If You Love ‘Top of the Lake,’ Netflix’s Newest Mystery Series Should Be Your Next Binge

Jane Campion and Gerald Lee’s 2013 series Top of the Lake was a gripping mystery, anchored by a powerful lead performance from Elisabeth Moss. Recently, there have been some strong contenders for similar shows that scratch the same itch, notably 2021’s Mare of Easttown starring Kate Winslet. The latest show that fans of Top of the Lake need to see is The Åre Murders, a Swedish series on Netflix. The series is based on the mystery novels Hidden in Snow and Hidden in the Shadows by Viveca Sten. Like Top of the Lake, The Åre Murders focuses on a city detective who finds herself sucked into the case of a missing girl while visiting a small town. In The Åre Murders, that detective is Hanna Ahlander (Carla Sehn), a detective from Stockholm who comes to Åre to vacation after a brutal breakup.

What Is ‘The Åre Murders’ About?

In the first episode of The Åre Murders, Harald Halvorsen (Henrik Norlén) and Lena Halvorsen (Sofia Papadimitriou Ledarp) are horrified to realize their teen daughter Amanda Halvorsen (Freddie Mosten-Jacob) has been missing for a full night. Her parents thought that Amanda was staying over at a party, but when they check in with one of Amanda’s friends, they discover she left the party early and no one has heard from her since. Hanna joins the initial search for Amanda. At first, she’s not acting in her capacity as a police officer, she’s simply joining a large search party of concerned civilians. But, when this search is unsuccessful, the police open a proper investigation. They’re understaffed and ask Hanna to join the investigation even though she’s on leave. Although Hanna knows she has personal problems to work through, she’s invested in the case and agrees to join.

The specifics of Hanna’s personal problems are slowly revealed over the show’s five episodes, along with the central mystery in which the case of one missing girl leads to larger secrets, including a murder mystery and human trafficking. Carla Sehn’s excellent performance anchors the show as Hanna uncovers multiple brutal crimes. She plays the serious scenes well but also gives Hanna a breezy, flirty quality.

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‘The Åre Murders’ Includes a Messy Will-They-Won’t-They

One of the strongest aspects of The Åre Murders is the relationship between Hanna and her new partner Detective Daniel Lindskog (The Abyss‘ Kardo Razzazi). Their partnership starts off rocky. When they first meet, Hanna is having a rough moment while driving her brother-in-law’s car. Daniel pulls her over and finds out that not only is she driving a car that isn’t hers, but she doesn’t have her license on her. He only lets her off after finding out she’s a fellow police officer. When she joins the case, he’s reluctant to partner with her. But, over the course of the series they slowly begin to trust each other.

Hanna and Daniel’s relationship is sure to please anyone who loves watching crime-fighting partners fall in love. They have strong romantic tension throughout the show. One scene in which Daniel visits her in the hospital is especially sweet and tender. But, the best part of their relationship is the less serious moments. In an otherwise bleak show, it’s a joy watching how easily they fall into a rhythm of joking around together. At the same time, their dynamic is complicated because of Daniel’s wife and newborn baby.

‘The Åre Murders’ Focuses on Character First, Mysteries Second

The structure of The Åre Murders is unusual but intriguing. Partway through the series it shifts focus to a murder that is seemingly unrelated to Amanda’s disappearance. The disconcerting structure works and creates an engaging two-part mystery. Structurally, the show is similar to Dublin Murders, which also adapted two mystery novels into just one season. But The Åre Murders pulls this off more smoothly. The Åre Murders works because Hanna and Daniel are such strong characters.

Despite having ‘murders’ in the title, Amanda’s case doesn’t actually become a murder case until Episode 2, and it takes even longer for the detectives to start investigating a second murder. The Åre Murders doesn’t have to wear its mysteries on its sleeve because it’s satisfying just watching Hanna try to pick up the pieces of her life and navigate her messy relationship with Daniel. Like Top of the Lake, it’s a character drama first. It’s fitting that the end of the series focuses on where Hanna and Daniel are at in their personal and professional lives rather than setting up the mystery for Season 2. This focus on character applies not just to the detectives, but also to the friends and family members of the victims. The show holds the audience’s attention not with constant wild twists but with how well it dramatizes the distress caused by the absence of the missing and deceased.

The Åre Murders is an intriguing binge, with enough surprises to keep viewers on the edge of their seats until the very end. Like Top of the Lake, its biggest strength is a unique, complex woman at its center, brought to life beautifully by a great actress. Hanna is a flawed and idiosyncratic character who’s always interesting to watch.

The Åre Murders is available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.

The Åre Murders

Release Date

February 6, 2025

Network

Netflix

Directors

Alain Darborg

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  Carla Sehn

  Hanna Ahlander

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  Kardo Razzazi

  Daniel Lindskog

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  Charlie Gustafsson

  Anton Lundin

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  Amalia Holm Bjelke

  Uncredited

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