Review: The Wolf and the Watchman

The Wolf and the Watchman by Niklas Natt och Dag
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An evocative historical murder mystery that reminded me not just of Patrick Süskind's Perfume but also in some ways of Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose in its sense of history and place, and a dogged search for truth. Set in 1793, this was the time of the French Revolution and a period of political and economic tumult in Sweden. The year before King Gustav III had been assassinated and the restlessness of the European Royal Houses had destabilized Europe. The people of Stockholm were struggling in poverty. Mickel Cardell, a war veteran and amputee who is working as a watchman, and Cecil Winge, an investigative attorney for the Stockholm police who is dying from tuberculosis, make it their goal to find the murderer of a mutilated young man Mickel has fished out of Larder Lake. Though they call him Karl Johan, who was he and why was he so brutally killed (trust me when I say brutal, okay)? Other characters who seem to be involved in the mystery include Kristopher Blix and Anna Stina Knapp, both equally unhappy.

Natt och Dag has created a stunning debut that seems to blend both the Scandinavian love for crime noir and a pitch perfect historical setting. Not for the faint hearted (this is truly a gruesome murder we're talking about) this one comes with abundant trigger warnings. But if you love historical mysteries and crime shows like The Bridge (Bron/Broen) or Forbrydelsen, you're going to be just fine.

TW: murder, mutilation, violence, sexual assault


I received a Digital Review Copy of this book, along with a paper review copy, in exchange for an honest review.

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