Stop Leaving Money on the Table: Adapt These Mystery Books
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I keep track of a lot in regard to adaptation news: when rights are sold, casting news, what’s in production, when I can make some popcorn and watch, and award nominations and wins. I also have a running list of books I can’t believe no one is working on adapting because I can clearly see the audience for it. So I decided to share some of the mystery books that studios are leaving money on the table every day by not adapting them.
A Study in Scarlet Women (Lady Sherlock #1) by Sherry Thomas
I have shouted about this series a lot since 2016 and I will continue to because it is that good. The series offers so much entertainment—there’s witty banter, great characters, adventures, friendship, romance, a famous villain, and mysteries to solve!
Sherlock and Holmes have already been in so many adaptations that an entire book could be written just about the adaptations—and Hollywood is going to keep churning these out. But you know what audiences want? Fresh, new blood. No, I don’t mean throw vampires into Holmes’ universe (although I would watch that!) but change shit up! Contrary to the studios taking the absolute wrong lesson from the Barbie movies’ success, people do want women front and center in stories, and Charlotte Holmes is an absolutely perfect choice for either a series of films or a TV series.
Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything by Justine Pucella Winans
The adaptation for A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder has been a success—and has been picked up for another season. So, if studios like the idea of success, they should absolutely follow up this series adaptation with Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything and Maureen Johnson’s Truly Devious series. I am actually completely gobsmacked that the latter is not already in development. W Magazine made the suggestion so many years ago that the actress they suggested to star in it is now no longer a teenager!
Bury Me When I’m Dead (Charlie Mack Motown Mystery, #1) by Cheryl A. Head
A huge part of the success of TV series like Castle, Bones, Monk, The Mentalist, and Law & Order is that they follow a team of investigators constantly solving cases. The interaction and relationships between the characters become just as important as the focus on the mystery solving, and Head’s series is perfect for this: four people with very different personalities work at a PI agency, and not only do they all bicker like siblings, but one always quotes musicals to the annoyance of another. TV audiences will eat this up!
What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jiménez
Whenever Hollywood wants to get their heads out of their asses and go back to making prestige TV, here’s a novel that blends genres (contemporary with an underlying mystery), and appeals to a wide range of viewers. Family stories are popular, and this one revolves around a family who has lived with their daughter/sister having been missing for years. The voices are exceptional, and if you listen to the audiobook, you’ll understand how perfect this is for adaptation, especially with its balance of humor, hardship, and grieving when you don’t have answers.
Browse the books recommended in Unusual Suspects’ previous newsletters on this shelf. See upcoming 2025 releases, and mysteries from 2024 and 2023. Check out this Unusual Suspects Pinterest board and get Tailored Book Recommendations! Until next time, keep investigating! In the meantime, come talk books with me on Bluesky, Goodreads, Litsy, and Substack.
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