In recent years, the trend of transforming beloved books into TV shows has become increasingly popular. The allure of seeing your favorite characters and stories come to life on the small screen is undeniable. If you are a binge-watcher on the hunt for your next read, here's a peek at our list of this year's must-watch TV shows that are based on books.
Popular Shows Streaming 2024
Here are some of the most beloved and anticipated TV shows streaming based on books that you won't want to miss.
"Shogun" – The Epic Reimagined for the Small Screen
The reimagining of Shogun, the epic novel by James Clavell, is available to stream on Hulu.
Shogun, Part One
by James Clavell
Endlessly compelling, this sweeping saga captivated the world to become not only one of the best-selling novels of all time but one of the highest-rated television miniseries, as well as inspiring a nationwide surge of interest in the culture of Japan.
"Geek Girl" – A Geek to Chic Story
Written by Holly Smale. Catch the show on Netflix starting May 30, 2024.
Geek Girl
by Holly Smale
Harriet Manners is a geek. She always has been, and she thought she always would be. But when she's discovered by a modeling agent, she leaps at the chance to reinvent herself.
There's only one problem: Harriet is the definition of awkward. Can she transform from geek to chic?
"The Divine Comedy: Inferno, Purgatory and Paradise" – The Greatest Poem of All Time Hits PBS September 21, 2024
Divine Comedy
by Dante Alighieri
The Divine Comedy (1320) is a narrative poem by Dante Alighieri. Begun in 1308 while Dante was exiled from his native Florence, The Divine Comedy presents the author's spiritual journey from sinfulness and despair to salvation and self-understanding. Written in the Tuscan vernacular, the poem was influential in establishing a standardized Italian language. It is a long poem divided into three books of 33 cantos each.
"The Spiderwick Chronicles" – The Epic Reimagined for the Small Screen
Started streaming on the RokuChannel on April 19, 2024.
Complete Spiderwick Chronicles Boxed Set
by Tony Diterlizzi - Holly Black
After finding a mysterious, handmade field guide in the attic of the ramshackle old mansion they've just moved into, Jared; his twin brother, Simon; and their older sister, Mallory, discover that there's a magical and maybe dangerous world existing parallel to their own--the world of faerie.
"Ripley" – Thriller on Nextflix Staring Andrew Scott
Perfect for binge-watching – all eight episodes of this limited series are on Netflix now.
The Talented Mr. Ripley
by Patricia Highsmith
Newly arrived in the heady world of Manhattan, Ripley meets a wealthy industrialist who hires him to bring his playboy son, Dickie Greenleaf, back from gallivanting in Italy. Soon Ripley's fascination with Dickie's debonair lifestyle turns obsessive as he finds himself enraged by Dickie's ambivalent affections for Marge, a charming American dilettante, and Ripley begins a deadly game.
"Franklin" – Michael Douglas Stars as Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin
You can now stream "Franklin" on Apple TV+.
A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America
by Stacy Schiff
Schiff tells the story entirely from primary sources: diplomatic archives, family papers, spy reports, and the records of the French foreign service. She spent an entire year in France researching the book for accuracy.
"The Sympathizer" – New Comedy Drama Series Based on the Award-Winning Book
Available on MAX starting April 14, 2024.
The Sympathizer: A Novel (Pulitzer Prize for Fiction)
by Viet Thanh Nguyen
Winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize, a startling debut novel from a powerful new voice featuring one of the most remarkable narrators of recent fiction: a conflicted subversive and idealist working as a double agent in the aftermath of the Vietnam War.
The Sympathizer is a blistering exploration of identity and America, a gripping espionage novel, and a powerful story of love and friendship.
"Under the Bridge" – Stars Lily Gladstone and Riley Keough
This true crime limited series is streaming on Hulu starting April 17, 2024.
Under the Bridge
by Rebecca Godfrey
One moonlit night, fourteen-year-old Reena Virk went to join friends at a party and never returned home.
In this "tour de force of crime reportage" (Kirkus Reviews), acclaimed author Rebecca Godfrey takes us into the hidden world of the seven teenage girls--and boy--accused of a savage murder. As she follows the investigation and trials, Godfrey reveals the startling truth about the unlikely killers. Laced with lyricism and insight, Under the Bridge is an unforgettable look at a haunting modern tragedy.
