Mystery<\/strong> novels are among the most popular today, but a good mystery isn’t all that easy to write. The earliest noted example of the modern, typical detective novel is The Moonstone<\/em> by Wilkie Collins<\/strong>, which established many of the modern tropes of crime and mystery storytelling<\/strong>, but that boundary is constantly pushed by new writers who understand the genre’s conventions and add their own twist to it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Many classic and modern mystery novels deserve to be adapted for the screen, but the question is, how well can that truly be done? Some novels are best experienced on paper<\/strong>, where we’re submerged into the psyche of the protagonist, effectively becoming him. No other medium (except perhaps video games) can make the viewer\/reader feel as if they’re in the story themselves<\/strong>. The following mystery novels would be amazing adaptations if done correctly; their television versions could easily make us feel as if we’re the main character and yet present the protagonist with a certain objectivity, adding a spice to the main twist and building worlds that may have been hard to imagine while reading. Here are mystery books that deserve a TV adaptation.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fans of classic science fiction and its literary godfather, Philip K. Dick<\/strong>, know about Time Out of Joint<\/em> all too well. This is one of the maybe lesser-known books by Dick, whose works have had numerous film and TV adaptations thus far<\/strong> (the most notable being the Blade Runner<\/strong><\/em> franchise). Time Out of Joint<\/em> is a classic sci-fi story, so it may not classify as a mystery to some, but its plot and atmosphere around the first half of the novel are built on a tightly wound unknown that drives the protagonist crazy and makes him question his own sanity. If there was a proper comparison, this novel would be the grandfather of The Truman Show<\/strong><\/em> and Severance<\/strong><\/em>, though there are other shows that match the plot well.<\/p>\n Time Out of Joint<\/em> follows Ragle Gumm, who lives in an idyllic and typical American small town in 1959. Ragle has a unique talent, where he plays the local newspaper’s game called “Where Will The Little Green Man Be Next?” guessing the answer correctly every single time and getting a cash prize for it. This makes Ragle somewhat of a local celebrity, and he lives happily until one day, things in his world begin to disappear and appear without a good explanation<\/strong>. Ragle dives deeper into his investigation, and his world suddenly flips upside down. Time Out of Joint<\/em> is an incredible novel, full of intense moments, surprising twists, and a satisfying ending. Adapting it to modern times wouldn’t be difficult, but getting the atmosphere right might take some trial and error<\/strong>. Either way, this Philip K. Dick novel only needs a dedicated showrunner\u2014the story itself is already perfect.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n OK, so yes, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd<\/em> does have its place on TV already: the Poirot <\/em>series starring David Suchet <\/strong>adapted the book into a feature-length episode, and there’s even a Japanese feature film based on it, but there’s not an actual series. Anyone who reads Agatha Christie <\/strong>often knows exactly why The Murder of Roger Ackroyd<\/em> is a gem among her other works<\/strong>; the unusual twist really delivers a stunner and shifts the entire novel on its side. The precision of the storytelling that Agatha Christie delivers in this novel is pretty much her magnum opus<\/em><\/strong>; a typical murder mystery on the surface, Roger Ackroyd <\/em>is a methodically written slow-burn that hides its central mystery brilliantly.<\/p>\n Hercule Poirot is summoned to solve the death of the wealthy widower Roger Ackroyd, and he is aided by Dr. James Sheppard, who was called to the scene by Ackroyd’s assistant. Poirot and Sheppard work on consolidating their clues and motives of various people who attended a dinner at Ackroyd’s home on the night of his death. The narrator of the novel, though, is not a third party or Poirot, but Sheppard himself, who observes clues and Poirot at work with attention to detail and great dedication<\/strong>. Sheppard and Poirot are a formidable team, and a methodical and clever showrunner could really make this duo stand out. With so many Poirot adaptations, though, Roger Ackroyd<\/em> may not be a priority to many writers. However, that’s not even the biggest problem, but the fact that serving justice to the best crime novel of all time might be a big bite to take after all.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Nordic noir is definitely worthy of adapting for TV screens<\/strong>, and though there are many examples of good novels in the genre, The Silver Road<\/em> by Stina Jackson<\/strong> is unique and carries special weight. Unlike most Nordic noirs, it doesn’t follow a detective solving a murder mystery but a grieving father who refuses to let go of his missing daughter<\/strong>. The novel depicts the backwoods of Sweden, way up in the north where it’s colder, houses are far away from each other, and boredom often prevails without much to be done about it. Jackson writes with incredible empathy and precision, driving the wedge of grief further into her protagonist. But the book doesn’t stop at being a process of sadness; rather, it turns very quickly into a mystery that grows sinister with each page<\/strong>. It’s a brilliant debut novel, awarded with the Best Swedish Novel award in 2018.<\/p>\n Lelle, a high school teacher in a remote town in Sweden, searches for his missing 17-year-old daughter Lina every single day. She disappeared on the road known as the Silver Road three years before, where Lelle dropped her off at the bus station<\/strong> when she was headed to school. He drives past, investigates decrepit houses, and asks about Lina wherever he can. At the same time, now 17-year-old Meija arrives in town and becomes Lelle’s new student; Meija comes from a dysfunctional home and doesn’t have the parental support any child should expect, and after another girl who looks like Lina disappears, Lelle and Meija become integral parts of the search for the culprits<\/strong>. This could be a very well-made slow-burn mystery series with the right showrunners, but the focus would have to be on Lelle’s intensifying guilt and self-isolation in parallel with the increasing looming dread of Meija’s loneliness. It wouldn’t be an easy show, but it would be brilliant if it were made anything like the novel.<\/p>\n \t \t \t<\/p>\n\n ‘Time Out of Joint’ (1959)
\n <\/h2>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/static0.colliderimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/time-out-of-joint-philip-k-dick.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2\"\/)
\n <\/picture>\n ‘The Murder of Roger Ackroyd’ (1926)
\n <\/h2>\n![\"Book](\"https:\/\/static0.colliderimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/16-1.jpg?q=70&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=1\"\/)
\n <\/picture>\n ‘The Silver Road’ (2018)
\n <\/h2>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/static0.colliderimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/the-silver-road-stina-jackson.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2\"\/)
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