TV shows based on action or mystery thriller books make up a good chunk of some of the best Amazon Prime original TV shows in recent memory. For instance, Cross – starring Aldis Hodge as James Patterson’s Det. Alex Cross – is only the latest of many great shows to watch on Amazon Prime if you like action that features a popular literary hero in the lead, such as Reacher, which has a third season on the way, and the John Krasinski-led Jack Ryan, which has a movie spin-off in the works. Those with an Amazon Prime subscription certainly have some great options already.
Following the success of these hits, it begs the question of what other literary heroes Amazon might consider optioning for an action or mystery thriller TV show next. Here are some badass book protagonists I'd love to see get their own series.
Lisbeth Salander (The Millennium Series)
Lisbeth Salander – an expert hacker with brazen methods of vengeful vigilanteism – is the eponymous hero of Swedish author Stieg Larsson’s smash hit mystery novel, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and its two sequels, which were adapted into a foreign-language film trilogy starring Noomi Rapace in the role. However, sequels to David Fincher’s English-language adaptation of the first novel with Rooney Mara were cancelled, unless you count Fede Álvarez’s The Girl in the Spider’s Web with Claire Foy from 2018. Not to mention, Larsson’s series has continued beyond his death with books by David Lagercrantz, meaning there is plenty of reason to make the Millennium series a TV show and more than enough source material to go off of.
Jason Bourne (The Bourne Identity)
What made the Jason Bourne movies – starring Matt Damon as an amnesiac who discovers he is a highly trained assassin – some of the most beloved spy movies of their time is the breathtaking, no-holds-barred action that left audiences wanting more, even after Hollywood had completed Robert Ludlum’s original trilogy. That would result in the release of 2012’s The Bourne Legacy, instead following Jeremy Renner’s Aaron Cross, and Damon’s return in 2016’s Jason Bourne – neither of which captured the same flair. While USA once attempted to expand the universe with its short-lived Treadstone series, perhaps a full revamp with a new face in the iconic title role is what is truly needed for the franchise, which has more material from author Eric Van Lustbader to draw from.
Pierce Hunt (Hunt Them Down)
Pierce Hunt is a former U.S. Army Ranger-turned-DEA agent who indulges in the thrill for the chase, fueled by his vendetta against the drug trade following a personal tragedy. A character with such skill and passion for his career in law enforcement sounds like the perfect candidate to lead his own series. When you consider the popularity and acclaim the character has achieved in only three books by Simon Gervais so far (Hunt Them Down and Trained to Hunt from 2019 and 2020’s Time to Hunt), it is a wonder Amazon has not sought a deal for the rights already.
Eve Dallas (In Death Series)
Since 1995, under the pseudonym J.D. Robb, romance novelist Nora Roberts has written more than 50 novels in her In Death series, which follows the futuristic investigations of police lieutenant Eve Dallas and her relationship with her billionaire love interest-turned-husband, Roarke. A show based on these books would have an alluring combination of different elements, including crime drama, romance, and a little bit of sci-fi.
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl)
In 2020, a movie about Artemis Fowl, played by Ferdia Shaw, was exclusively released with a Disney+ subscription. Despite Kenneth Branagh at the helm and Academy Award nominee Colin Farrell as Artemis’ father, Artemis Fowl was not well received by critics or audiences, partially for its many changes from Eoin Colfer’s young adult, modern fantasy books. Maybe a series adaptation through the folks at Amazon could do the child criminal mastermind some justice.
Holly Gibney (Holly)
Created by Stephen King, Holly Gibney has previously been portrayed as a supporting character in the TV show Mr. Mercedes by Justine Lupe, and in the HBO miniseries adaptation of The Outsider by Cynthia Erivo. The obsessive-compulsive and highly observant detective has since become the central focus in some of the author's more recent published works – such as the 2020 novella If It Bleeds and the 2023 novel, Holly – and with more in the works (namely the upcoming 2025 book, Never Flinch), which makes her a prime candidate for her own TV show.
Mitch Rapp (American Assassin)
Sometimes the most engaging action hero stories involve a relatable protagonist, such as Mitch Rapp – a young everyman who sought training to become a brutal killing machine and avenge a terrorist attack that claimed his girlfriend's life. Following the death of the counter-terrorism operative’s creator, Vince Flynn, in 2013, his adventures have continued in books written by Kyle Mills. So, there is plenty of material to develop a new TV series that would hopefully be received better than the 2017 feature adaptation of Rapp’s 2010 debut novel, American Assassin, starring Dylan O’Brien in the role.
Bianca St. Ives (The Ultimatum)
Audiences who love TV shows like Dexter (which was inspired by Jeff Lindsay’s book series about a homicidal vigilante) would probably get a kick out of a TV show about Bianca St. Ives. First introduced in Karen Robards’ The Ultimatum in 2017, the anti-hero is not a killer but boasts killer skills in thievery that she uses to con the world’s most notorious swindlers. The adventures of a modern-day Robin Hood like this would make for a fun series.
Remo Williams (The Destroyer)
Originally created by Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir, Remo Williams – a Newark cop who fakes his death and becomes a secret government assassin – is the star of more than 150 novels published since 1971 and was first brought to life in the 1985 movie, Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, starring Fred Ward. It was reported that Shane Black was developing a The Destroyer movie in 2014, years before the announcement of a TV series in 2022 (via Deadline), but that was the last update we heard about that. Maybe Amazon could swoop in for a small-screen revival of Remo’s adventures with his sensei, Chiun.
Keep an eye on our upcoming book-to-screen adaptations guide to see if any of there literary action/thriller heroes will show up on Amazon Prime anytime soon.
