The BBC has just released a four-part German crime series, The Black Forest Murders – and police drama fans are going to want to tune in.
The series, which was released in Germany in February before being acquired by the BBC, is based on the non-fiction book by Walter Roth and combines two real-life investigations into the murders of two young women in the south of Germany.
It’s safe to say that the show went down a storm with viewers upon its release, with many binge-watching all four episodes in one sitting.
One person wrote on Google Reviews: “I watched the entire series in one sitting and thought it was excellent,” while another added: “A wonderfully authentic and unpretentious narrative, a crime story like you’d only wish for, not cluttered with ridiculous subplots and overly contrived action.”
© ardmediathek/LUIS ZENO KUHNA third viewer hailed the show as “simply brilliant” while another described it as a “no-nonsense crime thriller”.
What is The Black Forest Murders about?
The four-parter focuses on the “credible portrayal” of the police investigation into two real-life criminal cases from 2016.
The official synopsis continues: “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.”
Sue Deeks, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition, hailed the series as an “authentic and compelling crime series focusing on the work of a meticulous investigative team”.
She continued: “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.”
What are the critics saying?
The Sydney Morning Herald praised the show as “outstanding” in its four-star review, while The Guardian gave the series three stars and described it as “not so much a thriller as a satisfying puzzle, steadily coming together”.
© ardmediathek/LUIS ZENO KUHNMeet the cast of The Black Forest Murders
Nina Kunzendorf (Phoenix, Woman in Gold) stars as Barbara Kramer and Tilman Strauss (Limbo, The King’s Surrender) as Thomas Riedle.
Other cast members include: Aliki Hirsch, Božidar Kocevski, Atrin Haghdoust, David Richter, Liliane Amuat, Florian Hertweck, Markus Krojer, Katja Bürkle, Sophia Schober and Mira Huber.
The Black Forest Murders is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
