The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton

 

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton. Sourcebooks Landmark, 2020. Adult fiction. 463 pages.

     When the Saardam leaves Batavia for Amsterdam in 1634, the  ship carries a diverse group of people. From the wealthy Sara Wessel, her husband and daughter to a religious mystic, the passengers are unusual. Even the large soldier, Arent Hayes is travelling with a prisoner, his friend Sam Pipps, a detective. On the long journey, mysterious things happen and some think the devil is at work. Readers will work to discover what dangers are afoot, who is not what they seem, and guess whether the great ship and its passengers will ever see land again. 

The Girl in the Mirror: A Novel by Rose Carlyle

 

  The Girl in the Mirror: A Novel by Rose Carlyle.  William Morrow, an imprint of Harper Collins, 2020.  Adult fiction, mystery. 

 Summer Rose and Iris Carmichael are identical twins, but are mirror images of each other. Outside, so alike, the girls are quite different on the inside. Summer has married the handsome Adam whose wife has died and Summer is mother to his small son. Iris has overcome insecurities and has led a very different life, but when Summer calls and says that she needs her, Iris goes. 

 Iris ends up piloting the family's yacht across ocean waters. The trip is life changing when she is able to basically impersonate her sister after Summer disappears. What has happened to Summer? And who, among the Carmichael cousins, will be able to claim the millions of family dollars by having the first biological grandchild? 

 Filled with greed, mystery, sailing lore, set in the mysterious Thailand, and using the interesting twin tidbits, this tale is a compelling read. Although it is Carlyle's first novel, it will certainly be worth watching this new talent.