This was a well written domestic thriller. Two women in similar situations do a favor for each other. Not a typical favor, but a life changing favor. It allows each woman to empower themselves and to move on with their lives. The way the author intertwined the two womens lives, even though they didn’t know each other before the incident, was very well done. This was a good who done it, domestic thriller, especially throwing it in from the detectives perspective.

3.75 stars (rounded up to 4). I enjoyed this novel. I liked both the characters of Leah and McKenna. The pacing was good, the storyline interesting. The descriptions of the abusive relationships were (painfully) accurate. The only thing I didn't like were the chapters from the perspective of the detective. He seemed a bit simple.

"Staying is dangerous. Leaving could be worse.

Leah and McKenna have never met, though they have parallel lives.

They don’t—ever—find themselves in the same train carriage or meet accidentally at the gym or the coffee shop. They don’t—ever—discuss their problems and find common ground. They don’t—ever—acknowledge to each other that although their lives have all the trappings of success, wealth and happiness, they are, in fact, trapped.

Because Leah understands that what’s inside a home can be more dangerous than what’s outside. Driving past McKenna’s house one night, she sees what she knows only too well herself from her own marriage: McKenna’s “perfect” husband is not what he seems. She decides to keep an eye out for McKenna, until one night, she intervenes.

Leah and McKenna have never met. But they will."

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Marten's/Minotaur Press for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

It was hard to put down Nora Murphy's The Favor. From the first sentence, the story hooked me and I had to keep reading to see how the story would unfold.

Told from the point of view of two women who have never met each other, we learn that being controlled is not so easy to come out from under. Leah has married a wonderful, charming lawyer. Being a lawyer herself, they've quickly gotten into a routine of life and work. But when Leah arrives home one evening and her husband is upset she doesn't remember it is their one month wedding anniversary, his personality seems to change in an instant. McKenna has been married for a while to her handsome doctor husband. She is also a doctor, a pediatrician, but when she had a miscarriage, her husband turns into someone she doesn't know.

Both women experience different abuse from their spouses. Both women have a hard time trying to cope and survive. When they unknowingly cross paths, their stories began to change. I won't give any spoilers away, but this is what kept me reading until I finished in a matter of days.

Nora Murphy knows how to catch you and reel you in with her suspenseful writing. I am looking forward to more installments from her!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the digital ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

The tag line for this book reads Staying is dangerous. Leaving could be worse and I feel like this does a good job of setting up your expectations for this book. In The Favor we follow two different points of view, the first is Leah who no longer works and drinks all day and the second is McKenna who also finds herself currently unemployed but still trying to figure out what her new normal is. Leah and McKenna have never met but both recognize something in each other at a chance meeting that will change their lives forever. I can't say a lot about this book because it is a fast read and anything I say could be spoiler. I really enjoyed this thriller, it was fast paced and I kept wanting to keep reading to see where everything went. I will say that if you read a lot of domestic thrillers than this plot is not a new one but the author's writing style kept me very engaged and I can't wait to see what they put out next. Thank you Minotaur and St. Martin's Press for my gifted copy for review.

A chilling story of domestic abuse, told with compassion and insight. Leah and McKenna don't know each other, but they are living parallel lives. Both are intelligent, affluent women who see things that are eerily familiar in each other. The story switches points of view and goes back and forth in time to reveal different aspects of the same events, as well as what the detective investigating their case thinks is happening. The author's note was also really interesting and wrapped up the story very well.

This book sure did not seem like a debut, it was fascinating and chilling and I think I held my breath for most of the story.

I was lucky to have access to both the ebook and the audiobook, and it was great in either format.
The audiobook is really well done, but I was glad to have access to the written version as well to keep track of the timeline as it jumps back and forth a lot.

I love debut novels and discovering new authors, so I was thrilled to get a copy of "The Favor." I am so happy to have stumbled upon Nora Murphy's book because I love her writing style.

Before I get started, I will say "The Favor" needs a trigger warning for domestic violence. Parts of it shook me as much as, "It Ends with Us," did. Of course, "The Favor" is a more of a thriller! This book is about two women, Leah, and Mykenna, who while they don't know each other are leading very similar lives. Similar because they both married violent men who have slowly stripped them of their independence and taken control of their lives.