"Dead Boy Detectives" – From the Pages of The Sandman by Neil Gaiman
Check out this graphic novel-to-screen adaptation on Netflix beginning April 25, 2024.
Dead Boy Detectives
by Toby Litt & Mark Buckingham
From the pages of THE SANDMAN, Neil Gaiman's intrepid dead schoolboys head back to the horror that is St. Hilarions School; the place where they both were murdered.
Edwin Paine and Charles Roland have a lot in common - they're both English schoolboys who love a good detective story, and they've been known to dabble in mystery-solving themselves.
They're also both dead, a condition which has proven to be less of a hindrance than one might think.
"Apples Never Fall" – A Star-Studded Mystery from the Author of Big Little Lies
Watch Annette Bening, Sam Neill, Jake Lacy and more on this Peacock limited series
Apples Never Fall
by Liane Moriarty
From Liane Moriarty, the bestselling author of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers, comes Apples Never Fall, a novel that looks at marriage, siblings, and how the people we love the most can hurt us the deepest.
The Delaney family love one another dearly--it's just that sometimes they want to murder each other.
If your mother was missing, would you tell the police? Even if the most obvious suspect was your father? This is the dilemma facing the four grown Delaney siblings.
"Manhunt" – Bingeable True Crime Series
Find this captivating series on Apple TV+ starting March 15, 2024.
Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer: An Edgar Award Winner
by James L Swanson
"A terrific narrative of the hunt for Lincoln's killers that will mesmerize the reader from start to finish."--Doris Kearns Goodwin
Based on rare archival materials, obscure trial transcripts, and Lincoln's own blood relics Manhunt is a fully documented, fascinating tale of murder, intrigue, and betrayal. A gripping hour-by-hour account told through the eyes of the hunted and the hunters, it is history as it's never been read before.
"Palm Royale" – Talk About Keeping Up with the Joneses
Kristen Wiig, Ricky Martin, Carol Burnett, Josh Lucas, and many more unite for a series through Florida's upper-class circles. Streaming on Apple TV+.
Mr. and Mrs. American Pie
by Juliet McDaniel
"A gorgeously messy and misguided heroine. I love this story."--Laura Dern
Notable Palm Springs socialite Maxine Simmons just found out that her husband is leaving her for his twenty-two-year-old secretary. The former beauty queen sets her eyes on a new crown: that of the Mrs. American Pie pageant, awarded to the nation's best wife and mother. Maxine only has one problem: to win the crown she'll need to find--or build--a family of her own.
"The Three-Body Problem" – From the Sci-Fi Mind of Cixin Liu
Start streaming the adaptation of this award-winning book on Netflix today.
The Three-Body Problem
by Cixin Liu
WINNER OF THE HUGO AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL
Set against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision.
"We Were the Lucky Ones" – Stars Joey King and Logan Lerman
This new historical drama series starring Joey King and Logan Lerman streams on Hulu.
We Were the Lucky Ones
by Georgia Hunter
Inspired by the incredible true story of one Jewish family separated at the start of World War II. Determined to survive and to unite. We Were the Lucky Ones is a tribute to the triumph of hope and love against all odds.
We Were the Lucky Ones demonstrates how in the face of the twentieth century's darkest moment, the human spirit can endure and even thrive.
"A Gentleman in Moscow" – Based on Amor Towles Bestseller and Stars Ewan McGregor
Watch anytime on Paramount+ or Showtime.
A Gentleman in Moscow
by Amor Towles
From the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Lincoln Highway and Table for Two, a beautifully transporting novel about a man who is ordered to spend the rest of his life inside a luxury hotel.
Brimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another, this singular novel casts a spell as it relates the count's endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man of purpose.
"Tracker" – A Drama Series Based on Jeffery Deaver's Bestselling Series
Check this new series out on CBS.
The Never Game
by Jeffery Deaver
The son of a survivalist family, Colter Shaw is an expert tracker. Now he makes a living as a "reward seeker," traveling the country to help police solve crimes and locate missing persons for private citizens.
"You've been abandoned. Escape if you can. Or die with dignity."
