Kate London on The Tower--Books to TV

The winners of Gail Donovan's SPARROW BEING SPARROW are Edith Maxwell, Lucy Burdette and Judy! Please send me an email at julia spencer fleming at gmail (you know the rest) so I can hook you up!

 

DEBORAH CROMBIE: We have a very special guest today on JRW. Author Kate London, a former Metropolitan Police officer whose novels, POST MORTEM and DEATH MESSAGE, have been adapted for the gripping Britbox series THE TOWER, is here to share the share the books-to-TV process with us. I asked Kate for the nuts and bolts (I was fascinated, for obvious reasons!)  

KATE LONDON: In 2014, in the words of the song, I finally found what I was looking for. Not only my first book deal but also the sale of the television option. My plans for world domination could now be put in place. 

If that’s the inciting incident, we know what has to follow: the difficult second act. And so it was.  A broadcaster commissioned a script, but took it no further. The options on Post Mortem and its sequels automatically renewed even though the project was clearly going nowhere. This was how I learnt the meaning of the phrase ‘stuck in development hell’.

In 2019 the rights reverted to me and my agent went out.

I had four offers: I had arrived for a second time! I sat in Curtis Brown’s offices listening to brilliant people pitching. It felt unreal, even a bit embarrassing. At least this time I knew not to entirely believe the hype.

My experience of the first option had also taught me something vital that should have been obvious from the get go: it matters very much who writes the adaptation. One of the pitches suggested that I should write it myself. I’d love to have done that, but, realistically, I had no screen credit to my name and no experience of writing for television. None of the other companies had been able to specify a writer. Their pitches were exciting and persuasive – these were impressive people - but in terms of the actual adaptation I felt I was no clearer than the first-time round.

There was still one meeting to go. Patrick Harbinson, showrunner for Homeland and on numerous other prestigious projects, was living in LA and so we chatted by Skype.

When I asked Patrick who was going to write it, he said, me. Then, he talked lucidly and persuasively about the books, how many episodes he would write, how he loved that Post Mortem, the first book, turned on a conversation in a corridor: huge consequences following from seemingly small actions. He knew what he wanted to do. He had read the books closely. And he had a brilliant track record of consistently making gripping television.

Patrick turned it all around remarkably quickly. He pitched the series to Polly Hill at ITV who commissioned a script.  On the basis of that script, ITV greenlit the first series. Patrick partnered up with Damien Timmer at Mammoth Screen and, bingo, in 2021 we were in production. In 2022 filming started on series two, based on my second book, Death Message.

When we chatted before signing contracts Patrick said he wanted to involve me in the adaptation. How this works is hard to describe. I knew from the start that Patrick would be the showrunner, and that the final say would always rightly be his. But I am included. Patrick sends me drafts, emails me questions. Sometimes we have long conversations, trying to get to the heart of the problem. Sometimes we fight. It’s certainly not all sunshine and flowers. But Patrick is always courteous, and often funny too. My respect for him has only grown. He is immensely skilful, experienced and knowledgeable.

Any writer who fights for a slavish adaptation of her work is a fool to herself. Television is not prose. It works differently and under different constraints. A novelist can change location in the blink of an eye. If she chooses to write a spaceship, it costs her nothing. She can time travel with ease. It isn’t only these practical considerations that mean the television series is not the book; prose simply works differently. Characters in a novel can voice their thoughts and consider their options. The reader can live inside the characters’ heads. Television works differently. It must work on its own terms.

But the writer of the books can still hope that the television version carries the arc of her original story and some of her concerns and motivations. And she can even work towards that if she is lucky enough to work with someone who is generous about collaborating.

Both series are full of thrills and reversals. They move at Patrick’s breathless pace. But, remarkably, the narrative somehow has time to breathe, time to capture some of the complexity that I saw first-hand as a serving officer in London’s police service. In The Tower we see the flawed police constable Hadley Matthews exactly as I had imagined him, and, in Death Message, we have time to witness the reality of enduring loss for anyone who loses a daughter to murder.

DEBS: Check out the trailer below--so gripping!

The books-to-TV stakes are so dicey--adaptations can fail spectacularly or be as good as (although different from) the books. But I've read THE TOWER (Post Mortem) and watched both seasons of the Britbox series, and I think Kate really did hit the jackpot with these productions (and is well on her way to world domination!) 

Kate London, photo credit Tim Flach

Both Season 1 and Season 2 of THE TOWER are now streaming on Britbox! I hope Kate will have a chance to check in from London to respond to questions and comments, but in the meantime, what book(s) to TV adaptation do you think got it absolutely right?

In Praise of British TV

 RHYS BOWEN:

One of the things I’m enjoying in England is British TV. It’s not as good as it used to be IMHO. Too many game shows, home improvement shows etc. But it still does the classic mystery awfully well.  Back home in the US I find that I watch an awful lot of it. Our local PBS has great nature, travel shows that originated in UK as well as all the fabulous mysteries… Father Brown, Sister Boniface etc. 

