7 Lesser-Known TV Shows Based on Books on Netflix in December 2023
The shows you won't want to miss.
Tiny Pretty Things
IMDB Score: 5.9
Three teenage ballerinas are caught up in intense rivalries and growing unease after the death of one of the star students. Written by Dhonielle Clayton and Sona Charaipotra, the book is described as Black Swan meets Pretty Little Liars, and it looks like the Netflix adaptation will be staying on that page.
So far the show has an unimpressive 53% on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics agreeing that it prioritizes style over substance. But let's not underestimate the appeal of dance schools and soapy teenage drama.
The Chestnut Man
IMDB Score: 7.7
For a region with notoriously low murder rates, we sure do get a lot of great crime dramas from the Nordic countries. The latest is The Chestnut Man, a thriller by Danish writer Søren Sveistrup. A serial killer is terrorizing Copenhagen, leaving behind bodies and distinctive dolls made out of chestnuts and sticks. Found on each of the dolls is a fingerprint from the kidnapped daughter of a prominent politician.
The book has 4.21 (out of 5) on Goodreads, and the 6-episode series doesn't disappoint – it currently rocks 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Who Were We Running From
IMDB Score: 5.8
A mother and her teenage daughter are on the move, living out of luxury hotels and not making any connections with strangers. They seem co-dependant and devoted to each other – but who or what are they running from?
Based on the novel by Perihan Mağden, this limited series pairs a sense of dread with a large helping of high fashion.
Quicksand
IMDB Score: 7.4
Another Nordic thriller, Quicksand was written by Malin Persson Giolito and won the 2016 Award for Best Swedish Crime Novel. It follows the trial of teenager Maria Norberg, the only one left standing after a school shooting. Her rich, privileged boyfriend was the shooter – but was she involved?
Quicksand was released in 2019, but it flew under the radar in North America. Reviews have been largely positive, with praise for the cast and subject matter.
Pieces of Her
IMDB Score: 6.3
It's not just the Nordic folk who can write a good thriller – Pieces of Her was written by American author Karin Slaughter. A young woman named Andy is having lunch with her unassuming mother Laura when shots ring out. Suddenly Laura is out of her seat and disarms the threat with frightening skill.
When a video of the incident goes viral, the truth of Laura's past comes out and Andy must go on the run from her mother's old enemies.
Although the series has a tepid 50% on Rotten Tomatoes, it's worth watching for the always-magnificent Toni Collette as Laura.
Dear Child
IMDB Score: 7.3
Romy Hausmann's psychological thriller made a splash in 2019, and it took no time at all for a television show to go into development.
After going missing for 14 years, Lena Beck reappears. She claims to have been held captive in a shack all this time, and has two children with her. But although she – and the children – bear a striking resemblance to the missing woman, Lena's parents insist that this isn't their daughter.
The Netflix adaptation has a 100% score from critics, who praise the twisty-turny plot.
Unauthorized Living
IMDB Score: 7.4
When drug kingpin Nemo Bandeira is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, he is under sudden pressure to name and train the heir to his empire – without letting his condition become known.
The Netflix series is based on a story by Galician author Manuel Rivas. Although the series was canceled after two seasons, you won't be left hanging – the creative team was able to wrap up multiple storylines in a shocking, almost Shakespearean ending that left fans and critics applauding.
Unauthorized Living was buried in an avalanche of new content in 2018, and didn't even get enough critic reviews to make up a Rotten Tomatoes score. But audiences love it, giving the show a 92% on the site.