3 Shows to Watch After The Åre Murders

Netflix’s The Åre Murders masterfully blends the best elements of Nordic Noir: methodical pacing, complex character studies, and stark winter landscapes that mirror the darkness lurking beneath seemingly peaceful communities. As suspended Stockholm police officer Hanna (Carla Sehn) investigates a teenage girl’s disappearance in a remote ski resort town, the series weaves together multiple narrative threads exploring trust, family secrets, and human trafficking. The core dynamic between Hanna and her reluctant partner, Daniel (Kardo Razzazi), adds compelling tension to an already gripping mystery. It’s no wonder the series has quickly climbed Netflix’s most-viewed rank despite being recently released without significant media coverage.

For those drawn to The Åre Murders‘ expert balance of personal drama and procedural elements, its exploration of small-town secrets, and its unflinching look at societal issues, the Nordic noir genre offers several equally compelling series that share these distinctive traits. These three standout series showcase the genre’s signature elements while each brings its unique perspective to the crime drama format. Selected for their similar themes of isolation, complex female leads, and investigations that reveal the dark underpinnings of seemingly idyllic communities, these shows will satisfy that Nordic Noir craving:

The Killing

The Killing is a Danish crime drama that ran for three seasons between 2007 and 2012. The series follows Detective Inspector Sarah Lund (Sofie Gråbøl), whose laser focus and determination to solve crimes usually come at the expense of her personal life. In addition to a brilliant female protagonist, The Killing is also unique in its structure, as each 50-minute episode corresponds to precisely 24 hours in Detective Lund’s current investigation. Furthermore, each season revolves around a single crime, a structure that was still a novelty in the 2000s.

Like The Åre Murders, the first season of The Killing centers on solving a young woman’s murder that reveals deeper conspiracies and corruption within respected institutions. The series gained acclaim for its innovative approach of dedicating an entire season to a single case, with each episode representing one day of the investigation. The show’s exploration of how a single crime ripples through an entire community speaks to universal themes about justice, power, and the price of truth, making this one of the best Nordic noir series ever. It’s no wonder AMC aired an American remake for AMC that ran for four seasons (2011-2014), with Gråbøl making a guest appearance in one episode.

Deadwind

Deadwind is a Finnish crime drama that premiered in 2018 and ran for three seasons. The series centers on Detective Sofia Karppi (Pihla Viitala), who returns to work at the Helsinki Police Department while processing her husband’s death and trying to care for her two children. As she adjusts to being a working single mother, Karppi teams up with rookie detective Sakari Nurmi (Lauri Tilkanen) to investigate cases that expose corruption and crime in Helsinki’s highest circles. Like The Åre Murders, the protagonist is a female detective balancing personal trauma with professional duties, and both shows excel at revealing how their seemingly peaceful Nordic settings harbor dark secrets. Deadwind earned praise for its realistic portrayal of police work in Finland and its stark visual style that captures Helsinki’s urban landscape, where modern facades hide ancient grudges and deadly secrets. Deadwind is also available on Netflix, which only sweetens the deal.

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Trapped

Trapped is an Icelandic crime drama that premiered in 2015 and ran for three seasons, becoming the most expensive television series ever produced in Iceland with a budget of approximately €6.5 million. The series follows police chief Andri Ólafsson (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson), who must solve increasingly complex murder cases in a remote Icelandic town while dealing with his own personal demons and limited resources. The first season begins when a mutilated body is discovered in the harbor just as a massive snowstorm cuts off all access to the outside world, forcing a small police team to solve the case before the killer can escape.

Like The Åre Murders, the show uses its isolated setting to amplify tensions, with both series demonstrating how remote Nordic locations can become pressure cookers for revealing long-buried secrets within tight-knit communities. Trapped garnered international acclaim for its claustrophobic atmosphere and masterful use of Iceland’s harsh landscape as a character in itself, with the winter environment actively working against the investigators. 

What about you? What are your favorite Nordic noir TV shows? Tell us in the comments!