I’ve also become addicted to Britbox. I’m so chuffed that they now send Jungle Reds their new mystery series to preview. They now have original content, like the Murder in Provence series that I loved. (John didn’t. It upset him that French people were speaking in various English accents. I pointed out that you couldn’t have a whole mystery with people speaking in fake French, rather like Poirot: I ‘ave brought you ‘ere to name zee murderer…)

I love the GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW (I think it’s Netflix, right?). It was one of my staples during the pandemic when anything I watched had to be heart-warming. I also love to re-watch old British comedies and especially Miranda. She is hilarious. Any other fans out there?

And when I’m stressed one of those calm and lovely travel programs like Penelope Keith visiting her favorite English villages, or Prunella Scales on a canal boat. And of course all the history shows, like Lucy Worsley talking about the Tudors.  I’m so lucky that many of them show up on PBS eventually. 

So are you a fan of British TV? What are your favorites?

LUCY BURDETTE: We had Britbox for a while so we could watch Shetland and Vera, and the other Ann Cleeves show about Matthew Venn. Then Shetland was finished, and John got sick of Vera…so we’ve let it lapse. This isn’t British, but we both loved DEAR EDWARD (after the first traumatic episode.) Have you seen it? I’m sad that there won’t be a second season. We’re now watching THE DIPLOMATS, which has gotten very silly. I think we’ll finish it anyway. John is anxious for us to move on to the new season of HAPPY VALLEY.

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Oh, I adore LINE OF DUTY. We watched every single one of the millions of episodes, devoured them, and didn’t I hear there's a new season to come? One of the best shows I’ve ever  seen.  We watched THE DIPLOMATS (wait, that’s not British, right?), and it’s fun and ridiculous, (even though I kept thinking Kerri Russell looks like a too-disheveled version of Lisa Gardner, and I’m not fond of the guy who plays her husband) (I know, I’m the outlier) but we loved it.  Cannot wait for the next season. And to find out what happened! And what was the one–THE MAN, THE WIFE AND THE CANOE? Or something like that? That was bizarrely entertaining.

HALLIE EPHRON: I still watch Poirot but I  confess to getting tired of all the storylines that involve helpless young women. Still Suchet is magnificent. And I loved Vera… and Scott and Bailey. And I’d love to rewatch Rumpole if it were on. I agree with Rhys that the shows aren’t as good as they once were. 

JENN McKINLAY: BIG fan! Hub and I used to live for Inspector Lewis, DCI Banks, and Broadchurch. We then rolled onto Flea Bag (soooo good) and Slow Horses (fantastic), so, yes, we’re definitely British TV watchers. I’m the GBBO watcher, whereas Hub is not. I do love that there are more British shows on all of the streaming services. Yay! 

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Brit Box is on my list of services to sign up for - now Netflix is crashing down on sharing with family, I’m likely to start doing that thing where you sign up for a month or two to see your favorite show in entirety and then cancel and hop elsewhere. Meanwhile, as Jenn said, there’s a lot of great British TV on other platforms. I loved the chilling YEARS AND YEARS (HBO), a dystopian near-future look at what might be described as the ultimate Brexit, and THE NIGHT MANAGER (Amazon Prime) which is a) based on a John LeCarre novels and b) has the most amazing cast. Amazon also has quite a few of the BBC “A Christie for Christmas” productions from the past decade. 

DEBORAH CROMBIE: I am so behind on all my British shows! But I adored watching the Chelsea Flower Show on Britbox, and our latest stress-free treat has been Junior Bake Off, the kids version of GBBO on Netflix. The kids are so freaking cute, and they can bake things I'd never even attempt. Also, I keep waiting to see if Season 6 of The Great Pottery Throw Down will air in the US on HBO, but no sign of it yet. It's amazing how riveting a pottery competition can be.

When I am actually in the UK, I watch a lot of things that are never available in the US, like 24 Hours in the A&E and the police reality shows. Research!

RHYS: Who else is a fan of British TV? New shows to recommend?

Britbox!

 RHYS BOWEN: Remember when TV was three or four channels. Remember when we waited with anticipation for the next episode of our favorite drama? Now it's all about streaming. We've adapted to it slowly, first Netflix then Prime. During the Pandemic I discovered the joy of binge-watching. When I was sick and on a clear liquid diet it was the Great British Baking Show. One of the most comforting shows on Earth, right?

One of the things I discovered during the pandemic was Britbox. All my favorite British TV shows in one place. Heaven! I have binge watched ever since, rejoicing in new crime series, like Murder in Provence and Val McDermid's brilliant new one.

