Mark Gatiss, actor, writer, and creator of Sherlock, has a new detective series that’s launching in the US tomorrow. He stars in Bookish as Gabriel Book, owner of a bookshop in post-War London. Gatiss wrote the first two episodes and co-wrote the remaining four with Matthew Sweet. All the episodes are directed by Carolina Giammetta.
Book uses his knowledge, the resources of his shop, and hints of somewhat shady wartime experience to solve crimes. He’s married to his best friend, Trottie (Polly Walker), in a lavender marriage, as Book is gay in a time when it was illegal.
PBS is airing the series weekly starting Sunday, January 11, at 10 PM Eastern. All the episodes will be available to binge on PBS Passport.
Connor Finch is Jack, a new shop assistant just out of prison; Elliot Levey is the friendly Inspector Bliss; Blake Harrison the unfriendly Sgt. Morris; and
Buket Kömür Nora, the neighborhood girl who’d rather talk murder than help in the family restaurant.
The show aired its first season in the UK last July. It’s terrific, in my opinion. Each case takes two episodes, giving the mysteries and characters time to develop. The first story, “Slightly Foxed”, introduces everyone, including a mystery around a set of skeletons found in a bombed-out area.
The atmosphere is so evocative, and the post-War period means changing attitudes, reflected in Book’s life and increasing roles for women — Trottie runs a wallpaper shop next door to the bookshop — as well as a more diverse neighborhood.
The second story, “Deadly Nitrate”, features an aging film star (Joely Richardson) and a poisoned box of chocolates, as a studio is filming near the bookshop. The third, “Such Devoted Sisters”, involves royal princesses and more hints of Book’s wartime past, as he meets an old friend (Paul McGann).
A second season has already begun filming. Much like the character’s name, Bookish does what it says on the tin; it’s a cozy, comfortable, twisty English detective show, and my new obsession.
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