The two women's paths cross at a liquor store, when Leah recognizes Mykenna as the earlier version of herself, and follows her. Leah is saddened to realize she was right, and decides to help Mykenna by doing her a favor. I don't want to spoil the plot, so I will leave this review to end at that part of the story.

To me, the strength of this book was the engaging writing. The author's understanding of being in a relationship that is violent was so spot on I wondered if she had been there herself. I love in her author's notes she included resources for anyone currently in a situation like the one in the book. I also loved that while there are two husbands talked about in the story, they are not the main characters. The main characters are two women who are fighting to take their power back!

I'm very excited to see what Nora will write next. Congrats to the author on a wonderful debut!

McKenna and Leah live in neighboring developments and Leah notices McKenna in a local liquor store and thinks she likes a lot like her and decides to follow her home to see what her life is like. Leah's life in full of alcohol and sadness. She finds that McKenna's life parallels hers in many more ways than their resemblance. These two women are both victims of husbands who are abusive. They are trapped and they do not see any way out of their marriages. Their husbands are respected professionals and no on would believe their stories of abuse. One night Leah does a "favor" for McKenna without knowing that she's changed both of their lives moving forward. These two women are not friends, never actually have a real conversation but both are aware of the other. It's a story really brings marital abuse into the forefront and shows how trapped a woman can feel in what seems like the best marriage that women would be envious of.

I enjoyed this. There was nice pacing. An interesting storyline. A nice mix of likable and unlikable characters. The only thing that knocked this down to 4 stars for me is how the ending wrapped up. Seemed a little too tidy to me. But a good read that I’d recommend to others.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Two completely different women, leading similar lives, and brought together by chance. What unfolds is a messy web of obsession, secrets, and murder!

This book was such a fun, fast paced domestic thriller. There was plenty of twists, suspense, and tension throughout that it definitely kept my interest. Although it was pretty predictable, it was still a fun and worthwhile read.

I was super impressed that this is Murphy’s debut book! The writing was really excellent as was the character development. I also found it really interesting that the author has a background of working with domestic abuse survivors, which was brought to light in her work. I am already looking forward to Murphy’s next book!

This book just goes to show that the most successful, educated, accomplished person could also turn out to be a complete monster. There is definitely more to someone than meets the eye.


TW: Domestic violence and abuse

I gobbled this book up pretty fast. The subject matter is not the easiest and I had a hard time with the formatting but overall I really enjoyed reading it. There were parts that lagged for me but I definitely felt for these women enough to keep my interest.

Leah and McKenna haven't yet met but they both have a lot in common. They're both trapped in relationships that keep them in hiding and scared. When Leah spots a familiar scene through the windows of Leah's house, she decides to help her out by doing her a huge favor. Will McKenna return the same favor?

This one unfortunately was a miss for me. It’s categorized as a thriller but I had absolutely no problem seeing how the entire book was going to play out from very early on and didn’t find it suspenseful. The second half of the book also got a bit repetitive for me, and when a third character POV is thrown in (a detective), I felt like I just kept seeing all of the same scenes from three different perspectives. The detective narrative seemed pretty superfluous to me. It was in all a quick and entertaining read but ultimately fell flat for me.

Quite a few trigger warnings here, please check them out!

I was so excited to get an advanced copy of this book! This is a really solid read and kept me turning the pages. Will definitely be recommending this to other thriller/suspense lovers. Cannot wait to read the author's next one! Thanks so much for letting me read and review this one early!

In a super-solid domestic suspense debut by Nora Murphy, Leah and McKenna are strangers in the same town leading paralell lives, married with high-paying careers. But they both know that what's seen on the outside of a home isn't really the whole picture.

I really enjoyed how this storyline unfolded, as told from multiple points of view. It was fun to see Leah and Mckenna's POVs train of thought for some of the same scenes, and then see the detective work back through what he thought was happening. This book deals with some very difficult situations, so check trigger warnings, but also be sure to read the afternote from the author, which was very well written. I can't wait to see what Nora writes next!

Thank you to Minotaur Books for the copy of this book!

