Quick Book Reviews with Philippa Hall

Philippa Hall
  • 4.9 (88)
  • Books
  • Updated weekly

Thousands of books. No time to waste. No spoilers. Ever. Quick Book Reviews — your twice-weekly reading companion with host Philippa Hall What it is Quick Book Reviews is a spoiler-free book podcast hosted by Philippa Hall, published every Monday and Friday. Philippa reads widely so busy readers don't have to guess — delivering honest, enthusiastic, bite-sized reviews alongside in-depth author interviews and a friendly window into the publishing world. This is a warm, welcoming show for readers who love books but don't have time to read everything — and want someone they trust to help them choose what's next. Format Spoiler-free reviews: Fast, honest breakdowns of new releases and upcoming fictionAuthor interviews: In-depth conversations with novelists about plot, character, and writing craft — from global names to indie debutsPublishing insider news: Literary trends, BookTok and Bookstagram highlights, and behind-the-scenes publishing gossipGenres covered Crime · Psychological thriller · Cosy crime · Contemporary drama · Dark academia · Rom-com · Historical fiction · Horror · Romantasy Ideal for Readers with an ever-growing TBR pile · Book club members looking for their next pick · Anyone who loves hearing authors talk about their creative process · Fans of BookTok and Bookstagram looking for a deeper dive Genre & metadata Host: Philippa HallFormat: Reviews / interviews / publishing newsFrequency: Twice weekly — every Monday and FridaySpoilers: NeverStatus: Active and ongoing Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 11 hr ago

    Kate Eberle on "If Books Could Kill": The Romance-Turned-Thriller That Started a 10-Way Book Auction

    Kate Eberle's debut novel If Books Could Kill sparked a 10-way bidding war, sold film and TV rights, and is being published in over 14 countries — and it's easy to see why. This rom-com-meets-thriller follows Roxy Mitchell, a romance novel superfan who wishes herself into her favorite author's next book... only to discover the author has swapped genres to crime thriller, and her dream date is now trying to kill her. In this episode, Kate joins Philippa to talk about: The meme that sparked the entire idea (yes, an Emily Henry meme)What it's actually like to live through a 10-way book auction in real timeWriting a genre mashup nobody knew how to categorize — and why publishers loved it anywayCreating Grant Hoffman, the know-it-all love interest readers can't stop talking aboutHer dream (a library with snacks) and nightmare (a concert with FOMO) writing locationsWhy she's been hearing from readers whose partners think they've lost it from laughing so hardPlus: the book that's keeping Kate up at night right now, and the cookie that powered every word of If Books Could Kill. Mentioned in this episode: If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle, Beach Read by Emily Henry, In Every Possible Way by Alicia Thompson Follow Quick Book Reviews for book recommendations, author interviews, and weekly podcast episodes. 📧 Email: quickbookreviews@outlook.com 📸 Instagram & Threads: @quick_book_reviews 🎵 TikTok: @quickbookreviews 🐦 X: @quickbookrevie3 🦋 Bluesky: quickbookreviews Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    29 min

  2. 2 days ago

    The Unlimited Budget Question: Alison Barrow on Launching a Bestseller

    Philippa welcomes back Alison Barrow, PR director at Transworld, fresh from Capital Crime, for a fascinating look behind the curtain of book publishing and promotion. The Business of Book PR Alison shares insights from a recent masterclass on author publicity, including the eye-opening shift in how many times someone now needs to see a book before buying — and why there's no single magic trick to a successful launch. They discuss: Why book promotion is "an amalgamation of things" rather than one big lever to pullHow publishers start thinking about a book's positioning years before publicationThe enduring power of bookseller advocacy and word-of-mouth recommendationWhy traditional media still matters even in a podcast and social-media-saturated worldWhat Transworld Is Publishing Now Not That Sort of Girl – Andrea MaraGetting Away With Murder – Shari LapenaThe Creative Compass – Emma GannonData Empire – Roopika Risam(a history of data — and an unsettling glimpse at where AI is headed next)What Alison's Been Reading An Unlikely Visitor – Joanna Cannon (no, it's not about a dog — Philippa needed reassurance)It Could Have Been Her – Lisa Jewell (a dark, Barbara Vine-esque departure)The Whistler (Tom Lake) – Ann Patchett (on connection, memory, and a chance reunion four decades in the making)Meet Me at the Museum – Anne Youngson, plus a celebration of novels-in-letters, including The Correspondent by Virginia Evans and the classic 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene HanffListener Question: The Unlimited Budget A listener asks what Alison would do with an unlimited budget to launch a book. Her answer goes well beyond money — covering proofs with sprayed edges, nationwide bookseller tours, and why most of the real value comes from time and human connection rather than spend. (A branded helicopter is briefly considered and wisely abandoned.) Billboard advertising and marketing myth-busting are saved for a future episode — watch this space. Get in touch Quick Book Reviews Facebook Group | Instagram | quickbookreviews@outlook.com Quick Book Reviews: author interviews and book reviews with no spoilers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    27 min

