diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cache.py b/src/calibre/db/cache.py
index ad3c6dc29c..c220ab2f87 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cache.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cache.py
@@ -564,8 +564,9 @@ class Cache:
         highlight_end=None,
         snippet_size=None,
         restrict_to_book_ids=None,
+        result_type=tuple,
     ):
-        return tuple(self.backend.fts_search(
+        return result_type(self.backend.fts_search(
             fts_engine_query,
             use_stemming=use_stemming,
             highlight_start=highlight_start,
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/fts/search.py b/src/calibre/gui2/fts/search.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..58d25ea8e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/fts/search.py
@@ -0,0 +1,172 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# vim:fileencoding=utf-8
+# License: GPL v3 Copyright: 2022, Kovid Goyal <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
+
+
+import os
+import traceback
+from qt.core import (
+    QAbstractItemModel, QDialog, QDialogButtonBox, QModelIndex, Qt, QTreeView,
+    QVBoxLayout
+)
+
+from calibre.gui2.fts.utils import get_db
+from calibre.gui2.viewer.widgets import ResultsDelegate
+
+ROOT = QModelIndex()
+
+
+class SearchDelegate(ResultsDelegate):
+
+    def result_data(self, result):
+        if not isinstance(result, dict):
+            return None, None, None, None, None
+        full_text = result['text']
+        parts = full_text.split('\x1d', 2)
+        before = after = ''
+        if len(parts) > 2:
+            before, text = parts[:2]
+            after = parts[2].replace('\x1d', '')
+        elif len(parts) == 2:
+            before, text = parts
+        else:
+            text = parts[0]
+        return False, before, text, after, False
+
+
+class Results:
+
+    _title = None
+
+    def __init__(self, book_id):
+        self.book_id = book_id
+        self.search_results = []
+        self.append = self.search_results.append
+
+    def __len__(self):
+        return len(self.search_results)
+
+    def __getitem__(self, x):
+        return self.search_results[x]
+
+    @property
+    def title(self):
+        if self._title is None:
+            try:
+                self._title = get_db().field_for('title', self.book_id)
+            except Exception:
+                self._title = _('Unknown book')
+        return self._title
+
+
+class ResultsModel(QAbstractItemModel):
+
+    def __init__(self, parent=None):
+        super().__init__(parent)
+        self.results = []
+
+    def search(self, fts_engine_query, use_stemming=True, restrict_to_book_ids=None):
+        db = get_db()
+
+        def construct(all_matches):
+            r = {}
+            sr = self.results = []
+
+            for x in all_matches:
+                book_id = x['book_id']
+                results = r.get(book_id)
+                if results is None:
+                    results = Results(book_id)
+                    r[book_id] = results
+                    sr.append(results)
+                results.append(x)
+
+        self.beginResetModel()
+        db.fts_search(
+            fts_engine_query, use_stemming=use_stemming, highlight_start='\x1d', highlight_end='\x1d', snippet_size=64,
+            restrict_to_book_ids=restrict_to_book_ids, result_type=construct
+        )
+        self.endResetModel()
+
+    def index_to_entry(self, idx):
+        q = idx.internalId()
+        if q:
+            # search result
+            list_idx = q - 1
+            try:
+                q = self.results[list_idx]
+                return q[idx.row()]
+            except Exception:
+                traceback.print_exc()
+                return None
+        else:
+            ans = idx.row()
+            if -1 < ans < len(self.results):
+                return self.results[ans]
+
+    def index(self, row, column, parent=ROOT):
+        if parent.isValid():
+            return self.createIndex(row, column, parent.row() + 1)
+        return self.createIndex(row, column, 0)
+
+    def parent(self, index):
+        q = index.internalId()
+        if q:
+            return self.index(q - 1, 0)
+        return ROOT
+
+    def rowCount(self, parent=ROOT):
+        if parent.isValid():
+            x = self.index_to_entry(parent)
+            if isinstance(x, Results):
+                return len(x)
+            return 0
+        return len(self.results)
+
+    def columnCount(self, parent=ROOT):
+        return 1
+
+    def data(self, index, role=Qt.ItemDataRole.DisplayRole):
+        item = self.index_to_entry(index)
+        if item is None:
+            return
+        if isinstance(item, Results):
+            return self.data_for_book(item, role)
+        return self.data_for_match(item, role)
+
+    def data_for_book(self, item, role):
+        if role == Qt.ItemDataRole.DisplayRole:
+            return item.title
+        if role == Qt.ItemDataRole.UserRole:
+            return item
+
+    def data_for_match(self, item, role):
+        if role == Qt.ItemDataRole.UserRole:
+            return item
+
+
+class ResultsView(QTreeView):
+
+    def __init__(self, parent=None):
+        super().__init__(parent)
+        self.setHeaderHidden(True)
+        self.m = ResultsModel(self)
+        self.setModel(self.m)
+        self.delegate = SearchDelegate(self)
+        self.setItemDelegate(self.delegate)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    from calibre.gui2 import Application
+    from calibre.library import db
+    app = Application([])
+    d = QDialog()
+    l = QVBoxLayout(d)
+    bb = QDialogButtonBox(d)
+    bb.accepted.connect(d.accept), bb.rejected.connect(d.reject)
+    get_db.db = db(os.path.expanduser('~/test library'))
+    w = ResultsView(parent=d)
+    l.addWidget(w)
+    l.addWidget(bb)
+    w.model().search('asimov')
+    d.exec()