Netflix viewers are rushing to watch a new Swedish true crime series (Picture: Nadja Halls/ Netflix)
Netflix viewers are binging a new Swedish true crime series that was just released.
This week the four-part series The Breakthrough dropped on the streaming platform.
Based on the non-fiction book of the same name, the series explores Sweden’s second-largest investigation ever.
It follows a double murder that took place in 2004 in the town of Linköping, Sweden, which was solved after 16 years due to DNA technology.
Peter Eggers stars as Police detective John Sudin who teams up with genealogist Per (Mattias Nordkvist) to catch the killer before it turns into a cold case.
Netflix has teased the following: ‘The Breakthrough is a fictional story about the unexpected hero, an unlikely collaboration, and the hunt for a killer. But it is also a story about how an unsolved crime affects a society and what happens to people who are left without answers to both “who and why?”.’
The Breakthrough follows the 16-year-long investigation into a double murder(Picture: Nadja Halls/ Netflix)
Since the series was released, it’s become one of the most-watched shows on Netflix, with viewers sharing their thoughts online.
‘This is one of the best true crime things I have seen in years. No crazy plotting. Just real people, a technology which (in its early phase) has been with us for years. And then there is a breakthrough. Ideally, the series would have been longer and explained more about the background of the killer. But it is good. Very good,’ Jane posted on Rotten Tomatoes.
‘Excellent fast moving and well produced show based on a true story. Top notch acting. Beautiful musical score. Story is fascinating. Binged watched the 4 episodes,’ Andrew shared.
‘This is what I want from my crime drama: light on interpersonal relationships, heavy on the procedure, no blazing guns, no car chases or gotchya moments. Just a solid story, good writing and great actors who look like real people and not over-done wannabe Hollywood starlets,’ Adam added.
It stars Mattias Nordkvist and Peter Eggers as the genealogist and detective who team up to solve the case(Picture: Nadja Halls/ Netflix)
The shocking real-life case that inspired the series saw an eight-year-old boy stabbed to death by a masked man while walking to school one day.
When a woman stumbled across the scene and tried to help, she was also killed.
After years of failed leads on the case, utilising genealogy ended up providing the breakthrough, with a DNA trail followed back 200 years eventually forming a family tree and leading police to the murderer.
This marked the first time in Europe a case had been solved using genealogical research.
The man eventually charged with the crimes, and who had a 100% DNA match, was Daniel Nyqvist.
Viewers have called it ‘one of the best true crime series in years'(Picture: Nadja Halls/ Netflix)
In 2020 he was sentenced to indefinite psychiatric care for the two murders after admitting they were unprovoked and that he’d heard voices ordering him to kill.
Speaking about adapting the book that detailed the investigation for screen, scriptwriter Oskar Söderlund said he was ‘struck by the fact that there was such strong human destinies behind this massive murder investigation’.
‘Police officers who refuse to give up, relatives who wanted answers and last but not least the genealogist who finally came up with the solution.
‘It is a terrible trauma that has affected the people and the city of Linköping and I want to respectfully tell about the attempts to move on from such trauma.’
The Breakthrough is streaming on Netflix.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.