"Shardlake" – A Tudor Period Drama Based on a Book
Start streaming on May 1, 2024, on Disney+.
Dissolution: A Matthew Shardlake Tudor Mystery
by C J Sansom
Awarded the CWA Diamond Dagger - the highest honor in British crime writing
Dissolution is an utterly riveting portrayal of Tudor England. A "remarkable debut" (P. D. James), Dissolution introduces a thrilling historical series that is not to be missed by fans of Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies.
"A Condition Called Love" – An Animated Series on High School Love
Watch now on Crunchyroll.
A Condition Called Love 1
by Megumi Morino
Hotaru is a 16-year-old high school first-year who has always been ambivalent about love, preferring instead to have a lively life with her family and friends. So when she sees her schoolmate, Hananoi-kun, sitting in the snow after a messy, public breakup, she thinks nothing of offering to share her umbrella. But when he asks her out in the middle of her classroom the next day, she can't help but feel that her life is about to change in a big way...
"Wind Breaker" – Anime for the Freak, The Outsider, and The Monster
Start streaming this story of strength on Crunchyroll.
Wind Breaker 1
by Satoru Nii
An adrenaline-filled manga set in a high school for delinquents who are now heroes protecting their town. A fierce, new student arrives at the school determined to fight his way to the top and become the strongest of them all.
"Expats" – An Original Series Starring Nicole Kidman
Take a look into the lives of expatriates by streaming on Prime Video.
The Expatriates
by Janice Y K Lee
"Devastating and heartwarming, and exquisite in every way, this is a book you'll fall deeply in love with and never want to put down."--Kevin Kwan, author of Crazy Rich Asians
In the glittering city of Hong Kong, expats arrive daily for myriad reasons. To find or lose themselves in a foreign place, and to forget or remake themselves far from home. Utterly compelling, The Expatriates showcases Lee's exceptional talent as one of our keenest observers of women's inner lives.
"One Day" – Two People. One Day. Twenty Years.
This New York Times Bestseller is now a bingeable series on Netflix.
One Day
by David Nicholls
It's 1988 and Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley have only just met. But after only one day together, they cannot stop thinking about one another. Over twenty years, snapshots of that relationship are revealed on the same day--July 15th--of each year. As the years go by, the true meaning of this one crucial day is revealed.
"Masters of the Air" – Stars Austin Butler, Callum Turner and Barry Keoghan
This American war miniseries can be found on Apple TV+.
Masters of the Air: America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany
by Donald L Miller
The riveting history of the American Eighth Air Force in World War II and the young men who flew the bombers that helped beat the Nazis and liberate Europe. The Masters of the Air streaming series stars Austin Butler and Callum Turner, and is produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, the legendary duo behind Band of Brothers and The Pacific.
"Dark Matter" – A Dystopian Space Trip
Start streaming this science fiction series on Apple TV+ starting May 8, 2024.
Dark Matter
by Blake Crouch
"Are you happy with your life?"
Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the kidnapper knocks him unconscious.
Dark Matter is a mind-bending thriller about choices, paths not taken, and how far we'll go to claim the lives we dream of.
"Fool Me Once" – British Thriller Streaming on Netflix
Check out this Harlan Coben book adaptation on Netflix now.
Fool Me Once
by Harlan Coben
A widowed veteran gets the shock of her life in this impossible-to-put-down thriller from the bestselling author and creator of the hit Netflix drama The Stranger.
Former special ops pilot Maya, home from the war, sees an unthinkable image captured by her nanny cam while she is at work. Her 2-year-old daughter playing with Maya's husband who was brutally murdered two weeks earlier. The question at the heart of the mystery: Can you believe everything you see with your own eyes, even when you desperately want to?
"The Tattooist of Auschwitz" – Powerful Story of Love and Survival
This incredible tale can be streamed starting May 2, 2024, on Peacock.
The Tattooist of Auschwitz
by Heather Morris
#1 New York Times Bestseller and #1 International Bestseller
This beautiful, illuminating tale of hope and courage is based on interviews that were conducted with Holocaust survivor and Auschwitz-Birkenau tattooist Ludwig (Lale) Sokolov. An unforgettable love story amid atrocity.
