Nora Murphy did a wonderful job at her first novel. The story itself was very intriguing and a very quick read. The main characters are women in similar situations as well as their spouses. One thing leads to another and now these women are faced with the worst challenges possible.

Domestic abuse is something that is extremely real and unfortunately all too common. This book does a very good job in going into some detail without being too explicit. Controlling spouses, losing your own identity, living life in a cracked mirror, it's all real and it happens far too often.

McKenna and Leah are two women who will end up meeting in an unforeseen way. Their trials and tribulations are cause for concern. What is better? To stay and be miserable or to leave and be in fear? Who are they and who are their spouses?

I highly suggest reading this book and giving this author a chance. She's going to have some amazing books in the future, I can feel it!

Thank you Netgalley and Nora Murphy for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, such a powerful read. What I thought was just a simple thriller was packed with powerful messages all throughout.

Leah and McKenna are virtually strangers, but yet have so many things in common. They are both highly-educated, independent and successful in their respective careers. They also are both recently married. This book demonstrates just how easy it is to fall into the cycle of domestic abuse, despite having been educated about all of the red flags that lead into relationships such as these.

Such a riveting read, I was blown away by how realistic so many aspects of this book was, but how well it was written into a well-done thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was really good! I enjoyed the back and forth between the two women's stories and how they connected. It was predictable in some ways, but I still enjoyed finding out what was going to happen and I liked how Murphy connected all the dots throughout. The ending wasn't exactly what I was expecting or wanting, but overall a solid read. 3.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Favor is a very engrossing novel that propelled me to finish as soon as I could. I enjoy twisty plots that keep me on my toes, and this delivered. If you enjoy not quite knowing what’s going on, this will entertain you from start to finish. After a few chapters, there was a certain predictability to what was coming but I was never sure I was right with my guesses until the end.
I did worry for these women in a world of strong, professional abusive men, despite the fact that they were both intelligent professional women themselves. This is an aspect of spousal abuse that doesn’t get the spotlight as much and I thought the entire book was very clever and creative.
Both main characters were very relatable and real without being perfect in any way. The title of this book made sense and shows how women can empathize and understand each other without ever having a conversation. The idea that they helped each other and kept secrets shows a side to women that isn’t often published – we can work together and aren’t always in competition as is often portrayed.
The multiple points of view used to tell the story did move the action along but there was too much repetition of the plight of each woman and abusive women in general. We already knew what happened and yet we had to review it all as the detective figured it out. This annoyed me quite a bit as a reader; I felt like I was being told to think a certain way and reminded of abuse in case I missed it. (I didn’t!) Also, I thought that the moralizing insights into the world of abused women were delivered a bit heavy handedly. I think the story didn’t have to included the telling of the theme: it showed it well enough.
With a bit of a tighter edit, I would have given this a 5. As is, it’s a 4.5.
I was surprised to learn that this is the author’s debut. I will definitely look out for Murphy’s next book.
Thanks to St Martin’s Press and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this one. I will be encouraging others to read.

Oh My Word!!!!! Thank you so much NetGalley. I LOVED this book. I am so glad that I got a digital copy because, every time I wanted to skip to the end, I stopped myself. McKenna lives with a controlling husband named Zack. Leah lives with a controlling husband named Liam. Leah sees McKenna, a more polished, put together version of herself and follows her home. Soon she realizes that McKenna doesn’t have a perfect life, and she decides to help McKenna fix it. You will be reading this in one go. Someone needs to make it a movie. This would be a perfect beach or book club read. Go On!

The Favor by Nora Murphy tells the story of Leah and McKenna who both have abusive husbands. This story line was interesting. Two ladies that never met but helped each other out. You just don’t know what is going on in someone else’s house. I will recommend this book. Thank you for allowing me to review this book

Two women living parallel lives, trapped in marriages to controlling husbands, have a chance encounter that sets them on a dangerous course to freedom.

