The Åre Murders: Gripping new Scandi crime drama drops on Netflix - is the show based on a book?

The Åre Murders hits Netflix this week, bringing a mysterious story filled with twists and turns to viewers. The Swedish drama looks set to become a new binge-worthy show on the streaming site.

The five-part series is perfect for crime fans looking for their next fix, and may even be familiar to the readers amongst us. Here’s everything you need to know about Netflix’s latest show The Åre Murders.

What is The Åre Murders about?

Police officer Hanna Ahlander has found herself at a crossroads in her life when she is suspended from her job and has been dumped by her partner. While under investigation and reeling from the break-up, Hanna decided to leave Stockholm and visit her sister in the picturesque, snow-covered town of Åre.

However, when a young woman goes missing, Hanna clicks into investigative mode and offers her help to the town’s local police officer Daniel Lindskog. Under pressure at the understaffed station and at home, Daniel has no choice but to accept Hanna’s help.

When is The Åre Murders out on Netflix?

The first season of the Nordic noir hit Netflix on February 6, 2025. You will need a Netflix subscription to access the title, with plans starting from £4.99 per month.

Is The Åre Murders based on a book?

The show is based on a series of novels of the same name, written by Swedish author Viveca Sten. The books were worldwide hits, selling more than 10 million copies in 40 countries.

Season one of The Åre Murders is based ‘Hidden In Snow’ and ‘Hidden In The Shadows’, which are part one and part two in the series.

There are five parts in total, with ‘Hidden In Memories’ (part three), ‘Hidden In Lies’ (part four) and ‘Hidden In Mercy’ (part five) rounding off the book series. The Åre Murders series was first published in 2020.

Speaking of the show, Sten said: “The Åre Murders means a lot to me and I'm very excited that it's now time for the TV series to see the light of day on a leading streaming service like Netflix!

“Both as the author of the books and executive producer of the series, it's hugely exciting to see the characters come to life through such talented actors. My dream, of course, is that the TV series will be just as popular and successful as the books have been both in Sweden and abroad.”