Luther: The Calling Luther: The Calling Luther: The Calling by Neil Cross is the first of three tie-in novels based on the BBC crime drama "Luther". The novel introduces the character of Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) John Luther. The novel is a prequel to the television series and focuses on the traumatic case involving a child killer named Henry Madsen. The novel expands on and explains several elements of the TV series, such as the breakup of the Luthers' marriage, and the corruption of DCI Ian Reed. The final events in the book mirror those portrayed at the start of Series 1 of
Luther (TV series) show's future by stating that there was a "big chance" of a new fifth series of "Luther". In June 2017, Elba announced that Luther would be returning for a fifth series. Filming started in early 2018. Series one was met with positive reviews, according to aggregate review site Rotten Tomatoes, where it holds a 95% approval rating, based on 19 reviews. The site's consensus reads: "Gritty and ambiguous, "Luther" is a captivating drama bolstered by a powerhouse performance from Idris Elba in the title role." It holds a Metacritic score of 82 out of 100, based on 11 collected reviews,