{"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":"Tariq Ashkanani on The Hollow Boys: Crime, Horror and Dark Small-Town Secrets","slug":"tariq-ashkanani-on-the-hollow-boys-crime-horror-and-dark-small-town-secrets","published_at":"2026-05-11T00:01:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/quick-book-reviews-with-philippa-hall-183832/tariq-ashkanani-on-the-hollow-boys-crime-horror-and-dark-small-town-secrets","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/quick-book-reviews-with-philippa-hall-183832","url":"https://shows.acast.com/quick-book-reviews/episodes/tariq-ashkanani-on-the-hollow-boys-crime-horror-and-dark-sma","audio_url":"https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/6087d3aca4a81031ba098a59/e/69f23c58ae2fba210fcf3175/media.mp3","summary":"In this episode of  Quick Book Reviews , Philippa talks to  Tariq Ashkanani  about his latest novel  The Hollow Boys , a dark, atmospheric blend of crime, horror and small-town mystery. Set in the fictional Appalachian town of Aurora,  The Hollow Boys  begins after two boys go missing. Ten months later, one boy returns — but claims he is the other boy. What follows is a chilling investigation into identity, memory, fear and the secrets buried beneath a dying town. Philippa also reviews three very different books: Dissection of a Murder  by Jo Murray Bloom  by Delilah S. Dawson The Magic Faraway Tree  by Enid Blyton In this episode Tariq Ashkanani on  The Hollow Boys How crime and horror overlap Writing dark, atmospheric fiction Why setting can become a character Small towns, secrets and creeping dread The influence of books such as  Red Dragon Writing while balancing another career Why publishing can move so slowly Podcasting, author interviews and literary festivals Philippa’s spoiler-free reviews About The Hollow Boys The Hollow Boys  is a tense, unsettling mystery about two missing boys, one impossible return, and a town haunted by what lies beneath it. Perfect for readers who enjoy: crime fiction horror-tinged thrillers dark small-town mysteries eerie atmosphere missing person stories morally complex characters Books reviewed Dissection of a Murder  – Jo Murray A gripping legal thriller with courtroom tension, secrets and a compelling murder case. Bloom  – Delilah S. Dawson A book that begins with cosy romance energy before taking a shocking turn into full horror. The Magic Faraway Tree  – Enid Blyton A nostalgic return to Moon-Face, adventure, peril and childhood reading magic. Books and au…","meta_description":"In this episode of Quick Book Reviews , Philippa talks to Tariq Ashkanani about his latest novel The Hollow Boys , a dark, atmosph…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2730,"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/tariq-ashkanani-on-the-hollow-boys-crime-horror-and-dark-small-town-secrets/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/tariq-ashkanani-on-the-hollow-boys-crime-horror-and-dark-small-town-secrets.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}