Another fun benefit has been that Britbox has teamed up with Jungle Red Writers to share about new shows. What fun! And now they have told us about a fantastic contest happening right now, over the holidays.

Here is what they say:

LIGHTS, CAMERA, PLAY DEAD! GIVE THE GIFT OF BRITBOX AND BE ENTERED TO WIN A TRIP TO LONDON, VISIT THE SET OF A BRITBOX FAN-FAVORITE SERIES, AND BE AN UNDERSTUDY TO AN ON-SCREEN MURDER MYSTERY VICTIM

 

BritBox hosts first sweepstakes “One Way Ticket”, offering fans up-close and personal access to the idyllic locations of its beloved series

 

From the lush rolling hills of The Cotswolds to the buzzing streets of London, there’s no shortage of stunning British destinations on display in BritBox’s series. This year, BritBox is giving fans the chance of a lifetime through its One Way Ticket sweepstakes. With each purchase of a gift subscription*, gift-givers will be entered to win the ultimate fan experience: a trip to Britain to visit these locations and a live set!

 

The grand prize winner will receive a trip for two to London and the Cotswolds, including round trip airfare, lodging, and planned excursions. Best of all, the winner will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit the live set of an upcoming BritBox series during filming. Second prize winners will receive an exclusive BritBox item.

 

Gift-givers will be automatically entered to win with each purchase of a one-year gift subscription on BritBox.com. Those who choose not to participate will be given the ability to opt out—just uncheck the designated box.

 

For shoppers looking for a quick, easy, or even last-minute gift, a BritBox gift subscription is a thoughtful solution that will always be in stock. For $79.99, get 12 months for the price of 10 and give the best of British TV, all year long.

 

Images: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ov2g4u5ktoio54g/AAAq1ZAbbZDUCTjVZTKmxi_-a?dl=0

 

*Entrants must be 18 years or older and a legal resident of the U.S. or Canada. Sweepstakes ends at 11:59:59 p.m. ET on January 5th, 2023. Must travel summer 2023. Purchase not required for entry. See official rules for details.

 

BritBox is available for $7.99 per month/79.99 per year—after an introductory free trial period—on Roku®, Amazon Fire TV stick, Apple TV 4th Gen, Samsung, LG and all iOS and Android devices, AirPlay, Chromecast, and online at https://www.britbox.com/us/. BritBox is also available on Amazon Channels for Prime members and on Apple TV Channels on supported devices.

About BritBox

BritBox is a digital video subscription service offering the largest collection of British TV in the U.S. and Canada. Created by two British content powerhouses—BBC Studios, the subsidiary arm of the BBC, and ITV, the UK’s biggest commercial broadcaster—the service features iconic favorites, exclusive premieres, and current series and soaps—most available within 24 hours after their UK premiere. BritBox also offers expert curation and playlists that enable fans to easily find programs they know and discover new favorites via the web, mobile, tablet and connected TVs.   

 

 

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 RHYS:  How can you resist? Worth every penny. The contest closes soon. So if there is someone for whom you haven't found the right gift yet... here it is! Good luck

And what streaming services do you watch? What have you binge-watched? I've done that with Alone, Bridgerton, the Crown.... what else?

Louise Doughty on Crossfire

DEBORAH CROMBIE:  We have a very special treat today, a visit from bestselling British author Louise Doughty! Louise is the author of nine novels, including the #1 bestseller Apple Tree Yard, which has been translated into thirty languages. Her most recent book is Platform Seven.  She has also written one work of non-fiction, five plays for radio and the BBC One three-part original drama Crossfire.

In the US, Crossfire premiered exclusively on Britbox this week!

A high-octane action thriller executive produced by and starring Keeley Hawes (Bodyguard); the first original series by bestselling novelist Louise Doughty (Apple Tree Yard, Black Water); and from the makers of The Salisbury Poisonings and The Responder, Crossfire is a high-stakes, thrilling drama about a vacation gone wrong when a group of revengeful gunmen take a hotel hostage and guests are forced to make monumental life or death decisions with enormous consequences. An intricately woven story of trauma and resilience, guilt and betrayal, Crossfire is an edge-of-your-seat, sophisticated thriller with an emotional, intimate and relatable core.

Here's a sneak peek.

This is an absolutely can't-look-away drama with fabulous performances, and thanks to Britbox I had a chance to chat with Louise about her journey from novelist to writer of a blockbuster television production.

DEBS: In writing my crime novels, I've said I like to explore what circumstances will drive an ordinary person to commit the extraordinary act of murder. But in your books--and certainly in Crossfire--you take this to the next level, putting all of your characters in extreme circumstances that test them to their limits. What draws you to these stories?

LOUISE: I completely agree with your approach: what is really interesting is taking an ordinary person and putting them under immense pressure, to see what happens, if they crack. I always put my characters through the mill but you're right, I really ramped it up with Crossfire.  In essence, I’m somewhat fatalistic. We never know what’s around the corner, what is coming at us, and we never know how we would behave in extreme circumstances, so really my novels are, in part, a way of exploring how I might behave if these things happened to me. 

