Broken Country: Claire Leslie Hall on the Story Everyone Is Talking About
Reese’s Book Club pick, a genre-crossing novel, and the four-year journey behind one of the year’s most powerful books
Quick Book Reviews with Philippa Hall · Philippa Hall
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Show Notes
In this episode of Quick Book Reviews, Philippa talks to author Claire Leslie Hall about her extraordinary novel Broken Country — a story of love, grief, longing, and the choices that shape our lives.
Set against the backdrop of the English countryside, Broken Country begins with a shocking line: a man is dead — but who is he, and why? From there unfolds a deeply emotional story of a marriage under strain, a first love that returns, and a community divided.
Claire shares the fascinating journey behind the book — from the moment of inspiration during lambing season in rural Dorset to the four-year writing process that included rewrites, abandoned drafts, and even stepping away to write another novel before returning to the story.
Philippa and Claire discuss:
- The real-life moment that sparked the opening scene
- Why the novel took four years to write and dramatically changed along the way
- How the book blends genres — love story, mystery, and courtroom drama
- Watching a murder trial at the Old Bailey for research
- The meaning behind the title Broken Country
- The evolution of the book’s cover design
- The surreal moment the novel was chosen for Reese’s Book Club by Reese Witherspoon
- Claire’s background as a journalist and how it shaped her writing style
- What readers might expect from her next novel
Plus: dream writing sheds, nightmare writing locations, the joy (and terror) of editorial notes, and the all-important biscuit question.
If you love character-driven fiction with emotional depth and a touch of suspense, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
Books Mentioned
- Broken Country — Claire Leslie Hall
- Pictures of Him — Claire Leslie Hall
- Days You Were Mine — Claire Leslie Hall
- To Kill a Mockingbird — by Harper Lee
- The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian
- Odette Rising by Julianne Edwards
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