Producers have looked to books to provide source material for fantastic television for decades, and, while not every great novel translates into equally enjoyable TV fare, at the very least, they can provide a tantalizing starting point and a solid bedrock from which to launch. This June, viewers will be spoiled for choice when it comes to small-screen adaptations, so here is our handy guide to some of the big names to look out for.
- Cape Fear
- The Vampire Lestat
- Every Year After
- Sweet Magnolias Season Five
- The Listeners
- I Will Find You
- House of the Dragon Season Three
Cape Fear
Premiere Date: June 5
Where to Watch: Apple TV
American suspense writer John D. MacDonald (1916 -1986) was one of the most successful authors of his era, and his 1957 novel, The Executioners—on which Cape Fear is based—is widely recognized as one of his best.
The original plot, which follows a lawyer and his family who are stalked by an ex-con he defended in court, is beautifully written and was previously adapted into two excellent movies in 1962 and 1991.
In the new series, which premieres on Apple TV, Patrick Wilson stars as attorney Tom Bowden, with Amy Adams as his wife, Anna, and Javier Bardem as the psychopathic Max Cady. If it even halfway lives up to previous versions, this is one you’ll certainly want to look out for.
The Vampire Lestat
Premiere Date: June 7
Where to Watch: AMC
The character of Lestat will be familiar to many thanks to Tom Cruise’s unforgettable portrayal of the very same vampire in Neil Jordan’s wonderful 1994 movie, Interview with the Vampire. Sam Reid took up the mantle in the first two seasons of Rolin Jones’ TV adaptation of Interview With the Vampire, and now he’s getting his own self-titled season.
Both the movie and the first season of the TV series are based on the 1976 book of the same name by Anne Rice. The Vampire Lestat, published in 1985, was the second installment in what became known as her Vampire Chronicles series.
This novel is set during the 1980s and follows Lestat’s journey to rock and roll stardom and his struggles to accept his vampiric existence, though the series has been updated for the modern age and takes place in 2025. An emotional vampire rockstar story set to an awesome soundtrack?! This one has all the ingredients to become a classic.
Every Year After
Premiere Date: June 10
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime
If you’re a sucker for a good summer romance, you’ll want to put this series high up on your must-watch list. It’s based on the bestselling 2022 book Every Summer After by Canadian author Carley Fortune.
This was her debut novel, and it tells the story of Persephone Fraser, who receives an unexpected phone call from an old flame named Sam Florek that sets an unexpected series of events into motion.
The timeline looks back over many years of a hazy, complicated relationship, and the onscreen adaptation looks set to become this season’s most-talked-about romance.
Sweet Magnolias Season Five
Premiere Date: June 11
Where to Watch: Netflix
Netflix has already given us four seasons of this moving tale, which is set in South Carolina and follows a group of female friends across the years.
Maddie Townsend (played by Joanna Garcia Swisher) is a single mother of three children, Dana Sue Sullivan (Brooke Elliott) is a chef and restaurant owner, and Helen Decatur (Heather Headley) is a successful attorney. Best friends since childhood, they navigate life’s challenges and joys with humour, warmth, and tears. The show is based on the book series of the same name by Sherryl Woods.
The Listeners
Premiere Date: June 12
Where to Watch: Starz
Viewers in the UK have already had a chance to enjoy this intriguing story of English teacher Claire (played by Rebecca Hall), whose life changes when she begins to hear a disturbing and continuous hum.
The series is based on the book of the same name by Canadian writer Jordan Tannahill, who in turn took inspiration from a real-life phenomenon that has been reported by thousands of people.
We don’t want to spoil the mystery that gradually unfolds, but this series was very well received by UK audiences, and is well worth a watch.
I Will Find You
Premiere Date: June 18
Where to Watch: Netflix
If you’ve been fortunate enough to have watched the 2006 French film Tell No One, the Netflix TV series Missing You, or Amazon’s Shelter, then you’ll have some idea of what to expect from this latest adaptation of a novel by American mystery author Harlan Coben, who also penned the source material for all of the above.
Coben is a master of twists and tension, and the fact that he also serves as the executive producer on this latest TV version of his work is surely a good sign. I Will Find You tells the story of David (played by Sam Worthington), who, after being wrongly incarcerated for the murder of his own son, learns that said son may, in fact, still be alive.
House of the Dragon Season Three
Premiere Date: June 21
Where to Watch: HBO Max
Fans of Game of Thrones, HBO’s enormously successful fantasy series, might well still be hurting from that show’s final season and controversial ending.
If you rank among that number, you shouldn’t let that put you off watching House of the Dragon, which has received strong critical reviews and widely positive audience reception. The show is largely based on the novel Fire & Blood by George R. R. Martin, and though it is set 200 years before the events recounted in Game of Thrones, it contains all of the former’s successful ingredients—memorable characters, an epic plot, intrigue, betrayal, and action aplenty.
If you’ve yet to dive into the series, you have until June 21 to catch up on the previous two seasons before the eagerly anticipated third installment kicks off.
