Der Erbe: Roman. Dritter Band.

In the bustling court of Jena, Staatsanwalt Witte rushes to his office, his mind still tangled in a knot of inheritance intrigue. A half‑million‑Mark fortune hangs in the balance while rumors of fraud, a possible child swap, and suspicious deaths swirl around a secluded manor. Witte must sort truth from gossip, confronting reluctant witnesses such as the cunning Heßberger couple and the solitary Frau Baumann, whose testimony could tip the scales for the rightful heir.

At the same time, the ever‑absent councilman Frühbach drags the prosecutor into a bizarre petty‑theft case, describing a missing pair of flamboyantly patterned trousers that leads him on a frantic chase through the streets. His frantic anecdotes reveal a tapestry of minor deceptions that echo the larger, more dangerous mystery. As Witte navigates these tangled threads, the tension builds, promising a layered investigation where law, family loyalty, and hidden motives collide.