The beauty of the most gripping crime series is their capacity of exploiting the human obsession with knowing – anything and everything. The instinctive act of seeking answers to questions we come across has transcended through the course of time, it is quite entwined with being human. Admittedly, the inability to decode what comes next drives us to the brink of our sanity – but, this is juxtaposed with a certain fixation over crime thrillers. There appears to be this common interest in consuming content that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end, hardly possible to speculate.
The best ones are those that encourage us to put on our detective hats and join the frenzy! So with this thought in mind, step into the universe of mystery-riddled lives and cryptic occurrences in these five crime series. This curated list showcases thriller gems all available for streaming on Netflix.
Young Wallander (2020)
A Swedish icon penned by Henning Mankell, young detective Kurt Wallander (Adam Pålsson), getting embroiled in the brute world of crime and violence after he witnesses a hate crime-cum-murder. The rookie cop who lives on a troubled estate within Malmö, is promoted as a detective soon after the incident. What began as a hate crime soon spirals into a charged civil unrest with raging anti-immigration undertones. Kurt’s hunt to find the killer and solve his first case amidst the complex climate is a riveting treat.
The Stranger (2020)
British miniseries The Stranger was adapted from the 2015 Harlan Coben novel of the same name and follows family man Adam Price (Richard Armitage). Adam is approached by a mysterious stranger with a life-changing secret and as a consequence of this incident, his wife Corrine suddenly disappears, completely unannounced.
The plot thickens as the Stranger is shown to be linked to more secrets regarding those around and close to Adam, all of which are slowly brought to light. Entangled in an intricately layered mystery, Adam desperately searches for answers to salvage his once-perfect family – the show has its viewers fully immersed.
Kohrra (2023)
With his marriage merely few days away, a bridegroom is found ruthlessly murdered in the Punjab countryside. To further complicate the situation, his best friend has gone missing after the fateful night. Two police officers, Garundi (Barun Sobti) and Balbir (Suvinder Vicky) are tasked with untangling the disturbing case as chaos infiltrates their own lives, threatening to jeopardise the investigation.
The policemen are forced to plough through the rough crime underbelly to collect clues against a slow-burn narrative. An absorbing portrayal of Punjab’s soul amplified with a careful scrutiny of societal issues and human emotions, Kohrra is a worthy watch.
The Perfect Mother (2021)
In this French thriller, Hélène Berg (Julie Gayet) is catapulted into turmoil when her daughter becomes a murder suspect. Convinced of her daughter’s incontestable innocence, she enlists the help of a lawyer and her ex-flame, Vincent, to probe the case further. The show depicts the ever obscure line between victim and perpetrator as hidden facts crop up, forcing Hélène to re-evaluate the mother she always felt she had been.
The Perfect Mother shatters the idealistic hope of parents who think they are raising their children faultlessly, instead highlighting the unpleasant reality – the show induces anxiety through its pursuit of the murderer amidst surfacing truths.
Marcella (2016)
Emotionally damaged ex-police detective Marcella Backland (Anna Friel) returns to her job to investigate a murder that seemed grossly familiar to an open case from the past. Believing that the unidentified serial killer, Grove Park Killer, has become active again, Marcella becomes mired in a series of murders to track down the killer who has haunted her for years.
Riddled with marriage troubles and a traumatic loss that resulted in persistent memory blackouts, the show portrays the skilled detective navigating through the investigation. The viewers are taken on a dark and compelling journey with twists and turns strewn throughout this crime noir.