Crime and thriller books that have been made into movies or TV series (or are coming soon)

I’m low-key obsessed with books that have been turned into TV series or movies. It’s very rare that an adaptation is ever as good as the source material, granted, but it doesn’t stop me seeking them out. I think there’s something special about watching a film or series based on a book you’ve read. You know the characters better than anyone else; you feel more part of the action than you would normally.

Because I love them so much, I’m compiling a list of crime and thriller books that either are already TV series or movies, or have an adaptation on the way. There will be lots missing, and this is very much a work in progress. For my own reference, really, but you might find it helpful too.

If I know that something is based on a book, I always like to try and read the book before I watch. And so consider this list my TBR!

TV and movie adaptations that are coming soon

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
Movie coming 10 October 2025

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
Movie coming 19 December 2025

Verity by Coleen Hoover
Movie coming May 2026

Dissection of a Murder by Jo Murray
Season two of Presumed Innocent (Apple TV) will be based on this. TBA, presumably 2026.

The Hunting Wives by May Cobb
Series coming 2026

56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard
TV series renamed to ‘Obsession’ coming to Amazon Prime Video. TBA.

Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson
Movie, TBA

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
TV series, TBA

None of This is True by Lisa Jewell
Movie coming to Netflix, TBA

The Whisper Man by Alex North
Movie, TBA

TV series

The Better Sister by Alafaire Burke
Available on Amazon Prime Video

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Available on Sky/Now TV

The Burning Girls by CJ Tudor
Available on Paramount+

Dexter series by Jeff Lindsay
Long-running TV series, available on Netflix

Disclaimer by Renee Knight
Available on Apple TV

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
BBC series, also available on Netflix

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Available on Netflix

The Killing King by Jane Casey
Available on ITV

Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman
Available on Apple TV

The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty
BBC series

The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
Available on Netflix. Season one is allegedly more based on The Brass Verdict, the second book in the series.

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Available on Channel 4

The Night Agent by Matthew Quirk
Available on Netflix

Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
Available on Amazon Prime

The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand
Available on Netflix

Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow
Available on Apple TV

The Rumour by Lesley Kara
Channel 5 – aired in September 2025

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
Available on Sky/Now TV

The Shetland series by Anne Cleeves
BBC series ‘Shetland’. The first book is Raven Black.

Slow Horses by Mick Herron
Available on Apple TV

Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering
Available on Disney+

Under the Bridge by Rebecca Godfrey
ITV drama

The Vera Stanhope series by Ann Cleeves
Long-running ITV drama (Vera). The first book is The Crow Trap

You by Caroline Kepnes
Available on Netflix

Movies

Bird Box by Josh Malerman
2018 movie directed by Susanne Bier

Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh
2023 movie directed by William Oldroyd

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
2016 movie directed by Tate Taylor

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
2014 movie directed by David Fincher

I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Ian Reid
2020 movie directed by Charlie Kaufman

Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
2023 movie directed by Sam Esmail

Mothers’ Instinct by Barbara Abel
2024 movie directed by Benoit Delhomme

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
2025 movie directed by Chris Colombus. Available now on Netflix

Thanks to Bethany and Jess for their suggestions!