A review by mkhaas29
The Wolf and the Watchman by Niklas Natt och Dag

4.0

Norwegian Noir of the 1790s. To me this has remnants of Stieg Larson or Jo Nesbo; the grisly, morbid detail of multiple story lines coming together felt familiar but with its own unique twist in a historical setting. Set in 1793 set in three primary storylines, part one follows Winger and Cardell as unlikely partners investigating a body that showed up in the lake without arms, legs, eyes, teeth, or a tongue. Winger is on his last legs dying of consumption (tuberculosis) and Cardell is a semi-alcoholic ex city watchman with no real direction. As they take on this final case for the sitting duck police chief they find themselves meeting shady characters but getting close. Part 2 follows Christopher Blix, an low class swindler, getting by by accruing and ditching debt until he’s caught and his debt is paid off by the man who wants one thing from him: dismember the body in his shed without killing him or Blix himself will be fed to the savage dog. Equal parts horrifying and nauseating we hear about it in lots of detail. Part 3: Anna Kristina. This part didn’t fit as well with the rest but honestly her story was very enthralling and engaging. Accused and arrested unfairly for whoring, she is sent to what can only be described as a “spindle camp” where women of all crime types were sent to spin wool into yarn. The camp is policed by treacherous watchmen but she’s determined to be one of the few ever to escape.

The three stories don’t collide as neatly or surprisingly as other novels with multiple vantage points, but that’s ok. It has quite a bit of historical and timely detail that helps maintain its firm setting. It was dark, quite dark. But overall I really enjoyed it.