DEBS: Are there particular writers or novels that influenced you?

LOUISE: It sounds odd when I don't write it myself, but as a child I was very inspired by science fiction and fantasy. I was a huge fan of Philip K Dick, Arthur C. Clarke, Ursula Le Guin. There is something about that genre shows you the possibilities of language, and how you can stretch your imagination in whatever direction takes you.  It was reading those books that taught me you really could do anything with an invented story.

In terms of current reading, I’ve just finished Kit de Waal's memoir, Without Warning & Only Sometimes, which is wonderful.  Malorie Blackman and Bernadine Evaristo have also recently published memoirs that are on my pile.  I’m looking forward to reading this year‘s Booker winner, The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka as I'm a fan of Sri Lankan writing. I am, also, of course, a huge fan of Margaret Atwood and Anne Enright and Kate Atkinson and Chris Bohjalian.  Really, we could be here all day on this question.  One life isn't enough.

DEBS: Some of your previous novels have been adapted for television (Apple Tree Yard with Emily Watson!) but Crossfire is the first story you've written directly for TV. How was the experience different?

LOUISE: Well, the most notable difference is the number of people who have their fingers in the pie. I enjoyed the development process, talking through the arc of the story with the executives. It made a nice change from sitting on my own in a room all day long. But when something is actually filmed, there are so many restrictions on what the cast and crew can do, it's important to manage your expectations: the budget, the filming schedule, the director's vision, the needs of the broadcasters who are funding it all... these things all necessarily become more important than what you were trying to say in the first place, but the compensation for that is that you reach a mass audience that you can never reach with novels. The idea that literally millions of people are sitting on their sofas, consuming a story you wrote is quite mind-blowing, in a challenging and not entirely comfortable way.  It's a great compensation for all the work you have to put in.

DEBS: And of course, we all want to know what it was like to work with the brilliant Keeley Hawes? Her performance in Crossfire is absolutely brilliant.

LOUSIE: Keeley Hawes is extraordinary. Watching her work was one of the great pleasures of this production. It was a very challenging and stressful shoot for all of us, but particularly for her as she spent a lot of time running around corridors, carrying a heavy shotgun, in the heat, doing long hours - as well as having to act some very traumatic scenes. What was amazing was how she could be chatting with the crew one minute and then snap into character for an incredibly stressful scene the next. I’ve no idea how they train actors to be able to do that.  She was also an executive producer on the series and came on board at a very early stage, before it even been greenlit, so to have her input early on was a great help. All the actors were amazing - Keeley, and Josette Simon, Annieka Rose, Shalisha James-Davis, Alba Brunet - and that's just the lead women: there's so much performance talent around these days, as a writer it's a great gift.

DEBS: Yes, the men were terrific, too. What a performance from Lee Ingleby, who's long been a favorite of mine!

Louise hopes to have a chance to stop in to visit with readers today, but in the meantime, REDS and readers, have you ever  had a vacation go scarily wrong?

P.S. A real life drama-- our bank, right down the street from our house, was robbed yesterday! How terrifying for the bank staff and the customers, and certainly not what anyone was expecting on an ordinary Friday morning!

A New Series to Binge Watch!

RHYS BOWEN:  One of the perks of being part of Jungle Red Writers is that people approach us, knowing our good visibility. Recently we have formed a delightful relationship with BRITBOX, who now sends us news on upcoming features that may interest our JRW followers.

Debs and I were given the heads up on a new series called MURDER IN PROVENCE. Of course with that title I'd have watched it even if the plots were awful. Who wouldn't want to spend a hour in Provence right now? But I did watch the first few episodes and ooh--it's really good. Appealing sleuths, fabulous scenery and plots that may not be the cleverest in the world but are suspenseful.

So the protagonists are a couple, probably late forties or early fifties: not married, but in a long term relationship. His title is judge but that translates more to something like detective chief inspector. A high rank with the police in Avignon.  She is a university professor of psychology who has been seconded to the police as a psychology specialist (and of course gets involved in investigating!)

They both come with back-story: she left an abusive husband. His wife committed suicide by jumping off a ferry. We are given tantalizing hints of both of these in the first episode.

The secondary characters are also delightful. His sidekick is a formidable but extremely likable black female detective. Her socialite mother is ever-critical and keeps pushing them toward marriage. They are both from good families with great connections which does help in investigations.

The dialog is witty and then there is the FOOD. And the WINE. They eat and drink a lot during the episode. 
And they drive through the Provencal countryside. When they went to Cassis I nearly wept. 

"They are in Cassis, look!" I moaned to John. Talk about living vicariously.

