Marie Brand und die tödliche Gier (2008)

Marie Brand is a dedicated police officer, and although she had herself transferred out of the homicide division for personal reasons, she now has to investigate a break-in resulting in death as cover for colleagues who are ill. When she arrives at the scene, she meets Detective Inspector Jürgen Simmel, who is already investigating and initially turns her away rather brusquely. Nevertheless, he explains the likely sequence of events, whereupon Marie quickly reaches a different conclusion. She is convinced that the break-in was staged after the fact to cover up the woman’s murder. When the married lawyers Jeanette and Joachim Fischer return home that evening from the opening of their law office, they are surprised to find that their acquaintance Julia Aumann is already in the house, since she was not supposed to arrive until the next day. Marie Brand and Jürgen Simmel are now to work together on the possible murder case. Marie finds a lead that points to a religious community. An initial interview with Laura Hatsch, one of the group’s members, yields no concrete clues. However, Marie feels that the residents are hiding something from them, as is the Fischer couple, who are clearly afraid. To find out why, the investigators look into the lawyer’s previous cases. They come across a case in which Joachim Fischer represented the mysterious Numa Master in a trial concerning the death of a toddler. Since then, he has been managing the sect’s considerable finances. Jeanette Fischer tells the police that her husband embezzled large sums of money and that she is now afraid of the Master’s revenge. Marie finds this somewhat contradictory, since the sect preaches “love.” But a bombing attempt against Joachim Fischer deepens her suspicions. Marie therefore travels to Amsterdam to meet the Master there. During their meeting, the Master gives Marie a clue about the sect members around Laura Hatsch and their relationships with one another. Marie concludes that Jeanette Fischer herself staged her husband’s murder in order to be free for her friend Laura Hatsch. Laura was supposed to shoot Joachim Fischer, but in the dark she accidentally hit Julia Aumann instead. Marie confronts Jeanette Fischer with her theory, and Jeanette then confesses everything.