Nora Murphy is the kind of talented, exciting new author that makes the inner frustrated writer in me a little jealous. I so enjoyed this book, which is both thrilling and impactful with an important and urgent social message.

We read a lot of domestic thrillers these days with a lot of abusive men, but not all of them are realistic or have a deep understanding of the dynamics and pain of domestic violence. Nora Murphy, I have learned, is an attorney with a background in intimate partner violence cases. This explains the excellent character development and sensitive depiction of the psychological and emotional issues women experience in relationships with violent partners throughout this book.

But more than being accurate, urgent and important, this book is also a good old fashioned scary thriller. It is Strangers on the Train meets A Simple Favor or a reverse Gone Girl (which is much more my speed than Gone Girl, tbh). In this book, two women in remarkably similar circumstances meet by chance, and realize they have a lot in common - particularly their abusive husbands. Since no one else is protecting McKenna from the abuse of her successful, well-regarded husband, Leah decides to keep an eye on McKenna in case she needs help.

The character development and the plotting are both superb, and the book has a sense of claustrophobia that really puts you in the shoes of the women who are trapped in these relationships. The psychological and emotional development of the characters give you a lot to think about while also scaring you.

I love a thriller that also has a little something to say about our society — but says it well through the characters without getting preachy. This book perfectly fits the bill. It will scare you and break your heart a little, while helping you understand well why women in these situations often feel they can’t leave, and cannot depend on the police to keep them safe.

A very impressive first effort from Nora Murphy. She has gained a new fan in me. Can’t wait to see what she writes next! 4 plus shiny stars.

Thanks to Minotaur, NetGalley, and the author for the great ARC

"Who are you?"
"I'm someone like you."

The Favor by Nora Murphy is a debut domestic thriller that grabbed me from page one.
The writing was thrilling and kept me turning the pages. I was invested in our 2 protagonists and wanted to know more about who they were "before". These beautiful, smart, educated women ended up in controlling and abusive marriages. How were they going to get out??

This book was written from Leah and McKenna's point of views. Both women had successful careers until something (or someone) put an end to it. Leah and Liam were both lawyers. Leah had a promising career, until she didn't. Not having a job gave her too much time and led her to alcohol. We get some of her backstory by going back in time to when she lost her job.

McKenna and Zack were both doctors. McKenna was a beloved pediatrician and loved her job. But she was also looking to start her own family. We get her story that she put her job on hold to concentrate on her husband and starting a family with him.

The 2 couples and their jobs and backgrounds were a little too “same same” for me. That was really the only issue I had with the book. The women's stories and the fact that they had similar jobs as their husbands was a tad too convenient as well. But those were also aspects that aligned the two women without them even knowing it. They were 2 strangers living similar lives in abusive relationships. I liked how Ms Murphy took these women and gave them their power back after having their power taken away by someone that was supposed to love them unconditionally. We read domestic thrillers where the women are put in these situations so often, it's nice to get a slightly different spin.

I was fighting for the women and didn't care for either of the husbands. The added POV from the detective was just what the story called for and added another fine element to the "mystery" being investigated. The supporting characters, even though they were few, were definitely important for the detective to lay the groundwork of who each person involved was 'before and after'.
I really enjoyed this debut and will be interested in future books from this promising author.

Awesome book! New to me author and for sure will look for more to read by them! Very well written! For sure recommend to others.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Favor by Nora Murphy introduces us to Leah and McKenna, who have a lot in common, but they don’t know each other. One a former successful attorney and the other a former successful pediatrician. Both married for a short time to highly successful men. Both live in large, expensive homes not too far from each other. Both are miserable, monitored, abused, and in danger from husbands who want them to be under their complete control and domination. And finally, both with husbands who end up murdered. They didn’t do it. The police can prove it. They are finally free from a wretched life but under police suspicion. Great storytelling of a widespread occurrence (the abuse) and the helplessness of women in this situation who only want a loving spouse, partner, home, and happiness. This book is about severe spousal abuse, so you have been warned. Well done by the author Nora Murphy. Publication Date: May 31. #abuse #death #murder #thriller #domesticabuse #mystery #whodunit #TheFavor #NoraMurphy #NetGalley #Minotaurbooks @minotaur_books #ARC @netgalley @noramurphybooks
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Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and author Nora Murphy for this ARC; my thoughts and review are my own and without bias.