So give it a try (and if you haven't got Britbox yet, I highly recommend it. Whenever I'm stressed I relive the old Poirots and Miss Marples and silly comedies.

Here are the details:

Murder in Provence follows Antoine Verlaque (Roger Allam, Endeavour, The Thick of It), Investigating Judge in Aix-en Provence, and romantic partner Marine Bonnet (Nancy Carroll, The Crown, Father Brown) as they tackle the murders, mysteries and dark underbelly of their idyllic home. Their efforts are aided by Hélène (Keala Settle, The Greatest Showman), a detective and Antoine’s trusted confidante who brings her unique flair to the investigations. Each self-contained episode explores a new case with Verlaque and Bonnet's relationship serving as the core element that ties this decadent, escapist series together. 

Do let me know what you think! 

And I just got some more exciting news: Hugh Laurie is producing a new version of WHY DIDN'T THEY ASK EVANS? One of my favorite Agatha Christies so I hope they stick to the story and don't do fanciful things as they have done with some of the Miss Marples.

The Tower--What's Your British Mystery DNA

DEBORAH CROMBIE: You all know by now that British TV/telly mysteries are my cup of tea, and I'm always thrilled when a brand new show comes across my radar and I get to share it with you. Last week Britbox (bless them!) aired all three episodes of  THE TOWER,  a gripping new drama from Patrick Harbinson, the creator of 24, LAW & ORDER:SVU, and HOMELAND, so some serious credentials there.  It stars Gemma (love the name!) Whelan from GAME OF THRONES and KILLING EVE, who plays Detective Sergeant Sarah Collins, a homicide investigator with the Metropolitan Police. 

When a veteran cop and a teenage girl are killed in a fall from a tower block in southeast London, Collins is called to the scene. Left behind on the roof are a five-year-old boy and the veteran cop's rookie partner, who later goes missing. The series is based on a book called POST MORTEM by Kate London, a former Met homicide detective, so this show has got all the gritty, fact-based drama you could want. It's a complex story, with hints of organized crime, racial tensions, and police corruption. The cast is terrific, especially Gemma Whelan as Collins. Here's a peek.

I especially liked Tahirah Sharif as Lizzie Adama, the runaway rookie.  

And Emmet Scanlan, who plays the possibly dodgy Inspector Shaw, is mesmerizing.

To me, it seems that there are two main threads in British mystery television, one which includes cozier shows, from Midsomer Murders (although I usually find the methods of murder in Midsomer to be horribly gruesome,) the Marples and the Poirots, Hamish Macbeth, Hetty Wainthropp, Father Brown, Agatha Raisin, and one of my very favorites, Pie in the Sky. Some but not all of these shows feature amateur sleuths, but they have in common that you never feel the murders are to be taken seriously.

Then there is the tradition of harder edged British mystery shows, going all the way back to Prime Suspect in 1991 and including shows like The Killing, The Fall, Line of Duty, Broadchurch, Happy Valley, and Scott and Bailey. (Interesting that so many of these have featured female leads, isn't it?) I would put THE TOWER firmly in this camp.

Personally, I enjoy both styles, but it made me think about the shows that made me fall in love with the British telly mystery, and how they influenced my writing. Some, like Morse, which I adored, I couldn't classify. Murder is certainly taken seriously, but the series didn't have the hard-edged, fast-paced feel that we associate with gritty crime drama now. I loved the early adaptations of Sayers and P.D. James, but I was a huge fan of Prime Suspect, too. 

REDS and readers, do you have a preferred "style" in TV mysteries? Or are you an equal opportunity fan? I know I've left lots out here, so share favorites that I've missed!

Ann Cleeves' THE LONG CALL on Britbox!

DEBORAH CROMBIE: British mystery fans will be thrilled to know that Britbox is bringing U.S. viewers the brand new adaptation of Ann Cleeves' THE LONG CALL, the first of her Two Rivers novels featuring Devon detective Matthew Venn! And I do mean brand new, as it just began airing on ITV in the UK this week. Silverprint Pictures has done such a brilliant job with both Shetland and Vera, their adaptations of Ann's other series novels, that I was looking forward to this with great anticipation. I read The Long Call as soon as it was released in 2019 and I think it's amazing that they've brought it to the screen so quickly. (If you haven't read The Long Call, it's available on Kindle Unlimited at the moment!)

Here's a peek at the show:

 

Inspired by the bestselling novel of the same name, this atmospheric crime drama brings to life a new deeply engrossing mystery from Ann Cleeves, creator of Vera and Shetland. Featuring Ann's signature chilling twists and starkly beautiful settings, The Long Call centers on its intriguing and flawed protagonist, Detective Inspector Mathew Venn. We first meet the reserved but intense Matthew at his father's funeral in North Devon with his husband, the small community he grew up in but walked away 20 years ago after being rejected by his family. Now he's back, not just to mourn his father, but also to take charge of his first murder case. Finding the killer is Matthew's only focus, and his team's investigation will take him straight back into the community he left behind - and the deadly secrets that lurk there. 

