Quick Book Reviews with Philippa Hall

Philippa sits down with the brilliant Adele Parks — bestselling author of 25 novels, over six million copies sold, OBE for services to literature — to talk about her latest book Eyes on You, the pressure of reader expectations, and a biscuit revelation that may change your tea break forever.🎙️ Adele Parks on Eyes on YouWhen Amy was 15, she watched her father brutally murder his secret lover. Her testimony sent him to prison. Now in her early 30s, she's living a small, quiet life — until a privileged, wealthy man walks into the noodle bar where she works, and everything changes. What feels like connection may hide something far darker.Adele & Philippa discuss:Why Adele thinks this might be her best book yet — and why that's not just author hypeThe working title that was ditched: The Murderer's Daughter — too on the nose, too reductiveDaddy issues, trauma, and why Amy's story is really about what happens when the person who was supposed to protect you destroys everything insteadThe pressure of being an "auto-buy author" — and why that status has to be earned every single timeWhether podcasters and book reviewers have made readers more demanding of twists and reveals (Adele thinks probably yes, and is fine with it)Why she writes at home, needs air conditioning installed, and requires a scary social media bouncer to confiscate her phoneHer nightmare writing location: a writer's retreat, surrounded by other writers all typing away confidently while she types "the" again and againThe importance of pre-orders — how they affect stock decisions, first print runs, and author sanity on launch dayHer signed pre-order service through Bert's Books in Swindon 📚 Order a signed copy of Eyes on You from Bert's Books🔗 Pre-order Eyes on You and find Adele's tour dates at adeleparks.comWhat she hopes readers feel at the end: shock, awe, possibly tears, and the satisfying sense that everyone got what they deservedWhat Adele's reading:Mad Mabel – Sally Hepworth (an 80-year-old with a very murky past and a suspicious neighbour)The Last Tudor – Philippa Gregory (big, fat, brilliant, and finished in two days)Biscuit answer: Cherry GoAhead biscuits, dunked in tea, timed to perfection. Three per pack — the ideal number. Not to be eaten dry under any circumstances.Eyes on You is out 27th August. Pre-orders open now.YOU CAN:🔗 Pre-order Eyes on You and find Adele's tour dates at adeleparks.com📚 Order a signed copy of Eyes on You from Bert's Books💬 Get in touch with the podcastQuick Book Reviews Facebook Group | Instagram | quickbookreviews@outlook.comQuick Book Reviews: author interviews and book reviews with no spoilers.

Philippa is joined by three brilliant crime writers — Abir Mukherjee, Jane Casey, and Sarah Hilary — to talk all about St Hilda's Crime Fiction Weekend, the unique Oxford crime fiction event running 4th–6th September. Each guest is allotted a school role (head girl, school council rep, and chair stacker) which determines the questions they're asked — and the chaos that follows is exactly as fun as it sounds.🎓 St Hilda's Crime Fiction Weekend 🔗 Book tickets for St Hilda's Crime Fiction WeekendWhat makes St Hilda's different from every other crime festival — long-form talks on themes rather than authors plugging their own booksThis year's theme: Bad Apples: Crime Fiction's Enemies and AntiheroesThe legendary annual Whodunit, costumes, accents, and Abir's reputation for staying in character (and wig) all weekendThe Friday Night Special ticket — drinks on the lawn, a talk on Bond villains, a three-course chef-prepared dinner, and an after-dinner speakerGuest of honour Andrew Taylor, and returning speaker Natasha CooperThe online option for people joining from Australia, Japan, and beyondPunting mishaps, Jimi Hendrix-via-laptop disasters, and other backstage panic storiesThe on-site Blackwell's bookshop and the chance to win a rare first edition at the Whodunit📚 The BooksThe Pinnacle – Abir MukherjeeA failing Hollywood actor moves to Mumbai with his Bollywood star wife, wakes up after a bender to find her murdered, and becomes suspect number one to 1.4 billion people. Described by Abir as "exotic satire crime fiction."Everything She Didn't Say – Jane CaseySet on the windswept west coast of Ireland — a woman wakes covered in blood with no memory of what happened to her missing best friend. A twisty, modern gothic thriller.The Drowning Place – Sarah HilarySeventeen years after a school bus tragedy drowned everyone aboard except one survivor, DS Joseph Ash investigates a murdered family in a small Peak District town — accompanied by a best friend who may or may not be a ghost.🍎 The Final Question (Bad Apples Edition)No biscuits this time — favourite apples instead (Golden Delicious, Braeburn, and Pink Lady all get a mention) — though the conversation inevitably swings back to biscuits anyway, sparking a full-blown debate about thin arrowroots, fig rolls, dunking etiquette, and the legal status of the Jaffa Cake.🔗 Book tickets for St Hilda's Crime Fiction Weekend💬 Get in touchQuick Book Reviews Facebook Group | Instagram | quickbookreviews@outlook.comQuick Book Reviews: author interviews and book reviews with no spoilers.

