Wiip Snags Rights to Novel ‘The Lemon,’ Will Adapt for TV (Exclusive)

Independent studio Wiip has snagged rights to the critically hailed novel The Lemon.

The Mare of Easttown and The Summer I Turned Pretty producer has optioned the novel by S.E. Boyd — a pen name for the trio of Alessandra Lusardi, Kevin Alexander and Joe Keohane — and will develop it for television. The authors, who plan the book as the first in a three-part series, will adapt the work for the screen.

Published in November by Viking, The Lemon has won praise for its satirical lens on the culinary and media worlds. The story follows the fallout after John Doe, the beloved host of a culinary travel show, is found dead in a Belfast hotel room in an apparent suicide. As the news of his untimely demise breaks stateside, a group of friends, fixers, hustlers, and opportunists vie to seize control of the narrative.

The cast of characters includes Doe’s agent, who wants to preserve his legacy; a down-on-her-luck journalist who sees a fabricated story about Doe go viral; a renowned chef who was Doe’s best friend; and the Belfast hotel worker whose secret might take them all down.

“The Lemon takes an acidic bite out of the international culinary world and delivers a truly hysterical caper with some of the most dastardly characters I have ever encountered,” Wiip’s Mark Roybal said in a statement. “The masterminds collectively known as S.E. Boyd — Kevin, Joe and Alessandra — have done the unthinkable in my estimation: they have created a bold, rambunctious, singular voice and a clever plot that never fails to surprise. We can’t wait to see them cook up a show based on their brilliant series.”

Alexander, Keohane and Lusardi will executive produce the project with Wiip’s Paul Lee, Roybal and Nate Winslow.

“We’re beyond delighted to be working with the exceptional team at Wiip,” said the authors. “Paul, Mark and Nate are gratuitously talented, accomplished, smart, funny, handsome, and good company besides. They are the perfect collaborators with whom to bring the sublime madness of The Lemon to TV.”

S.E. Boyd is repped by David Granger and Allison Warren at Aevitas Creative Management and attorney Marios Rush.