Bookish cast: Mark Gatiss and Polly Walker star
Gatiss is also the creator of the new detective drama set in 1946.
Writer and actor Mark Gatiss is back on our screens with new detective series Bookish, which is now airing on U&Alibi.
Set in 1946, the series follows Gatiss's character Gabriel Book who, of course, runs a bookshop. That's not all, though, as Book also has a knack for mysteries, helping the police to solve the "strangest of crimes" on the side.
The series stars a whole host of British talent, with the likes of Polly Walker, Blake Harrison, Joely Richardson and Daniel Mays, among others, starring alongside Gatiss.
But who else stars in the series and who do they all play?
Read on for everything you need to know about the cast of Bookish.
Bookish cast: Who stars in Mark Gatiss's detective drama?
Below is the main line-up for Bookish on U&Alibi. Read on to find out more about the cast and characters.
- Mark Gatiss as Gabriel Book
- Polly Walker as Trottie Book
- Connor Finch as Jack
- Elliot Levey as Inspector Bliss
- Blake Harrison as Sergeant Morris
- Buket Kömür as Nora
- Daniel Mays as Eric Wellbeloved
- Joely Richardson as Sandra Dare
- Jacob Fortune-Lloyd as Stewart Howard
- Michael Workéyè as Billy Fox
- Luke Norris as Jesse MacKendrick
- Jonas Nay as Felix
- Paul McGann as Mr Kind
Mark Gatiss plays Gabriel Book
Who is Gabriel Book? Gabriel is an antiquarian bookshop owner living in 1946, who also helps the police solve crimes. He is married to his best friend Trottie, but it is a "lavender marriage", to help conceal the fact that Book is a gay man living in a time when homosexuality was illegal.
What else has Mark Gatiss been in? Both an actor and a writer, Gatiss is known for his on-screen roles in The League of Gentlemen, Wolf Hall, Sherlock, Dad's Army, Taboo, Game of Thrones, Doctor Who, The Favourite, Good Omens, Inside No. 9, Moonflower Murders and the two most recent Mission: Impossible movies. He will also soon be seen in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Polly Walker plays Trottie Book
Who is Trottie Book? Trottie is Book's wife and best friend, who runs the wallpaper shop next door to his bookshop.
What else has Polly Walker been in? Walker is known for her roles in series including Rome, Caprica, Prisoners' Wives, Mr Selfridge, The Syndicate, Line of Duty, Pennyworth, Bridgerton and Dune: Prophecy, as well as films such as Emma and John Carter.
Connor Finch plays Jack
Who is Jack? Jack is a young jailbird who Book and Trottie take in and make an assistant in the bookshop. However, his appointment is not entirely the random act of kindness it may at first appear to be.
What else has Connor Finch been in? Finch has previously had roles in The Larkins, Everything I Know About Love and Professor T.
Elliot Levey plays Inspector Bliss
Who is Inspector Bliss? Bliss is the police inspector Book works with on cases.
What else has Elliot Levey been in? Levey is known for his roles in series including Hotel Babylon, Da Vinci's Demons, Man Down, Silent Witness, Peaky Blinders, Quiz, Holby City, We Were the Lucky Ones and Queenie, as well as films such as The Queen, Philomena, The Lady in the Van, Denial and Murder on the Orient Express.
Buket Kömür plays Nora
Who is Nora? Nora is a young woman who was orphaned in the war, and who works in her uncle's Turkish restaurant on Archangel Lane, where Book's shop is located. She often helps out around the shop and with Book's cases.
What else has Buket Kömür been in? Kömür has had roles in Honour, Our House, Signora Volpe and Generation Z.
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Daniel Mays plays Eric Wellbeloved
Who is Eric Wellbeloved? Eric is a local butcher who gets wrapped up in the first of the cases Book investigates in season 1.
What else has Daniel Mays been in? Mays is known for starring in films including Vera Drake, Atonement, Dad's Army, Rogue One, Fisherman's Friends, 1917, Your Christmas or Mine and Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, as well as series such as Doctor Who, Hustle, Inside No. 9, Code 404, Magpie Murders, Temple, Des, White Lines, Good Omens, Ashes to Ashes, Line of Duty, Franklin, A Thousand Blows and Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes.
Joely Richardson plays Sandra Dare
Who is Sandra Dare? Sandra is a film star who gets wrapped up in the second of Book's cases in season 1, while she is starring in a film shooting at the bookshop. She is part of a famous screen couple with Stewart Howard, to whom she is engaged.
What else has Joely Richardson been in? Richardson is known for her roles in films including 101 Dalmations, Event Horizon, The Patriot, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Snowden and Red Sparrow, as well as series including Nip/Tuck, Suspect, The Sandman, One Day, The Gentlemen, Renegade Nell and Surface. She will soon be seen in Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.
Blake Harrison plays Sergeant Morris
Who is Sergeant Morris? Morris is a police sergeant who works under Inspector Bliss.
What else has Blake Harrison been in? Harrison is best-known for his role as Neil in The Inbetweeners, while he has also had roles in The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, Dad's Army, Trust Me, A Very English Scandal, Bob the Builder, Death in Paradise, The Great, Doctor Who, Kate & Koji, I Hate Suzie, World on Fire and Still Up.
Jacob Fortune-Lloyd plays Stewart Howard
Who is Stewart Howard? Stewart is a film star on the rise, who is engaged to Sandra.
What else has Jacob Fortune-Lloyd been in? Fortune-Lloyd has had roles in series including Medici, Strike Back, The Queen's Gambit, The Power, The Great, Bodies and The Rig, as well as films such as Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, See How They Run and Midas Man.
Luke Norris plays Jesse MacKendrick
Who is Jesse MacKendrick? Jesse is the director of Lovelorn in London, the movie that Sandra and Stewart are starring in.
What else has Luke Norris been in? Norris has had roles in The Inbetweeners, Poldark, The Girl Before, Grace and Strike.
Jonas Nay plays Felix
Who is Felix? Felix is a figure from Book's past.
What else has Jonas Nay been in? German actor Nay is known for his roles in 4 Against Z, Deutschland 83, 86 and 89, Transatlantic and The Tattooist of Auschwitz.
Michael Workéyè plays Billy Fox
Who is Billy Fox? Billy is the clapperboy on the set of the film, and often acts as Stewart's long-suffering assistant.
What else has Michael Workéyè been in? Workéyè is known for his roles in series including This Is Going to Hurt, My Lady Jane, Black Mirror and The Stolen Girl.
Paul McGann plays Mr Kind
Who is Mr Kind? Mr Kind is the general manager of the Walsingham Hotel, which forms the backdrop of Book's third and final case in season 1.
What else has Paul McGann been in? McGann is best-known for playing the Eighth Doctor in Doctor Who, while he has also had major roles in films such as Withnail and I and Alien 3, and series including Hornblower, Luther, Holby City and Annika.
Bookish will air on U&Alibi from Wednesday 16th July 2025.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
