Could Trevor Wood’s new crime-busting hero fill the Vera void on TV?
As Vera Stanhope exits the small screen, could her place be taken by Jack Parker?
That’s DCI Jack Parker, protagonist of The Silent Killer, the latest from award-winning Newcastle novelist Trevor Wood.
The screen rights to the novel have been secured by production company FilmNation TV UK after a reported bidding war.
If you’ve read the book, you’ll know that the title refers to a killer within. Jack is in the first stages of early onset dementia, having been diagnosed quite by accident.
The Silent Killer is the first in a new crime fiction series by Trevor whose debut novel, The Man on the Street, was shortlisted for the Theakston’s Crime Novel of the Year accolade.
“I think every writer dreams of their book being optioned for TV but you never really expect it to happen,” says Trevor, who worked closely with the charity Alzheimer’s Research UK on his latest novel.
“When I first spoke to FilmNation TV I was overwhelmed by their enthusiasm for the book and am incredibly excited about where they might take it.
“It’s the first step on a long journey but I couldn’t be making it in better company.”
Kirstie Macdonald, FilmNation TV UK’s creative director and originally from South Shields, was keen on The Silent Killer from the outset.
“From the book’s opening sentences, it was clear that DCI Jack Parker was the detective the country needed,” she said.
“The days of the grizzled, cynical cop with a drink problem are over. Here instead is a middle-aged man with a sense of humour, a healthy dollop of self-awareness and a genuine beating heart.
“Our vision for an adaptation of The Silent Killer is to make a quality drama series in the North East that feels original, entertaining and iconic.”