"The Girls on the Bus" – A Political Drama Based on Chozick's Memoir
This series features four female journalists as they follow presidential candidates. You can stream on MAX now.
Chasing Hillary: On the Trail of the First Woman President Who Wasn't
by Amy Chozick
The dishy, rollicking, and deeply personal story of what really happened in the 2016 election and since, as seen through the eyes of the New York Times reporter who gave eight years of her life to covering the First Woman President who wasn't.
"A Man in Full" – A Limited Series from David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies)
Watch Jeff Daniels play a fledgling tycoon fighting his way back to the top starting May 2, 2024 on Netflix.
A Man in Full
by Tom Wolfe
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST - "A masterpiece" (The Wall Street Journal) of a novel by the era-defining author of The Bonfire of the Vanities
Networks of illegal Asian immigrants crisscrossing the continent, daily life behind bars, shady real estate syndicates. Wolfe shows us contemporary turn-of-the-century America with all the verve, wit, and insight that have made him one of our most admired talked-about novelists.
"Mary & George" – Historical Series Starring Julianne Moore
Watch now on Starz.
The King's Assassin
By Benjamin Woolley
An absorbing account of the conspiracy to kill King James I by his handsome lover, the Duke of Buckingham, a historical crime that has remained hidden for 400 years.
"Feud: Capote vs The Swans" – Star-Studded Cast
Enjoy every minute on Hulu now.
Capote's Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era
by Laurence Leamer
New York Times bestselling author Laurence Leamer reveals the complex web of relationships and scandalous true stories behind Truman Capote's never-published final novel, Answered Prayers. The book includes dark secrets, tragic glamour, and Capote's ultimate betrayal of the group of female friends he called his "swans."
"Queenie" – Modern Woman Searching for Meaning in Today's World
Stream starting June 7, 2024, on Hulu.
Queenie
by Candice Carty-Williams
This acclaimed and "welcome debut from a seriously talented author" (New York Post) is a disarmingly honest, unapologetically black, and undeniably witty novel that will speak to those who have gone looking for love and found something very different in its place.
"A must-read novel about sex, selfhood, and the best friendships that get us through it all" (Candace Bushnell, New York Times bestselling author).
"Presumed Innocent" – Stars Jake Gyllenhaal
Available on Apple TV+ starting June 14, 2024.
Presumed Innocent
by Scott Turow
From #1 New York Times bestselling author and hailed as the most suspenseful and compelling novel in decades. This story brings to life our worst nightmare: that of an ordinary citizen facing conviction for the most terrible of all crimes.
"Undead Unlock" – Unlucky Girl, Undead Guy
Start watching today on Hulu.
by Yoshifumi Tozuka
Tired of inadvertently killing people with her special ability Unluck, Fuuko Izumo sets out to end it all. But when she meets Andy, a man who longs for death but can't die, she finds a reason to live.
"Power" – Woman Power!
Available on Prime Video now.
The Power
by Naomi Alderman
In The Power, the world is a recognizable place. But then a vital new force takes root and flourishes, causing their lives to converge with devastating effects. Teenage girls now have immense physical power. They can cause agonizing pain and even death.
"Invitation to a Bonfire" – Thrilling Love Triangle
Start binge-watching this fall on AMC+.
Invitation to a Bonfire
by Adrienne Celt
The seductive story of a dangerous love triangle, inspired by the infamous Nabokov marriage, with a spellbinding psychological thriller at its core.
Invitation to a Bonfire investigates how one's identity is formed, irrevocably, through a series of momentary decisions, including how to survive, who to love, and whether to pay the complicated price of happiness.
The Future of Book Adaptations
As we anticipate the TV shows that are based on books, it's clear that this trend is here to stay. Books and screen adaptations have a strong connection. As long as books contain interesting stories, filmmakers will continue to adapt them for screens.
Must-Watch Shows Based on a Book in 2024
As you plan your TV viewing schedule for 2024 and beyond, keep an eye out for these must-watch shows based on books. In the world of streaming TV, the next great adaptation is just around the corner, ready to transport you from the comfort of your living room to entirely new worlds, one episode at a time.
So grab your remote, a cozy blanket, and prepare to be captivated by the stories that have leapt from the pages to your screen. Happy watching!