Oxford crime series to be adapted for TV

FROM a leafy corner of Oxford, author Cara Hunter (right) has found a comfortable perch on the upper branches of the flourishing crime-writing tree, penning chilling, thrilling and gripping novels set in the city that spawned the unforgettable Inspector Morse.

Steeped in gritty reality, spine-tingling tension and clever, complex detective work, rendered so authentic that you feel like you are tagging along with the murder squad, Hunter’s crime series has won widespread acclaim for its artful plotting and an original narrative device which features news reports, social media posts, police interviews and scene-of-crime evidence, allowing readers intriguing insights into a police investigation.

The result is superbly crafted, fast-paced mysteries starring a cast of compelling characters from all walks of life, contemporary issues that are often hard-hitting and deeply emotive, and stories with more twists and turns than a snakes-and-ladders board.

And now the bestselling DI Fawley series is to be adapted for the small screen by television producer and screenwriter Daisy Coulam – best known for writing ITV smash hit Grantchester and Channel 4’s Deadwater Fell ­– in tandem with production company Castlefield TV.

The DI Fawley series success story began in 2018 with Close to Home, which was a Richard & Judy Book Club pick, shortlisted for Crime Book of the Year in the British Book Awards 2019 and became Penguin Random House UK’s biggest selling e-book of 2018.

The series has now sold over 1.1 million copies across all formats, with a Cara Hunter book bought every two minutes in the UK. And the fifth book in the series, The Whole Truth, is set to be published on March 18.

Commenting on the adaptation, Castlefield directors Simon Judd and Hilary Martin said Daisy Coulam was the dream choice to bring Adam Fawley and his team to life on screen.  Coulam added: ‘From the moment I picked up the first novel in the DI Fawley series, I was hooked. Cara’s books are deliciously dark and visceral, delivering twist after shocking twist. I can’t wait to bring DI Fawley and his team to the small screen.’

Hunter, who lives in Oxford on a street not unlike those featured in her books, is delighted at the news and commented: ‘First Castlefield and now Daisy Coulam. This is a dream team and no mistake.’