Hollywood plans for Shetland crime novel

A crime novel set in Shetland is to be made into a Hollywood film – with some of the filming taking place in the isles.

Sacrifice is set on the book written by Sharon Bolton, who writes under the pseudonym S J Bolton. It features the story of a consultant surgeon Tora Hamilton who moves to Shetland with her husband Duncan.

The couple discover the body of a young woman in the peat soil near her home. She has three rune marks carved into her skin and a hole where her heart should have been.

Tora decides to investigate, despite warnings not to, and uncovers links to an ancient and terrifying legend.

Bolton is excited at the prospect of the story being made into a movie. She was born in Lancashire and told the Lancashire Telegraph that the idea had been mooted some time ago.

“Eventually, some Hollywood producers got on board with some up-and-coming directors and they have managed to put all the money towards making the film, then it all just came together. I am very, very excited, although I do believe that it’s not a movie until people are buying popcorn.”

The film will be directed by Peter A Dowling whose credits include Flightplan, starring Jodie Foster and Reasonable Doubt, starring Samuel L Jackson.

Filming will take place in Shetland, Ireland and Manhattan.

The news comes just only weeks after the BBC announced it was to commission a six-part series of Shetland based on the Ann Cleeves murder mystery books.

More in this Friday’s Shetland Times.