Bookish cast, TV channel and episode guide for Mark Gatiss murder mystery series

The former Sherlock and League of Gentlemen star has taken on the role of bookshop owner and part-time detective in this new series for U&alibi.

Created and written by Gatiss, it has an all-star cast including Polly Walker, Daniel Mays, Joely Richardson, Tim McInnerny, Paul McGann and Mark Benton.

Discussing the idea for the series, Gatiss said: “What if he was an amateur detective bookseller and basically his shop is like an analogue computer?

“The answer is in there somewhere.”

Fans of a period drama detective series will be pleased to learn the show has already been commissioned for a second season before the first has even aired.

What is Bookish about?

Set in London in 1946, Gabriel Book owns a bookshop in Archangel Lane. He spent the war working for the intelligence service and now helps the police solve complex crime cases when not selling books.

But his close association with the police is not without its perils, as he is a gay man living during a time when homosexuality is illegal.

He is married to his best friend Trottie (Walker), a marriage of convenience. She runs the next door wallpaper shop and lives life to the full.

They take in Jack Blunt upon leaving prison to work as an assistant in the shop. But he is soon helping Book with his sideline in detective work, along with war orphan Nora.

But Jack’s appointment at the bookshop may not be quite as random as it first appears.

Who is in the cast of Bookish?

Mark Gatiss

Mark Gatiss stars as Gabrial Book (Photo: UKTV)

Mark Gatiss stars as Gabriel Book, owner of a bookshop and part-time detective.

Comedian, actor and screenwriter Gatiss, 58, rose to fame in the comedy show The League of Gentlemen.

He has gone on to have leading roles in Game of Thrones, Wolf Hall, Nighty Night, Sherlock and Doctor Who. The latter three he also co-wrote.

In film, he has appeared in Shaun of the Dead, Starter for 10, Christopher Robin, The Favourite, Operation Mincemeat and the final two Mission Impossible films.

He has won Laurence Olivier Awards for The Motive and the Cue and Three Days in the Country on stage and a Bafta Award for Sherlock.

Polly Walker

Polly Walker plays Trottie (Photo: UKTV)

Polly Walker plays Trottie, Book’s wife and best friend.

British actress Walker, 59, is best known for playing Lady Featherington in the Netflix hit series Bridgerton.

She has also starred in Rome, Cane, Caprica, Prisoners’ Wives, Mr Selfridge, Line of Duty and Pennyworth.

Her film roles have included Caroline Dester in Enchanted April, Annette in Patriot Games, Vida Warren in Sliver, Polina in The Gambler and Julia in Curtain Call.

Connor Finch

Connor Finch is Jack Blunt (Photo: UKTV)

Connor Finch is Jack Blunt, fresh out of prison and recruited to work in the bookshop.

The actor played Kenny in The Larkins, Street in Everything I Know About Love and Joss Jones in Professor T.

He made his theatre debut in The Flea at the Yard Theatre in London last year.

Buket Kömür

Buket Kömür takes on the role of Nora Yazici (photo: UKTV)

Buket Kömür takes on the role of Nora Yazici, an orphan who lives with her uncle Yusuf and works in his Turkish restaurant on Archangel Lane.

The British actress, 26, is known for roles Honour, Our House and Generation Z.

She also played Sara in the 2024 film Layla.

The cast of Bookish also includes:

  • Elliot Levey as Inspector Bliss (Queenie, We Were the Lucky Ones)
  • Blake Harrison as Sgt Morris (The Inbetweeners, World on Fire)
  • Daniel Mays as Eric Wellbeloved (A Thousand Blows, Moonflower Murders)
  • Tim McInnerny as D (Blackadder, Games of Thrones, One Day, Notting Hill)
  • Joely Richardshon as Sandra Dare (Surface, The Gentlemen, Suspect)
  • Loveday Smith as Jean Goodwin (Hunter Street, Emmerdale Farm)
  • Paul McGann as Mr Kind (Annika, Luther, Holby City)
  • Luke Norris as Jesse MacKendrick (Poldark, Strike)
  • Rosie Cavaliero as Mrs Dredge (The Power of Parker, Funny Woman)
  • Amanda Drew as Nerina Bean (The Gold, Gangs of London)
  • Ella Bruccoleri as Merula Harkup (Paddington in Peru, Bridgerton)
  • Isabelle Connolly as Eadie Rattle (Mayfair Witches, Domina)
  • Jacob Fortune-Lloyd as Stewart Howard (The Queen’s Gambit, Wolf Hall)
  • Tom Forbes as Mickey Hall (Queenie, Champion)
  • Jonas Nay as Felix (Messiah Superstar, Intimate)
  • Mark Benton as Eddie Gash (Patience, Smoggy Queens)

When is Bookish on and how many episodes are there?

Bookish will be airing on the channel U&alibi, part of UKTV, from Wednesday 16 July.

The six episodes will be shown two at a time on Wednesdays from 8pm to 10.25pm.

All six episodes will also be available to stream but viewers will need a subscription to Sky TV, Virgin TV or Now TV to access the channel.

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