A figurine made of chestnuts is found at the scene of a grisly murder; from this creepy clue, two detectives hunt for a killer linked to a politician’s missing child.

Rotten Tomatoes

I love it when blurbs, such as the one above, are short and sweet. No beating your own drum, no exaggerated morsels that you hope critics, columnists and copywriters will simply copy because they are too lazy to write. It also sums up the philosophy of this series – it does not pretend to be something it is not, it is concise storytelling, and not an episode too long.

Its strength lies in the tension it creates from episode one. It is a combination of intriguing, dark characters with intricate pasts, the brittle chestnut figurines with arms and legs splayed, the ghostly kindergarten song (I mean, come on!), the meticulous editing, and a cast of accomplished actors being all in.

It avoids a major trope. Yes, the lead detectives are complex, splintered individuals, but not only are they very much functional, they are also okay in general. They have suffered pain, but have moved, or will move beyond it.

There is a healthy balance, one of Scandi-noir’s selling points, between the murder/mystery/trauma that needs to be solved, and the domestic issues of all the characters involved. The only thing I found lacking is Naia’s backstory. Perhaps that will be revealed in season 2, should there be one.

The wheels do come off a wee bit in the finale. There are one or two things that fall flat, but do not let it worry you. As a whole the series packs quite a punch, albeit it a tense, slow-burn and creepy kind of punch.