Michael Bennett’s Hana Westerman Book Series Developed for TVNZ

Greenstone TV has acquired the rights to Michael Bennett’s debut crime novel series Better the Blood, Return to Blood and Carved in Blood, the Hana Westerman trilogy, with a screen adaptation developed for TVNZ.

The stories center on Detective Senior Sergeant Hana Westerman, a tenacious Māori cop juggling single motherhood and the pressures of her career in Auckland’s Central Investigation Branch. Better the Blood and Return to Blood, published by Simon and Schuster in 2022 and 2024, respectively, have sold worldwide and been translated into more than a dozen languages. Carved in Blood is set to be published in 2025.

The book and series narrative is set in and around the Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland region. It is co-written by Bennett (The Gone) and Jane Holland and developed by Greenstone and 10,000 Company.

“Audiences never tire of crime dramas, and we could not pass up the opportunity to take on a series that is dealing directly with one of the key conversations of our time,” says Greenstone’s head of scripted, Harriet Crampton. “This crime thriller features an Indigenous detective coming up against a serial killer who challenges her on a very personal level. We love working with Michael and feel extremely privileged that he and Jane (Holland) have brought the series to us.”

“This is exactly the kind of content that we at Te Reo Tātaki/Television New Zealand are on the lookout for,” added Nevak Rogers, chief content officer at the national broadcaster. “It’s smart, relevant and an essential contribution to the broader kōrero (conversation) of our country. Plus, it’s an absolute nail-biter—what’s not to love?”

“Greenstone produces exciting, ground-breaking, award-winning, brave drama,” Bennett said. “They are a team who are a joy to work with and bring out the very best in a project and in their collaborators. There could be no better partnership to make this important series.”