I read Turton’s debut novel, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, a short while before this book came out. So when a friend told me this was coming out, I knew I had to read it at some point. While Evelyn was a brilliant debut novel, I feel that Turton has really honed his skills in The Devil and the Dark Water. While not without its flaws, Devil really pushed me along its storyline—every time I ventured a guess, Turton was of course a step ahead. I even made notes on paper! I was very invested—sorry, term papers, I swear I’ll get to you and stop procrastinating this weekend.

The characters are well-developed and fleshed out, and I found myself suspecting all of them at one point or another. Such is the state of mind Turton puts you in. I don’t find myself reading mystery often, and Turton makes me regret that—but also, if I’m reading any mystery, I’m glad it’s him. (It makes me want to revisit Agatha Christie, whom I haven’t read since my youth.) People are complex, and Turton doesn’t shy away from that—each character has their own secret, their own vices and virtues. This means that the characters don’t fit easy tropes or roles, leaving the reader guessing their intentions until the very end.

There are some clunky writing moments, and minor plot holes that were not fully addressed. For example, spoilers: Who is the lady in grey that Crauwels sees at dinner? Why does Sammy (dressed as the leper) spare Arent after seeing his father's rosary, or did he always intend to spare Arent? How did Pieter conveniently have a past as an assassin, and why did he not recognize his new wife as the young daughter whose family he had ruined? These questions didn't really have neat answers, and I'm sure you can explain them away somehow, but they still nag me. The ending we get is satisfying and consistent with the plot, but Turton doesn’t baby the reader, wrapping it all up in neat bows. Real life is messy, and the ending is realistic—not all questions are dealt with—but that’s the nature of reality, and that is what the characters settle for as well. I found myself wanting more explanations, but Turton trusts the reader to get lost in the story, the details, and especially the nuance. This is easily a book I can expect to reread, which isn’t something I do much. (And I need to reread Evelyn, too…)

Whether you like history, ships, mysteries, or a good whodunit, there’s probably something in this book for everyone. I came in expecting Turton’s tricks from Evelyn, and I can see hints and echoes of that work here; but ultimately, the author is giving the reader an entirely new and well-crafted world to dive into. It isn’t always a perfect execution, but it’s a damn good one. Also, what is it with books starting with ‘The Devil’ that end up being fantastic…? The other example I have at hand is The Devil in the White City, which is one of my favorite books. It isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it’s happened twice.

P.S. More spoilers: I just want to add, I love a good revenge story. The end started giving me The Count of Monte Cristo vibes, and I loved it. Also, I called Sammy being in on it from the start, and I am proud of that.