Audiobook Review: The Devil And The Dark Water by Stuart Turton

“That mark on the sail is how it starts. It’s meant to scare us, because scared people will do anything to stop being scared and they’ll do it to almost anybody else.”

Published in 2020, The Devil And The Dark Water by Stuart Turton is set in 1634 and follows the world’s greatest detective, Samuel Pipps, who is being transported to Amsterdam to be executed for a crime he may, or may not, have committed. Travelling with him is his loyal bodyguard, Arent Hayes, who is determined to prove his friend innocent. But no sooner are they out to sea than devilry begins to blight the voyage. A twice-dead leper stalks the decks. Strange symbols appear on the sails. Livestock is slaughtered. And then three passengers are marked for death, including Samuel. Could a demon be responsible for their misfortunes?

TV Review: Harlots (BBC) – Season Three

Originally premiered on ITV Encore in July 2018, Harlots was recently picked up by BBC, with the three series airing from August-November 2020. Written, directed and produced by an all-female team, the series is created by Moira Buffini and Alison Newman and based on The Covent Garden Ladies by Hallie Rubenhold. The 18th-century drama is set in London and follows brothel owner Charlotte Wells (Jessica Brown Findlay) as she fights back against the new pimps in town, Isaac (Alfie Allen) and Hal (Ash Hunter), Lucy Wells (Eloise Smyth) as she joins forces with the new owners of the town’s molly-house, Elizabeth Harvey (Angela Griffin) and her son Fredo (Aidan Cheng), while Lydia Quigley (Lesley Manville) continues to suffer the abandonment of her family and the experimental treatments of her doctors as she befriends the young Kate (Daisy Head).

TV Review: Harlots (BBC) – Season Two

Originally premiered on ITV Encore in July 2018, Harlots has recently been picked up by BBC, with the first series airing from the beginning in August 2020, and the second continuing in September 2020. Written, directed and produced by an all-female team, and created by Moira Buffini and Alison Newman, the 18th-century drama is set in London and follows brothel owner Margaret Wells (Samantha Morton) and her two daughters, Charlotte (Jessica Brown Findlay) and Lucy (Eloise Smyth). Continuing from the drama of series one, Margaret and Nancy (Kate Fleetwood) must race to find witnesses to give evidence against Lydia Quigley (Lesley Manville), as Charlotte settles into life at Quigley’s house while secretly plotting against her.