A tense, atmospheric historical crime-thriller - based partly on fact - set in the wintry foothills of the Bavarian Alps in 1886, during the reign of the eccentric "Mad" King Ludwig II. The body of a young diplomat, Christoph Geissler, is found in the snow in a remote forest. Buried in his chest is a wooden spear with mistletoe wrapped around it. Decorated former army officer turned policeman, Major Reinhardt Neumann, is sent from Berlin to investigate. An outsider, mistrusted by the locals, Neumann gradually uncovers evidence of a sinister pagan cult, The Wotan Brotherhood, and a close relationship between the dead young man and King Ludwig – a troubled, emotional ruler obsessed with Wagner, Norse myths and the building of opulent palaces. Is the king involved in the murder, or are there dark forces conspiring against him, powerful enemies who will stop at nothing to bring about his downfall? Neumann is isolated and alone – not a good place to be when the wolves start closing in.