Quick Book Reviews with Philippa Hall

In this episode of Quick Book Reviews, Philippa chats to Ardal O’Hanlon about his new novel A Plot to Die For, the first book in his Blooming Murder Mystery series.
Best known for Father Ted and Death in Paradise, Ardal brings comedy, warmth and murder mystery together in this funny, charming and sharply observed cosy crime novel set in a small Irish town.
Philippa also reviews three books exploring the current tradwife trend in very different ways:
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
Tradwife by Sarah Langan
The Tradwife’s Secret by Leanne Child
In this episode
Ardal O’Hanlon on A Plot to Die For
Writing cosy crime with genuine comedy
Why funny writing still takes serious craft
The influence of Death in Paradise and murder mystery structure
Creating Finn O’Leary, celebrity gardener turned amateur detective
Small-town Ireland, community secrets and Tidy Towns
Writing a series and what might come next
Audiobook narration and why Ardal reads his own book
Philippa’s tradwife fiction recommendations
About A Plot to Die For
A Plot to Die For introduces Finn O’Leary, a TV celebrity gardener who returns home to Ireland to care for his mother — only to find himself caught up in murder, secrets and local rivalries.
Expect:
cosy crime
Irish humour
amateur sleuthing
gardening
community drama
a brilliant cast of characters
and a murder during choir practice
Books reviewed
Yesteryear – Caro Claire Burke
A twisty, genre-bending tradwife novel perfect for book clubs and holiday reading.
Tradwife – Sarah Langan
A horror take on the tradwife trend, with farmhouse perfection hiding something deeply unsettling.
The Tradwife’s Secret – Leanne Child
A psychological thriller full of secrets, lies and domestic tension.
Books mentioned
A Plot to Die For – Ardal O’Hanlon
The Truth About Ruby Cooper – Liz Nugent
The God of the Woods – Liz Moore
White City – Dominic Nolan
Yesteryear – Caro Claire Burke
Tradwife – Sarah Langan
The Tradwife’s Secret – Leanne Child
Biscuit verdict
Ardal chooses the Wagon Wheel — original preferred, jammy accepted in emergencies.
Follow Quick Book Reviews for book recommendations, author interviews, and weekly podcast episodes.
📧 Email: [email protected]
📸 Instagram & Threads:
@quick_book_reviews
🎵 TikTok: @quickbookreviews
🐦 X: @quickbookrevie3
🦋 Bluesky: quickbookreviews

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bestselling author Veronica Roth joins Philippa to talk about her gripping new novel Seek the Traitor’s Son — a romantic dystopian fantasy packed with prophecy, danger and high-stakes love.
We cover:
Life after the global phenomenon Divergent
Writing pressure, creativity & finding joy again
Playlists, world-building & surprising story twists
Why this is just the start of a new series
Perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and epic sci-fi fantasy.
Love books? Follow Quick Book Reviews and never miss an episode!
Email Philippa at [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 authors mentioned
The Hollow Boys – Tariq Ashkanani
The Midnight King – Tariq Ashkanani
Red Dragon – Thomas Harris
The Death of Us – Abigail Dean
Night Film – Marisha Pessl
Biscuit verdict
Tariq goes rogue with drumstick sweets rather than biscuits — sticky, chewy, nostalgic, and officially allowed.
Follow Quick Book Reviews for book recommendations, author interviews, and weekly podcast episodes.
📧 Email: [email protected]
📸 Instagram & Threads:
@quick_book_reviews
🎵 TikTok: @quickbookreviews
🐦 X: @quickbookrevie3
🦋 Bluesky: quickbookreviews

