Jack Jordan on Deception, Deadlines and Moral Dilemmas

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 Deceptionwriting high-stakes moral dilemmasbalancing relentless tension with emotional depthwhy readers become emotionally involved in his booksthe pressure of deadlines and perfectionismTV adaptations of his novelsworking with Elisabeth Moss on the adaptation of Convictionhow his books became known for their impossible ethical questionsPhilippa and Jack also talk about:dream and nightmare writing locationswriting while emotionally “living” the scenesairport chaos as the ultimate writing nightmarethriller pacing and giving readers room to breathethe importance of book cover designreader bookshelves and collectible editionswhy Jack rewrites drafts obsessively before anyone sees themAbout DeceptionEmma 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 CoveredPsychological thrillersMoral dilemma fictionWriting process and perfectionismTV and streaming adaptationsPublishing deadlinesCrime fictionBook cover brandingWorking-class journeys into publishingReader communitiesThriller pacingMemorable MomentsJack describing writing deadlines as “life or death”The Italian lakeside villa dream writing retreatThe airport nightmare writing scenario“A panic attack in two covers”Jack revealing nobody sees his real first draftsThe emotional intensity of writing thriller scenesThe revelation that Deception has been optioned for televisionBiscuit VerdictOfficial writing fuel:BourbonsFour-finger Kit KatsBonus points for accidental all-chocolate Kit KatsStrong support for peanut butter Kit KatsFollow 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.