A new German true crime drama, The Black Forest Murders, has arrived on BBC iPlayer.
The synopsis for the four-episode series reads: ‘The clock is ticking… When a woman is bludgeoned to death, detectives face mounting pressure to crack the case and catch a killer.’
And is described as an ‘intense crime drama inspired by real-life cases.’
The show is based on the non-fiction Walter Roth book which follows a 2016 police investigation into the mysterious murders of two young women in the south of Germany.
In the show we see Senior Detective Barbara Kramer (Nina Kunzendorf) of the Lauburg police and her team, including Thomas Riedle (Tilman Strauß), embark on an investigation to apprehend the perpetrator.
But as they hit dead-end after dead-end and little success through talking to witnesses and gathering evidence, the police face ‘mounting pressure’ to provide answers.
Sue Deeks, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition, called the show an ‘authentic and compelling crime series focussing on the work of a meticulous investigative team.’
She added: ‘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.’
‘I watched the entire series in one sitting and thought it was excellent. The meticulous investigation was amazing. Nina Kunzendorf was at her best as a fair and likeable boss in a strong team,’Sylvia Strobl praised on Google reviews.
‘I found this four-part series extremely good. It was exciting, with good dialogue… and a very good portrayal of a real series of murders. The actors did a very good job, especially Ms. Kramer, who acted convincingly. It was a glimpse behind the scenes of a special investigation unit,’ Karen Sabine Feuerhahm 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. A fantastic team around Nina Kunzendorfer, who always remains believable,’ Rike Straub echoed.
The Guardian has a slightly cooler, but still praiseworthy, take, writing: ‘ Its attention to every single moving part means that the drama itself moves very slowly, and it is not so much a thriller as a satisfying puzzle, steadily coming together. Not a bad drama, then, but not a revolutionary one, either.’
Elsewhere, The Sydney Morning Herald praised the drama as ‘outstanding.’
‘There are no grand deductive leaps, no cat-and-mouse interviews with a prime suspect. This is a gripping procedural founded on detail and diligence,’ the publication added.
Both also compared the show to Netflix’s Swedish drama The Breakthrough, which also follows the story of a ‘shocking double homicide which goes unsolved for 16 years.’
The Black Forest Murders is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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