Crime writer Lynda La Plante is writing a prequel to her hugely successful TV series, Prime Suspect, which starred Dame Helen Mirren. The new book, titled Tennison, will also be adapted for television.
La Plante announced that the story will begin when Jane Tennison joins the police force in the late 1970s or early 1980s, before her rise to Detective Chief Inspector. The original series ran for seven series on ITV in the 1980s and 1990s, with Dame Helen in the lead role.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Front Row, La Plante questioned whether the actress would return for the new project. When asked if Dame Helen could appear in a minor role, she said: "I would love to even approach her to consider it but I feel she has carved out such an impressive career."
The book will be published in 2015, with the TV adaptation airing in 2016, the 25th anniversary year of Prime Suspect. La Plante said: "Nobody knows what drove her to become a DCI or want to join the police force in the first place."
She told Front Row that she had no one in mind yet for the role of the young Tennison, adding: "It will be a great search (given) Helen Mirren's iconic performance." La Plante also suggested that something had "marked her emotionally... something like a love affair with a high ranking officer who has been murdered."
The author, known for her meticulous research, was made an honorary fellow of the Forensic Science Society last year in recognition of the authenticity and attention to detail in her books and TV series.
