The series of crime novels Darby Holland has been optioned for a series on the small screen, according to Deadline. Producer Mark R. Harris (Crash) acquired the rights to Jeff Johnson’s series via his banner, The Harris Company. Kate Orsini (The Honor List) will pen the adaptation, while Harris is set to produce.
Harris’s acquisition comes after a six-figure bidding war for Johnson’s novels. The first book in the series, Lucky Supreme, was released last April by Arcade Publishing, and was later named the crime novel of the year by Medium. The logline for Lucky Supreme is as follows:
“In the gritty urban wilds of Old Town, Portland Oregon, the series follows the eponymous fixer Darby Holland, who runs a venerable tattoo parlor and leads his talented crew of misfits into battle against hellish art dealers, criminal real estate developers and the creeping doom of gentrification.“
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It’s not the first time Harris has tried to adapt Johnson’s work. The producer had tried several years ago before leaving TV to concentrate on film, and now that he’s returned to the small screen, he jumped at the chance to tackle the work once more.
“When Jeff told me the properties were available, I decided that in getting back into television, I wanted to do it with something as exciting as this,” Harris said of the project. “I go by material that is well written, never been seen in this kind of light before and tells a series of good stories. Kate Orsini and I agree that Jeff is one of the greatest novelists ever; he is one of the most lyrical writers, and his characters and storytelling jump off the page.“
The final book in the Darby Holland series is expected to be released sometime next month.
