His success led to a substantial change in German crime fiction and brought a new industry to his chosen home town of Münster.

Instead of trying to mimic American crime fiction the "Lokalkrimi" authors used a different approach, and often set stories in rather rural and unspectacular areas of Germany.

Since Kehrer created suspense without violence, Germany's ZDF found his oeuvre appropriate for their understanding of quality entertainment and in 1995 they broadcast a first TV feature film about Wilsberg.

But unlike Georges Descrières or Roger Moore, who portrayed Lupin and the Saint, respectively, the German actor Leonard Lansink is appreciated by all fans of the protagonist in question, and Jürgen Kehrer has endorsed the TV series, even appearing in cameo roles.

Kehrer's success has inspired numerous authors to write their own novels about local private detectives and journalists who investigate in their own region.