  3. 4 days ago

    M.W. Craven on The Killer's Mark Plus the Kindle That Saved a Life in Barcelona

    Philippa opens with a genuinely unbelievable true story — how a friend trapped in a locked Barcelona hotel toilet used her Kindle to prise the door open and escape. Reading saves lives, people. Then it's three book reviews and a brilliant listener Q&A with crime fiction favourite M.W. Craven, talking about book eight in the Washington Poe series, The Killer's Mark, out 13th August. 📚 Book Reviews The Midnight Train – Matt Haig A beautiful, emotionally rich audiobook about love, regret, and the moments that matter. Uplifting rather than sad, and perfect for fans of Matt Haig's reflective style. Octagon – C.J. Merritt A fast-paced spy thriller following former MI6 agent Stella McCrae and ex-SAS operator Tommy Kane as they race to stop a devastating plot against the West. Cinematic and action-packed. Rivals – Jilly Cooper Philippa picked this up after the TV series left her on an emotional cliffhanger with five months until part two. 720 pages later, she has both more and fewer answers than she started with. Enjoyable — especially at the beginning — but perhaps a lesson in patience. 🎙️ Author Interview: M.W. Craven on The Killer's Mark Poe and Tilly are back — this time as private investigators, drawn into a case that begins with a young American woman who has seen her supposedly dead mother in a porn film. Darker than some recent entries in the series, but with the trademark humour firmly intact. Mike and Philippa discuss: Why this book starts smaller and more personal than previous Poe adventuresThe deliberate shift in the Poe/Tilly dynamic across the series — and who relies on whom nowA new teenage character and the questions only a 15-year-old will ask directlyThe Martin Clunes passage that made Philippa nearly choke on her coffee (no spoilers, but it's brilliant)His favourite in the series (The Mercy Chair) and the underrated Black SummerLessons learned writing a James Bond children's book — including deaf sensitivity readers, footnotes in place of deleted chapters, and why you can't spend three chapters setting up a single jokePoe's Croft: completely fictional, despite what several convinced readers insistListener questions from the Quick Book Reviews Facebook group — including whether Tilly's mum is okay, who Poe's Croft is based on, and Mike's fantasy convention costume (spoiler: Gimli)What he's reading: The Man with the Golden Compass by Vaseem Khan and the Vinyl Detective series by Andrew CartmelThe biscuit answer: chocolate-covered Battenberg, fig rolls and Jammie Dodgers from Castle Chocolates in Carlisle — links in the show notesThe Killer's Mark is out 13th August — pre-orders matter! 🍫 Castle Chocolates, Carlisle 📚 📚 Pre-order The Killer's Mark by M.W. Craven at Waterstones 💬 Get in touch Quick Book Reviews Facebook Group | Instagram | quickbookreviews@outlook.com Quick Book Reviews: author interviews and book reviews with no spoilers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    50 min

  4. 26 Jun

    Lindsey Kelk (writing as Elle Kelk) on Hit or Miss, Anxiety & Starting Over

    Philippa sits down with Lindsey Kelk — writing as Elle Kelk — to talk about her brand new novel Hit or Miss, the first in the Junior Year Abroad series. With over three million books sold, Lindsey is one of the UK's best-loved romance authors, and this conversation is funny, warm, and unexpectedly moving. In this interview, Elle and Philippa discuss: Why Lindsey chose a new pen name for this book — and why it's not exactly a secretWhat "new adult" fiction actually means (and why genres are, in her words, "all fake")The joy of writing a college romance series set at a fictional UK university — think Oxford meets American campus lifeMia and Ethan: two characters running in opposite directions until they collideAnxiety as a central theme — Lindsey opens up about her own late diagnosis at 32, how bad things got, and why she finally asked for helpToxic masculinity and the pressure on men to silently hold everything togetherWhy the bookish community seems disproportionately affected by anxiety ("it turns out, it's all of us")Dealing with bad reviews — especially when you suspect someone hasn't actually read the bookWriting in Vegas hotels at 2am, the importance of a bath, and why airports are the worstHer wrestling podcast Tights and Fights — now 10 years old — and whether a wrestling romance might be nextWhat she's reading right now: Dungeon Crawler Carl on audio and The Vampire Armand by Anne RiceThe life-changing biscuit discovery: McVitie's Jaffa Cake Digestives (with a strong recommendation to dunk)Hit or Miss is out now. 💬 Get in touch Quick Book Reviews Facebook Group | Instagram | quickbookreviews@outlook.com Quick Book Reviews: author interviews and book reviews with no spoilers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    31 min

