Book set on a ship – The Devil and the Dark Water

Submitted: 3rd October 2020

Stu Turton’s journey on the high seas

Book set on a ship – The Devil and the Dark Water – There’s a treat in store for historical fiction fans. This is a gothic, rollicking read set on the high seas. So much to love – it’s more like a tapestry than a novel with the intricate setting, sounds of the waves, the motion of the ship and the dark shadows on board….

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A right rollicking read set on the high seas!

Stu Turton is a great writer and the story here is full of surprises and something happening in the shadowy corners. The atmosphere is full of foreshadowing and fear, chilling whispers down your neck and the thrill of a mystery to boot.

It’s mostly set on an East Indian merchant ship travelling from Jakarta (Bavaria at the time) to Amsterdam. There’s a cast of characters on board and not all of them…well, human. With a taste of Sherlock and Holmes, there’s also a detective called Sammy Pipps and his loyal bodyguard, Lieutenant Arent Hayes, who are transporting a prisoner onboard.

The setting of the ship – the bowels of the ship on the high seas – life on the Saardam is fascinating. I’m pleased I wasn’t actually on board though! The richness and attention to detail is quite something. There’s aspects of the Shakespearean tragedy and comedy here, and a bit of Sherlock and Holmes too, characters who may well have left the set of The Greatest Showman and The Three Musketeers to name but a few.

This is a novel to sink into and discover what is really going on as you read. A duvet of a novel – sit back and wrap yourself up in a very immersive novel where you can lose yourself in quite easily.