as well as his strength. He is a realistic character with a shady past and I found myself really wanting him to prove himself.
Aside from Arent, what I loved about this book were the strong female characters. Sara Wessel, wife of the governor general of Batavia, is the main one who comes to the fore and she is a formidable woman, albeit one with contradictions. On the one hand, she is a clever, spirited woman with a talent for healing, but she is also subject to a domineering and violent husband and living in what essentially is a gilded cage. She makes a brilliant heroine because she is both so good and yet so plagued with her own problems too.
The setting of this book was also part of its considerable appeal for me. Although I can’t claim to know much about the East India Company and the technical details of the Indiaman ships, it felt authentic – the historical research was lightly worn and never felt laboured at all. Indeed, Turton claims (in a note at the end of the book) that ‘this is historical fiction where the history is the fiction’, but it all felt right to me and I was happy to be carried along in the wake of the compelling plot while admiring the history along the way! In fact, it has made me want to read more about the East India Company and this time period, so I’ve since bought ‘The Anarchy: The Relentless Rise of the East India Company’ by William Dalrymple which I hope will enlighten me further.
I think it needs to be said that ‘The Devil and the Dark Water’ is a very dark book – the clue is in the title! It probably isn’t for the faint at heart as there are murders, fights, gruesome injuries, tales of abuse and lashings administered on the ship. When a story opens with a dying leper, you know there’s more horrific things to come! Still, none of the violence ever felt gratuitous and it added to the authenticity of the danger of the high seas.
It’s really hard to say more about the plot without giving spoilers, which I absolutely don’t want to do. Let’s just say that the twists and turns are there, everything is cleverly plotted and the final resolution is satisfying. Given that I didn’t know if I was reading a historical crime novel or a supernatural mystery, it’s safe to say I had no clue where everything would end up. However, there is lots to keep any reader occupied and I raced through the pages looking for clues.
I’d recommend this highly to anyone who enjoys locked room mysteries, historical fiction, strong female leads, supernatural creepiness, claustrophobic thrillers, a nautical slant to proceedings… there really is something for everyone and an awful lot of ground covered.
As a seasoned reader of mysteries, I thought there was little left that could genuinely surprise me, but Stuart Turton has proved me wrong. Bravo!
As well as my lovely hardback copy of this book from ‘Forbidden Planet’ (there’s even a map of the ship – I was sold on that alone, to be honest!), I received a free e-copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If you’d like your own copy of this excellent, dark mystery, please use my affiliate link below – I earn a small commission on any purchases at no additional cost to you.
And in case you’re interested in the East India Company further (like I was), here’s a link to ‘The Anarchy’ as mentioned in my review. This one was shortlisted for the non-fiction award by the rather marvellous Historical Writers’ Association and they know their history!