Beneath Dark Waters
The Legacy of the Empress of Ireland Shipwreck
BC Bestseller
On May 28, 1914, the RMS Empress of Ireland began her 192nd trip across the Atlantic from Quebec City, Canada, enroute to Liverpool, England, carrying 1,056 passengers and a crew of 423. In the early hours of May 29, fog descended on the St. Lawrence River, and the ocean liner was rammed by the Storstad, a Norwegian coal ship. In the fourteen minutes it too for the Empress of Ireland to sink, there was time to launch only four of the forty lifeboats, and rather than women and children first, it was everyone for themselves.
Over a thousand people died that night, claiming the lives of more passengers than either the Titanic or the Lusitania, and the tragedy stands as the worst peacetime maritime disaster in Canadian history.
Investigative journalist and author Eve Lazarus draws on a trove of historical documents, including small-town newspaper reports, the Wreck Commissioner’s Inquiry, and first-hand accounts passed down through personal letters and family lore, to tell the story of the wreck and its aftermath through the eyes of the Canadian survivors. Through these records, as well as interviews with experts and descendants of the passengers, Lazarus recounts the story from both a Canadian and a Norwegian perspective and investigates why many of the stories regurgitated in newspapers and books for over a hundred years are wrong.
Beneath Dark Waters is an absorbing and stirring narrative that uncovers stories of heroism and sacrifice, human endurance, and modern-day shipwreck hunters.
Reviews
"Over the years, Lazarus has built an impressive resume of books on local and Canadian history, but Beneath Dark Waters might be her most important work so far," writes Dave Obee, editor and publisher Times Colonist. "She has been relentless in finding new sources of information, including first-hand accounts, newspaper reports, investigations in Canada and Norway and more. This is not the first book on the wreck of the Empress of Ireland, but it is the one to read first."
“To label Beneath Dark Waters ‘well researched’ is almost a misnomer. It’s all packaged and delivered in her succinct writing style and approachable layout. The result? A solid read for lovers of maritime mishaps.” Winnipeg Free Press “Peril in the St. Lawrence.”
"Lazarus visits the site of the shipwreck and taps into historical records and first-hand accounts from survivors to paint a gripping picture of the scene," writes Pat St. Germain for Postmedia. "She also takes an opportunity to debunk myths that have endured for decades, and her true crime chops come into play when she recounts another story involving the ship's captain, Henry Kendall."
"If you want an interesting historical read, you don't have to look much further than an Eve Lazarus title." Province - 5 equinox-worthy B.C. must-reads
"Lazarus's name is apt given her aim here: to resurrect the disaster's heroes and survivors, and to correct historical inaccuracies through firsthand accounts." Globe and Mail: Spring Books Preview
"Eve Lazarus tackles this story with careful precision, outlining how the ship and its travellers fit into colonial Canadian society just a few months before the First World War would be declared,” says the Tyee, 27 great books to read this summer. “This is a riveting account of a forgotten Canadian maritime disaster that will have you counting the lifeboats on your next museum boat tour."
What readers are saying:
“Captivating from the first page to its memorable last line, Beneath Dark Waters is a daringly original narrative of a nautical disaster and the lives (and country) it changed. A terrific read.” Sam Wiebe, award-winning author of The Last Exile and Ocean Drive
“Eve, hey! I love your book. So exhaustively researched, so well-written. Well done, you!!!” Ken McGoogan, author of Searching for Franklin
“I just finished your book Beneath Dark Waters. What an incredible job you did with it. It was so interesting and your research was amazing! It is definitely one of the best books I've read in a long time,” Loren Brodland
“I loved this book. Finished it in two days,” Shannon Homeniuk
“Absolutely loving your new book, Beneath Dark Waters. So well written, you grabbed my attention from the first page,” Susie Johnson
“I really liked the way you wove the history, the tragic personal experience, and subsequent events for many of the survivors as well as your own experience in researching the book. The amount of research was staggering,” June Maynard
“Wow, that was a powerful and moving read! What amazing research you did on the crew, passengers and the survivors. Thank you for telling their stories and bringing them to life,” Debbie Cullen
“I thought I would read just one chapter and then I'd turn to the book for real tomorrow. Then I decided to read one more chapter. I was three-quarters through the book before I considered the possibility that I might not stop. Moving and gripping,” Neil Whaley
Broadcast Interviews:
Corus Radio with Ben O'Hara-Byrne (July 27, 2025) Canada's Titanic
CBC Saskatchewan Weekend with Shauna Powers (July 13, 2025) Eve Lazarus writes a book about a maritime tragedy
CBC North by Northwest with Margaret Gallagher (May 4, 2025) Vancouver Writer uncovers truths of survivors of Empress of Ireland Shipwreck
A Cultural History of Canada podcast (June 2, 2025) Eve Lazarus on the Sinking of the Empress of Ireland
Curious Canadian History podcast (May 13, 2025) The Sinking of the Empress of Ireland