Nilufer Ozmekik's Reviews > The Devil and the Dark Water

Ship ahoy! Prepare yourself to have a dangerous intercontinental trip to Europe and feel the vibes of Pirates of Caribbean meets Murder in the Orient Express vibes embellished with supernatural/paranormal elements.

Bring out your pop corns and refreshments because this is going to be unputdownable, addictive, action packed, dazzling, mysterious, twisty experiment and stock your adult diapers because during your read you want to cut your restroom breaks and be fully concentrated on the story, flipping pages. ( I bribed my husband to put a slice of pizza on my mouth and move my mouth up and down to help me chew so I wouldn’t get starved when I focused on this incredibly exciting story! Good thing he accepted my pay in Belgium chocolates!)

Tatatataaaa! The year is 1634 (when I write this review I can hear the voice over of Morgan Freeman in my head which improves my encouragement), an East Indian Company ship named “Saardam” is about to set sail and the passengers slowly arrive to board into the ship including a special passenger- a very famous detective Samuel Pipps: arrested and sent to Amsterdam for his trial accompanied by his devoted best friend& protector Arent Hayes whose only intention is proving Pipps’ innocence to the authorities.

Don’t worry: Pipps doesn’t make stand on the railing of the ship, grabbing Hayes’ arms as he extends them out. There is no line in the book like: “I’m flying” and we don’t hear “My heart will go on” in the background. So their journey seemed a routine and necessary trip till a leper without tongue appears from nowhere, shouting at them: “they’re all gonna die and there is a devil in this ship coming after them” before put himself into the fire. Yes, I called it: that’s how you make a great entrance!

The governor general of Batavia is also on board. Arent asks for his wife Sara for the help after the unexpected and shocking dead of leper. But as we’re introduced with his abuser, arrogant, dangerous husband we realize Sara cannot get his support to solve the mystery. And the leper’s premonition comes true, already three deaths are marked by the devil and it seems like he has no intention to stop. But I’m stopping here because giving any more details may ruin the big twists (they keep coming and you need to sit tight not to collapse after the head spinning, fast paced, intense, action packed, terrifying chapters.)

I have to admit: I enjoyed “7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” even it burned each grey cells of mine and for one month I could only watch “Kardashians” and “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” because these were the only shows can be watched if you feel like lackwit with a brain cannot function properly.

But this book was way too much better than the first one: it was smart, entertaining, surprising, gripping, adventurous and remarkable. So if I could give five and half stars or six solid stars to that book, I would give it without thinking a second.

This is best fast paced, twisty, exhilarating historical fiction I’ve read this year and I’m so pleased to recommend it to its genre lovers.

Special thanks to NetGalley and dear Cristiana Arreola for sharing the ARC’s widget with me in exchange my honest review. I truly enjoyed it!