Deadline: Batman, Art Heists, Chippendales & Judy Garland’s Slippers: The Podcasts To Watch Out For In 2021

JAMES PATTERSON’S THE COLDEST CASE

Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul and Krysten Ritter are reuniting for a new audio series that is a prequel to James Patterson’s novel The Black Book. The pair are starring, alongside Game of Thrones’ Nathalie Emmanuel, in the nine-part limited series after the best-selling author struck a deal with Amazon’s Audible. It tells the story of homicide detective Billy Harney, who sends his new partner, Kate, deep undercover in a notorious Chicago drug ring. When several members of the ring soon turn up dead, Billy abruptly pulls Kate out, blowing her cover. Kate’s informant quickly disappears. As does the ring’s black book… When Billy can’t find the informant, he wonders if Kate is secretly harboring her, since the two grew close during Kate’s weeks undercover. As Billy and Kate investigate the ring’s murders, they’ll be pulled into a dangerous web of corrupt politicians, vengeful billionaires, drugged pro-athletes, and violent, dark web conspiracies, all in search of the missing black book.

For the series, Patterson collaborated with writers and exec producers Aaron Tracy (Law & Order: SVU) and Ryan Silbert (Holy Rollers). The author also has four additional audio projects that include original storylines and will feature new characters. “I’m looking forward to building stories specifically for the listening experience—the spin of a tire wheel, the gravel in a villain’s voice, the note of triumph in a detective’s final words as he closes a case—all performed by gifted, top-tier talent,” said Patterson.