You all know the saying: “the book was better." Well, in this case, the book was good enough to make a TV miniseries about it. Adapting a book into a miniseries has become a very popular format over the years. As the miniseries format has grown in popularity, the demand for a compelling plot has grown, which is why most of the popular miniseries expand on best-selling books.

One of the perks of using a TV miniseries format to adapt a book is that it gives a longer format to bring to life the contents of the book. Most of the time, the miniseries stay as a solo season, but in the case of Big Little Lies, the series had such a high success rating that it was renewed for a second season. While there are many great miniseries available right now, some of the best ones are the ones that are based on books. From drama picks like The Queen’s Gambitand Station Eleven to the crime-filled Sharp Objects, miniseries adapted from books have certainly made their mark. Here are a few of the most compelling miniseries based on books to watch right now.

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11 Sharp Objects

Sharp Objects, based on the novel of the same name by Gillian Flynn, aired on HBO in 2018. The crime/mystery-style miniseries features a star-studded cast and a murder case. Camille Parker (Amy Adams) is a journalist who returns to her hometown to solve the murder of two young girls. Estranged from her family, Camille is forced to reenter her family home. While investigating the murders, Camille also has to battle her depression, 13-year-old half-sister Amma, and her neurotic, hypochondriac mother. The cast includes Patricia Clarkson, Matt Craven, and Euphoria star Sydney Sweeney.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

10 Looking For Alaska

Released on Hulu in 2019, Looking For Alaska comes from the novel by John Green. The miniseries is a drama that revolves around the mysterious death of Alaska Young (played by Kristine Froseth). Miles “Pudge” Halter (Charlie Plummer) and his friends from boarding school band together to understand Alaska and why she didn’t apply the breaks to save herself from hitting a parked police car. The series uses flashbacks to show the before and after of Alaska’s death.

9 Stay Close

Stay Close is one of a handful of miniseries that have been adapted from novels written by Harlan Coben. Netflix produced and released this miniseries in December 2021. All of Coben’s novels are mystery-themed and revolve around some kind of murder. In Stay Close, a possible serial murder brings together a mom of two (a former exotic dancer from the club where the murders took place), a detective, and a photojournalist. The series keeps you on the edge of your seat while trying to figure out how all of these characters come together.

8 Big Little Lies

     HBO

Big Little Lies is a great example of how a miniseries can expand on a book. Typically, a book is turned into a solo season or miniseries, but in this case, writers were able to use existing characters and plot from the book by Liane Moriarty to give viewers a second season. The first season aired on HBO in 2017 with the second one released in 2019. The first season centers around a group of moms and the death of a man. The star-studded cast includes Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, Laura Dern, Adam Scott, and Alexander Skarsgård.

7 The Outsider

Based on the novel by Stephen King, The Outsider looks into the murder of a young boy. A local beloved coach, played by Jason Bateman, is convicted, but after further investigation, it seems impossible that he could have committed the murder when he was at a conference in another state. The investigation turns paranormal and forces an unlikely team to join together. The Outsider aired on HBO Max in 2020.

6 The Haunting of Hill House

Back in 2018, The Haunting of Hill House became one the most binge-watched miniseries on Netflix. With its spooky images and family relationships, this miniseries is actually based on a novel written by Shirley Jackson. The miniseries covers both the past and present happenings of an estranged family, a haunted house, and the bent neck lady. Be sure to keep an eye out for hidden ghosts that like to be hidden in the corners.

5 The Queen’s Gambit

     Netflix

Another huge Netflix miniseries was the 2020 remake of the Walter Tevis novel, The Queen’s Gambit. The miniseries won 11 Primetime Emmy Awards including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series. The series also made a name for the leading actress Anya Taylor-Joy who played the main character of Beth Harmon. Beth is a quiet, shy girl who falls in love with the game of chess and finds her inner confidence with the game.

4 Station Eleven

One of the newest miniseries on this list is HBO Max’s new miniseries, Station Eleven which is based on the novel by Emily St. John Mendel. This new drama miniseries is a slow burn that covers a post-apocalyptic era and a world who is trying to rebuild after a flu epidemic.

3 11.22.63

With as many books as author Stephen King has written, it’s no surprise that another adaptation has made it on this list. Back in 2016, Hulu remade his novel 11.22.63 which is loosely based around the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. A teacher, played by James Franco, discovers a portal that takes him back to October 21st, 1960. Diner owner Al Templeton, played by Chris Cooper, tells him he must finish his works and prevent the assassination of JFK.

2 Little Fires Everywhere

Little Fires Everywhere comes from the brilliant mind of Celeste Ng and is brought to life by Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington. This 2019 Hulu release was much anticipated after the book was named to Reese’s book club. The miniseries shows the lives of a well-off family in an Ohio suburb and the artsy newcomers.

1 The Undoing

No stranger to miniseries, Nicole Kidman was named in the 2020 remake of Jean Hanff Korelitz’s mystery novel, You Should Have Known. Kidman, Grace Fraser in the show, plays the wife of Dr. Fraser, Hugh Grant, who is accused of murdering a young woman he may or may not been having an affair with. This classic whodunit tale keeps you guessing whether Dr. Fraser committed the crime or not.