I love how claustrophobic this book felt! I could not put this down, I felt this was a quick read and I could not turn the pages fast enough. I loved the character development and story line. When I though I know what was coming next, I was stumped! Such a fun and good read, will be recommending to my friends!

I loved this book so much. The storyline was excellent- the build up was intense. The horrors these men were capable of getting away with because of their privilege was astounding, but unfortunately not unheard of. The way these women broke free, and the way their lives intertwined, was incredibly well written and in the end, satisfying. Overall, great read that I'd absolutely recommend.

The authors note about DV to close the book was a thoughtful and necessary addition. Read as a proof- hoping to see the addition of content warnings with the final release.

Once you get past the suspension of disbelief required to make this plausible, this is a very gripping novel that I can’t give you details about without giving things away. Basically: Two educated women have a lot in common and one of those things is that they both have dangerously controlling husbands.

The women both also drink too much (Leah in particular), and a few times I was reminded of The Girl on the Train. You might not want to read this if you’re thinking of getting married or ever going on a date again. The book does cover important topics in an entertaining way, and I liked how the author managed to bring the ending to a satisfying conclusion.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel, which RELEASES MAY 31, 2022.

Amazing thriller. This book consumed me. All I could think about was what will happen next.

This was like a modern Strangers on a Train situation. I enjoyed the different POVs. The mystery of what we were getting into and the outcome was just perfection.

This is definitely a best seller.

WOW! What a ride! I couldn't put this gripping novel down. I love stories with unexpected twists and bonds between women and this one had both. I look forward to reading more from this author.

McKenna and her husband Zach are both physicians – they met during residency and married after a four-year courtship. Heartbroken after a recent miscarriage, Zach uses it as an excuse to blame it on McKenna’s exposure to illness - just one more step toward total control of her, he insists that she stop working so they can focus on starting a family.

Leah is married to Liam, a successful psychiatrist and several years older than her. After setting up a scenario which results in Leah being fired from her job, he orchestrates her life so that he basically has total control over everything she does. Leah turns to alcohol to try and cope.

A chance encounter in a liquor store was all it took for Leah Dawson to recognize herself in a woman at the counter (the woman that she used to be) before her controlling husband took more and more of her freedoms away. Only half conscious of doing so, Leah follows the woman home. Upon learning where she resides, Leah watches the home and its female occupant every chance she gets.

The story is told from the perceptions of both women, in alternating past and present timelines, as each comes to grip with the nightmare that they are forced to live in and how they came to be there. When Leah has the chance to save McKenna, she does so instinctively. The consequences of her actions result in a maelstrom of domino-like decisions for both of them.

An easy read without the f-bomb every other sentence. Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Leah and McKenna have never met each other, but they have a lot in common. Leah follows McKenna home from a liquor store one day and watches her. Leah sees that McKenna is living in a marriage that is not happy. What if she can do her the ultimate favor? What if she gets rid of her husband for her? You see, Leah knows what it's like to be trapped in an abusive relationship where there's no way out. She can help McKenna. But, if she does, will McKenna be expected to return the favor?
This was a great domestic suspense. I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen to both Leah and McKenna.

Wow, Wow and more Wow. Fantastic debut novel by Ms. Murphy. I couldn't put it down and stayed up way early in morning to keep reading. Ms. Murphy has a way with words - a great way. I have been known to skim a lot in reading, but not on this novel. I wanted to read every word. I also appreciated her giving resources for those that may need them. Amazing compassion by this author. Keep it up Nora Murphy.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press (Minotaur Books) for this ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A Novel...Debut…and a gripping yet thrilling story by Nora Murphy, new author to this reader. “The Favor”…Where to start or finish? This is one story that you will not be able to put down once you pick up. I’ve been dipping into some thrillers over the past few months, expanding my reading (ha-ha) but I can say that the books that I’ve requested have been just down-right intriguing, well-written and attention holding novels. “The Favor” is another that I am happy to have had the opportunity to read.