Leah and McKenna don’t know each other, but they have a lot in common. Intelligent, educated, and beautiful, but each trapped in an abusive relationship that they can’t seem to escape. Leah becomes obsessed with McKenna, following her home after a chance encounter in a liquor store. As Leah watches McKenna and her husband interact, she recognizes all too well the signs of intimidation and control. If Leah can’t escape her own abusive marriage, maybe there’s something she can do to help McKenna.

While this read started strong and hooked me fast, it becomes predictable fairly early on. Not a lot of suspense for what is supposed to be a domestic suspense novel. The author does justice to the horror and complexity of intimate partner abuse, but Leah and McKenna are so similar that their characterization becomes indistinguishable (aside from Leah’s alcoholism) and the storyline becomes somewhat repetitive. I also did not think the detective’s perspective added much, as the reader already knows everything he knows. The side plot involving his injured partner was irrelevant and served only as a device for him to theorize about the case.

There are a lot of stellar reviews for this book, so don’t let my opinion stop you from giving it a chance. Although this book wasn’t for me, fans of “Strangers on a Train” and “The Woman in the Window” will enjoy this debut novel. Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Minotaur Books for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Immediately I was drawn into these abused women’s lives. How could they have “never met” but yet do a “favor” for one another? I had to know!

Both women are at their lowest. The men they thought they married slowly turned into something they did not expect. Enough so, that they wanted out. The unfolding of details was horrific and gripping to say the least. But these women were also determined to be survivors. We get each woman’s perspective which made the details even better, but we also hear from the detective. Having each perspective gave the chance to be all-knowing and made the story even more gripping.

How it played out worked a little too perfectly but I was not upset. It was what needed to happen and only boosted the story. I loved the intricacies of the favors and I loved the details of the detective investigating the case. It’s a fun, quick, edge of your seat thriller that I recommend!


Thank you to Minotaur Books for the gifted copy!

The book releases May 31, 2022.

Pub date: 5/31/22
Genre: thriller, domestic suspense
In one sentence: Leah and McKenna are two very different women - but despite their differences, they both have the same problem.

I've gotten a little burnt out on thrillers recently, but this one was such a pleasant surprise! It's a quick read that kept me on my toes and made me root for our female MCs. Despite how common abuse storylines are in domestic suspense, Nora Murphy managed to create a story that felt original and fresh to me. This is a really strong debut, and I'm looking forward to more from Murphy!

TW: domestic violence, gun violence

Thank you to Minotaur Books for providing an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I. COULD. NOT. PUT. THIS. DOWN.
Wow I cannot believe this is a debut author! The Favor was thrilling and exciting and traumatic and heartbreaking and uplifting, all at the same time! McKenna and Leah are unlikely heroines, depending on how you view them. And I couldn't help but root for them both. This suspenseful domestic thriller was incredibly good! I cannot wait to read more from Nora Murphy.

Leah and McKenna lead similar lives, with husbands that are controlling and abusive. Leah notices McKenna first, she begins stalking her and during one of those visits she intervened and steps into McKenna’s house doing the unthinkable! Will McKenna return “the favor”? Thank you Minotaur Books for a gifted copy.

The Favor, by Nora Murphy, is a well-written, intriguing domestic suspense novel. Though I’m not generally fan of domestic thrillers, this story and the writing captured my attention and sucked me in.

The story follows two women-strangers-who are living parallel lives. They are strong, educated women who have impressive careers and promising futures, but both are victims of controlling, manipulative husbands, and find themselves trapped in their circumstances. They are unknown to one another, sharing only strong life resemblances and a chance meeting, but they are soon to be inextricably linked.

This story is told from three POVs and each provided an essential part of the plot. This story is very compelling, but would benefit, in my opinion, by being a bit more condensed. After the halfway point it became somewhat repetitive and circled around the same information and events a time or two. The plot line wasn’t especially original, or surprising, and unfortunately, I thought the ending fell flat. I was expecting something more from the conclusion, or just some thing to actually happen. That said, I was fully invested in the story.

Though uncomfortable, the story is unputdownable and the topic is critically important and tragically relevant. Despite a few minor issues, I enjoyed this story and look forward to the author’s next.

Argh…the tension in this story is intense! What’s going to happen next??? Loved the storyline and both main characters. I do have to say, however, that the ending left me wanting more!!!