Excerpt from The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton, plus links to reviews, author biography & more

"Pipps isn't concerned about a loose plank," she shot back, quickly lowering her voice. "He fears sabotage. Everybody who boards today will be at risk, including our daughter. We already lost our boys. Could you really stand to…" She took a breath, calming herself. "Wouldn't it be wise to talk to the captains of the fleet before we set sail? The leper was missing his tongue and had a maimed foot. If he served under any of them, they would certainly remember him."

"And what would you have me do in the meantime?" he demanded, tipping his chin toward the hundreds of souls sweltering in the heat. Somehow, the procession had managed to edge within eavesdropping distance without making a sound. "Should I order this procession back to the castle on a criminal's good word?"

"You trusted Pipps well enough when you summoned him from Amsterdam to retrieve the Folly."

His eyes narrowed dangerously.

"For Lia's sake," she continued recklessly. "Might we take quarters aboard another ship at least?"

"No, we will travel aboard the Saardam."

"Lia alone, then."

"No."

"Why?" She was so confounded by his stubbornness, she failed to take heed of his anger. "Another ship will do well enough. Why are you so intent upon traveling—"

Her husband slapped her with the back of his hand, raising a stinging welt on her cheek. Among the courtiers, there were gasps and giggles.

v Sara's glare could have sunk every ship in the harbor, but the governor general met it calmly, retrieving a silk handkerchief from his pocket.

Whatever fury had been building inside him had evaporated.

"Fetch our daughter so we might board together as a family," he said, dabbing the white powder from his hand. "Our time in Batavia is at an end."

Gritting her teeth, Sara turned back toward the procession.

Everybody was watching her, tittering and whispering, but she had eyes only for the palanquin.

Lia stared out from behind the tattered curtains, her face unreadable.

Damn him, thought Sara. Damn him.

Excerpted from The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton . Copyright © 2020 by Stuart Turton . Excerpted by permission of Sourcebooks Landmark. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.