It is a story of Leah and McKenna who have never met though one woman can see herself in the other. They have similar features, live similar lifestyles but most of all what is pivotal to both women are somewhat isolated in their worlds by domestically controlling husbands who have over the period of their relationships become violent and abusive. I am not one for domestic violence but it is prevalent in this story and it may not be for some readers. Leah sees herself in McKenna and takes it upon herself to be her savior and protector after they meet a convenient liquor store. It is not until Leah witnesses something so disturbing that it causes her to become a one-woman vigilante to commit and unthinkable act…an act that would change the lives of both women at that moment and in the future. I quite love the unexpected and this story pushes it along with some twists and turns. It reflects two women trapped in violent relationships and decisions they would have to make when they are pushed to the limits of the unthinkable or staying still to suffer consequences that could lead to worse. Such a page turner for me to see the end results for both women. If you are not put off with the subject of domestic violence, then I recommend the read.

This is a very good debut novel, reminiscent of Strangers on a Train, with a modern twist. No spoilers! It is a good read, albeit with domestic violence. I look forward to more from this talented writer. Recommended.

I DNF’d this around 35%.

I feel there is too much suspension of belief with this book. You can't shatter a gun with a sledgehammer. If it were that easy, everyone would do it. And trigger finger from one shot? Yeah, no. And the fact GSR is so discredited, I'm not a fan of reading about it.

Also, anything you do with banking leaves a trail. If someone deposits a check, that person and the account in which the check was deposited leave a digital trail. It's sketchy the bank put up with this, especially with a handwritten note essentially saying, "let this person you didn't write the check to deposit it instead." Add camera logs if the deposit is in person and it all falls apart. So for Leah to just accept a firing and not question it is frustrating.

I just don't think this is the right fit for me, but it has some favorable reviews so far so readers might really enjoy this one.

The Favor – Nora Murphy

A chance encounter in a package store, That was all it took for Leah Dawson to recognize herself in a woman at the counter – the woman as she was nine months ago anyway – before her controlling husband took more and more of her freedoms away. Only half conscious of doing so, Leah follows the woman home. Upon learning where she resides, Leah watches the home and its female occupant every chance she gets…

McKenna and her husband Zach are both physicians – they met during residency and married after a four-year courtship, settling in the Maryland/DC area. Heartbroken after a recent miscarriage that Zach blames on McKenna’s exposure to illness, he insists that she stop working as they work on starting a family.

As Leah continues to watch McKenna, the evolving story is told from the perceptions of both women, in alternating past and present timelines, as each comes to grip with the nightmare that they are forced to live in and how they came to be there. When Leah has the chance to save McKenna, she does so instinctively…but at what cost?

This was a great read! I was engrossed within the first couple of pages and read it in one sitting – it was that good! While flipping pages, one cannot help but cheer these women on as they both struggle to overcome their situations. While I doubt very highly that the outcome would be the same in the real world, it was a satisfying way to end this novel!

I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley &St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books in exchange for an objective review. Do you love to read?? Visit netgalley.com and start reviewing books today!!

The Favor is a tale as old as mystery stories. Well written but predictable.

Leah recognizes signs of domestic violence in McKenna Hawkins. Leah's marriage to Liam has her well-versed in the stages. When police fail to protect McKenna, Leah takes matters into her own hands. Can Det. Jordan Harrison find evidence linking Leah to the death of Zachary Hawkins? Would he even want to?

The reality of spousal abuse knows no economic or educational level in its victims.

I thought the pacing of the book was good. I did feel like it was similar to other stories with two women having parallel lives but the focus here was on domestic abuse which I felt was done in a fairly respectful way. I did feel like the ending sort of fizzled out. The first half was solid but then I think the author wasn’t sure how to wrap it up and it seemed hurried. A real issue with these types of books

I had to give this one some thought before I writing the review. Does the events in this book surprise you? They do but in a different way than you would think. Does it have outlandish and colorful characters? Not really. But this is the point of the whole book. The characters are everyday successful people that could live next door dealing with a hidden abuse. One that is talked about when it is right in front of your face but when it is behind closed doors and the abuser is seen as a successful professional outside of the home it is harder to believe or to do anything about or for someone to find a way out that doesn't end in violence. This one will hopefully bring some awareness to something that is out there right in front of us that can so hard to see or believe. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book has a decent premise, and I’m always willing to suspend disbelief for a thriller. It’s a bit of a prerequisite it seems.
Leah and McKenna’s very similar circumstances are completely believable, domestic abuse doesn’t discriminate.
The execution of the plot however, was a bit far fetched and fell a bit flat. The middle of the book slowed a bit. But the end had me cheering.
However I wanted more of a wrap up with the detective’s personal life and I found the addition of his partner to be superfluous unless there is to be a sequel.

