Barbara Nadel’s D I Ikmen novels adapted for BBC

Barbara Nadel’s D I Ikmen novels have been adapted for the screen by the BBC, produced by Miramax in association with Paramount. “The Turkish Detective” series launches on BBC Two later this year. 

Headline’s fiction editor Clare Foss bought world English language volume rights from Laetitia Rutherford of Watson, Little Ltd (following Watson, Little’s acquisition of the Juliet Burton Agency), with the TV deal handled by Micheline Steinberg Associates. The forthcoming series will star Turkish actor Haluk Bilginer.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Nadel’s first Turkish crime novel, Belshazzar’s Daughter, published by Headline and featuring the enigmatic detective duo Ikmen and Suleyman. Headline also said it is “thrilled” to announce the acquisition of the 27th and 28th novels in this ever-popular series. 

Foss said: “It is a privilege to have published such a hugely talented and highly acclaimed, CWA-award-winning author over the past 25 years. Hundreds of thousands of readers have followed Ikmen and Suleyman’s investigations in the vibrant and turbulent city of Istanbul and I’m sure that the forthcoming eight-part TV series, ‘The Turkish Detective’, on BBC Two will attract a new generation of fans.”

Nadel commented: “Thrilled to be signing up for another two Ikmen books with Headline and to look forward to ‘The Turkish Detective’ soon on BBC Two. I feel so privileged to be able to share Ikmen’s world with my loyal readers and, hopefully, new ones.”