Philippa opens with a much-requested update on the Barcelona Kindle story — specifically, the one detail everyone wanted to know: did the Kindle survive? (It did. The case did not.) Then it's three book reviews and a wonderful conversation with debut novelist Amman Brar about Mr. Sidhu's Post Office — one of BBC News's 12 books to read in 2026.📚 Three Book ReviewsThe Burning Tide – William Shaw (out 16th July)The second Eden Driscoll mystery sees the ex-Met detective pulled into a case involving a stranger who claims someone is trying to kill him — only to vanish before Eden can ask more questions. Beautifully written, with Shaw's signature warmth in portraying adult-child relationships.The Tailor – Tim SullivanA bespoke tailor is found murdered on the Bristol to London train. DS George Cross deduces immediately it's an execution, not a robbery — and finds himself in personal danger for the first time. Tim Sullivan joins Philippa next Monday to discuss it in full.Eyes on You – Adele Parks (out next month)A woman whose father murdered his secret lover when she was 15 meets a man with his own dark past — and what feels like love may be something far more dangerous. Philippa opened it intending to file it away and couldn't put it down. Adele Parks joins the podcast soon.🎙️ Amman Brar on Mr. Sidhu's Post OfficeMr. Sidhu is a widower in his 60s, quietly devoted to his post office, his two willful grown-up children, and his coworker Rose — with whom he's unexpectedly falling in love. When money starts going missing from the till, his carefully built life begins to unravel.Written as a tribute to Aman's father, who ran a post office in Richmond for decades, the book also quietly acknowledges the devastating Post Office Horizon scandal and its human cost.Amman and Philippa discuss:Growing up around his father's post office in the '80s and '90s, and wanting to capture a world that's slowly disappearingWriting the book as a way of spending time with his father after he passed away eight years ago — and why finishing it felt like letting him go all over againHis background in theatre (Royal Court, Soho Theatre, Tamasha) and how writing a novel is completely different — more solitary, less terrifying than opening nightThe original working title: Dave and Rose (which made him laugh, which is why he chose it)Why his dream writing location is the South of France — and why his black Labrador is his best untangling toolHis nightmare: the quiet carriage, one man on his phone, and the moment Aman became that guyWhat he's reading: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee and This Is Where the Serpent Lives by Daniel MurtaghThe second book: another family drama, this time about his own generationBiscuit answer: French Normandy butter and almond biscuits, dunked in coffee — with rosé on the side if Philippa's paying.💬 Get in touchQuick Book Reviews Facebook Group | Instagram | quickbookreviews@outlook.comQuick Book Reviews: author interviews and book reviews with no spoilers.

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 ThompsonFollow 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

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 PRAlison 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 NowNot 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 ReadingAn 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 BudgetA 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 touchQuick Book Reviews Facebook Group | Instagram | quickbookreviews@outlook.comQuick Book Reviews: author interviews and book reviews with no spoilers.

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 ReviewsThe Midnight Train – Matt HaigA 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. MerrittA 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 CooperPhilippa 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 MarkPoe 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 touchQuick Book Reviews Facebook Group | Instagram | quickbookreviews@outlook.comQuick Book Reviews: author interviews and book reviews with no spoilers.

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.comQuick Book Reviews: author interviews and book reviews with no spoilers.

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.comQuick Book Reviews: author interviews and book reviews with no spoilers.