The Favor by Nora Murphy may just be one of my favorite thrillers this year, if not ever.
It’s not that it is thought-provoking in a groundbreaking manner, nor is it anything that hasn’t been addressed before.
However, it IS an excellent look at a very real problem that is often “not talked about” and it is approached so cleverly that the reader feels the emotions of the two main characters in real time.
As always, I don’t want to give too much away. But the reader knows right from the start that Leah is in a really bad place. She is instantly sympathetic.
And as we meet McKenna, the author wisely allows the reader to assume they know what the story will be about through Leah’s actions.
Chances are, you will guess wrong about this.
The story is told in two parts, from Leah’s and McKenna’s points of view. But roughly halfway through, the author pulls a trick that is so sly that you almost miss it.
It is one of the cleverest devices I have seen in recent memory.
I keep using the word “clever” (or variations of it) because I think it covers the gamut of things that this book is.
The author is never preachy about a touchy subject and handles it with grace and enough emotion that the reader feels it but doesn’t feel overwhelmed by it.
I’m going to start talking in circles to avoid plot points, so I’m going to stop here.
But seriously, do yourself a favor and read The Favor by Nora Murphy. I guarantee you’ll find it to be amazing.

This book was a thriller like none other I have ever read - it held me hostage till the very end. McKenna and Leah had never met yet were living lives much the same. When Mckenna noticed Leah one day when she was out shopping she knew she had to know more.... it sent chills down her spine. McKenna sought her out and found they lived in the same neighborhood. Later she went walking by her house. Leah was entertaining friends on her patio. A picture perfect - fun time it should have been, yet what McKenna saw was like seeing herself in a mirror. She had to do something... You will have to read this book to see what will happen...nothing like I ever imagined. A great debut for Nora Murphy, I now want to read more of her books!


READING PROGRESS
March 29, 2022 – Started Reading

The Favor by @noramurphybooks
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Two women . Separate lives . Separate jobs . They have never met. Until they do . But they don't even share more than a awkward smile . But both their lives will be unexpectedly changed, and its out of a favor without the other even asking . Leah and Mckenna lead their own lives . But as of late both ladies lives come crashing down . As a result of each of their own abusive husbands . They have never met .but this unspoken favor will undoubtedly change their lives .

Listen, I read this one in two days . It was the story I didn't know I needed . I requested this one and was accepted thanks to @netgalley , on a whim . Because #bookstamademedoit . I have no regrets .
This book hits close to home in a past I've had to escape myself - spoiler, I did not escape via death of my ex.
But these two women go through a tough situation. And through an unspoken sisterhood , they survived. This book is very heavily reliant on making the reader uncomfortable in the descriptive context of the abuse and gaslighting . It makes you really hurt for Leah and Mckenna. And if you've been in a similar situation your heart will ache .
I deducted one star , because as personal preference would have it . This book was a slow burn . I usually have a hard time with slower books . This one however, despite being a slow burn did not disappoint. I loved The Favor . And I will be finding more from #noramurphy

Minotaur Books does it again! Another fantastic book and author coming from their arsenal! I am hard pressed to find a thriller/suspense novel from them that I don't enjoy.
This book follows two women, Leah and McKenna, who have picture perfect lives. They are both beautiful with successful careers, and they both have successful, handsome husbands. However, the saying goes that you should never judge a book by it's cover, and the saying definitely applies in this case.
As many cases of domestic violence go, these women suffer every day with narcissistic abusers that they just can't seem to escape. They have no way to take back control of their lives; or do they. I guess when an opportunity comes calling you can't ignore it.
This book made me happy on so many levels, as a survivor of domestic violence.