In the shadowy depths of the 17th century, where the sea holds as many secrets as it does dangers, "The Devil and the Dark Water" unfolds with the suspense of a dark wave poised to crash. Stuart Turton invites readers aboard a doom-laden ship, where the greatest detective of the age, Samuel Pipps, finds himself in chains, bound for execution in Amsterdam for a crime shrouded in mystery. With him is Arent Hayes, his devoted bodyguard, whose loyalty is as unshakeable as his determination to prove Pipps' innocence. But as the ship sets sail, a series of ominous events suggests that a malevolent force is at play, turning their journey into a nightmare from which there might be no awakening. Murder and mayhem engulf the vessel as a leper, presumed dead, haunts the decks; cryptic symbols emerge, taunting the crew and passengers alike; and death marks its victims in a gruesome countdown to an unknown doom. With Pipps trapped behind bars, the task of unraveling a conspiracy that ties every soul aboard to a sinister past falls upon Hayes. Turton masterfully weaves a tale of intrigue and suspense, blending historical richness with the thrill of a psychological mystery. In "The Devil and the Dark Water," one must decide what is more treacherous: the dark waters that span the globe, or the darkness that lurks within the human heart.