#bookaddict #booksofinstagram #bookhaul #bookstagram #bookstagramer #bookshelf #booksbooksbooks #readersofinstagram #reader #booklove #bookobsessed #instabooks #readABook

I'm sorry to say but I wasn't into this book as I hoped. I will have to try again. Thanks for the ecopy.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It left me thinking about justice and what that truly means. Is is black and white? Does a gray area exist?

Leah and McKenna are strangers who have a lot in common. They both live in the same town and are in bad relationships. When Leah is watching outside McKenna’s home and doesn’t like what she sees, she takes matters into her own hands. As the story unfolds, the two women get to know each other from afar until the pieces begin to come together. As a reader, I felt a lot of sympathy for the characters and their situations.

What a great suspense. About 2 women in similar circumstances who do each other “a favor”. Great read. I’ve never read a book quite like this one!

Some might wonder from the outside why two highly educated women found themselves in relationships far less than ideal with no foreseeable way out. Cue in “the favor” when Leah decides to give McKenna a way out and McKenna returns the favor. I enjoyed this story in many ways - because this story was like no other. While there were elements of this story seen in other great books I have read, this unique twist on a domestic thriller had me turning pages. I will be looking out for this author in the future.

A domestic suspense that focuses on 2 women with situations which mirror each other. A chance meeting leads to discoveries, resolutions, and freedom. A solid 3.5 stars for me. It’s not one to keep you on the edge of your seat but it does open your eyes to how not everything is as it seems.

I enjoyed the back and forth situations with Leah and McKenna but was disappointed in the ending. It just dropped I hoped to have some closure for each of them.

It’s exciting to read a brand new author’s debut novel and it’s even better when it’s a good book!!! I have to start out by saying this was a tough book to read as it has physical violence in it and it’s hard to digest at times. 2 women Leah and McKenna do not know each other but they both live with physical abuse from their husbands. Why can’t they just leave? Luckily I have never been in this situation and have never had to make this decision. But oh boy this book roped me right in and kept me reading into the wee hours of the night! I was just in awe at this authors writing - how can she be this good with her first book??? I cannot wait to read more from Nora Murphy!!! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

In order for a book to receive 4 or 5 stars from me it has to have at least one of three things-

Unique plot or premise or a unique perspective on a common plot
Relatable and likable characters that are developed well
Twists or turns the reader can’t predict coming

This book’s plot reminded me of Behind Closed Doors meets Girl On A Train meets A Kind Worth Killing and because I loved each of those books, this one quickly won my heart. Domestic Thrillers have to meet certain criteria to fit into the sub genre so it’s extremely hard to get a story with a plot that hasn’t been told before but this story was able to put a unique spin on a story that seems to have been told a million times before, making it exciting and new to read. The characters are well developed and extremely relatable and although the twist was pretty easy to figure out early on, I couldn’t stop reading to find out what was going to happen at the end. Would justice prevail or had justice already prevailed?

I was pleasantly surprised to see this was a debut novel because I would have never guessed that based off how well the story was written and came together. I definitely am looking forward to the next book by this author!

I really enjoyed this book. I could not put it down! ! I read it in one day! I would definitely recommend this book! It had some twists I never saw coming! A MUST READ!

I LOVE discovering a debut from a promising new author! And, with “The Favor”- I have done just that! ❤️

ARC Review: The Favor
Author: @noramurphybooks (twitter)

The Favor asks a compelling question -- is a crime ok if it's justified? If the victim deserved it? In the name of saving yourself?

Two women who've never met but are living the same life. Two women who look alike, but aren't the same. Two women who make selfless decisions that ultimately benefit themselves anyway. Is it all worth it?

McKenna and Leah are both blonde, pretty, successful professionals. Their husbands are well-paid, well-respected professionals as well. They live in the perfect homes with perfect yards and perfection is the primary hashtag. These are the women you see at the gym at 10am, at lunch at 2pm and drinking wine from stainless tumblers at well, all hours probably. But we never know what goes on in a marriage. We never know what happens behind closed doors. For McKenna and Leah both, this is where perfection turns to something less Instagram-worthy.

