Reese Witherspoon to produce 'Where the Crawdads Sing' movie adaptation

Hollywood star Reese Wiherspoon's banner Hello Sunshine is set to produce a feature film adaptation of "Where the Crawdads Sing".

Fox 2000 has acquired the best-selling novel written by Delia Owens, reported Variety.

The novel is set in a small town in the South and focuses on a young woman named Kya who raises herself in the marshes after she is abandoned by her family. After her former boyfriend is found dead, Kya becomes the prime suspect in his murder. The book has been described as a mixture of a crime thriller and a coming-of-age tale.

"With a jaw-dropping mystery, stunning Southern setting, and endlessly fascinating female heroine at its centre, I loved this book the moment I read it and am so excited to join forces with Elizabeth and her team to bring Delia's truly moving page-turner to the screen," Witherspoon said in a statement.

Elizabeth Gabler and Erin Siminoff will oversee production for Fox 2000.