  5. 22 Jun

    My Holiday Reading Stack: 12 Books & 4 Graphic Novels I'm Shipping to Greece

    Philippa has just received the most exciting email of the year: her holiday hotel has offered to receive a box of books in advance and put them in her room on arrival. The result? An unstoppable 12-book, 4-graphic-novel holiday TBR — and an episode dedicated entirely to sharing it. In this episode, Philippa runs through every book she's packing (plus the first line of each!), covering a wonderfully eclectic mix of: The Confessions – Paul Bradley Carr (AI thriller)Roman Mornings – Matson Taylor (historical fiction, Rome)The Scandalous Ladies Football Club – Frances Quinn (Victorian women's football)It Could Have Been Her – Lisa Jewell (domestic thriller)Getting Away – Kate Sawyer (family saga across decades of holidays)The Ark – Haruo Yuki (translated Japanese locked-room thriller)How to Get Away With Murder – Rebecca Philipson (cat-and-mouse crime)The Favourite – Fran Littlewood (family secrets, holiday implosion)The Corfe Castle Murders – Rachel McLean (Dorset detective series, book one)Against the Tide – G.D. Wright (crime series, book three)This Can Never Not Be Real – Sera Milano (YA terrorism survivor testimonies)Under the Hammer – Samantha Dooey-Miles (very angry woman, very bad landlords)Plus four graphic novels — including the only authorised manga adaptation of Anne of Green Gables, The Bad Doctor by Ian Williams, I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner, and Clara and the Devil Vol. 1 by Olivie Blake & Little Chmura — many discovered at Hay on Wye Comics, a brand new graphic novel bookshop in Hay-on-Wye. 💬 Tell Philippa what you think! Should any of these stay at home? Is there a book she's missed? Get in touch: Quick Book Reviews Facebook Group | Instagram | quickbookreviews@outlook.com Quick Book Reviews: author interviews and book reviews with no spoilers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    25 min

  6. 19 Jun

    Are Hardback Books Dead? The Great Format Debate

    Are hardback books too expensive, too heavy, and past their sell-by date? A recent Guardian article made the provocative case that hardbacks should die — and Philippa has thoughts. In this episode, Philippa dives into the great book format debate, covering: Why she strongly disagrees with calls to "ban" hardbacksThe real problem with hardback pricing — and those eye-watering £40 price tagsHow long is too long to wait for a paperback edition?The e-book pricing scandal: why is a digital file costing £15?The case for libraries, audiobooks, and Spotify's free listening hours as budget-friendly alternativesSprayed edges (spreadges) — and why they might just be the best argument for buying hardbacksPhilippa's verdict? All formats are equal. Audiobook, hardback, paperback, e-book — just read the book. This episode was inspired by a question from author Frances Quinn, whose new novel The Scandalous Ladies Football Club is out 2nd July. 💬 Join the conversation Quick Book Reviews Facebook Group | Instagram | quickbookreviews@outlook.com Quick Book Reviews: author interviews and book reviews with no spoilers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    15 min