So gripping! And what a cast! That's Ben Aldridge as Matthew and Pearl Mackie as his colleague Jenn Rafferty. 

Declan Bennett plays Matthew's husband Jonathan. It must be so nerve-wracking for the author, waiting to see how her characters will be portrayed, but I think they've done a fine job here. It's a stellar cast all round, with luminaries like Martin Shaw and especially Juliet Stevenson, who is so good as Matthew's complicated mother, Dorothy.  

And the scenery is gorgeous! I don't know that part of Devon, but now I want to visit. Not to mention that I would move into Matthew and Jonathan's house in a heartbeat!

What could be more fun on a chilly Halloween weekend than to curl up with a good mystery on the screen and a cup of hot chocolate?

REDS and readers, how are you spending yours?

VERA Returns with a New Season

DEBORAH CROMBIE: British mystery aficionados will be thrilled to know that Ann Cleeves' beloved detective, VERA, returned for the 11th season yesterday on Britbox! I was so happy to see Brenda Blethyn and Kenny Doughty, who plays Vera's sergeant Aiden Healy, and all the other cast regulars who have come to seem like old friends.

 As have the hat and the Land Rover! Take a peek!

And then there is the beautiful Northumberland scenery, which made me miss England even more. In Episode 1, Vera and the team must unravel the mystery when well-respected local builder and family man Jim Tullman is found beaten to death on the steps of the Collingwood Monument the day before he was due to testify in court as the key witness in a violent assault case. In episode 2, Vera is called to the scene of a murdered support worker who is found hidden among the bleak woodlands of Northumberland National Park.

Brenda has embodied Ann's character so well that I can't imagine anyone else in that role. As a writer, I'm always curious about how writers feel seeing their characters brought to life on the screen, so I asked Ann if she sees Brenda when she's writing Vera.

Ann: I think Silverprint, the production company which makes Vera and Shetland (and the adaptation of The Long Call) is brilliant at capturing the essence of the books.  They can translate the place and the characters to the screen, even though they might not completely follow the plot and that's much more important to me.  Brenda has become Vera now.  I'm so fortunate to have such a brilliant actor playing her.  I don't see her, but I do hear her voice when I'm writing dialogue.  The whole team has done magnificent work filming through all the restrictions of Covid.  I haven't seen the episodes - and they're original stories so they'll be new to me when they screen.  I can't wait!

I've seen Episode 1 & 2 and I agree they've done a terrific job, especially with the limitations of filming with Covid restrictions. Brenda and Kenny had to be in a Covid bubble because of all the scenes filmed in the Land Rover--they even had apartments next door to each other! Green screens were used in the scenes in the interview room, but it's amazingly seamless and I wouldn't have known if I hadn't read up on it. Harder work for the actors, though!

There are six episodes in Season 11, but unfortunately we will only get to see two this fall. Filming had to be extended--again, due to Covid restrictions--so the final four episodes won't air until sometime in 2022. I'm certain, however, that they'll be worth the wait. In the meantime, we'll enjoy the first two!

REDS and readers, are you looking forward to the new season of VERA. And what are some of your favorite TV adaptations of crime novels?
 

More from Britbox--Line of Duty!

DEBORAH CROMBIE: We are having such fun on Jungle Red with sneak peeks at not one, but two, new British crime dramas on Britbox. As I write British mysteries, you can imagine how much I love British crime shows, and today I get to talk about LINE OF DUTY, which is maybe the best British cop series ever. 

I'm embarrassed to admit that I was a latecomer. I'd heard about it, of course, but a series run had never coincided with my trips to the UK. But thanks to Britbox my hubby and I started watching last year and we totally binged all five seasons. It was so compelling and we just couldn't wait to see what happened next. Then, lockdown happened. Filming on Season 6 was stopped, and we did lots of teeth-gnashing. Would we ever know the truth??

But now Season 6 is here, starting tonight, with episode 1!

So what's it all about? LINE OF DUTY follows the cases of AC 12, the anti-corruption unit of a fictional police force in Central England. (The show is actually mostly filmed in Belfast.) Martin Compston plays DS Steve Arnott, a firearms officer who is transferred to AC 12 after refusing to agree to the cover-up of an unlawful shooting by his own team. He's partnered with DC Kate Fleming, played by the wonderful Vicky McClure, and their team is supervised by Superintendent Ted Hastings, played by Adrian Dunbar. They investigate corruption within the force, and as the series progresses, the links of corrupt officers to organized crime, and the identity of the mysterious kingpin, H.

