The Devil and the Dark Water

Set on a treacherous sea voyage in 1634, this impossible crime is cloaked by an atmospheric setting. Is a demon hiding on the ship—or is there a very real killer stalking victims in the claustrophobic setting? This was unlike any locked-room mystery I’d ever read, and it was impossible not to get swept up in the adventure on the high seas. With detective Samuel Pipps accused of a crime and imprisoned in cramped quarters on the ship, it’s up to his bodyguard to act on his behalf and prove a human hand—not a demon—is responsible for the murder and mayhem… show more.

My favorite modern mysteries bring new elements to the genre, and Stuart Turton’s debut, The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, was an eye-opener, mixing a time-loop SF concept with a classic murder mystery. The Devil and the Dark Water appears less startling at first, but, as they say, still waters run deep... In 1634, the ‘world’s greatest detective’ is being transported by boat to Amsterdam to be executed. Given that he’s under lock and key, how can he solve the terrifying and impossible series of crimes that occur during the voyage? Finding out is a hell of a journey… show more.