The Devil and the Dark Water: A Novel

New from the bestselling author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle! Take Stephen King horror, a Sherlock Holmes-esque detective, and add a dash of Pirates of the Caribbean for an utterly unique murder mystery on the high seas.Samuel Pipps is the greatest detective of his day . . . but now he’s a prisoner, accused of an unknown crime by one of the world’s most powerful men. Along with his faithful sidekick, Arent Hayes, he’s sailing back to Amsterdam from the East Indies, where he’ll stand trial. But no sooner are they out to sea than devilry begins to blight the voyage. Still shackled in his cell, Pipps sends Hayes to solve a mystery that connects every passenger on board. All hope is pinned on Hayes solving the mystery, but when he goes missing, Pipps is faced with the most dangerous puzzle of his career. All the while, voices whisper to him in the dark. But are those whispers clues? Warnings? Or the devil himself?The Devil and the Dark Water has been optioned for television, and Turton's debut novel, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, is being adapted as a seven-part series for Netflix.

Ali Land, author of Good Me, Bad Me

"The Devil and the Dark Water is mind-bending, genre-bending, intricate, vivid, intelligent, and with one of the most gloriously grizzly cast of characters ever. An absolute razztwizzler of a novel."

Publishers Weekly

“With his ingenious explanations for all the strange goings-on, Turton shows he’s the modern master of the classic impossible crime mystery.”

Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“As Turton ratchets up the tension en route to the brilliant resolution of the plot, he keeps readers in doubt as to whether a rational explanation is possible. Fans of impossible crime fiction won’t want to miss this one.”

New York Times

“‘The Devil and the Dark Water’ … is compulsively readable, slightly over the top and more interested in the mysteries of character and mise-en-scène than the rigors of plot.”

The Guardian

“A maritime mystery with fantastical overtones…”

Kirkus Reviews"One of the best historical mysteries in years . . ."

“A devilish sea saga that never runs out of cutthroat conspiracies.”

The Globe and Mail

“This is a fabulous tale told by a writer who knows his history and his suspense.”

BookPage

“The Devil and the Dark Water artfully combines intriguing characters, fascinating historical details and a seafaring labyrinth of twists and turns…”

EverythingZoomer

“Sure to delight history buffs, the workings of the Dutch East India Company and the twin forces of capitalism and colonialism are at the heart of this ingenious maritime caper.”

About the Author

STUART TURTON is a freelance journalist who lives in West London with his wife. Turton is not to be trusted—in the nicest possible way. He is the author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and The Devil and the Dark Water.

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