I could not get into this book. I did not like the subject matter, I found it utterly depressing, reading about two so- called strangers, suffering at the hands of their husbands and being subjected to iolence and coercive control. When one became a stalker of the other one, because she ‘recognised’ her predicament - how exactly? - I lost interest. I did not like either of the female characters, and I really wasn’t interested in what happened to them. I thought the theme was derivative, and it has been done with more empathy and finesse. This was a DNF for me.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book.

McKenna has a controlling, Violent husband. Leah has a controlling, violent husband. They are both trapped. Trapped with little to no chance of escape. Strangers. But maybe not for long…

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Favour in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed the read, I thought the storyline was predictable however, and I did get confused between the 2 women and who they were married to and their stories. But that might just be me and my crazy brain! Overall, a decent read, and something different to my usual genre.

The Favour was unputdownable and kept me on the edge of my seat all the way to the end with all its twists and turns. It just goes to prove that you never know what is going on behind the seemingly perfect closed door!
I highly recommend The Favour.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for my ARC.

Leah Dawson is out on one of her regular runs to the local liquor store when she spots a woman who reminds her of herself a few months ago. Intrigued, Leah follows her home & watches the woman's interactions with her friends & husband. Certain she has spotted something strange, Leah continues to spy on the couple & realises that the woman is in the same situation she is in - married to a controlling spouse who acts like the perfect husband to everyone else. Leah lost her job thanks to her husband, Liam's, underhanded machinations & she has been banished to the basement guest room for the sin of gaining a little weight & not taking care of herself to Liam's standards. When violence erupts, Leah has to decide if she can't help herself, maybe she can help someone else.

McKenna Hawkins looks like she has the perfect life from the outside. Her husband earns enough money that she doesn't have to work, & they are trying for a baby to complete their perfect family. Only McKenna knows that she is on birth control as she doesn't want to have a child with Zack, because behind closed doors, Zach isn't the person he pretends to be. What McKenna doesn't know is that someone is watching & waiting.

I read this one very quickly, it's got good pace & both storylines are engaging. Usually I become invested in more character more than other, but both women are characters that keep the reader's interest. The narration is told by both Leah & McKenna but with a third character, the detective, who investigates the aftermath of what happens one evening. It's a gripping book but with a storyline that could be distressing or triggering to some due to the coercive control & domestic violence detailed. Overall I thought it was a well-written read even if the ending petered out a little.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Pan Macmillan, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

A good psychological thriller reminiscent of strangers on a train and the girl on the train but no trains involved here 😉 2 women with 2 very seemingly different lives but both going through the same marital turmoil, 2 paths crossing by accident in a liquor store, 2 souls bonded by the same despair. A good read difficult to review without giving out any spoilers as there are so many twists. A definite must read.

Confession: I haven't been so eager to get back to the book I'm reading for a long while. It was that gripping.

CW: Domestic violence, coercive behaviour, abuse.

Two educated women from the upper-middle class, married to two successful men, find themselves victims of their husbands' controlling nature. Soon the husbands' control turns into violence and leaving is no more an option.

"The only thing more humiliating, more onerous than staying was leaving"

When one of them steps up to take action, a chain of reactions unravels. Still, the women do not admit to their husbands' violence.

"Because that's what I'd been. It was difficult to put that label on my situation. I'd been in denial for so long. I'd been paralysed. Right or wrong, it was an embarrassing label to have. It came with a measure of shame and assumption of fault and weakness. Unfairly. But I felt it nevertheless."

Stylistically, the book is all facts and no purple prose whatsoever. It is what you expect from a claustrophobic thriller. It was so reminiscent of B.A. Paris's Behind Closed Doors. Murphy built her story around the principle that just because a woman is pretty and educated, she isn't safe from domestic abuse, rather the kind of abuse she is subjected to takes a more sinister form. And because of her education and status, it is even harder to admit. It is true that you never know what goes on behind closed doors; however, the more upscale those doors are, the worse it can get.

