Why did I love this book?
The Wolf and the Watchman took me by surprise. I don’t usually fall for historical crime/mystery fiction (the story is set in 1793, in Sweden). However, this novel grabbed me immediately and didn’t let go.
The Wolf and the Watchman delivers a captivating whodunit with literary flare. The plotline is utterly convincing. The descriptions are lyrical yet on point. You get a heartrending page-turner peopled by characters you won’t forget, driven by motivations as dark as a Stockholm winter night.
As for the whodunit angle, the twists and red herrings will hook even the most exacting mystery lover.
2 authors picked The Wolf and the Watchman as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.
'A remarkable debut novel' Sunday Times
'The best historical thriller I've read in twenty years' A.J. Finn
'A thrilling, unnerving, clever and beautiful story. Reading it is like giving a little gift to oneself' Fredrik Backman
The year is 1793, Stockholm. King Gustav of Sweden has been assassinated, years of foreign wars have emptied the treasuries, and the realm is governed by a self-interested elite, leaving its citizens to suffer. On the streets, malcontent and paranoia abound.
A body is found in the city's swamp by a watchman, Mickel Cardell, and the case is handed over to investigator Cecil Winge,…