BOOK TIP

The Devil and the Dark Water

Stuart Turton

Let's say Jack London decided Wolf Larsen would captain an East Indiaman vessel in the 17th century. Maybe Wolf's read too much William Peter Blatty and pulls off a demon-summoning aboard his ship and the devil uses a dead leper to run his creepy and seemingly inexplicable errands. And to what end? But wait! There's a Sherlock-style sleuth onboard who can answer these questions except he's imprisoned in hellish conditions below deck en route to Amsterdam to be executed for treason. Still, the detective has his own Watson roaming the ship freely, if Watson was built like Fezzick and had the combat skills of a Green Beret. Throw in a female teenager with the brains of Isaac Newton AND Marie Curie. Add several other "Mutiny on the Bounty" types from central casting who are all so skillfully rendered you can smell the scurvy, and you'd be nuts not to want to know what happens. Turton is damned good and "The Devil and the Dark Water" is an exceptionally clever and distinctive thriller.

— Rick Koster

MUSIC TIP

Southern Symphony

Russell Dickerson

Here's another thing I miss about going to concerts: discovering great new-to-me artists who serve as a show’s opening act. I first heard Russell Dickerson when he opened for Lady A and Darius Rucker in 2018, and I loved his country-pop sensibility and his voice, which sounds like a less husky Brett Eldridge. His new album, “Southern Symphony,” leans a bit more into Bro Country than I would like, but his lyrics and his melodies are catchy enough that they make an irresistible combo. “Southern Symphony” leans less into ballads and more into party jams. In other words, it’s a great soundtrack for post-pandemic life. These are also the kind of tunes that would have concert crowds singing along, so here’s hoping Dickerson is back out on tour soon.

— Kristina Dorsey 

ROAD TRIP

George Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic

8 p.m. Friday, College Street Music Hall

238 College St., New Haven

Not to be morbid, but ... George Clinton is 79 years old and one of the most visionary and creative funk musicians ever. If you haven't seen him with Parliament/Funkadelic, maybe now is the time. Ya never know ... By now, well over 100 different players have passed in and out of the Mothership over their half-century-plus of existence including Bernie Worrell, Blackbyrd McKnight, Bootsie Collins, Junie Morrison, and Eddie Hazel. I have no idea who's still in the band, but they will rock — er, funk — and you will be happy. In fact, as we emerge from the social coffin of COVID, a road trip to New Haven to see Clinton might be just the proper celebration. Tickets are $45 and $60. Visit www.collegestreetmusichall.com.