{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/6087d3aca4a81031ba098a59/69e79c1b738b0d0aa5ab7004?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Ilona Bannister on Five: A Bold New Thriller About Fate, Death and the Last Five Minutes","description":"<p>In this episode of&nbsp;<em>Quick Book Reviews</em>, Philippa is joined by&nbsp;<strong>Ilona Bannister</strong>&nbsp;to talk about her striking new novel&nbsp;<strong>Five</strong>&nbsp;— a tense, original and deeply thought-provoking thriller set over just a few minutes on a train platform.</p><p>What would you do if you had only&nbsp;<strong>five minutes left</strong>&nbsp;and didn’t know it?</p><p>That chilling question sits at the heart of&nbsp;<em>Five</em>, a novel about five strangers, interconnected lives, hidden stories, and the ripple effects of tragedy. Ilona talks about the real-life inspiration behind the book, the creation of its unforgettable narrative voice, and why this story led her naturally into the thriller space.</p><p>Philippa also reviews:</p><ul><li><strong>The Heir Apparent</strong>&nbsp;by Rebecca Armitage</li><li><strong>Automatic Noodle</strong>&nbsp;by Annalee Newitz</li><li><strong>Dissection of a Murder</strong>&nbsp;by Jo Murray</li></ul><h2>In this episode</h2><ul><li>Ilona Bannister on the inspiration behind&nbsp;<strong>Five</strong></li><li>Why the novel begins on a train platform</li><li>How the book explores fate, connection, mortality and missed moments</li><li>The challenge of writing a fast-paced novel set across such a short time frame</li><li>The creation of the book’s sharp, unusual narrative voice</li><li>Why one character had to be cut and another took her place</li><li>Writing through lockdown, parenting, and difficult life circumstances</li><li>Why thrillers can be powerful spaces for emotional and literary storytelling</li><li>Philippa’s latest reading updates and reviews</li></ul><p>Follow Quick Book Reviews for book recommendations, author interviews, and weekly podcast episodes.</p><p>📧 Email: quickbookreviews@outlook.com</p><p>📸 Instagram &amp; Threads:</p><p>@quick_book_reviews</p><p>🎵 TikTok: @quickbookreviews</p><p>🐦 X: @quickbookrevie3</p><h2>🦋 Bluesky: quickbookreviews</h2>","author_name":"Philippa Hall"}