On the shores of Lake Beetz near Brandenburg, the body of an old farmer is found in 1994. Shortly thereafter, the equally stabbed wife of the deceased is discovered. Brandenburg Commissioner Jo Barrus must not only keep a cool head in these murder cases but also accommodate his ex-wife's niece; Berit has just been released from prison. In his investigations, he stumbles upon a lead from the past - art theft and war crimes in Italy. When Berit suddenly disappears, Barrus realizes the connection to his case and travels to South Tyrol. There, he hopes to solve the murders and find Berit again. Accompanying him is a Hungarian friend who knows strangely too much and even more than the commissioner... Havelbande is the fifth crime novel by Brandenburg police officer and author Jean Wiersch.