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Quick Book Reviews, Philippa is joined by the powerhouse writing duo Ellis Hunter — Kate Ellis Brown and Becky Hunter — to talk about their hugely anticipated debut Bloodbound.
Already generating major buzz across the book world, Bloodbound is a standout novel blending witches, dragon riders, high-stakes magic, and powerful female friendships.
WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER
What Blood Bound is about — and why readers are obsessed
Why this book works for both fantasy fans and fantasy beginners
The rise of romantasy and why it’s dominating the book world
How two authors successfully co-write a novel together
The realities of going from publishing professionals to debut authors
Behind-the-scenes insight into book deals, rights, and global publishing
The pressure (and excitement) of writing Book 2
Why female friendship is at the heart of this story
ABOUT BLOOD BOUND
A gripping fantasy set between a Queendom of Witches and a Kingdom of Dragon Riders, where two women on opposite sides of a deadly conflict must face fate, power, and impossible choices.
With:
enemies-to-lovers tension
epic world-building
magic, dragons, and deadly trials
and unforgettable twists
…it’s no surprise this is the book everyone is talking about.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Ellis Hunter is the writing duo of:
Kate Ellis Brown – editor and publishing professional
Becky Hunter – author and former publicist
Together, they bring insider knowledge of the publishing world and a shared love of fantasy to create something fresh, addictive, and emotionally powerful.
INSIDE THE WRITING PROCESS
How they split POV characters (Astrid & Skylar)
Why planning together was key
The challenges of writing collaboratively
How deadlines and real life (including motherhood!) shaped the process
If you love:
fantasy / romantasy
dragons, magic, and epic worlds
behind-the-scenes publishing insight
author journeys and writing craft
LOVE THE SHOW?
Follow, rate and review Quick Book Reviews and share with a fellow reader
OUT NOW
Blood Bound is available now — perfect timing to dive into the book everyone is buzzing about.
Follow Quick Book Reviews for book recommendations, author interviews, and weekly podcast episodes.
📧 Email: [email protected]
📸 Instagram & Threads:
@quick_book_reviews
🎵 TikTok: @quickbookreviews
🐦 X: @quickbookrevie3
🦋 Bluesky: quickbookreviews
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special Wednesday episode of Quick Book Reviews, Philippa chats to bestselling author Laurie Gilmore, creator of the hugely popular Dream Harbor series, which has sold over 4 million copies.
Laurie joins the podcast to discuss her latest book, The Daisy Chain Flower Shop, as well as the magic of cosy small-town romance, why readers have fallen so hard for Dream Harbor, and how comfort reads can help us through difficult times.
In this episode
Laurie Gilmore on The Daisy Chain Flower Shop
The story behind the Dream Harbor series
Why cosy small-town romance is having such a huge moment
Writing books that feel like a hug
Why each Dream Harbor book can be read as a standalone
Christmas romance, seasonal settings and reader comfort
Sprayed edges, special editions and bookish merch
The pressure of following a much-loved bestselling series
What’s coming next with Big Bad Wolf
Laurie’s dream and nightmare writing locations
About The Daisy Chain Flower Shop
The Daisy Chain Flower Shop follows Daisy, who runs the flower shop, and Elliot, a shy architect who has somehow stayed under Dream Harbor’s radar.
Both are nursing heartbreak and neither is looking for love — until a fake dating arrangement begins and, naturally, chaos, chemistry and cosy romance follow.
Expect:
fake dating
small-town charm
emotional warmth
seasonal Dream Harbor vibes
familiar faces from previous books
Books mentioned
The Daisy Chain Flower Shop – Laurie Gilmore
The Pumpkin Spice Café – Laurie Gilmore
The Gingerbread Bakery – Laurie Gilmore
Big Bad Wolf – Laurie Gilmore
For the Wolf – Hannah Whitten
For the Throne – Hannah Whitten
Perfect for listeners who love
cosy romance
small-town settings
fake dating
seasonal reads
comfort books
Christmas romance
book series you can dip into at any point
Biscuit verdict
Laurie chooses a soft, chewy chocolate chip cookie — with sensible dunking rules. Soft cookies should not be dunked. Harder biscuits may proceed with caution.
Coming next
Philippa will be back on Friday with more bookish chat, author interviews and spoiler-free reviews.
Follow Quick Book Reviews for book recommendations, author interviews, and weekly podcast episodes.
📧 Email: [email protected]
📸 Instagram & Threads:
@quick_book_reviews
🎵 TikTok: @quickbookreviews
🐦 X: @quickbookrevie3
🦋 Bluesky: quickbookreviews
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.