Quick Book Reviews with Philippa Hall

In this episode of Quick Book Reviews, Philippa chats to David Goodman about his latest spy thriller Solitary Agents, the follow-up to his brilliant debut A Reluctant Spy.
David talks about writing spy fiction for readers who may not usually read spy novels, creating the hugely compelling character of Jamie Tulloch, and the long road to publication after earlier books did not sell. He also discusses awards, resilience, TV adaptation developments, and his upcoming science fiction novel Shards of Starlight, written as David W. Goodman.
Philippa also reviews:
The Good Listener by Holly Watt
Such a Nice Girl by Andrea Mara
The Thick of It BBC audiobook
In This Episode
David Goodman on Solitary Agents
Why spy fiction is having a major moment
Writing accessible spy thrillers
Jamie Tulloch and the world of MI5 and MI6
The challenge of writing a second book
Rejection, persistence and finding your writing community
TV adaptation news for A Reluctant Spy
Writing science fiction as David W. Goodman
Dream and nightmare writing locations
Philippa’s spoiler-free book reviews
About Solitary Agents
Solitary Agents follows Jamie Tulloch after the events of A Reluctant Spy. Having tried to return to civilian life, Jamie finds himself pulled back towards the secret world — this time hoping to become an agent runner.
But during a training exercise involving MI5 and MI6, Jamie and new character Sam Lee witness something that may be part of the drill… or may be frighteningly real.
Perfect for readers who enjoy:
spy fiction
thrillers
MI5 and MI6 stories
character-led suspense
smart, pacey writing
novels by Mick Herron, John le Carré and David McCloskey
Books Reviewed
The Good Listener – Holly Watt
A gripping thriller about an anonymous caller, a shocking confession, and a mother still searching for justice.
Such a Nice Girl – Andrea Mara
A tense, twisty thriller about two missing young women, a luxury wedding, and a friendship pushed to breaking point.
The Thick of It – BBC audiobook
A brilliantly sweary political satire featuring Malcolm Tucker and the chaos of government.
Books Mentioned
Solitary Agents – David Goodman
A Reluctant Spy – David Goodman
Shards of Starlight – David W. Goodman
Children of Strife – Adrian Tchaikovsky
Slow Gods – Claire North
The Last Contract of Isako – Fonda Lee
The Good Listener – Holly Watt
Such a Nice Girl – Andrea Mara
The Thick of It – BBC Audio
Biscuit Verdict
David chooses Nairn’s salted caramel oatcakes, after formerly being a chocolate Hobnob fan. A strong Scottish biscuit-adjacent choice.
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In this episode of Quick Book Reviews, Philippa chats to bestselling thriller author Jack Jordan about his brand new novel, Deception — a tense, addictive thriller that asks one terrifying question:
How far would you go to save your child?
Jack discusses:
the inspiration behind Deception
writing high-stakes moral dilemmas
balancing relentless tension with emotional depth
why readers become emotionally involved in his books
the pressure of deadlines and perfectionism
TV adaptations of his novels
working with Elisabeth Moss on the adaptation of Conviction
how his books became known for their impossible ethical questions
Philippa and Jack also talk about:
dream and nightmare writing locations
writing while emotionally “living” the scenes
airport chaos as the ultimate writing nightmare
thriller pacing and giving readers room to breathe
the importance of book cover design
reader bookshelves and collectible editions
why Jack rewrites drafts obsessively before anyone sees them
About Deception
Emma and Miles are desperate to save their son, who urgently needs life-changing surgery they cannot afford.
Their last hope is a mysterious organisation called The Levels — a dangerous competition where contestants commit escalating crimes for escalating rewards.
But they are not the only players.
As the stakes rise, Deception forces both its characters — and its readers — to confront impossible moral questions:
What would you do to save the person you love most?
