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The Best Episodes of Murder by the Lake

Every episode of Murder by the Lake ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Murder by the Lake!

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Murder by the Lake is a German-Austrian TV crime series that has been produced since 2014 by Rowboat Film- und Fernsehproduktion and Graf Filmproduktion in cooperation with the German television broadcaster ZDF and the Austrian

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 24 - Wheel of Fate
    7.3/10(11 votes)

    #1 - Wheel of Fate

    S1:E24

    When a young woman's body is discovered at the annual fairground in Bregenz, detectives Oberländer and Eisler unravel a web of secrets within the insular world of travelling carnival workers.

    Director:Patricia Frey
    Writers:Jeanet Pfitzer, Roland Heep, Frank Koopmann

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  2. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 3 - Still Waters
    7.0/10(152 votes)

    #2 - Still Waters

    S1:E3

    A 10-year-old sleepwalker may know the truth behind the dead woman caught in a fishing net.

    Director:Andreas Linke
    Writer:Timo Berndt

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  3. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 5 - The Girl Who Loved to Laugh
    7.0/10(131 votes)

    #3 - The Girl Who Loved to Laugh

    S1:E5

    Weighed down by iron chains, the well-preserved corpse of a young girl is found in Lake Constance.

    Director:Hannu Salonen
    Writer:Timo Berndt

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  4. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 7 - The Fourth Woman
    7.0/10(127 votes)

    #4 - The Fourth Woman

    S1:E7

    As the dead body of a woman is found in a hops field, hanging in a spider web on a seven-meter-high scaffold, a chilling suspicion grips Detectives Oberländer and Zeiler - everything points to a serial killer.

    Director:Hannu Salonen
    Writer:Timo Berndt

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  5. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 17 - The Night Demon
    7.0/10(87 votes)

    #5 - The Night Demon

    S1:E17

    Plagued by nightmares and strange visions, Detective Oberländer is suspected of murder.

    Director:Michael Schneider
    Writers:Jeanet Pfitzer, Roland Heep, Frank Koopmann

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  6. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 12 - The Spook
    6.9/10(111 votes)

    #6 - The Spook

    S1:E12

    A long forgotten curse seems to resurface when children witness a murder in an old and deteriorated mansion. Detectives Zeiler and Oberländer need to investigate the past in order to uncover the truth.

    Director:Michael Schneider
    Writer:Timo Berndt

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Murder by the Lake

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  7. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 15 - Among Wolves
    6.9/10(105 votes)

    #7 - Among Wolves

    S1:E15

    A wolf roaming the woods causes unrest among the population and attracts dubious characters to Lake Constance. When one of them, a trophy hunter, is found dead in his self-made wolf trap, detectives Zeiler and Oberländer are called upon.

    Director:Christian Theede
    Writers:Jeanet Pfitzer, Roland Heep, Frank Koopmann

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  8. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 18 - Breathless
    6.9/10(73 votes)

    #8 - Breathless

    S1:E18

    Just as the freediver Victor is about to start a new record attempt, the body of his wife is found in the depths of Lake Constance. Detectives Oberländer and Hoffmann suspect that Victor himself may have been responsible for the drowning of his wife.

    Director:Michael Schneider
    Writers:Jeanet Pfitzer, Roland Heep, Frank Koopmann

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  9. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 6 - The Returner
    6.8/10(121 votes)

    #9 - The Returner

    S1:E6

    Detective Zeiler may be responsible for the death of a victim who knows the truth about what happened to her father.

    Director:Hannu Salonen
    Writer:Timo Berndt

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  10. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 9 - The Mermaid
    6.8/10(119 votes)

    #10 - The Mermaid

    S1:E9

    A woman's body is discovered dressed as a mermaid on the shores of Lake Constance. Detectives Oberländer and Zeiler investigate a group of surfers and the victim's ex-husband as suspects.

    Director:Michael Schneider
    Writer:Timo Berndt

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  11. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 10 - Curse from the Depths
    6.8/10(112 votes)

    #11 - Curse from the Depths

    S1:E10

    A diver is murdered after recovering a box of gold coins from Lake Constance.

    Director:Michael Schneider
    Writer:Timo Berndt

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  12. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 2 - Family Issues
    6.7/10(148 votes)

    #12 - Family Issues

    S1:E2

    A forester is found on the brink of death with rabies in his system.

    Director:Andreas Linke
    Writer:Thorsten Wettcke

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  13. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 19 - The Messiah
    6.7/10(73 votes)

    #13 - The Messiah

    S1:E19

    When Hoffmann’s past catches up with her, not only is the relationship with Oberländer put to a test, but also the safety of her family is severely threatened.