  7. 15 Jun

    TV Wine Expert Olly Smith: Death by Noir & the Birth of Wine Crime Fiction

    Philippa reviews four very different books — from Tintin to Elizabeth Strout — before sitting down with TV wine expert and debut crime novelist Olly Smith to talk about his joyful new book Death by Noir, and the sub-genre he's invented: wine crime. 📚 Book Reviews The Adventures of Tintin and the Picaros – Hergé A revolutionary adventure featuring Bianca Castafiore and a mysterious plot around carnival time. Fun, but Philippa wasn't left desperate for more Tintin. The Things We Never Say – Elizabeth Strout ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Philippa's first Strout — and now she wants them all. A quietly devastating 200-page novel about a man keeping a secret from the world, and from himself. Exquisite, beautiful writing that made Philippa sob unexpectedly. Unmissable. The Ballad of Small Hope and Penny Royal – Jodi Taylor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Time-travelling bounty hunters, sharp humour, and perfect audiobook narration. Brilliant as a standalone even if you've never read Jodi Taylor before — and book two is coming this summer. The Inheritance – Mark Dawson Book five in the Atticus Priest series. Enjoyable enough, but Philippa felt the magic of the earlier books wasn't quite there this time. 🎙️ Author Interview: Olly Smith on Death by Noir Set in the rolling hills of East Sussex around the town of Lewes, Death by Noir follows Barclay Flint, eccentric proprietor of the Bottle Bank wine shop, who must use his wine-detecting skills to solve a crime and clear his own name — all before the explosive Lewes Bonfire Night finale. Olly and Philippa discuss: How four characters arrived fully-formed in Olly's mind while flying over the HimalayasWhy he wrote every word himself (no ghostwriter)Inventing "wine crime" as a new sub-genreThe late Peter Hall of Breaky Bottom vineyard, who read his chapters just before he diedWriting through a gallbladder operation, missing deadlines (never), and the advice of a biodynamic economistWhy teetotallers love the book just as much as wine loversA rainbow moment that changed how he thinks about writingWhat he's reading right now: London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe, The Traitor's Circle by Jonathan Freedland, and moreThe writing fuel that isn't a biscuit: crunchy peanut butter with a drop of soy sauceDeath by Noir is out 18th June. 💬 Get in touch Quick Book Reviews Facebook Group | Instagram | quickbookreviews@outlook.com Quick Book Reviews: author interviews and book reviews with no spoilers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    47 min

  8. 12 Jun

    Jane Casey on Everything She Didn't Say

    Celebrate the weekend (nearly) with crime fiction royalty! In this episode of Quick Book Reviews, Philippa Hall sits down with the brilliant, Sunday Times bestselling author Jane Casey to talk about her highly anticipated, mind-bending standalone thriller, Everything She Didn't Say. Marking an exciting, fresh departure from her iconic series fiction, Jane's new Irish-set novel weaves an intricate web of secrets, unreliable narration, and deep betrayal. In this exclusive, spoiler-free conversation, Jane reveals how she maps out complex plot twists mid-walk, why she relies on her phone's Notes app for real life, and her ultimate dream writing cottage (where Wi-Fi is strictly banned!). Plus, Jane shares a hilarious breakdown of her absolute nightmare writing environment—a turbulent, short-haul flight in a middle seat—and shares her surprisingly practical, real-life advice as a self-proclaimed "professor of falling over." In this episode, you’ll discover: Why Everything She Didn't Say is a unique standalone departure for Jane Casey.How Jane crafts her plots while walking through the woods without taking notes.The psychology of adrenaline in crime fiction versus real-life clumsy mishaps.Jane’s ideal, isolated writing cottage (and why the internet is a total disaster!).The hilarious horrors of trying to type a high-stakes thriller on a cramped airplane. Books mentioned in this episode: Everything She Didn't Say by Jane Casey [ Connect with us: Follow us on Instagram: Drop by and say hello at @quick_book_reviews for daily book recommendations, behind-the-scenes podcast clips, and literary chats!Listen & Subscribe: Love our spoiler-free book reviews? Hit follow or subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you never miss a Friday episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    30 min
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4.9
out of 5
88 Ratings

About

Thousands of books. No time to waste. No spoilers. Ever. Quick Book Reviews — your twice-weekly reading companion with host Philippa Hall What it is Quick Book Reviews is a spoiler-free book podcast hosted by Philippa Hall, published every Monday and Friday. Philippa reads widely so busy readers don't have to guess — delivering honest, enthusiastic, bite-sized reviews alongside in-depth author interviews and a friendly window into the publishing world. This is a warm, welcoming show for readers who love books but don't have time to read everything — and want someone they trust to help them choose what's next. Format Spoiler-free reviews: Fast, honest breakdowns of new releases and upcoming fictionAuthor interviews: In-depth conversations with novelists about plot, character, and writing craft — from global names to indie debutsPublishing insider news: Literary trends, BookTok and Bookstagram highlights, and behind-the-scenes publishing gossipGenres covered Crime · Psychological thriller · Cosy crime · Contemporary drama · Dark academia · Rom-com · Historical fiction · Horror · Romantasy Ideal for Readers with an ever-growing TBR pile · Book club members looking for their next pick · Anyone who loves hearing authors talk about their creative process · Fans of BookTok and Bookstagram looking for a deeper dive Genre & metadata Host: Philippa HallFormat: Reviews / interviews / publishing newsFrequency: Twice weekly — every Monday and FridaySpoilers: NeverStatus: Active and ongoing Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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