Morden i Sandhamn

A very unusual policeman never shooting even in the most dangerous situations. A wonderful place where peace is menaced by a series of murders. Love relationships intertwined with door to door investigations. Quite different from tough cops and screaming sirens! Enjoyable!

Swedish summer murders on an idyllic island sounds familiar, doesn't it? The everyday mysteries in this series are well plotted and believable. Like Midsomer, Sandhamn has an amazingly high murder rate per head of population but there's something else at work in this Swedish series, a life lesson playing out from seasons 1 to 9.

A prosecutor with a house on the island, Nora is an attractive, sympathetic and likeable lead. The always reliable Par, with his sartorial individualism, is also very likeable as her assistant in her work life. But her love life! That's another story. Perhaps the real story. The Norwegian police detective is a breath of fresh air after the rather dull Swede, Thomas. For each love story, there's the will they or won't they game as events manage to interrupt their interludes together.

Cruellest of all is how the message - to take risks, be true to your feelings and seize the day - is finally driven home to us. With the presence of death in each story, we are reminded to live life.

The story wasn't as compelling as the acting and the casual tour of the islands and coast. The acting was quite good and I was a little shocked to see how easily these Swedes feigned being natural. In fact I would say this production is the most impressive I've ever seen in terms of pure unaffected acting. It was truly inspiring to watch though it made me wonder why they're so much better at it than we are.

The two principal roles are vividly rendered by Cedergren and Rapaport who play a policeman and a married woman in a troubled marriage, respectively. The murder mystery is entangled with their being attracted to each other and that too felt realistic. I'm sure women will enjoy that part of it if nothing else.

Very enjoyable crime series featuring an intelligent woman as the main protagonist.

Established actress Alexandra Rapaport plays Nora, a lawyer living on the the picturesque island of Sandhamn, in the Stockholm Archipelago. Yes, murders happen and Nora gets involved through her sharp-minded curiosity and friendship with police detective Thomas Andreasson. But there is more to the series than just a Midsomer Murders-like repetition of convoluted events in a fictional village

Nora splits with her first husband and becomes a single mother with shared custody. Much of the narrative deals with Nora's relationships and journey to find happiness on an island that is suitable for recluses, but not for Nora who is an attractive, gregarious and well-adjusted individual. Her friendship with policeman Thomas Andreasson always seems to be on the verge of something more intimate except, like her, his past gets in the way .

The murder stories are not perfect or without criticism, but they are acceptable and the character of Nora overrides any plot deficiencies or doubts that may arise. I just enjoyed what was on offer. I believe there will be four more movie-length episodes made next year.

If you're looking for gripping Scandi Noir this isn't it ... it's lightweight but easy on the eye and once you accept that it's thoroughly enjoyable. Island hopping in your speed boat, standing at the wheel with your hair streaming out behind you (if you have it) seems to be one of the favoured ways to get around ... or maybe a bicycle in Nora's case as you head off for a clandestine meeting over a coffee in the village to discuss the latest crime, suspected crime ... whatever! It's all rather good fun and each hour and a half episode drifts by you in no time at all.

Nicolai Cleve Broch has been a worthy addition to the series and like Nora is quite vapid much of the time but very at home in their roles as are all the cast. :)