The Black Forest Murders has been acquired by the BBC. A new crime drama based on Walter Roth’s non-fiction book, SOKO Erle, the four-part series will follow a 2016 police investigation into the murders of two young women in the south of Germany.
Meet the cast
Boasting a stellar cast, Nina Kunzendorf (Phoenix, Woman in Gold) and Tilman Strauß (Limbo) lead the series as Senior Detective Barbara Kramer and her colleague, Thomas Riedle.
© SWR/Lailaps Films/Luis Zeno KuhnAliki Hirsch, Božidar Kocevski, Atrin Haghdoust, David Richter, Liliane Amuat, Florian Hertweck, Markus Krojer, Katja Bürkle, Sophia Schober and Mira Huber are also among the cast. Meanwhile, Stefan Krohmer (Tatort, Spuren) is billed as the director.
When will the series premiere?
Currently, a release date is yet to be confirmed, but watch this space; we’ll let you know when it lands on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer.
What is The Black Forest Murders about?
Ahead of its premiere, the broadcaster has released an official synopsis. It reads: “A young woman is missing. After an intensive search, her body is found, bludgeoned to death by an unknown assailant.
“Senior Detective Barbara Kramer (Nina Kunzendorf) of the Lauburg police and her team, including Thomas Riedle (Tilman Strauß), begin the search for the perpetrator. They speak with witnesses and gather evidence, but quick successes elude them.
“The team grows into a large special investigation unit, securing hundreds of clues and attempting to connect them. In addition, they must deal with a second murder, unclear whether it is connected to the first, and parallels to a similar case in Austria that occurred four years earlier are emerging.
“Under the watchful eye of the concerned public, the police officers face mounting pressure for months, until their persistence is finally rewarded.”
© GettyTeasing what’s to come, Sue Deeks, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition, has been raving about the upcoming drama. “The Black Forest Murders is an authentic and compelling crime series focusing on the work of a meticulous investigative team,” she said.
“As well as being a gripping murder mystery, the series offers a detailed look at the challenges of solving complex crimes, and the psychological toll on those involved in such high-stakes investigations.”
