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Netflix’s The Åre Murders, inspired by Viveca Sten’s book series, keeps you on the edge of your seat with a five-part story. The show puts us in the shoes of detective Hanna Ahlander as she tries to crack two disturbing murder cases that happen in the quiet town of Åre, located in Sweden.
The first part of The Åre Murders starts with the shocking disappearance and murder of a young girl named Amanda Halvorsen. Hanna discovers the person behind this crime is the CEO of a group that’s supposed to help missing people, named Bosse Lundh. He was caught in a heart-pounding chase and admitted to his heinous acts, and also revealed that he’s involved in human trafficking.
But that’s not all. The Åre Murders goes on to present another eerie case when they find the body of Johan Andersson, a former skier, dismembered. It turns out the person who committed this horrific deed was Johan’s stepson, Leo.
The kid committed the crime in a fit of anger, and then his mother Marion, and her ex-husband Jens stepped in to hide the truth. In the end, they all had to face the music for their roles in the crime.
Now, let’s talk about the details of these two mysteries in The Åre Murders.
The Åre Murders Episodes 1-5 recap: Amanda’s murder was a fight against exploitation
Amanda Halvorsen’s life was sadly cut short because she had a kind heart and was incredibly brave. At first, the people looking into what happened to her thought maybe her boyfriend, Viktor Malm, or her best friend’s teacher, Lasse Sandahl, or even Mira’s suspicious husband might have had something to do with it. But it turns out, it was all about a woman named Zuhra.
Zuhra was in a terrible situation, as we get to see in The Åre Murders. She had to steal from people’s houses to pay off big debts because she was caught up in a human trafficking ring. She worked for a place called Fjällstäd, which was run by Annika Risberg and her husband, Bosse Lundh.
When Amanda found out what was happening to her, she just couldn’t ignore it. So, she started selling the stolen stuff to help out and give the money to Zuhra’s family.
But things got serious when Amanda wanted to get back something important that belonged to Zuhra—her passport. This passport was being held by Bosse, and he had all the power. Amanda went to his house to confront him, which was a dangerous move in itself.
He knew if Amanda kept talking, it could ruin everything for him, so he offered to drive her home. But instead, he did something terrible. He killed her by strangling her in his car.
After that, he threw her body at a ski resort, hoping nobody would ever find out what he did. But Hanna Ahlander, who was also investigating, started to put the pieces together. She talked to Zuhra, and when she realized what was happening, she told the police.
Just when Bosse was trying to keep Hanna from telling anyone else, the cops showed up. He couldn’t keep his secret anymore and had to admit that he was the one who killed Amanda.
The Åre Murders Episodes 1-5 recap: Johan Andersson’s murder stemmed from a family secret
Months after the closure of Amanda's shocking case, Åre faced a new horror when Johan Andersson, an ex-skier who co-managed JL Events, was discovered brutally murdered and dismembered. His remains were located in a disturbing fashion near the train tracks, suggesting a ruthless act had occurred.
The town first questioned Johan's business partner, Pastor Ole Nordhammar, but he was not the culprit. The real story untangled as Hanna and her team found holes in Marion's alibi, Johan's wife. Johan intended to leave Marion and her son, Leo, for a new life with Rebecka, the woman he was having an affair with.
One fateful night, Leo heard his mother and Johan in a heated argument regarding his plans to leave them. Driven by anger and fear of abandonment, Leo hits Johan with a shovel, tragically causing his death, as seen in The Åre Murders.
In a desperate attempt to conceal the truth, Marion and her former husband, Jens, hatched a plan. They used Carl Willner's restaurant delivery car to move Johan's body and laid it on the train tracks, expecting the passing train to dismember it beyond recognition.
They had also concocted an alibi involving a concert, which later proved to be false. The cracks in their cover-up appeared when the police uncovered the fake alibi, as The Åre Murders shows.
Overwhelmed by guilt, Leo tried to end his life, but Hanna stepped in to save him. Eventually, the truth came out, and Leo and Marion were arrested.
What happens after The Åre Murders?
With both the murder mysteries wrapped up, The Åre Murders finishes with an emotional scene. The policeman, Anton, who had been keeping his relationship with Carl Willner a secret, starts to open up a little about who he truly is.
On the other hand, Daniel finds himself caught in a tough spot with his feelings for Hanna growing and his commitment to his wife. In the end, he decides to go back to his wife, leaving Hanna by herself. Hanna is shown standing on the balcony of her little cabin, gazing out at the big, quiet Swedish countryside.
The quietness around her, in this scene of The Åre Murders, really shows what's going on inside her heart. Even though the bad guys are caught and the wrongs are righted, she's feeling sad. She's paid a big price for this victory.
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The Åre Murders can only be watched on Netflix.
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