This engrossing story will inevitably draw comparisons to a classic book turned film noir, but I found it to be a fresh take on the premise. The women were portrayed sympathetically, giving the reader an understanding of how a person would feel unable to leave an abusive relationship. The result is an effective combination of suspense and character-driven drama.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

The Favor was an instant delight. It was intense, creepy and intriguing right from the start. The characters were layered and inscrutable. I had a hard time figuring out the twists and that makes a book a success to me! I was shocked this was a debut, Nora Murphy really knocked this out of the park.

4.5⭐️

Both Leah and McKenna live separate lives, but are both abused by their husbands. Leah notices McKenna around town and starts to believe that she is also being abused by her husband, and becomes obsessed with following and watching her.

This is a debut novel?! Murphy knocked it out of the park with this one. I couldn’t put it down. It captivated me right from the start.

I loved the multiple POVs - Leah, McKenna & the detective.

I definitely recommend giving this one a read!

The only things I didn’t like:
- I found the ending quite abrupt
- some of the chapters were long

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martins Press/Minotaur Books and Nora Murphy for an advanced readers copy for my honest review.

Wow. Just wow. Nora Murphy gave us a view into the lives of two women living parallel lives and experiencing domestic abuse and coercive control. It was intense, raw and powerful. Leah and McKenna were intelligent, strong, caring woman that could easily be me or any woman I know. The writing was great and I was so engaged with the book I read it in one day. I’m looking forward to reading more books by Nora Murphy.

THE FAVOR comes out March 31, 2022!

Special thanks to St. Martins Press and Net Galley for the e-arc of Nora Murphy's new novel to be published May 31st of this year.

I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed reading this book. It is a domestic thriller with a twist. So right off, you know you will be reading about some domestic abuse (in case that is a trigger for anyone).

The characters are well-written, you'll really care for the women and dislike the men. I enjoyed reading about the detective and his "interrogation" style. All in all, its just a really good novel.

Check it out if you like domestic thrillers. It is definitely one that stands alone. Loved it.

I’ve seen an insane amount of glowing 5-star reviews for this one so maybe my expectations were a bit too high going in. I’d call this one more of a domestic suspense story rather than a mystery or thriller. after the one ‘twist’ about 30% into the book, I could pretty much see where the story was heading and it’s more about revealing the characters’ backstories, and then the final half of the book focuses on the detective trying to solve the case (in which the reader pretty much already knows what happened).

This book is clever and it takes a second to find out what is happening. Two strangers are living weirdly parallel lives. One is/was a successful lawyer. One is/was a doctor. Both find themselves isolated in abusive marriages that they cannot seem to find a way out of. There is physical and emotional abuse, but also gaslighting and a host of other issues.

The book deals with spousal abuse in an interesting way. Basically, both women have no idea how they ended up in these situations. Neither has found a solution or a way to escape. It looks at how anyone can end up in a situation like this because it's never just one thing and it builds over time until it does seem like there is no way out. I mean, successful lawyers and doctors should not end up in a situation like this, right? It's clever. But it also makes you think. The mystery/thriller aspect sort of runs in the background of this.

I don't want to give any spoilers, but this book definitely gave me Patricia Highsmith vibes.

I definitely recommend this one.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the Kindle ARC. The Favor by Nora Murphy is one of the best suspense/thrillers I've read in a long time. I usually have trouble suspending disbelief with this genre and I was able to suspend my disbelief to enjoy this book. Leah and McKenna are two women who haven't met but their lives are eerily similar. Both are blond, "perfect" wives, married to high-powered men with money-making careers. Both women are smart, but find themselves trapped in unhappy abusive marriages with controlling men. The Favor is very fast-paced - I wasn't able to put it down and read it in just a few days. Even though I knew that what Leah and McKenna had done to avail themselves of their marriages was wrong, I found myself rooting for them to make it out unscathed.

