Thriller Wars Heat Up the Streaming Scene
Netflix and Prime Video continue to compete to capture Young Adult audiences, from new episodes of My Life with the Walter Boys to buzz-worthy fresh hits like Sterling Point. But for those obsessed with suspense, Netflix keeps investing heavily in its thriller lineup. Their high-profile partnership with Harlan Coben for multiple American adaptations is just one sign of this push.
Scandinavian Crime Fiction Finds Global Fans
Another source of suspense on Netflix comes from the Nordic countries, with regular features based on immensely popular Scandinavian crime novels. Massive successes such as Murders in Åre from Viveca Sten and The Glass Dome by Camilla Läckberg have proven the international appeal of Nordic noir.
The Surprising Identity Behind The Secret Woman
Against this competitive backdrop, Netflix released The Secret Woman, adapted from a bestseller attributed to Anna Ekberg. Fans of the genre might remember the name—she also authored Love Between Adults, another title adapted for Netflix several years ago. But few realize Anna Ekberg is not a woman, or even a single person.
In reality, Anna Ekberg is the pen name of two Danish men: Anders Rønnow Klarlund and Jacob Weinreich. They co-wrote The Secret Woman and Love Between Adults under this pseudonym, and have collaborated on other works as well. When published by JC Lattès, the pair uses a separate pseudonym—A.J. Kazinski—for novels such as The Sleep and the Death and The Last Good Man.
The duo doesn’t just write books. Together they pen screenplays, including The Last Patient, which is available on Prime Video.
The Pen Name That Reflects Their Passions
“Anna Ekberg is much more like us than Kazinski,” Klarlund and Weinreich said in an interview promoting The Secret Woman. “Anna Ekberg represents what we are most passionate about: love, family, relationships between men and women, and conflicts. Anna Ekberg explores all these themes, doing so in a gripping way—she loves suspense, she loves horror.”
So next time a suspenseful Scandinavian thriller attributed to a “female author” pulls you in on Netflix, remember: sometimes, the most fascinating mysteries are hidden just behind the cover.
