When Will Trent was slated to premiere in January 2023, fans of the book series were wary; how close would the ABC series stick to the books? Now that the show is well into its second season, it’s easy to see where the series has been faithful to the original Karin Slaughter books (and which aspects have veered off from the original source material). It can be tricky to successfully adapt a book for the screen, but the producing team behind Will Trent are committed to getting it right. The storylines included in the series have proven that the show has its own staying power, but there are still some pretty glaring differences between the series and the books.
Special Agent Will Trent was abandoned at birth and endured a harsh coming-of-age in Atlanta’s overwhelmed foster care system. Determined to make sure no one feels as he did, he now has the highest clearance rate.
The Origins of ‘Will Trent’
The first book in the Will Trent series was called Triptych, and it was published all the way back in 2006. At first, the book series seemed to focus on a veteran detective named Michael Ormewood and his colleague, Angie Polaski, but it was merely a way to introduce Slaughter’s protagonist, Will (a damaged yet effective special agent working for the Georgia Bureau of Investigations). Will took center stage even more in the second book in the series, which was titled Fractured. The bestselling books continue to earn fans, in large part because of Will’s character, but also because of Slaughter’s thrilling and suspenseful mysteries that take place in every novel. To date, there are 11 books in the Will Trent series, with a new title set to be published in August 2024.
Will Trent, the television show, has earned an impressive 89 percent on Rotten Tomatoes since it debuted last year. It has set itself apart from the books with an impressive cast and a much more lighthearted tone than the text. This season alone has seen major plot developments for Will’s character, as he lost a love interest in a bombing, met his very first family member (afte
r growing up in foster care), and uncovered a huge secret about his mentor and maternal figure, Amanda, in Episode 5.
‘Will Trent’ Offers More Diversity but Lacks One Major Character From the Books
One of the more obvious differences between the Will Trent books and the television show has to do with many of the characters’ physical depictions, as in Slaughter’s books, Will is described as White, tall, lanky, and blonde. Ramon Rodriguez’s doesn’t fit that description, which has created some intriguing drama in the series, as Will sees himself as more of an outsider (which a tall, blonde guy wouldn’t necessarily experience). In the books, Amanda and Will’s partner, Faith, are also both White, but in the television show, they’re portrayed by two Black actors (Sonja Sohn and Iantha Richardson, respectively).
One thing that fans of the books have been vocal about is the lack of one main character from the novels. Sara Linton first appeared in Book 3 of the Will Trent series (Undone) as Will’s long-term girlfriend, a coroner who often assists in the solving of crimes in the area and continues to be an important part of Will’s life throughout the book series. Despite that, she’s been completely left out of the show. Rodriguez addressed her absence in a recent interview with TVLine, saying, “We’ve talked about it. You know, it’s a big deal. We don’t take that lightly. It’s such a big character in the books, and would potentially be a big character in the series, so we want to be really mindful [about how we do that.]”
Clark Gregg, known for playing Phil Coulson in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, joins the series.
He also noted that now that the team is beginning to discuss what to incorporate into Season 3, and the conversation about how to insert Sara into the Will Trent world has been an important one. Rodriguez added, “There are people who are fans of the books that want to see that and there are people who have joined the show who have never read the books, and are now maybe going to read the books. I know there’s a lot of chatter about it, though.”
The ‘Will Trent’ TV Series Utilizes a Different Tone From the Books
While it’s still up for debate just how and when Sara will show up, there’s another character that has inspired a ton of discussion among Will Trent fans: Michael Ormewood. He’s incredibly violent and corrupt, even going so far as to murder his own wife in the first book. When fans saw the character of Ormewood (Jake McLaughlin) on the TV series, they were prepared for a pretty dark and twisted police officer. However, many people were surprised to discover that Ormewood is actually a pretty decent guy on the show; he might be cool with roughing up a few suspects and cheating on his wife, Angie, but other than that, he’s always on the right side of things.
In line with Ormewood’s character, many fans of the book series note how different the overall tone is between the two projects. The Will Trent books do not shy away from gruesome violence and bloodshed, and while there are plenty of murders and crime scenes on the show, there have been very few truly graphic scenes. The tone of the series tends to be lighter with much more humor thrown in, which makes sense since it’s airing on network television.
Now that the TV show is just about finished with its second season, it’s easier for fans to note the differences between the books and the series. There will always be plenty of source material for the show’s writers to draw from, but they’ve also made it clear that they’re just as comfortable carving out their own path, allowing the show’s characters to grow and change as separate entities from the original source material. Fans of the books can still be drawn into the darker, thriller vibes on the page, while devotees of the show can delight in Will’s snappy dressing and smart quips. Both versions of Will Trent offer something for everyone to love.
