How to Get to Heaven from Belfast: Book Adaptation? Origin & Inspiration Explained
Is “How to Get to Heaven from Belfast” Based on a Book? Origin + Inspiration
If you’re searching for the novel behind How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, here’s the key detail: it isn’t based on a book. It’s an original Netflix comedy-thriller created and written by Lisa McGee (best known for Derry Girls).
In this post, you’ll get a clear answer on the “book adaptation” question, plus the show’s real-world origin story, what inspired McGee to write it, and a few smart “what to watch next” picks if you love dark humor and mysteries.
Quick Answer: No Book, No Novel, No Prior Adaptation
How to Get to Heaven from Belfast is an original series—not a screen version of a novel, memoir, true-crime book, or play. Netflix’s own materials describe it as “written and created” by Lisa McGee, which is the language you typically see when a show is not adapted from existing IP.
That doesn’t mean it came from nowhere, though. McGee has talked about very specific inspirations: a desire to blend mystery with comedy, an obsession with memory (and what we hide from our friends), and a creepy moment that sparked the whole concept.
Channel 4 announces Lisa McGee’s brand-new comedy thriller, How To Get To Heaven From Belfast
August 22, 2023
What Is “How to Get to Heaven from Belfast” About?
The series follows three women—Saoirse, Robyn, and Dara—who have been close since school. Now in their late 30s, they’re pulled into a darkly funny mystery after learning an estranged fourth friend has died, and eerie events at a wake kick off an “odyssey” across Ireland as they try to piece together what really happened.
Netflix has positioned it as a genre mash-up: mystery plus comedy, with friendship and secrets doing as much damage as the “case” itself.
Origin Story: From Channel 4 Announcement to Netflix Release
August 2023: The project was first announced as a Channel 4 commission—an eight-part comedy thriller from Lisa McGee, produced by Hat Trick Productions (the team behind Derry Girls).
March 2024: The series moved to Netflix, with Netflix ultimately becoming its home.
July 2024 onward: Netflix confirmed production and casting, with filming beginning in Northern Ireland.
Release date: Netflix has set the premiere for February 12, 2026 (eight episodes).
Inspiration: The “Haunted School” Moment That Sparked the Idea
McGee has shared that the seed of the show came from an eerie visit to her former secondary school, Thornhill College in Derry—abandoned for years. Walking through a place filled with leftovers of teen life (old writing, forgotten items, that “time capsule” feeling) made her think about the distance between who you were at 16 and who you become later.
That theme—your past following you around, sometimes literally—fits perfectly with the show’s setup: old friends, old secrets, and a death that drags buried history back into daylight.
Why It Feels Familiar (Even Without a Book): McGee’s Comedy + Mystery “Mash-Up”
McGee has described the show as the one she “always wanted to make,” built around her love of mystery and comedy in the same package. The important nuance: it’s not “comedy with a mystery subplot” or a straight thriller with jokes. It’s designed as a true blend—where humor is part of the tension, and tension makes the humor sharper.
In practical storytelling terms, that usually means:
- High-stakes situations colliding with very ordinary, very human reactions.
- Clues and reveals that arrive through conversations, misunderstandings, and messy friendships.
- Character flaws that actively sabotage the “investigation.”
Creative Team + Cast (Why Fans of “Derry Girls” Are Paying Attention)
If you’re hoping for the sharp dialogue and emotional punch of Derry Girls, the good news is that Lisa McGee created and wrote the series, and Netflix has talked about reuniting key creative collaborators. The show is directed by Michael Lennox, who also worked with McGee on Derry Girls.
The lead trio includes:
- Roísín Gallagher as Saoirse
- Sinéad Keenan as Robyn
- Caoilfhionn Dunne as Dara
And the supporting cast includes familiar faces to a lot of UK/Ireland TV fans, including Ardal O’Hanlon and Michelle Fairley.
What Reddit Theories Say About This (And What Fans Compare It To)
Early Reddit reactions to the trailer and synopsis have a consistent vibe: excitement about “from the creator of Derry Girls,” plus lots of comparisons to other darkly funny women-led mystery shows. Some commenters have specifically compared the feel to shows like Bad Sisters (in tone and energy).
Another thread worth skimming is the earlier discussion that pulled quotes from Netflix’s own write-up, since it captures what people expect from McGee’s “mystery + comedy” promise.
Why People Assume It’s a Book Adaptation (Even When It Isn’t)
This question pops up a lot for new Netflix series—especially mysteries—because many popular shows in the same lane are adapted from novels (crime fiction, thrillers, true crime, etc.). Add a title that sounds like it could be a memoir or a darkly funny essay collection, and it’s an easy assumption.
A quick “adaptation sniff test” you can use for future shows:
- Official credits: Adaptations often say “based on the novel…” in press materials.
- Rights announcements: Trades will mention a publisher/author deal.
- Author credit: The author is typically credited prominently (or listed as a producer).
With How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, the consistent official framing is “written and created by Lisa McGee,” which points to an original concept rather than a book-to-screen project.
FAQ
Is “How to Get to Heaven from Belfast” based on a true story?
Not as far as Netflix’s official synopsis and announcements indicate. It’s presented as a fictional mystery-comedy.
When does it come out?
Netflix has set the release date for February 12, 2026.
Who created it?
Lisa McGee created and wrote the series. She also created Derry Girls.