Wicked Wednesday – Books to Movies

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Writers often cringe when they hear their favorite book is being made into a movie (Tom Cruise as Reacher, anyone?), but there are the occasional books-turned-movies that surprise us and are actually awesome. And of course, as writers, we all dream of having our books turned into a movie! So Wickeds, tell us which of your books you’d like to see made into a movie.

Delivering the TruthCover

Edith: Because of the popularity of “Call the Midwife” people are always telling me my Quaker Midwife Mysteries should be made into a television series. I agree! But I wouldn’t argue with any of Delivering the Truth, Called to Justice, or Turning the Tide being turned into a movie, of course. And I think they would translate well to the big screen. Just don’t ask me who should play Rose Carroll. I have no idea.

MMF

Liz: I could totally see the fourth book in my Pawsitively Organic series, Murder Most Finicky, becoming a movie. The book was a blast to write, mostly because it starred a lot of unruly chefs of the reality TV ilk, and I believe they would translate well on screen. Also the book was the only one in which Stan ventured out of Frog Ledge. It’s set in scenic Newport, Rhode Island, which is absolutely gorgeous.

Sherry: I have to pick just one? Sadly, since Hallmark already has a garage sale mystery movies, the chance of mine being made into movies is unlikely. However, a girl can dream. And from what I understand the Hallmark series is set in an antique shop instead of someone like Sarah actually running garage sales. So, okay, if I have to pick I would choose my upcoming The Gun Also Rises. I love that the crime is based on the disappearance of Hemingway manuscripts in 1922. There is also this fanatical (fictional) group called The League of Literary Treasure Hunters who create havoc in Ellington. I think all of it would make for a great movie.

Barb: I’m not dreaming of a movie, but I would love a British-style police procedural series made about Police Chief Ruth Murphy, the protagonist in my first published mystery, The Death of an Ambitious Woman. I say this because that’s the kind of show I love to watch.

Julie: A Christmas Peril would be a most excellent television series. Maybe a six episode Netflix series. It has the holiday hook, amateur sleuth, and great cast of characters. The second in the series, which is coming out next April, would be a great second season. Just saying.

Readers, do you have a favorite book-turned-movie? Leave a comment below.

Published by Cate Conte / Liz Mugavero

Cate Conte writes the Cat Cafe Mysteries and the Full Moon Mysteries. As Liz Mugavero, she writes the Pawsitively Organic Mysteries, the first of which was an Agatha Award nominee for Best First Novel. She lives in the Boston area with her rescue pals.

24 Thoughts

  1. Oh my goodness, it would be amazing if all of you had a book turned into a movie! I would be watching them!
    My book to movie favorite is Hercule Poirot! Of course, the BBC tv series is also my #1favorite show!

  2. I’d be happy to see the County Cork Mysteries as a series–sort of a Cheers in Ireland, with a female bar keeper (maybe Ted Danson would do a cameo). But I might have to insist that it be made by a European crew, because I don’t trust Americans to get the accents right.

    Favorite movie? The first one that comes to mind is The Commitments. The book was written by Roddy Doyle, and the movie came out in 1991. I watched it annually for many years. Oh, right, it’s set in Dublin.

  3. I had an option years ago on my Face Down historical mystery series, by a producer based in LA. Her major credit was a contemporary true crime tv movie. The last time she wanted to renew, I said no. I shudder to think what mighthave been done with my Elizabethan gentlewoman herbalist. Even British productions sometimes screw things up. The adaptation of Anne Perry’s first Thomas Pitt novel was awful . . . and they changed the ending to have Pitt do something a British policeman of that era would never do. Would I go for a Hallmark movie based on one of my cozies? I honestly don’t know. The ones I watch bear little resemblance to the books they were based on and not all the drastic changes seem warranted. On the other hand, they are enjoyable to watch and do tend to increase the original creator’s book sales. What the book author is paid for the movie rights, FYI, is not usually all that much, The screenplay writer usually makes more and the actors, etc, definitely do.

    1. Such great points about the lack of control, money, etc. I remember reading that John Grisham named his movie rights company TTMAR after Take The Money And Run. Good points to hash through. I’d love to have the chance to hash, though. 😉

  4. I always have to approach movies as a related, but very separate, animal from the books. That said, I loved the recent TV adaptation of AND THEN THERE WERE NONE. Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston in THE NIGHT MANAGER was phenomenal.

    I have no seen Kenneth Branagh’s MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS. I know he got a huge pushback on the size of his mustaches, but I recently re-read Christie’s DEATH ON THE NILE, where Poirot’s mustaches are described as “enormous.” So maybe he’s not as off as all of us conditioned by the outstanding David Suchet (and you can put 98% of his Christie adaptations in my favorite column) and his smaller mustaches thought.

    1. I love the 1974 version of MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS. I’ll be interested to see what you think of the new version. I HATE it when they change the plot…so I had some issues. But the mustache was fab.

      1. Julie, was that the Albert Finney version? I confess, that is my favorite. I wasn’t thrilled with Suchet’s version because it added all this psychological angst stuff that is so not part of Poirot’s character. I hear Branagh’s next project is a remake of DEATH ON THE NILE. We shall see.

      2. It is. I totally agree about the Suchet version. Such a missed opportunity. I wish Branaugh would take on another Poirot, not one with a great movie already.

  5. All these books would make great Netflix series or stand alones! Spotlight wasn’t a book to movie, maybe just a print to movie – but it’s probably my favorite movie ever. The Vera series based on books by Ann Cleeves – never miss an episode if I can help it. Ditto Cleeves and Shetland,

    1. I just discovered SHETLAND. Wowsa. That and Vera are terrific. The recent FATHER BROWNs have little to do with the books, but are wonderful in their own way.

    2. I wholeheartedly agree on the movies derived from Ann Cleeves’ works–they are small, beautifully crafted masterpieces. But I suppose they’re not for everyone–nothing blows up and there’s not much blood.

  6. I am such a visual reader, that a movie just never lives up to what I’ve already imagined as I’ve read the book. To me, changing the end of the book to make a more “acceptable” movie is a travesty. I do love Rebecca, but I don’t like the movie ending. Reading is just so much more satisfying. Having said all that, I would love a properly made movie by any of the Wickeds. Your books are all just so neat!

    1. Thanks so much! I agree about REBECCA. AND THEN THERE WERE NONE is a much stronger book ending than movie, though Agatha Christie wrote the movie ending too.

  7. Sherry, Hallmark’s Garage Sale Mysteries are pretty different from your books. The main character shops garage sales to find stuff for her shop. Still, I don’t see them going for your books since the branding would confuse the viewers. 🙁

    My favorite book to movie adaptation is The Princess Bride. The second is the big screen version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. While the sequel movies weren’t that great, that first movie was exactly what I wanted it to be, and I LOVE Narnia, especially that book.

    1. Mark, I agree about THE PRINCESS BRIDE and about THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE. Such magical books, and that first movie came close.

  8. In order for me to enjoy a TV show or movie based off a book, I need to see it before I read it (assuming I plan on reading it all). I’m a harsh critic, especially when it comes to characters/series I love.

    1. I loved The Firm! Probably one of the first books-turned-movies I remember. But in that case I don’t think I read the book first.

  10. I’d love to see all or any of your books made into movies. I’ve really liked the books turned into movies on the Hallmark Channel. Will hope for more.

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