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An "intense" crime drama based on actual events, The Black Forest Murders, has just arrived on BBC iPlayer. This four-part series delves into a perplexing investigation following

the murders of two young women in southern Germany. Adapted from Walter Roth's non-fiction work Soko Earle, it merges two true criminal cases from 2016 to create a compelling fictional

narrative for the police drama. The search for a brutal killer begins when the body of a young woman is found savagely beaten to death, with law enforcement scrambling to piece together

clues. Simultaneously grappling with another homicide case, detectives are left pondering over potential connections to the first murder and whether this reflects a similar Austrian case

from four years earlier. Featuring an ensemble cast including Nina Kunzendorf as Barbara Kramer and Tilman Strauß as Thomas Riedle, Aliki Hirsch, Boidar Kocevski, Atrin Haghdoust, and David

Richter round out the roster. The synopsis states: "The clock is ticking... When a woman is bludgeoned to death, detectives face mounting pressure to crack the case and catch a killer.

Intense crime drama inspired by real-life cases." Upon its initial German release, viewers praised the series, with many binge-watching it in one go. A critic enthused: "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."

Another viewer praised: "I found this four-part series extremely good. It was exciting, with good dialogue, some of which was mumbled-it was due to the dialect -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.

I'd be happy if there were more short series." A separate reviewer added: "We liked the series so much that we watched all the episodes right away. And it never got boring.

This crime thriller was free of staged chases and unnecessary action-just good, real police work. Good actors, though difficult to understand at times." A fourth reviewer raved: "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 Kunzendorf, who always remains believable. Fantastic! I wish there were more original productions with such a dense atmosphere and such well-acted acting." Following the

series' acquisition by the BBC, Sue Deeks, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition, stated: "The Black Forest Murders is an authentic and compelling crime series focussing on the work of

a meticulous investigative team." She further noted: "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." BLACK FOREST MURDERS CAN BE VIEWED ON BBC IPLAYER.