When I first read that Paul Verhoeven was to direct The Paperboy I thought they meant that eighties videogame, but actually it's the Pete Dexter novel (Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com).

The story seems a somewhat complex one. The two grown sons of the local Moat County Tribune Editor are poles apart, one works for him as a delivery boy, the other is reporter for the Miami Times. When the reporter returns to cover the trial of the local Sheriff he enlists the help of his brother. During their investigation they are beaten and are confined to hospital while the reporter's partner fabricates evidence and allows the Sheriff to be freed from Death Row. The reporter returns to Miami with his brother, the story forgotten about, but the past soon becomes unravelled and catches up on them.

It seems to get good reviews and a previous novel by Pete Dexter, Paris Trout (Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com), was made into a film in 1991 which starred Dennis Hopper, Ed Harris and Barbara Hershey, and was directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal, yes, their father.

The story comes from Teletext, and it certainly bodes well for the film with Paul Verhoeven at the helm. With his recent success of Zwartboek (Black Book) you have to wonder if he's returning to the thriller market with a leap and a bound.