Melbourne book to be made into film

An Australian bestselling crime novel is to be turned into a movie.

Peter Temple's Truth, which tells the story of a detective on the trail of a Melbourne murder case, has been picked up by Tropfest founder John Polson and will be filmed in Melbourne.

Polson told The Age: "'I haven't made a film in this country for 10 or 11 years. I've been close on a few things over that time but for one reason or another, usually creative differences, it just hasn't happened.''

Temple said that he wanted Polson to make the movie because ''I like his work and he's very enthusiastic, and I think he's the right man to do it. In film, enthusiasm is everything - that and persistence.

''I would not have accepted any offer that wanted to do it outside Australia. This is an Australian story, it's not a generic story. I don't want to give that away; I'd rather it sit on the shelf."

Temple added that "Russell Crowe... or Eric Bana... would be terrific" in the movie because they both have "that brooding quality".