Mark Gatiss Headlines as Antiquarian Bookseller in New TV Crime Drama Bookish

A new crime series starring Mark Gatiss as an antiquarian bookseller based in London's famous Cecil Court 'Booksellers' Row' zone will premiere next week.

Emmy Award-winning writer, actor and comedian Gatiss - known for his television roles on Sherlock, Doctor Who, and Wolf Hall - plays the bookseller Gabriel Book in Bookish from UKTV and available on its specialist crime channel Alibi from July 16, with PBS Distribution holding North American rights. 

The erudite crime solver Book has the feel of Dorothy L Sayers’ Lord Peter Wimsey, helping the police with mysterious crimes from his antiquarian bookshop base, using his voluminous stock to unravel the knotty puzzles. Though set in London in 1946, Bookish was largely filmed in Belgium under its tax shelter.

Gatiss is a keen reader and collects Golden Age murder mysteries with unusual titles. 

Other cast members include Polly Walker (Bridgerton) as Book’s intriguing wife Trottie with whom he has a 'lavender' marriage to hide his homosexuality at a time when it was illegal to be gay. Guest stars include Joely Richardson, Tim McInnerny and Paul McGann.

A second series has already been commissioned and a spin-off book series written by Matthew Sweet will be released on July 17.