Talent abounds, and previous seasons' top-notch guest stars have included Lennie James, Thandie Newton, Keely Hawes, Daniel Mays, and Stephen Graham. In Season 6 Kelly MacDonald takes center stage as possibly corrupt DCI Jo Davidson.

Check out this trailer!

Just WOW! The tension! The twists and turns! I can't wait to dive in!

Everyone in the cast is terrific, but I have a wee bit of a fan girl thing going for the Scottish actor Martin Compston, who plays the English officer Steve Arnott. 

Here's a fun little snippet of Martin's recent segment on the Scottish talk show LORRAINE.

So Scottish, compared to his English character. It always amazes me that actors can change their accents so convincingly. Also, it's really nice to see Martin smile, as his character, Steve, doesn't get much opportunity!

REDS and readers, are you LINE OF DUTY fans? How do you feel about the one-episode-a-week format? It does give us lots of time to speculate on the latest developments!

And, lastly, is it YAY or NAY on THE BEARD?

 

Introducing a new Britbox mystery series!

 RHYS BOWEN:  This is a new and exciting direction for Jungle Red Writers. I was approached by Britbox to review a new Britbox Original mystery series, called GRACE, making its debut today! How cool is that!

As most of you know, I'm a huge fan of Britbox. It has been my rock, my escape, during the past year. When I have been stressed, depressed, feeling isolated, I have gone to Britbox and binged on my favorite silly old comedies: Are you Being Served, Keeping Up Appearances, The Vicar of Dibley etc etc, or my favorite mysteries: Miss Marple, Vera, Poirot, Death in Paradise... I could go on and on.   If you like British television this is an absolute must.

What the Brits do so well is to create real, human, flawed but likable detectives. Think of Morse, Dalziel and Pascoe, Banks, Vera.  Meet Detective Superintendent Grace, (played by John Simm--Life on Mars).  Some of you may already be familiar with Detective Superintendent Grace, the creation of Peter James. James isn't so well known in the States but he is a mega-star in the rest of the world, and with good reason. He writes taut, edge of seat plots in the manner of Prime Suspect. The books have now been turned into a TV series written by the creator of Endeavor, Russell Lewis.  What more could you want?

Anyway, this first episode introduces us to DS Grace, a man who has fallen from grace, (couldn't resist the pun, sorry) been sidelined and is now suspect because he has used a medium to help him solve a crime. He is stuck with cold cases when he is recruited by a young Detective Sergeant to help him with a very current case--a man is missing after his stag night. His stag buddies were in a van crash. Two are dead and one in a coma. But no sign of the groom.  His background reveals a dodgy company with offshore assets. But then we, the viewers, learn what has happened to the groom and that his fate lies in the hands of a disabled man.  This is when the nail biting begins.   

You know me--I'm a cozy sort of gal. But I could not stop watching. I think I held my breath for an hour. Brilliant acting from John Simm and the sort of jigsaw puzzle cinematography that is the hallmark of British TV. I particularly like the multi-racial cast that feels very natural. Everybody go and watch and tell me what you think!

Here is a link to the trailer to whet your appetites!

https://youtu.be/JsDlY4MAMkc

So do you like the idea of occasional recommendations for movies or TV on Jungle Reds?

What We're Watching

INGRID THOFT
Just as I'm always looking for great book recommendations, I'm equally eager to get movie and TV recommendations.  I'll go first, with the hope that like a chain letter, I'll get many suggestions in return!

Acorn TV has provided the three most recent shows I've been watching.  They're also available on DVD if you don't have Acorn.  The first, SUSPECTS, is a show about a team of detectives in Manchester, England.  The amazing thing about this show is that the dialogue is largely improvised.  This, and the style of the camera work, gives it a documentary-like style.  It's fast paced—I need the subtitles even though it's in English—and the investigative work they do is very compelling.  I'm not sure how they would solve crimes in the U.K. without the help of CCTV!  I hope this show is picked up for another season.

THE DISAPPEARANCE is a french miniseries about the disappearance of a teenage girl in Marseilles, France.  I binged this one and even sent the DVD to my mom since I thought she'd enjoy it, too.  There are many cliffhangers, and the acting is great.  There are a couple of plot twists that are rather implausible (and don't even get me started on the cleavage baring wardrobe of the female cop), but I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys mysteries, particularly those set outside of the U.S.

My third pick is very different in tone:  It's lighter and doesn't focus on serious crime.  STRIKING OUT is set in Dublin and follows a young lawyer who has "struck out" on her own after leaving a large corporate firm.  The main characters are charming, and it's interesting to get a bit of insight into the Irish legal system.  I leave the subtitles on for this show, too.  The accents are lovely, but interfere as I try to follow the plot!

How about you, Reds?  What are you watching these days?

