What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedDept. Q
Scott Frank · Series · 2025
If you loved Dept. Q, start with The Thursday Murder Club (Chris Columbus, 2025) — a film on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to Dept. Q across media.
If you loved the way Dept. Q turns broken outcasts into an unlikely force for justice, these picks will resonate.
Books on the same thread
Desert Star
Michael Connelly · Book
Shares 2 threads with Dept. Q: redemption, police procedural.
Like the team in Dept. Q, Ballard and Bosch find redemption by confronting long-buried secrets, proving that even the most cynical investigators can still find justice in cold cases.
Presumed Guilty
Scott Turow · Book · 2025
Explores: Justice System Corruption, Moral Ambiguity, Professional Ethics.
If you appreciated the bureaucratic obstacles and moral complexity of Dept. Q, this legal thriller offers a similarly deep look at the corruption that hides within established institutions.
The Hunter
Tana French · Book
Explores: Outsider status, Protecting family, Hidden pasts.
Much like the protagonists in Dept. Q, this story centers on an outsider forced to confront a hidden past, echoing the same sense of psychological suspense and personal isolation.
The Reckoning: A gritty Nordic Noir detective thriller
Michael Katz Krefeld · Book · 2026
Shares 3 threads with Dept. Q: Redemption, Nordic Noir, Police Procedural.
Ravn shares the same weary, grieving spirit found in the lead of Dept. Q, making his descent into a cold-case investigation feel just as personal and atmospherically intense.
Films on the same thread
The Thursday Murder Club
Chris Columbus · Film · 2025
Explores: Retirement Community, Friendship, Justice.
Dept. Q succeeds because of its unconventional team, and this film mirrors that dynamic by featuring a group of amateur sleuths who outsmart authority to solve lingering cold cases.
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Olivia Newman · Film · 2026
Explores: Grief and healing, Intergenerational friendship, Hidden secrets.
This narrative mirrors the focus on healing and hidden secrets seen in Dept. Q, showing how unlikely connections can help individuals resolve the trauma of their own pasts.
Crime 101
Bart Layton · Film · 2026
Shares a thread with Dept. Q: Redemption.
The cat-and-mouse tension here matches the high-stakes obsession found in Dept. Q, as both stories revolve around individuals seeking redemption through their pursuit of elusive criminal targets.
The Sheep Detectives
Kyle Balda · Film · 2026
Explores: Underestimated protagonists, Secret life of animals, Amateur sleuths.
Though lighter in tone, this story captures the spirit of Dept. Q by focusing on underestimated protagonists who use their unique perspectives to solve mysteries that others overlook.
Podcasts on the same thread
CounterClock
Audiochuck · Podcast · 2025
Shares a thread with Dept. Q: cold case investigation.
If the investigative drive of Dept. Q kept you watching, this podcast delivers the same commitment to uncovering truths in long-forgotten cases through meticulous and deep-dive reporting.
Serial
Serial Productions & The New York Times · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Justice system flaws, Legal ambiguity, Deep-dive reporting.
This podcast explores the same systemic flaws and human fallibility that frustrate the team in Dept. Q, providing a grounded look at the reality behind complex legal mysteries.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Dept. Q based on a book series?
The 2025 television series Dept. Q is created by Scott Frank. It follows a brilliant cop leading a team of misfits to solve cold cases in Edinburgh. There are no source-material or adaptation siblings currently in the catalog to consider.
What is the premise of Dept. Q?
Dept. Q centers on a brash but brilliant police officer who takes charge of a newly formed department. Based in Edinburgh, he leads an unlikely team of misfits as they work together to investigate and solve various cold cases.
Where is the show Dept. Q set?
The television series Dept. Q is set in the city of Edinburgh. The narrative focuses on the work of a brash but brilliant cop and his team of misfits as they operate out of a new police department dedicated to solving cold cases.
Who created the show Dept. Q?
The television series Dept. Q was created by Scott Frank. The show debuted in 2025 and follows a brash but brilliant cop who heads a new police department tasked with solving cold cases in Edinburgh with a team of misfits.