I don't know if there's an adaptation of The Wolf & The Watchman in the works, but I think someone should be on to it, as I think it would be a huge hit with Game of Thrones fans. There are no fantasy elements in this book, it's just an extremely grisly historical mystery with tonnes of twists and plot lines that I think would translate to perfect 40-minute episodes. I even started casting it in my head - Orlando Bloom as Cyril Winge, FYI.

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The story is told backwards, starting with a mutilated body found discarded in a lake and working backwards. Cardell, a brawny ex-soldier 'working' as a watchman, and Cyril Winge, a lawyer dying of consumption, join in an unlikely partnership to discern the identity of the victim and his murderer. Be warned, Natt och Dag does NOT spare any details, so this is not for the faint-hearted. Some of the descriptions of murder and torture physically turned my stomach - I said it would make a great TV show but it isn't a TV show I could watch myself, ha!

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It's set in 1793 Stockholm, and I was very impressed with the way Natt och Dag conjures up vivid images (and smells) of 18th century Sweden. There is plenty of plague and pus and pestilence, so the imagery might not always be pleasant but it's effective, transporting the reader right into the thick of it. I was even more impressed with the translation by Ebba Segerberg; I was completely swept up in the writing, and didn't notice any clumsily handled phrases.

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I did think there was going to be a bit more history in this historical mystery, as the backdrop is the year after King Gustav III's assassination while the Revolution is simmering over in France, breeding paranoia far and wide. There is SOME, but the focus is definitely more on the murder mystery and the characters. I enjoyed the backwards storytelling technique, and the way the characters all slotted together was very clever!

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A pitch black murder mystery with an atmosphere so thick you can almost smell it, I definitely recommend this one (with caution) if you've got a strong stomach! The Swedes don't do things by halves when it comes to their Noir!