Serial killer novel Dog Rose Dirt goes into development with Gaumont UK

Dog Rose Dirt, the crime thriller novel from author Jen Williams, has been picked up for TV adaptation by the UK arm of Narcos producer Gaumont.

Jen Williams

The novel was first published earlier this year and is a complex and dark psychological thriller told through the eyes of a young woman whose dead mother’s secret past comes to light through a series of letters to a serial killer.

This is a first crime project for Williams, who has a background in fantasy novels. The TV drama development will be led by executive producer Alison Jackson (Tin Star, Ashes to Ashes, Hunted), who heads Gaumont’s UK subsidiary, based in London.

Jackson said: “The captivating and chilling narrative of Jen Williams’ Dog Rose Dirt will no doubt attract audiences in the UK and worldwide, and with incredibly intriguing characters, we’re really looking forward to bringing the novel to life on screen. Fresh perspectives are key to Gaumont UK’s mission and we’re always looking to discover unique talent to work with creatively.”

The deal to develop Dog Rose Dirt was negotiated by Emily Hayward Whitlock at The Artists Partnership in association with Juliet Mushens at Mushens Entertainment.

The optioning deal further expands Gaumont UK’s diverse slate of original content, which also recently acquired the rights to Sixteen Horses by Greg Buchanan and Swamp Motel’s Isklander trilogy.