When Leah sees McKenna for the first time - she is inexplicably drawn to her. She recognises something in this stranger, the same look of defeat and misery she has carried around since she became a prisoner of her own marriage. She finds herself needing to know more about her, to check up on her, to see what happens when McKenna crosses her perfect picket fence - and she realises they are living the same life. And neither of them will get out alive unless she does something for the both of them.

A darkly riveting tale of obsession and desperation, and the very terrifying reality of abuse and coercion that happens too often in relationships. The perfect domesticity created just provides a jarringly uncomfortable juxtaposition with the horrendous violence and abuse going on behind the scenes - which was definitely difficult to read at points so be mindful if you're sensitive to any of these topics. Leah and McKenna could be living the same life, and while you may find it beyond belief they could be so similar and have so many matching patterns, this is actually very true to life and shows the patterns and targets that abusers often use.

Claustrophobic and compelling, this story blurs lines between redemption and revenge, between salvation and sacrifice - and leaves it up to the reader to try and decide their own stance on the unfolding terror.

I liked reading this book. It was rather unputdownable. I’m an avid reader and read books of many different genres depending on my mood. Sometimes I read romantic novels, sometimes I read mysteries and sometimes I read psychological thrillers. This is definitely a psychological thriller.
I liked the writing style, the plot and character development of this novel. It was an interesting read and I don’t think I’ve ever read anything about this subject matter nor have I ever read a book written by this author before, but I’d like to read more by this author in the future.
The book held my interest throughout, from the very first page to the last one, and it is a great five star read in my opinion.

Wow oh wow!! What a book!! I knew I was going to love this book but I had no idea just how much I would adore this completely captivating and addictive read.

Murphy writes in a way that pulls you in and makes if completely impossible to put this down. Nor will you have the desire to put this one down. The characters are interesting and intriguing, you absolutely crave the information about them.

Mckenna and Leah are both married to successful and professional men. However, both men have an ideal view of the perfect wife. There are parts of this book which are uncomfortable and claustrophobic. However, Murphy has given a realistic and sensitive portrayal of what is unfortunately the reality behind many closed doors.

We embark on the journey with McKenna and Leah as we get to see what the husbands are really like. We see inside the marriages of both women, the rules and expectations they live by and I can safely say that as events have panned out, I’ve been speechless.

This is exquisitely written and really does make you feel as though you know the characters. Murphy is able to transport you and make you feel as though you are watching the events pan out in front of.

The themes and subject matter are handled delicately and with such sensitivity. I have been completely drawn in and found this an unpredictable and jaw dropping read.

This is an absolute must for the TBR! I’m devastated that this is a debut novel as I can’t add the entire back catalogue to my TBR. However, I am a converted fan of Nora Murphy and already cannot wait to read more. A book worthy of all the stars.

This book proves that you never know what goes on behind closed doors. Gripping, fast paced and a "must read"
Many thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC

**TRIGGER WARNING** Domestic Abuse/Physical Violence - Alcoholism - Miscarriage

Leah Dawson and McKenna Hawkins had a lot in common, but they had never met. They are smart professional women, living in the same sunny, prosperous neighbourhood, in lovely houses with picket fences and beautiful gardens. And they were both married to successful, good looking men, who both want the "perfect wife". They don't ever find themselves in the same train carriage or meet accidently at the gym, or in the coffee shop. and they don't ever discuss their problems or find common ground. But they do cross paths. And they see something each recognises in the other. That they are living in hell.

For this book to be a debut, it was really good. It's so well written, I was pulled in from the first page. Although it's hard to read in places due to the domestic abuse/physical violence, it's still enjoyable. The pace is fast, the suspense grows and I was desperate to find out what was going to happen next. The author shows just how hard it can be for these women to leave a violent relationship. It's told with understanding and compassion. The characters are complex. I couldn't put this book down.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #PanMcmillan and the author #NoraMurphy for my ARC of #TheFavour in exchange for an honest review.

