Comeback under Suspicion of Murder: How Jan Josef Liefers Returns as Investigating Lawyer - Jan Josef Liefers stars in The Black Swan, a techno-fueled Berlin crime thriller
Jan Josef Liefers returns to ZDF as defence attorney Joachim Vernau in The Black Swan, the ninth instalment of the popular crime series. This time, Vernau finds himself framed for murder while entangled in a bizarre world of swingers' clubs, techno nostalgia, and a darkly comedic prison subplot.
The new case blends gritty thriller elements with flashes of 1990s Berlin, including the legendary Love Parade, all set to a hypnotic techno-opera soundtrack inspired by Swan Lake.
Vernau's troubles begin when he is accused of killing the owner of Tik Tik, a notorious black swan club. As the prime suspect, he must prove his innocence while tracking down Juliane Halstenberg, a mysterious heiress who holds the key to clearing his name. Her secrets run deep, and her testimony could either save him or bury him further.
The story weaves between a tense legal battle and Vernau's own unorthodox investigations, a trademark of Liefers' character. Flashbacks transport viewers to Berlin's wild early techno scene, where the Love Parade once dominated the streets. The soundtrack's centrepiece is a techno-opera piece titled The Black Swan, reimagining Tchaikovsky's classic with pulsing electronic beats.
Unlike previous cases, this episode draws from multiple motifs in Elisabeth Herrmann's work rather than a single novel. The result is an unpredictable mix: part underworld thriller, part prison black comedy, and part musical homage. Liefers, best known for his sharp-witted forensic pathologist in Tatort Münster, brings his signature intensity to a role that demands both legal cunning and street-level grit.
With The Black Swan, the Vernau series takes its boldest stylistic leap yet. The episode airs on ZDF, offering a fresh take on crime drama by fusing murder mystery with Berlin's hedonistic black history month. For fans of Liefers' work, it promises a case unlike any before—where the line between guilt and innocence blurs to the rhythm of a techno beat.