I loved the premise of this, taking 1 part Girl on the Train, 2 parts Woman in the Window, a couple sprinkles of various other domestic thrillers with alcoholic and unreliable narrators, and you've got The Favor. But there was enough here to make me keep reading. Namely, this wasn't a totally anonymous crime. Nor was it a planned crime. There was no major twist or reveal, which in some ways was a letdown, but also made it fresh.

We learn early on that both women are relative newlyweds, are learning their husbands are not the men they thought they married, and that someone ends up dead. We also know exactly who the killer is. Are we rooting for or against that person? How far does your moral compass swing? Then the second murder happens. Again, we already know who did it, and why, and how. It's more about finding out if the "good guy" prevails.

I was rooting for both Leah and McKenna. I was invested in their storylines and desperately wished for happy endings for both of them. I was grateful the storyline contained no children or pets to worry about. I understand the need to have the police storyline given the two murders, but I am not sure I felt like we needed to get to know the detective, or have his personal storyline as a backdrop. I just assumed it gave a plot device for him working out his thoughts and feelings as he investigated.

Overall, this was a good beach/patio read. The subject matter is heavy, and far too real for too many people, so overall I appreciated the "light" touch with the story. Meaning, it didn't need the crazy twists and turns that earmark some thrillers. It became simply a story of two women starting their lives over. And yes, in this context, I'm glad it turned out the way it did!

Beach Rating: ☀️☀️☀️☀️
Recommended: Fans of domestic thrillers, unreliable narrators, fast-paced reads
Drink in my Hand: Vodka Soda with Lime

#bookstagram #booklover #bookreview #arcreader #arcreview #netgalley #thrillerreads #thrillerbooks

THE FAVOR is the epitome of a “popcorn thriller!” I went into the book “blind” and got sucked in so quickly! Had I not had work (or any responsibilities for that matter), I’m confident I would’ve finished the book in one sitting - yes, it’s that addictive! I haven’t read a good domestic suspense / thriller in a while so this was such a treat. Also, as a Washingtonian, I love any books set in the DMV!🙌🏼

I’m so impressed that this is Murphy’s debut novel. I thought the writing and character-building were excellent. I love that Murphy’s background working with survivors of intimate partner violence (DV) translated so well into her writing. I thought she addressed the DV aspects with great care and thoughtfulness. The DV-heavy parts of the book were super emotional and hard to read, but based on Murphy’s experience working with DV survivors, I can only imagine how accurate those scenes were.

I really appreciate the underlying message that DV does not discriminate and can happen to anyone, regardless of gender, race, financial status, etc. In the book, Leah’s and McKenna’s lives looked perfect on the outside - they were highly-educated, intelligent, successful women that were married to handsome, well-respected men. But unbeknownst to everyone, their husbands were abusive monsters.

Thanks so much, @netgalley and @minotaur_books, for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. THE FAVOR pubs on May 31!💕

What a treat of a book? Leah and McKenna have never met, but their lives intertwine in a way that they must never meet. They both have a lot in common, but mainly controlling husbands and isolated lives. So when one takes action to help the other, the other returns the favor!

This story is told from three different perspectives - two women who are married to controlling, abusive husbands and the detective investigating the murders of their husbands. The dynamic between the two woman who are virtually strangers to each other and the similarity of their lives made for an interesting plot. It's a page-turning domestic thriller.

I enjoyed the book but I’m having a hard time articulating why. I think it was just a satisfying story. The tensions for the narrators in their home life are difficult but the way their stories unfold are uplifting, somehow.

The only thing that gave me pause was midway through when the detective joined the narration. It seemed out of place and I thought it would ruin the pacing of the book. But it worked. I don’t think anything was lost by adding his voice. I think it could have been told without him too but I think the added perspective made sense.

What a fantastic debut novel! The narrative is told from the points of view of two women, McKenna and Leah, both suffering from domestic abuse, with some parts narrated by the detective who is trying to solve the murders of the women's husbands. Both of the women are richly and sympathetically drawn and the story is compelling, and while not particularly suspenseful in the usual sense, I always wanted to get back to reading the book in hopes that Leah and McKenna would come out on top. I loved how there were several scenes where one of the women observed the other from a distance and could see, but not hear, what was going on inside the house. In the next section, the same scene would be told from the point of the view of the other woman, so you found out what dialog went along with the action described. Although the overall premise isn’t entirely original—I happened to listen to a book simultaneously with some of the same elements—there are original aspects that set this apart. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it! I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrators were excellent. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.