Eva Björg Ægisdóttir's best-selling crime series Elma is getting a TV adaptation after Icelandic production company Glassriver optioned the rights because no cop novel gets published unscathed without getting a TV series out of it these days, it seems. If it smells of Scandinoir, that's a bonus! The series follows police detective Elma, who returns to work at the local police station in her small hometown of Akranes, Iceland after a disastrous romance goes wrong. Well, that's at least a good use of one's time from a breakout rather than mooning around drinking wine and hoping for the real Mr. Right to come along.
"Elma Book One" cover art: Orenda Books
The first Elma novel takes place when a woman's body is found lying at the foot of a lighthouse; terrible secrets could well resurface from the past. In this small Icelandic town with its oppressive atmosphere, could salvation come to Elma from her colleague Saevar? Because in these stories, it's always a woman's body. That seems to be a prerequisite for a cop show these days.
The first Elma book in the series is titled "The Creak on the Stairs," while the second is "Girls Who Life." Ægisdóttir's books have been translated into 23 languages, but the series has been a particular hit in France, where it has reached over 100,000 readers. Crime novels are huge in France, you know. It's the existentialism of it all.
"We're thrilled to be working with Eva and Karen on 'Elma,'" said Andri Ómarsson, co-owner and producer at Glassriver. "The project brings together Iceland's striking landscapes with a gripping crime story that has already blown audiences away worldwide, from Iceland to France to the U.K. This project is a testament to the strength of Icelandic storytelling, and we believe it will resonate with audiences both locally and internationally. Karen is a talented scriptwriter who will bring the story to life on screen. With a dedicated cast and creative team, we're confident that Elma will captivate viewers and highlight the best of what Icelandic drama has to offer."
Ægisdóttir added, "I'm beyond thrilled that Glassriver is bringing 'Elma' to the screen. I've been waiting for some time for the right opportunity and I am certain that with the talented and capable team at Glassriver 'Elma' will be in great hands. Karen is one of Iceland's most talented and productive scriptwriters in recent years. After hearing her vision for the series I'm so excited to work on this project and see how it will turn out."
As Variety reported, Glassriver has an extensive scripted portfolio, including the crime drama Black Sands, and is developing over 20 further screen projects for both TV and film, ranging from comedy to sci-fi. Elma will almost certainly end up on a streamer. Meanwhile, you can read the book.
Adi Tantimedh is a filmmaker, screenwriter and novelist. He wrote radio plays for the BBC Radio, “JLA: Age of Wonder” for DC Comics, “Blackshirt” for Moonstone Books, and “La Muse” for Big Head Press. Most recently, he wrote “Her Nightly Embrace”, “Her Beautiful Monster” and “Her Fugitive Heart”, a trilogy of novels featuring a British-Indian private eye published by Atria Books, a division Simon & Schuster.
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