Topics Covered
Psychological thrillers
Moral dilemma fiction
Writing process and perfectionism
TV and streaming adaptations
Publishing deadlines
Crime fiction
Book cover branding
Working-class journeys into publishing
Reader communities
Thriller pacing
Memorable Moments
Jack describing writing deadlines as “life or death”
The Italian lakeside villa dream writing retreat
The airport nightmare writing scenario
“A panic attack in two covers”
Jack revealing nobody sees his real first drafts
The emotional intensity of writing thriller scenes
The revelation that Deception has been optioned for television
Biscuit Verdict
Official writing fuel:
Bourbons
Four-finger Kit Kats
Bonus points for accidental all-chocolate Kit Kats
Strong support for peanut butter Kit Kats
Follow Quick Book Reviews for book recommendations, author interviews, and weekly podcast episodes.
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In this episode of Quick Book Reviews, it is feedback week! Please send Philippa your thoughts on the podcast, you can email here: [email protected]. You can find her on instagram at this account: @quick_book_reviews
Philippa chats to bestselling author Rosie Walsh about her gripping new novel The One Day You Were My Husband.
Rosie discusses the inspiration behind the book, the challenges of writing after major success, researching the life of a surgeon, and why this was the book she came closest to abandoning.
Philippa also reviews three very different books:
The Eye of the Bedlam Bride by Matt Dinniman
A Deadly Episode by Anthony Horowitz
Deception by Jack Jordan
In this episode
Rosie Walsh on The One Day You Were My Husband
Writing emotional thrillers with huge twists
The pressure of following bestselling novels
Why this book was so difficult to write
Balancing publicity, motherhood and creativity
Writing under the name Lucy Robinson
Researching medicine and surgery for fiction
The importance of titles in publishing
Philippa’s spoiler-free book reviews
Feedback week for the podcast
About The One Day You Were My Husband
Carrie and Johan are newly married on a beach in Thailand when armed men arrive and take Johan away.
Twelve years later, Carrie has rebuilt her life. She is remarried, has children, and is preparing to return to work as a surgeon. Then she sees a familiar face online — Johan, alive in Stockholm, with a new life of his own.
Why did he never contact her?
What really happened in Thailand?
And should Carrie risk everything to find out?
Books reviewed
The Eye of the Bedlam Bride – Matt Dinniman
A wildly inventive, hilarious and action-packed instalment in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series.
A Deadly Episode – Anthony Horowitz
A clever, funny Hawthorne mystery set around the filming of The Word Is Murder.
Deception – Jack Jordan
A high-stakes thriller about desperate parents, impossible choices and a deadly game.
Books mentioned
The One Day You Were My Husband – Rosie Walsh
The Love of My Life – Rosie Walsh
Ghosted / The Man Who Didn’t Call – Rosie Walsh
The Things You’ll Never Know – Ashley Audrain
The Eye of the Bedlam Bride – Matt Dinniman
A Deadly Episode – Anthony Horowitz
Deception – Jack Jordan
Biscuit verdict
No biscuits for Rosie Walsh — but there is a memorable discussion of cold sliced hard-boiled eggs, fruit, yogurt and a life without sugar.
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This week on Quick Book Reviews, Philippa is joined by publishing powerhouse Alison Barrow for a fascinating behind-the-scenes conversation about the world of books, publishing, publicity, BookTok, book reviewing, and what really happens inside a major publishing house.
Alison shares the emotional impact of the recent Bookseller Awards, including the extraordinary success of Nobody’s Girl and the moving tributes to legendary romantic fiction authors including Jilly Cooper, Sophie Kinsella and Joanna Trollope.
They also discuss:
the launch of Transworld’s new horror imprint 3AM
the rise of horror and romantasy publishing trends
Alison’s own experience writing and editing her debut novel
how exhausting structural edits really are
the realities of social media for book reviewers
whether TikTok or Instagram matters more for publishing
why authenticity matters more than follower counts
Plus Alison recommends some brilliant reads, including:
London Falling
Fame Sick
The Agatha Cure
If you’ve ever wondered how publishing really works, how books become bestsellers, or how to start reviewing books online, this episode is packed with insight, warmth and honesty.
Follow Quick Book Reviews for book recommendations, author interviews, and weekly podcast episodes.
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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

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