    Director:Michael Schneider
    Writers:Jeanet Pfitzer, Roland Heep, Frank Koopmann

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  14. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 21 - The Medusa
    6.7/10(69 votes)

    #14 - The Medusa

    S1:E21

    Detectives Oberländer and Hoffmann in a race against time to free a kidnapped boy.

    Director:Patricia Frey
    Writers:Jeanet Pfitzer, Roland Heep, Frank Koopmann

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  15. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 1 - The Celtic Mystery
    6.6/10(210 votes)

    #15 - The Celtic Mystery

    S1:E1

    Detectives Oberländer and Zeiler find a Celtic mask with a cryptic message at a murder scene.

    Director:Andreas Linke
    Writer:Thorsten Wettcke

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  16. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 14 - Second Sight
    6.6/10(112 votes)

    #16 - Second Sight

    S1:E14

    A disturbed young woman shows up at the police to report a murder she claims to have seen in a vision. Oberländer believes it to be a hoax, but Zeiler is not letting go of the matter. Few hours later, the man described is found dead.

    Director:Christian Theede
    Writers:Jeanet Pfitzer, Roland Heep, Frank Koopmann

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  17. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 4 - Til Death Do Them Part
    6.5/10(130 votes)

    #17 - Til Death Do Them Part

    S1:E4

    A bride and groom get married, but the day becomes a nightmare when the groom finds his bride dead.

    Director:Hannu Salonen
    Writer:Timo Berndt

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  18. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 16 - Nemesis
    6.5/10(91 votes)

    #18 - Nemesis

    S1:E16

    While Zeiler has still not returned from her vacation, Oberländer has problems getting used to her replacement, the resolute Detective Hoffmann from Vienna. But soon a complicated murder case forces them to cooperate.

    Director:Michael Schneider
    Writer:Mathias Schnelting

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  19. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 20 - Nightshade
    6.5/10(66 votes)

    #19 - Nightshade

    S1:E20

    After a book reading, a successful author of crime novels is found dead in his secluded mansion in the mountains. Detectives Oberländer and Hoffmann suspect that the perpetrator was one of the guests at the event.

    Director:Michael Schneider
    Writers:Jeanet Pfitzer, Roland Heep, Frank Koopmann

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  20. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 8 - Death in the Forest
    6.4/10(122 votes)

    #20 - Death in the Forest

    S1:E8

    As they adjust to changes in their own lives, Oberländer and Zeiler investigate a murder case involving love, loss and revenge.

    Director:Michael Schneider
    Writer:Timo Berndt

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  21. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 22 - The Ghost Ship
    6.4/10(55 votes)

    #21 - The Ghost Ship

    S1:E22

    A decaying ship emerges from the depths of Lake Constance, dredging up a tragic, unsolved mystery from fifteen years ago. The eerie discovery compels Detective Oberländer to confront the past and reopen the case.

    Director:Patricia Frey
    Writers:Jeanet Pfitzer, Roland Heep, Frank Koopmann

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  22. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 11 - Blood Procession
    6.3/10(105 votes)

    #22 - Blood Procession

    S1:E11

    Detectives Zeiler and Oberländer investigate the crossbow shooting of a horse trainer, uncovering dark family secrets, betrayal and murder.

    Director:Michael Schneider
    Writer:Timo Berndt

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  23. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 23 - The Wishing Tree
    6.2/10(46 votes)

    #23 - The Wishing Tree

    S1:E23

    A woman's body is found near the mysterious Wishing Tree. Initially, it seems like a crime of jealousy, but as the detectives dig deeper, they question the obvious, unraveling a web of secrets that changes the investigation's direction.

    Director:Michael Schneider
    Writers:Jeanet Pfitzer, Roland Heep, Frank Koopmann

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  24. Murder by the Lake Season 1 Episode 13 - The Soul Circle
    5.9/10(108 votes)

    #24 - The Soul Circle

    S1:E13

    When a baby is found floating inside a wicker basket on the lake, Oberländer and Zeiler suspect a connection to an older case of a missing woman. The strange symbols painted on the sheets the baby was wrapped in give them their first lead.

    Director:Michael Schneider
    Writer:Timo Berndt

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Best Episodes Summary

"Wheel of Fate" is the best rated episode of "Murder by the Lake". It scored 7.3/10 based on 11 votes. Directed by Patricia Frey and written by Jeanet Pfitzer, Roland Heep, Frank Koopmann, it aired on 1/12/2026. This episode scored 0.3 points higher than the second highest rated, "Still Waters".