The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton

 

 

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery, Historical Mystery
Content: Strong language, Not sure what else since I didn't finish it.

 

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. 

 

I've tried twice to get into this book, and having loved The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle I really, really wanted to love this one too. Unfortunately I just am not enjoying it, and it's nothing at all like The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. I wasn't really expecting it to be much like it, but this one just has a completely different feel that I don't care for, so it's going on the abandoned book pile.

Also I need to mention that I've read other reviews of this book and--apart from the little bit I noticed myself--apparently there are some glaring historical inaccuracies in it, and yes it's fiction and a mystery, but it's set in the real world so I feel like that matters.