Whatever viewing mood you’re in this August, there’s a new mystery or thriller adaptation for you to watch. There’s revenge, plenty of action, and murder mysteries to solve. There are films and series (new and returning) starring sisters, park rangers, a father and son, superheroes, and an ex-military cop. Plus, there’s some exceptional casting with settings ranging from cross-country trips to national park grounds.
Make popcorn, get cozy, solve crimes!
Is God Is (MGM+, Now Streaming)
Is God Is by Aleshea Harris
Aleshea Harris’ genre-mixed play Is God Is is focused on revenge!
If you missed the film in theaters, definitely go stream it now on MGM+. The cast is chef’s kiss, there’s Kara Young, Mallori Johnson, Sterling K. Brown, Vivica A. Fox, Janelle Monáe, and Erika Alexander. And the plot is all the !!!!! Two sisters, whose father gave the family burn scars, are now on a mission to kill him at the request of their mother.
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Anna Pigeon (USA Network, August 7th)
Track of the Cat by Nevada Barr
Nevada Barr’s 19-book series stars park ranger Anna Pigeon, who ran away from her past in New York. Her first case in Track of the Cat involves a dead park ranger and asks the question, “Is a mountain lion or a sinister human the suspect?”
You can start watching the show Friday, Aug. 7, at 10 p.m. on USA Network. Cable cutters will have to wait until after the season finale to stream on USANetwork.com and on Fandango. If you weren’t already excited by the park ranger solving mysteries angle, Lea Thompson (Back to the Future, Howard the Duck) will be directing!
Reacher Season 4 (Amazon Prime, August 12)
Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child
Lee Child’s action hero thriller series starts with Killing Floor. Jack Reacher, an ex-military cop, is the only outsider in Margrave, Georgia, on the day of a murder and ends up being arrested…
Season four of Jack Reacher, starring Alan Ritchson, is based on the 13th novel in the series, Gone Tomorrow. It will begin streaming on Amazon Prime on August 12th.
Lanterns (HBO Max, August 16th)
Green Lantern: John Stewart – A Celebration of 50 Years by Len Wein, Geoff Johns, Dave Gibbons (Illustrator), Neal Adams, Ed Benes, Dick Dillin, Fernando Pasarín
Based on DC Comics’ Green Lantern, with a focus on the two Green Lanterns, Hal Jordan and John Stewart.
The series, beginning August 16th on HBO Max, blends the superhero genre with a mystery and Western as Hal and John are on a murder case in Rushville, Nebraska. And once again, a casting agent was on top of their game. We’re treated to Aaron Pierre, Kyle Chandler, Kelly Macdonald, Nathan Fillion, Poorna Jagannathan, Jason Ritter, and others.
The Whisper Man (Netflix, August 28)
The Whisper Man by Alex North
Alex North’s dark-ish British serial killer novel was a hit in 2019 thanks to past and present mysteries, and the trope of a widowed father and his young son moving to a small town in hopes of a fresh start. Do they ever really get a fresh start?!
You can stream the film adaptation on August 28th on Netflix. I suspect that even if the book hadn’t been a hit people, would be sat for this film because of the amazing cast, which includes Robert De Niro, Michelle Monaghan, and Adam Scott.
Browse the books recommended in Unusual Suspects’ previous newsletters on this shelf, and see 2026 releases! Until next time, come talk books with me on Bluesky, Goodreads, Litsy, and Multitudes Contained.
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