{"podcast":{"title":"Quick Book Reviews with Philippa Hall","slug":"quick-book-reviews-with-philippa-hall-183832","podcast_index_feed_id":183832,"rss_url":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/6087d3aca4a81031ba098a59","website_url":"https://play.acast.com/s/quick-book-reviews","image_url":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/6087d3aca4a81031ba098a59/1735832732838-15640c7a-3144-49ba-9bc0-a59a401d1e9a.jpeg","author":"Philippa Hall","episode_count":476,"summary":"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 fiction Author interviews : In-depth conversations with novelists about plot, character, and writing craft — from global names to indie debuts Publishing insider news : Literary trends, BookTok and Bookstagram highlights, and behind-the-scenes publishing gossip Genres 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 nex…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-20T04:19:55.610709+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/quick-book-reviews-with-philippa-hall-183832"},"episode":{"title":"Ilona Bannister on Five: A Bold New Thriller About Fate, Death and the Last Five Minutes","slug":"ilona-bannister-on-five-a-bold-new-thriller-about-fate-death-and-the-last-five-minutes","published_at":"2026-05-04T00:02:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/quick-book-reviews-with-philippa-hall-183832/ilona-bannister-on-five-a-bold-new-thriller-about-fate-death-and-the-last-five-minutes","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/quick-book-reviews-with-philippa-hall-183832","url":"https://shows.acast.com/quick-book-reviews/episodes/ilona-bannister-on-five-a-bold-new-thriller-about-fate-death","audio_url":"https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/6087d3aca4a81031ba098a59/e/69e79c1b738b0d0aa5ab7004/media.mp3","summary":"In this episode of  Quick Book Reviews , Philippa is joined by  Ilona Bannister  to talk about her striking new novel  Five  — a tense, original and deeply thought-provoking thriller set over just a few minutes on a train platform. What would you do if you had only  five minutes left  and didn’t know it? That chilling question sits at the heart of  Five , 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. Philippa also reviews: The Heir Apparent  by Rebecca Armitage Automatic Noodle  by Annalee Newitz Dissection of a Murder  by Jo Murray In this episode Ilona Bannister on the inspiration behind  Five Why the novel begins on a train platform How the book explores fate, connection, mortality and missed moments The challenge of writing a fast-paced novel set across such a short time frame The creation of the book’s sharp, unusual narrative voice Why one character had to be cut and another took her place Writing through lockdown, parenting, and difficult life circumstances Why thrillers can be powerful spaces for emotional and literary storytelling Philippa’s latest reading updates and reviews 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.","meta_description":"In this episode of Quick Book Reviews , Philippa is joined by Ilona Bannister to talk about her striking new novel Five — a…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2381,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/quick-book-reviews-with-philippa-hall-183832/episodes/ilona-bannister-on-five-a-bold-new-thriller-about-fate-death-and-the-last-five-minutes/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/quick-book-reviews-with-philippa-hall-183832/ilona-bannister-on-five-a-bold-new-thriller-about-fate-death-and-the-last-five-minutes.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}