June Thomas of Slate reports on newly released book titles and the world of publishing in "The Book Reader."

We are used to seeing books turned into movies, but these days it’s a little less common to see them adapted into television series.

In late January, Fox debuted “Backstrom,” a police procedural set in Portland, Oregon, which was inspired by a series of Swedish mysteries, and it is fascinating to see what gets lost in translation.

“Backstrom: He Who Kills The Dragon,” the latest of Leif G.W. Persson’s crime novels, was published by Black Lizard in January. Detective Superintendent Evert Backstrom is an oddball, to put it kindly. At the beginning of the book, he shows up at a crime scene and immediately declares that the victim was an alcoholic who had been killed by a drinking companion - the most boring murder imaginable. Of course, the case turns out to be much more complicated than that, and Persson does a great job of expanding the world of the mystery.

In the book, Backstrom is selfish, arrogant, alcoholic, corrupt, sexist, homophobic, and racist, appalled by the relatively new diversity of Stockholm and its police force. But since Backstrom is wise enough to keep the worst of his views to himself - unlike his co-workers - readers have access to his thoughts. Because he is a smart - if lazy - detective, it does not seem crazy that he is still employed.

On television, though, Backstrom, played by “The Office’s” Rainn Wilson, has no filter, and it is hard to understand why his colleagues in the Portland PD would put up with him. Irascible characters are easier to handle on the page than on screen. It will be interesting to see how the TV audience responds to this unlikable central character.

For more on the latest releases, visit the Slate Book Review at slate.com/books.