Eliza Reid’s Debut Novel Optioned at Blink49

Fifth Season-backed Blink49 Studios has secured the rights to adapt Death on the Island, the debut novel by Eliza Reid, the former First Lady of Iceland.

Lynne Kamm (Plan B, Transplant) and Kristinn Thordarson and Leifur B. Dagfinnsson (The Valhalla Murders, The Darkness), executive producers at Truenorth, are on board the adaptation, a six-part mystery thriller. The novel has been released in Canada and arrives in the U.S. this month and in the U.K. in June.

“We’re thrilled to be adapting Eliza’s gripping novel—a compelling, high-stakes story that blends international intrigue, a complex female lead, and a richly atmospheric setting which is exactly the kind of storytelling we’re passionate about bringing to life for a global audience,” said Virginia Rankin, executive producer at Blink49 Studios. “With Lynne Kamm’s sharp voice and keen narrative style, and Truenorth bringing deep local knowledge, we have an incredible team to bring this world to life with authenticity and depth.”

“I’m incredibly excited to see my debut novel come to life on the small screen,” said Reid. “Death on the Island brings together my love of diplomatic intrigue, mystery, and my adopted home, Iceland. I’m thrilled to share this world, and looking forward to it resonating with viewers around the world.”

“Set in a world she knows like no one else, Eliza Reid has brewed up a deliciously deadly cocktail of diplomacy, dysfunction, and murder,” said Kamm. “It’s a razor-sharp mystery led by a character who’s done biting her tongue and ready to torch the playbook. I’m thrilled to be attached to write the pilot, and with Blink49 and Truenorth on board, we’ve got the perfect producing partners to bring all the twists, scandals, and glorious mess of murder to life.”

“We are excited to adapt Eliza’s debut novel for television. She has crafted a captivating and thrilling narrative set against the stunning backdrop of Iceland. With the talented Lynne Kamm on board, this project is set to become a premium drama for television,” said Thordarson and Dagfinnsson of Truenorth.