We’re thrilled to announce that Max Seeck’s internationally bestselling thriller THE FAITHFUL READER (The Witch Hunter), a New York Times and Spiegel bestseller, is being adapted into a English-language TV series by Greg Silverman’s Stampede Ventures.

This gripping Nordic Noir series is set in Helsinki, Finland. It follows Jessica Niemi as she investigates a disturbing copycat killer, one that forces her to confront haunting memories and a chilling ancestral secret.

Max’s agent, Elina Ahlbäck, shares her excitement:

“Finally, we can share the amazing news that Greg Silverman, CEO of Stampede Ventures will produce Max Seeck’s New York Times and Spiegel Bestseller THE FAITHFUL READER (The Witch Hunter) alongside John-Paul Sarni, Max Seeck, and Gudrun Giddings as an English-language series. Brilliant team, Brilliant TV Show! We are so excited and grateful. Huge congratulations, Max Seeck!”

Max Seeck added:

“I’m very honoured to have the chance to work on the Jessica Niemi TV series with Stampede Ventures and Greg Silverman. I couldnt think of a better home for my novels. Thanks especially to JP Sarni, my agent Elina Ahlbäck and Gudrun Giddings.”

Originally published in Finland by Tammi (orig. Uskollinen lukija, 2019), New York Times and Spiegel bestselling author Max Seeck’s books have sold over 1 million copies, and published in 41 countries.

The Faithful Reader series is earmarked for a production start in Europe later this year. Stampede Ventures initially optioned the rights in 2019 and eventually purchased the book. “We couldn’t be more excited to have Chris and Maria adapting this phenomenal piece of IP,” said Silverman. “Their mastery of the genre will enthral audiences as we explore the gripping and suspenseful world Seeck has created.”

Stampede Ventures is an independent entertainment media company founded by Greg Silverman, the former President of Warner Bros. Pictures. Read more from Screendaily.

Further inquiries:
CEO & Agent Elina Ahlbäck, elina@ahlbackagency.com

“One of the best books I have read. Ever. Absolutely thrilling, well-written, and oh-so-hard to put down.”

—Emelie Schepp, author of Slowly We Die

The Witch Hunter

Max Seeck

A book-inspired serial killer is on the loose. Jessica Niemi – a detective with a mysterious past – steps up. A chase for the faithful reader has begun.

Detective Jessica Niemi is called to investigate a murder case that is out of ordinary. The wife of a famous writer, Roger Koponen, seems to have been killed in a bizarre ritual. As more ritual murders occur, it becomes obvious that Jessica is after a serial killer.
But the murders are not random – they follow a pattern taken from Roger’s bestselling trilogy. Has a fan gone mad, or is this case more personal? How can Jessica stop a criminal who knows every detail of the book even better than the author?

The Faithful Reader is the first book of the four part Jessica Niemi series.

Join the success story of FAITHFUL READER and click here to request the full English PDF.