Der Mörder im Dunkeln

Murder Times Seven is the 4th of 7 films in based on William Bayer's detective novels. Emmy Winner Richard Crenna returns again as NYPD Det Frank Janek, still leading the Internal Affairs Division. The supporting cast from the earlier films returns here, most notably Cliff Gorman as sarcastic skirt chasing partner Aaaron Greenberg and Caroline Kava as quiet but effective Det Jean Harp.

This time Janek is called in when his former partner is among seven randomly killed, seemingly un linked murder victims. Was his ex partner just in the wrong place at the wrong time or was there something more to his murder ? Along the way Janek crosses paths with a long time nemesis in the NYPD Officer Regeri (played by Kenneth Welsh, reprising his role from the previous film "Murder In Black & White") as well as his ex girlfriend, the "one that got away" that happens to be his dead ex partner's widow Gert (played by Susan Blakely). Following the trail of his ex partner's dirty deeds leads Janek and Company to a complex plot involving theft of evidence and sabotage of court cases within the DA's office, all eventually leading to the killer. Janek is derailed at one point by Gert's dishonesty as well as a side plot by Regeri to steal the case from him and damage the IA Dept.

The film moves at a good pace, the supporting cast is solid (many of them having been here before) and as usual Crenna is strong as the seemingly undaunted but weary hero, the "everyday kind of guy" character who excels against adversity, not a super cop or one man show so to speak, but a solid, believable, hero. One of the better entries in the film series.