A brilliant book! Two women who have never met become entwined in each others lives. Both are experiencing terrible situations, and then one day, one of them acts.
I couldn't put the book down as the story and characters were so intriguing. The more you got to know them, the more you were rallying for them!
Such an excellent idea and the subject was written about very well. Perfect for crime fans.

This was well written with a compelling storyline and well developed and relatable characters, that had me on the edge of my seat with twists and unpredictability. A really enjoyable read, A very good first novel and will look out for more by this author in the future.
Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for allowing me to read this book.

The Favor is a compelling story about McKenna and Leah. To the outside word, they seem to have everything, Both are sharing their lives with what seem to be the perfect husbands. But looks can be deceiving and one never really knows what goes on behind closed doors. Except Leah does know what goes on behind McKenna's closed door. Leah knows because it happens at her house too.

Despite Leah and McKenna not meeting, The Favor has that really strong "Strangers on a Train" thing going on which unfortunately makes the book rather predictable. That didn't particularly bother me but there were some other things I had issues with. The women's lives read a little like a before and after, but that also means quite a bit of it is somewhat repetitive. Leah and McKenna are almost carbon copies of one another and I think I might have been more invested if they had been markedly different. At some point the author introduces us to a detective. He makes a good tool to move the story along but his chapters are also often on the repetitive side, ultimately breaking the flow.

That said, Nora Murphy's writing is fab. The dangerous situations these women find themselves in are extremely gripping and compelling. It's not at all hard to imagine the fear victims of domestic abuse deal with on a daily basis, even if some of what happens in The Favor required some suspension of disbelief. I could have done with a bit more suspense, a bit more of a thrill but for the most part I liked what I read here.

An addictive and chilling psychological thriller, The Favor highlights the damage caused by domestic abuse, showing how easily manipulation and intimidation can creep into someone's life under the guise of love and before they realise it they've lost everything. Staying is dangerous, leaving could be worse.

A brilliant eerie domestic thriller. This book is a definite look at behind closed doors of two marriages. Creepy and thrilling. A great read xx

Leah and McKenna are both married to successful men who exercise coercive control and violence to isolate their wives. Leah observes McKenna and recognises their similarities and tries to help her. McKenna reciprocates. The theme of the book is the police investigation and whether the women will get away with their actions.

This was an excellent book that kept you interested from start to finish. Without wanting to give away any important information about the plot, all I will say is that it is loosely based on a famous Hitchcock film which I suspected part way through the early chapters. But nevertheless the author has highlighted a disturbing but common situation that can, and often does, manifest itself in numerous marriages, and this is the theme that we follow in the lives of McKenna and Leah, the two heroines. I highly recommend it and thoroughly enjoyed the storyline and the satisfactory ending.

This was a well written book. I did find it slow at times, but I still thoroughly enjoyed the book. Give it a try!

Leah and McKenna don’t know each other but they have so much in common - they are intelligent, high achieving women living in beautiful houses. They are both married to handsome, upstanding members of the local community. They are also being systematically abused and imprisoned in their marriages, with escalating episodes of violence. All it takes in one chance encounter and one fateful night for their lives to intertwine and change forever.

I enjoyed reading The Favour. Sure, you have to suspend belief for some events in the book but it’s a gripping tense thriller. Reading about Leah and McKenna’s lives is a claustrophobic, and dispiriting at times but I was soon rooting for the women.I enjoyed the three narratives with in the book and found it easy to get immersed in the plot. As well as a spotlight into domestic abuse, The Favour also raises important questions about true justice. It’s a solid addition to the thriller genres and perfect for readers who like domestic and psychological thriller page turners.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to review an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars. I'd have enjoyed the book more without the perspective of the detective trying to solve the case. His PoV sort of "spoilt" the sense of solidarity that existed between Leah and McKenna as he was an outsider. I won't say any more, except that even though early on in the book you pretty much twig what's going to happen, it's still a gripping read. The psychology of abuse, and gender-based violence is complex and nuanced and difficult to read about, but if I had to read about it, I'm glad this book exists.

(Review copy from NetGalley)