'The Chestnut Man' and 4 Other Best Scandinavian Detective Series, Ranked by IMDb

If you've exhausted all the Hollywood detectives and are craving a new, more complex experience, the harsh yet beautiful lands of Scandinavia are your destination.

These projects not only leave you guessing who the killer is, but also immerse you in deep psychological analysis, paint dark portraits of society, and exude a chilling atmosphere.

5. 'Wisting', 2019-...

IMDb Score: 7.3/10

Senior Detective William Wisting from Larvik is investigating the case of an American serial killer. Rumor has it that the killer fled to Norway twenty years ago.

When a body is found in Larvik, the killer's handwriting is found to be remarkably similar to that of the notorious serial killer.

Meanwhile, Wisting's daughter, journalist Line, is writing an article about her neighbor who died alone. Her social report about lonely elderly people unexpectedly intersects with her father's investigation.

4. 'Witch Hunt', 2020

IMDb Score: 7.4/10

Ida Waage, the CFO of a major law firm, discovered a suspicious account. According to the account records, one of her largest clients, billionaire Peer Eggen, is involved in money laundering.

When she tries to raise the alarm, management discredits her with false accusations. The case soon escalates into a political scandal implicating the Minister of Justice, the police, and journalists.

3. 'The Truth Will Out', 2018-2021

IMDb Score: 7.4/10

After a long illness, investigator Peter Wendel returns to duty. He is assigned to lead a team that will reexamine unsolved cases.

His new team members – Barbro, Caijsa, and Jorma – are true outsiders. They face an intricate investigation – one of Sweden's most notorious serial killers may be innocent and all the accusations against him may be the result of mistakes, manipulation, and malicious intent.

2. 'The Chestnut Man', 2021-...

IMDb Score: 7.6/10

This crime thriller is based on the novel by Søren Sveistrup. In 1987, an unknown assailant murdered an entire family on a secluded farm, leaving only two children, a boy and a girl, alive.

In modern-day Copenhagen, a woman is found brutally murdered with a chestnut figurine next to her body. Investigators Naia Thulin and Mark Hess take up the case.

They discover that the figurine contains the fingerprint of a prominent politician's daughter who disappeared a year ago without a trace.

1. 'Millenium', 2010

IMDb Score: 8.3/10

This Swedish series is based on Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy. It follows detective journalist Mikael Blomkvist and hacker Lisbeth Salander.

Commissioned by Swedish industrialist Henrik Vanger, Blomkvist begins investigating the disappearance of Vanger's niece, Harriet. The case is complicated by the fact that Harriet disappeared 40 years ago.

Blomkvist receives unexpected help from Lisbeth, a hacker. As the investigation progresses, the Vanger family's dirty secrets come to light, putting both the journalist's and the woman's lives in danger.