You Won’t Believe Who Killed Amanda in The Åre Murders

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As a film enthusiast, I can’t help but express my excitement for “The Åre Murders,” a gripping Swedish police procedural that landed on Netflix in February 2025. In this five-part crime series, we follow Hanna Ahlander (portrayed by the talented Carla Sehn), a detective who finds herself under investigation for misconduct at her workplace in Stockholm.

In the midst of these challenges, Hanna takes a break and heads to Åre, a picturesque ski resort town. However, her vacation is interrupted when a young girl mysteriously disappears. With her skills needed more than ever, Hanna is thrust back into action to solve this chilling case and potentially uncover a murderer lurking in the snowy landscape of Åre. This thriller certainly promises to keep viewers on their toes as it navigates through its intricate plotlines.

In the movie, both Amanda Halverson, played by Freddie Mosten-Jacob, and Johan Andersson, portrayed by Viktor Åkerblom, are inexplicably murdered. This double homicide seems linked to two distinct murderers and motives, which might leave viewers perplexed about the complex ending. However, Amanda’s storyline involving human trafficking has some unclear aspects that necessitate careful examination to determine who was behind her death and their reasons.

Amanda’s Disappearance in ‘The Åre Murders’

In the crime novels by Viveca Sten titled “Hidden in the Snow” and “Hidden in the Shadows”, the series “The Åre Murders” blends a compelling murder mystery with a personal journey towards redemption. The detective show focuses on Hanna Ahlander, a police officer from Stockholm who has been suspended due to accusations of harassment at work. To escape her professional troubles and find clarity, Hanna temporarily resides at her sister’s house in Åre, a picturesque mountain resort town.

Upon reaching Åre, Hanna finds herself confronted with a mystery when she learns that Amanda, a 17-year-old girl, has vanished without a clue. Unable to ignore this case, Hanna teams up with Daniel Lindskog (Kardo Razzazi), the lead investigator, to delve deeper. Initially, the first three episodes revolve around Amanda’s murder, but the last two episodes take a turn and bring Johan’s seemingly unconnected murder into focus.

In the moments before she vanished, Amanda was spotted departing from Frida Argento’s house, friend of Ebba. She pedaled home on her bicycle while engaged in a phone conversation until reaching the main road. The individual on the other end of the call turned out to be Zuhra, a local cleaner familiar with Amanda’s residence. As Ebba and Zuhra become potential suspects, Hanna focuses her investigation on Linton Calmroth, Amanda’s former boyfriend, in an attempt to uncover her whereabouts.

The Suspects in ‘The Åre Murders’

After locating Amanda’s bicycle along the roadside, Hanna engages in conversation with a resident woman who is acquainted with Viktor, Amanda’s former partner. Viktor provides an ironclad alibi, which allows Hanna and Daniel to persist in their investigation. Shortly thereafter, Amanda’s remains are unearthed at a ski resort, and her passing is determined as strangulation. Two additional suspects come under scrutiny following the disclosure of Amanda’s body, namely Lasse Sandahl (played by Fredrik Söderholm) and Mira Berg (portrayed by Shiham Shurafa).

Previously, Lasse was Ebba’s teacher at school, but later developed a romantic relationship with her. Amanda stumbled upon some photographs that Ebba had sent to Lasse and warned him that she would report him to the authorities unless he ended his relationship with Ebba. The police became suspicious when Lasse’s car was seen near the location where Amanda’s body was found, hinting at possible guilt. Eventually, Lasse confronted Ebba and threatened to reveal their compromising photos if she didn’t remain with him. However, just in time, the police intervened and arrested Lasse.

Mira Berg, a resident woman, was involved romantically with Amanda’s father, Harald (Henrik Norlén). When Mira’s husband Fredrik (Olle Sarri) discovers Harald’s phone in Mira’s vehicle, he interprets it as evidence of Harald potentially murdering Amanda. Yet, it is also established that Fredrik has a solid alibi and is cleared as a suspect.

In the course of her investigation, Hanna focuses on Zuhra, a housekeeper for Amanda. Zuhra confesses that she entered Sweden through the Missing People organization, which is actually a cover for a criminal network involved in sex trafficking. During a visit to the head of this organization, Hanna encounters Bosse Lundh (Robin Stegmar), whom she later uncovers as Amanda’s killer.

Why Did Bosse Kill Amanda?

Two crucial pieces of evidence help Hanna establish Bosse as the culprit in Amanda’s murder. Firstly, Hanna discovers a matching insignia from an envelope found in Amanda’s room that corresponds to the Missing Persons organization. Secondly, she connects several local burglary cases to Zuhra, who confesses to stealing items from the houses she cleans, among which was Amanda’s residence.

Though Amanda found out that Zuhar was stealing her belongings to fund her family, surprisingly, she wasn’t angry. Instead, she started selling items herself and donating the money directly to Zuhra’s family. On the eve of her disappearance, Amanda and Zuhra discussed their plans for departing from that questionable group over the phone.

After Zuhra admits her wrongdoing, Bosse rushes in, armed and intending to kill Zuhra for stealing clients’ goods. In the ensuing chaos, his gun accidentally discharges, hitting Zuhra, causing him to hastily leave in his car. However, his getaway is thwarted by the police who apprehend and arrest him for the murder of Amanda. By the conclusion of the 2025 Netflix original, Bosse admits to killing Amanda and is imprisoned.

The passport of Zuhra plays a crucial role in connecting the crime. On the very night she disappeared, Amanda went to Bosse’s residence with the intention of challenging him over his sex trafficking ring and retrieving Zuhra’s passport, which would help her escape Sweden. That fateful evening, Bosse drove Amanda home but detoured from her house, concealing his intentions. Bosse attempted to justify his actions by claiming that sex trafficking aided Zuhra and her family, but Amanda recognized his deceit and tried to escape the vehicle. Following this, a struggle ensued, culminating in Bosse fatally choking Amanda.

The Åre Murders is available to stream on Netflix.

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2025-02-22 07:02