Top 10 Murder Mystery Book to TV Adaptations
#10: “Pretty Little Liars” (2010-17)
Before becoming a mega television hit, this teen thriller started off as a series of novels. Written by author Sara Shepard, “Pretty Little Liars” follows the members of a high school clique whose lives get turned upside down when they begin to receive ominous messages three years after the disappearance of one of their own. The TV series birthed two spinoffs: “Ravenswood” and “Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists” and most recently, the upcoming “Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin.” Full of mystery, intrigue and of course adolescent drama, “PLL” is one of the most successful young adult franchises to make the leap from book to TV.
#9: “The Undoing” (2020)
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Originally titled “You Should Have Known,” this 2014 novel from Jean Hanff Korelitz went from page turner to episode binger when it debuted on HBO. Adapted by David E. Kelley, the thriller stars Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant as a pair of spouses whose seemingly happy marriage starts to unravel after they become entangled in a murder investigation. With twists and turns at every corner, the story takes viewers on a winding journey to figure out who the killer is and why someone would commit such a heinous crime. Set against the backdrop of New York City, “The Undoing” is a mystery that’ll keep both readers and viewers guessing right until the last second.
#8: “The Sinner” (2017-)
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This anthology series serves up a new story every season, each slightly more sinister than the one before. While the cast and characters changed, Bill Pullman appears regularly as homicide detective Harry Ambrose. In season one, he investigates a disturbing crime of a woman who unprovokedly murders a man in the middle of a crowded beach. Jessica Biel stars as the woman in question, Cora whose story was originally written by Petra Hammesfahr in the form of a novel. No matter the medium, both versions of the story are equal parts disturbing and chilling.
#7: “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” (2018)
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In 1997, the world was shocked by the brutal assassination of fashion icon, Gianni Versace. Murdered outside of his Miami home, details of the shooting played out as the world watched. Following the tragic event, “Vanity Fair '' correspondent Maureen Orth wrote a book, “Vulgar Favors.” This eventually became the inspiration for the second season of Ryan Murphy’s true crime series, “American Crime Story.” Featuring a cast including Darren Criss, Penelope Cruz and Edgar Ramirez, the series relied heavily on its source material to provide an in-depth look into the events leading up to the incident, tackling one of the most infamous crimes of the 20th century.
#6: “The People v. O.J. Simpson” (2016)
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During the mid 90s, America was glued to their televisions watching the events of one of the most infamous murder trials unfold. Over twenty years later, Ryan Murphy centered the inaugural season of his true crime anthology series, “American Crime Story” around the case and the Jeffrey Toobin book, “The Run of His Life.” Chronicling the O.J. Simpson trial, “ACS” gives audiences an in-depth look at the case that shook a country to its core. Starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and Sarah Paulson, every episode of the series peels back another chilling layer of the notorious story that is still a hot topic of conversation.
#5: “You” (2018-)
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Penn Badgley stars in this thriller that takes you inside the mind of Joe Goldberg, a serial killer with a passion for books and a dangerous habit of falling in love. Sharing its title with the Netflix adaptation, the book version of the series by Caroline Kepnes is a page turner where an antagonist takes the wheel of the story and straps you in for one wild ride. Full of toxicity and obsessive behaviour, the series follows Joe as he digs himself deeper and deeper into a maze of poor decisions and delusions. As the series progresses, it seems that it may be only a matter of time before Mr. Goldberg gets his just desserts.
#4: “The Haunting of Hill House” (2018)
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American author Shirley Jackson is a prominent voice of the horror genre in the world of literature. Many of her texts have been adapted to the screen, including Netflix’s loosely based adaptation of “The Haunting of Hill House” which became a smashing success for the streaming service in 2018. The supernatural thriller jumps back and forth through time to tell the story of the Crain family and their relationship with a haunted house from their childhood. Full of ghosts, scares and supernatural flair, “Hill House” is a family drama disguised as a haunted house romp that can make you cry one minute and jump the next.
#3: “Big Little Lies” (2017-19)
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With an all star cast and storyline that hooks you in from the get-go, “Big Little Lies” was a surefire hit when it debuted in 2017. Featuring Oscar winners Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern, the series focuses on the seemingly perfect lives of married women living in Monterey, California. However, beneath all their wealth and supposed happiness something dark brews. Based on the novel by Liane Moriarty, ”Big Little Lies” was so successful that an unplanned season two was created just to give audiences an extra dose of the Monterey 5.
#2: “Sharp Objects” (2018)
Known for creating one of the most chilling novels in modern literature with “Gone Girl,” Gillian Flynn is no stranger to the mystery genre. Before she penned her breakout novel, Flynn wrote “Sharp Objects,” which was made into an HBO miniseries in 2018. The southern gothic thriller revolves around a journalist who returns to her hometown in the midst of a string of grisly murders and to face her own family trauma. Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson play mother and daughter in the series which has a horrifying ending that is hard to shake off. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “The Hardy Boys” (2020-) Adaptation of the Mystery Novels about Teen Detectives “Midsomer Murders” (1997-) Long Running English Mystery Series Adapted from the “Chief Inspector Barnaby” Novels “Agatha Christie’s Poirot” (1989-2013) Long-Running Series Based on Mystery Writer Agatha Christie’s Detective Character “Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries” (2012-15) A Jazz Era-Inspired Period Piece About a Fancy Detective in 1920s’ Australia “The Haunting of Bly Manor” (2020) Based on Author Henry James’ Famous Ghost Story, “The Turn of the Screw”
#1: “Mindhunter” (2017-19)
This Netflix drama brings the audience up close and personal with some of the most notorious true crime figures of all time. Based on a novel by former special agent John E. Douglas and writer Mark Olshaker, the series follows FBI agents who launch a program that involves interviewing serial killers in an effort to better understand the psychology behind their crimes in the 70s and 80s. Many of the interviewees are famous killers from history, featuring dialogue inspired by real life interviews, some of it even verbatim, making this true crime series even more bone chilling.
