Marie Brand und der schöne Schein (2015)

Their latest case takes Detectives Brand and Simmel into the world of the Cologne rowing club “Agrippina 1888.” Financial adviser Werner Brehm, a major patron and member of the club, was found dead, floating in the water. Apparently, during a training session, an object struck him on the head; Marie Brand suspects it was thrown at him from a nearby bridge. His daughter Sofie Brehm and her highly gifted stepsister Hanna Wahl also both train at the club, and Marie Brand quickly feels a connection with Hanna, who seems very much like her in certain aspects of her personality. At first, the investigators focus on the victim’s professional circle. The financial industry could certainly have produced a few disgruntled clients. One of them is Max Holz, who, however, has an alibi for the time of the crime. Other suspects include the rowing club’s equipment manager and Luca Basteck, who is interested in Hanna Wahl—a fact that did not sit well with Brehm. But the investigators soon believe that the murder victim’s family is trying to conceal a dark secret. His stepdaughter Hanna Wahl plays a central role in it. Something seems to be weighing on the girl, something she cannot or will not talk about. Marie’s connection with the highly gifted girl leads her to become more emotionally involved with Hanna than Simmel considers responsible. After a while, Marie herself realizes that Hanna is using her just as she tries to manipulate everyone around her to get what she wants. She also notices the girl’s mood swings, which point to antisocial personality disorder. Before Marie can give this the proper attention, she discovers that Brehm had paid the equipment manager what amounted to hush money because Sofie had hit the equipment manager’s son with her father’s car. But can Marie convince the girl to tell the truth? It was not Sofie who had been driving the car, but Hanna. Sofie says she would always do whatever Hanna told her, because otherwise Hanna would be very cruel to her. When Marie learns that Sofie had confided in her father two days earlier, she realizes that Hanna is likely behind Brehm’s murder. He had seen through his stepdaughter and had already contacted a psychologist. He planned to have Hanna admitted to a psychiatric clinic, something the girl wanted to prevent at any cost. Marie then questions Hanna as the prime suspect, and can only wonder at her inability to empathize. But she has no hard evidence against her, so she tries to outwit the girl. She keeps provoking her until Hanna gives in and furiously confesses to murdering her stepfather. Simmel, who had been hiding nearby and heard everything, reveals himself, giving the investigators evidence against Hanna.