JENN McKINLAY: The last TV show I was really hooked on was THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW. Loved, loved, loved it, but they changed the format and the cast so that's over. Sadly, I don't watch much TV. If I find something I like, I will binge watch it, but most of my evenings are spent reading, playing ping pong with the Hooligans, or floating in the pool with the Hub while listening to the Grateful Dead. I am really looking forward to the recommendations here - clearly I need to up my TV game.

HALLIE EPHRON: The two shows I love are VERA (with Brenda Blethyn based on the series by Ann Cleeves) and THE DETECTORISTS.

Up to now, all seven seasons of VERA have been on Acorn, but suddenly, the new season is going to Britbox. BOOO. I really don't want another subscription.

THE DETECTORISTS is not a crime show—it's a quirky British ensemble comedy about a bunch of sweet sad sacks who love to go out with their metal detectors in search of buried treasure. Can't wait for the new season. Also loved, but waiting for new seasons of: GLOW and THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL.

I'm trying to get hooked on CASE STUDIES and BOSCH, but so far not succeeding. And though I loved the first episodes of SHERLOCK, the final ones that are streaming are too bizarre. And wondering about THE AMERICANS. Advice??

LUCY BURDETTE: Oh, I'm no further along on TV than I was the last time we discussed it. We have one more episode of THE CROWN to watch, then will be waiting for the third season. I will have to try VERA, since I'm so hooked on Ann Cleeves's Shetland mysteries. Actually Jenn, I think you are doing exactly the right thing playing pool with the hooligans and floating in the pool with hub. Great priorities!

DEBORAH CROMBIE:  Ingrid, I'm checking out all three of the shows you mentioned. Although how I'll ever manage to watch all of them, I don't know. I'm behind on VERA and just about everything else.

What we have been watching and loving is a sci-fi series on Netflix called TRAVELERS. People from the future send their consciousnesses back to the 21st century to try to affect the future timeline. There are, of course, the usual time travel paradoxes, but it's so well done, and we love all the characters so much that we are totally hooked. Two more episodes to watch in season two, but I just read that season three is in production. Although it's supposed to be set in Seattle, it's actually filmed in Canada, and all the actors are Canadian.
I'm also loving a series running on my local PBS station, but I think it is also on Acorn, called PIE IN THE SKY. It ran for about five years in the mid-nineties in the UK. Richard Griffith's stars as an irascible police officer who is trying to retire and open a restaurant. Absolutely charming, and I adore it.

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: So here's what happened. We love THE AMERICANS and really look forward to it. If you haven't watched it, the pilot episode is one of the bet ever, and the show kept going beautifully—now it the midst of the last season. All good. About Russian spies embedded as Americans, and it's great.
We also love HOMELAND. More spies. All good.  But now, one  of the actors who plays a spy on THE AMERICANS is now in the cast of HOMELAND, as a spy!  I am hopelessly confused.

Same thing happened with two other shows. We started watching MADAME SECRETARY long ago—you DO watch that, right? SO good, about a female Secretary of State.  Then we started watching DESIGNATED SURVIVOR, about the one cabinet member left alive after bad guys blow up the US Capitol.  So then the next week on MADAME SECRETARY, they walked into the Capitol building, of course, and I said to Jonathan—hey! How did they  rebuild that so fast? Then I realized—it was another show.

Maybe I am simply not cut out for this, and should stick with PROJECT RUNWAY!

I am also ashamed to say we finally started watching BREAKING BAD.  We had started once, and decided it was a no. Then, for some reason, we tried it again.  Readers, it is fabulous. Fabulous! Surprising in every way. Highly highly recommended, but then you probably are all watching it already.

Brenda Blethyn a.k.a Vera Stanhope

RHYS BOWEN:  Another VERA fan here and having just met Brenda Blethyn, I'm even more of a fan because she was so lovely and friendly and just hung out with us at Malice. I was hooked on THE CROWN and VICTORIA, and I gather there will be a season three of both.  I love THE AMAZING RACE because they go to such different parts of the world. Otherwise a lot of PBS documentaries.


JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: The Smithie and I have gotten into a wonderful crime fiction/thriller/horror series on Amazon Prime - FORTITUDE. It's a combination of Arnaldur Indriðason, Michael Crichton, and your favorite arctic nature documentary - a genuinely twisty, puzzling mystery set in a fictionalized version of Svalbard, where climate change is threatening the livelihood of scientists, fishermen and the tourism economy. 

It has an amazing cast, comprising Scandanavian and Irish actors I've never seen before with star power like Stanley Tucci, Michael Gambon and Dennis Quaid. The breakout is Richard Dormer as the lonely, conflicted sheriff at the center of the story. I can almost always spot the clues and figure our whodunnit well before the end of movie or TV mysteries, but I was well and truly stumped throughout the first series. Two seasons are up already, and the Irish/UK producer, SKY Atlantic, has signed for a third and final series. If you have Prime, check it out, and let me know what you think.

What TV gems can you share with us today, Readers?