Der Venusmörder (1996)

Laura Grimm, a chief inspector in the homicide division, is in the process of divorcing her husband at the local district court when she receives a phone call about the discovery of a woman's body. The victim's throat has been cut and the skin flayed from her face; her right hand has also been sewn onto her chest and her left hand onto her left thigh. A Venus clam and a pink flower are found beside the body. The flower grows only in the Mediterranean region and is also called “Venus's Beauty.” The victim, Susanne Schulte, had been held by the killer for five days, as had Ute Klein, who was found similarly mutilated four weeks earlier, so the police now suspect a serial killer. With the press criticizing the police for their inaction, Laura's superior, Chief Inspector Hellmann, orders her to work on the case with Chief Inspector Strack. The impulsive Strack is unpopular with Laura, and she accepts working with him only reluctantly. Given the surgical manner in which the victims were mutilated, the police suspect the killer may be a doctor. Strack comes across the case of Dr. Limbach in the files: he preserves animals and, ten years ago, murdered and stuffed a woman. Now released after completing his treatment, Limbach is arrested as a suspect. Instead of being properly questioned by Laura, the suspect is subjected to a harsh interrogation by Strack, who also oversteps legal boundaries. Meanwhile, Laura is supposed to visit plastic surgeon Dr. Stern, who once treated the victim. After Strack's interrogation, Dr. Limbach confesses. Strack is celebrated for this and gets Chief Inspector Hellmann's departmental position, which had actually been intended for Laura. Depressed by her personal and professional setbacks, Laura is cheered up by her best friend Lis, who takes her to a beauty retreat. By chance, Laura runs into Dr. Stern there; he is giving a lecture and then invites her to a reception at his beauty clinic. Later, Laura also spends a night at Dr. Stern's country house. In the meantime, Limbach has hanged himself in his cell, and the investigators consider the case closed. Laura learns that the two previous victims had been patients of Dr. Stern. Another woman, Karin Block, has now also gone missing. Laura recognizes her as someone who attended the reception, and realizes that all the victims had been in contact with Dr. Stern. She also finds a prize at Stern's that is shaped like a Venus clam, along with a picture of Botticelli's painting The Birth of Venus. She realizes that the victims' hands had been positioned as in the painting. Laura then temporarily arrests Dr. Stern and has his country house searched. When nothing can be proven against him and he is released, Stern finds a hidden file titled “Venus” on the computer in his office, created by his assistant, Dr. Gabriel. He informs Strack and sets off with him to Dr. Gabriel, whom Laura has followed to a secret hideout, where he is also holding the missing Karin Block captive. When Gabriel discovers the intruders, he shoots Stern, and Laura then shoots Gabriel.