What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedGrimm
David Greenwalt · Series · 2011
If you loved Grimm, start with Storm Front: The Gathering Storm (Jim Butcher, 2009) — a book on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to Grimm across media.
What hooked you in Grimm was the way the mundane world of criminal investigation constantly collides with a hidden, supernatural reality.
Books on the same thread
Homicide
David Simon · Book · 2007
Shares a thread with Grimm: Police Procedural.
If the procedural aspect of Grimm satisfied your interest in police work, this gritty look at real homicide investigations provides the raw, grounded foundation that inspired the genre.
Storm Front: The Gathering Storm
Jim Butcher · Book · 2009
Shares a thread with Grimm: Urban Fantasy.
Fans of Grimm will recognize the familiar rhythm of a detective navigating a supernatural underworld, as Harry Dresden balances police cooperation with his unique magical heritage and responsibilities.
Fairy Tale
Stephen King · Book
Explores: coming of age, good versus evil, interdimensional travel.
Like Nick Burkhardt, the protagonist of this story discovers that ordinary life is a thin veil over a larger war between good and evil, mirroring the Grimm legacy.
Wicked
Gregory Maguire · Book
Explores: moral ambiguity, social outcast, perspective shift.
The moral ambiguity and complex perspective shifts found here echo the way Grimm challenges your understanding of fairy tale creatures, forcing you to question who is truly good.
Films on the same thread
Se7en
David Fincher · Film · 1995
Shares a thread with Grimm: Good vs Evil.
This film captures the intense, dark obsession of a detective tracking a serial killer, echoing the high-stakes, life-or-death investigations that define Nick Burkhardt's daily life in Grimm.
Scream
Film · 1996
Explores: Survival, Pop culture obsession, Trauma.
If you enjoyed the way Grimm turned folklore into a deadly game, you will appreciate how this meta-horror story uses the tropes of scary movies to terrorize its cast.
A History of Violence
David Cronenberg · Film · 2005
Explores: hidden identity, past coming back to haunt you, violence begets violence.
The secret identity struggle that defines Nick in Grimm is mirrored here, as a quiet man is forced to confront his hidden past and the violence he tried to leave.
Batman
Tim Burton · Film · 1989
Explores: Vigilantism, Identity Concealment, Good vs. Evil.
Much like the dual identity Nick maintains as a detective and a Grimm, Bruce Wayne operates in the shadows to fight crime, masking his true self from the public.
Podcasts on the same thread
Forensic Files
Podcast
Explores: crime scene investigation, scientific analysis, evidence-based analysis.
The scientific analysis and evidence-based investigation of this series provide a real-world parallel to the forensic detective work that Nick Burkhardt uses to track supernatural threats in Grimm.
Criminal
Vox Media Podcast Network · Podcast · 2026
Explores: moral ambiguity, social justice, human behavior.
This podcast explores the same moral ambiguity and human complexity found in Grimm, focusing on the stories of people caught in the middle of crime and legal gray areas.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Grimm based on a specific book series?
Grimm is not an adaptation of a book series. The show was created by David Greenwalt and focuses on the original concept of a homicide detective who discovers he is part of an elite line of criminal profilers known as Grimms.
What is the premise of Grimm?
The premise of Grimm follows Portland homicide detective Nick Burkhardt. After learning he is descended from an elite line of criminal profilers called Grimms, Nick must balance his regular police responsibilities with his new duties as a Grimm tasked with managing supernatural threats.
Does Nick Burkhardt work as a detective in Grimm?
Yes, Nick Burkhardt works as a homicide detective in Portland throughout the series Grimm. His professional life as a detective frequently conflicts with his ancestral responsibilities as a Grimm, which serves as the primary source of tension in the narrative.
Is Grimm about a detective fighting crime?
Grimm is about a detective named Nick Burkhardt who discovers his heritage as a Grimm. While he remains a homicide detective, his work evolves as he encounters criminal profiler responsibilities that force him to navigate the supernatural world while maintaining his role in the police force.