5 of 2023's TV Shows Based on Books to Stream on Netflix in December

For those of us who love to read and those of us who don't, we're lucky enough to have the option to read or watch these stories that Netflix has brought to life on screen. From young ghost hunters to a dramatization of an opioid epidemic, you'll want to give these shows a watch, even if you've read the books.

Painkiller

7.5 on IMDb (51/61% on RT)

Over the past few years, audiences have seen a boom in docuseries and movies about the deadly opioid epidemic, but none have been as gripping as this Netflix drama, which manages to entertain while tackling a very real problem from multiple different angles after doing extensive research into the true story behind the fiction.

Starring Matthew Broderick alongside Uzo Aduba, West Duchovny and more, Painkiller details how the opioid epidemic began and the treacherous journey it took to take over America from the perspectives of those who profited, those who suffered and those who fought for the truth. This eye-opening series is based on the book Painkiller by Barry Meier, with many of the factual aspects based on the New Yorker article 'The Family That Built the Empire of Pain' by Patrick Radden Keefe.

Obsession

5.1 on IMDb (25/29% on RT)

Based on the 1991 novel Damage by Josephine Hart, this erotic affair broke free of its pages and took to the screen to deliver what can only be described as a heart-pounding, high-intensity affair and a steamy feast for the eyes.

Obsession follows a respected surgeon who succumbs to temptation and begins a dangerous and steamy relationship with his own son's fiancé. This series will have you on the edge of your seat, staring at the screen in disbelief at the shocking conclusion. It goes without saying that this series is definitely not for younger audiences.

Lockwood & Co.

74.4 on IMDb (93/94% on RT)

This series of books of the same name, written by Jonathan Stroud, takes readers to London, England, where a ghost epidemic has all but taken over, wiping out modern technology and existing only to be seen by children.

The first season was released by Netflix in January 2023, with eight episodes following the plot of the first two books, brilliantly bringing the characters to life along with the exciting story, as three teens working for a small but ambitious psychic detection agency take on the threat in an attempt to prove themselves.

Unfortunately, despite this new young adult fantasy series' overwhelmingly promising potential, Netflix canceled production after Season 1 due to low viewership. Still, Lockwood & Co. is well worth a watch, and the series' conclusion will always be available for those willing to read the books.

Who Were We Running From?

5.8 on IMDb (71% on RT)

This Turkish thriller series, based on the novel of the same name by Perihan Mağden, is shrouded in mystery from the start as a mother-daughter duo reminiscent of Bonnie and Clyde navigate what seems to be a life on the run, moving from place to place and desperately trying to stay under the radar with no apparent reason for their actions.

The only one aware of this threat is the mother, as her daughter, and the audience is taken along for the ride in what turns out to be a far more twisted and complex story than we could have imagined, as the title question is finally answered.

Dear Child

7.3 on IMDb (100/85% on RT)

Another gripping mystery with a female lead, based on the German novel Liebes Kind by Romy Hausmann, Dear Child follows a woman and her child who have escaped from captivity, but their freedom is not as comforting as we would think.

With a dark and ominous atmosphere throughout the show, the intricate story surrounding the woman's abduction 13 years earlier is unraveled as the uncomfortable truth slowly comes to light.