The innovative Swedish series Hammarvik (Lyckoviken) produced by Nordisk Film TV has been picked up for world distribution by Eccho Rights.

Best-selling Swedish novelist Läckberg who said she was inspired by Big Little Lies, Desperate Housewives and the Swedish show Svenska hjärtan from the 1980s, has brought a new twist to her trademark crime storytelling, by mixing it with soap ingredients.

“I've always dreamed of creating a soap opera”, said the author of The Ice Princess in her facebook page, admitting that she ‘couldn’t help but add a little crime to this classic genre.”

Set in the small community of Hammarvik, the series centres on police office Johanna, who returns to her childhood home for her mother's funeral, and is thrown into old memories, conflicts and relationships. “It is an emotional drama that rests on a murder mystery. A mystery that unites and influences all the characters in the series in one way or another,” explains Läckberg.

The series is produced by Charlotte Berlin (Maria Wern) and executive produced by Nordisk Film TV CEO Kristoffer Graci. Film i Väst is co-producing.

Filming of the 16-episode series (divided into two seasons) is set to start in the spring 2020, with a premiere on NENT Group’s streaming service Viaplay and channel TV3 scheduled for late 2020.

Läckberg’s previous contribution to the small and big screens  were the 5 TV movies and one feature film in The Fjällbacka Murders series based on her own universe.