Leah Dawson and McKenna Lyons have quite a bit in common. Each woman is very intelligent; Leah is a lawyer, and McKenna is a Pediatric Doctor. Both of their husbands are very intelligent and successful as well; Liam is an very sought after divorce attorney, and Zack is a psychiatrist.
On the surface, both families seem to be perfect, but in reality they are anything but.

During one of Leah’s outings to resupply her vodka, she watched another woman in line liquor store and wondered who she is and was this woman like her? Leah was so curious that she started following the woman. Eventually, she would park on the street behind the woman’s house and watch her. Leah was devastated that this woman was exactly like her. They had both married handsome, abusive, and controlling men. Both men had demanded that their wives quit their jobs. They isolated their wives by cutting their family and friends out of their lives. Both men checked on their wives constantly my either calling, texting, or tracking their phones.

Leah couldn’t take it anymore. This particular night she was parked on the street watching the Hawkins’ home. She saw that Zack had come home and there was immediate tension in the home. Then they arguing and Zack descended on his McKenna by knocking her to the floor. Leah decided to to take matters into her hands. While the window to the kitchen was open, she pointed the gun and shot him in the head. McKenna was mortified and turned to see who her shot her husband. Leah told her she wouldn’t hurt her, that she was like her. Then Leah ran.

McKenna called 911. Detective Jordan Harrison arrived on the scene. When he arrived, he noticed that the window and screen had been blown out. His first thought was that it was McKenna. Would he find out what really happened? Too coincidental that later Leah’s husband was killed and shot in the head through an opened window, while he was at his office working on a case.

Of course, Det. Harrison was called to this crime scene as well. Something was nagging at him, but he just couldn’t figure this case out. In both cases, there was no murder weapon at either scene.
Would he be able to find out who the murderer is? Would the women stay quiet about the abuse and the deaths? This book was absolutely a great book!! The plot was well thought out and keeps the reader thoroughly engaged. I love the way the author described the characters. The reader could definitely relate to what the characters were experiencing. I couldn’t put this book down. I can’t wait to read the next book by this author.

This novel centers on two affluent, educated, successful woman who suffer marriages to controlling, abusive men. Leah is a lawyer who has been fired and has turned to alcohol to get through her days. In a liquor store, she sees McKenna, and recognizes a woman suffering as she is. She follows her home and spies and interaction with McKenna's husband. She continues her surveillance and one day sees something that prompts her to take action. This novel was excellent on two fronts. One, it gives a nuanced look into how a woman who "has it all" becomes trapped in an abusive relationship she can't escape. Two, the second half is suspenseful as to how things will play out (don't want to give anything away). Fully recommend!

An updated ‘Strangers on a Train’ premise with two women -Leah and McKenna- who have never met but whose lives become entangled one fateful evening. Both are thirty something, professional middle class women living in the same neighborhood and both have extremely controlling and abusive husbands. Both are afraid to leave and both are in danger from their interchangeable men. A chance encounter changes their lives and when one husband dies, what happens to the other? Really faced paced, well written and executed until the third half when we get the perspective of the detective assigned to the case. As we don’t want either woman accused, I felt the time given to the detective was too long with a strange backstory along for the ride. We didn’t need it, the two women were strong enough to carry the story on their own.

Wow, this one was definitely a thriller I was not expecting. I had no idea it would turn into so many twists and turns and be very suspenseful! Of course, I loved all of it and am very excited I got to read this! Must read for thriller fans.

This was a scarily realistic depiction of domestic abuse. I empathized with the characters and their decisions. It was especially touching to see the flashbacks with the characters' gradual descent into their husbands' captivity. The detective added a more suspenseful feel to the story, but I thought that his incapacitated partner was a little over the top. I also thought the last page was overkill since the message about abuse was crystal clear without it. Overall, though, this was a page-turner for me.

Gripping, compelling, thrilling, suspenseful! Leah and McKenna do not know each other but have similar lives. They are both trapped. Then, one day, one of them reaches out to help the other. I cannot say any more without spoiling the story but it is a winner! It is also written with great compassion. I absolutely loved the ending!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.