The Favour
by Nora Murphy
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Pub Date 9 Jun 2022 | Archive Date 9 Jun 2022
Pan Macmillan | Macmillan
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Description
The Favour is a chilling domestic-suspense debut from Nora Murphy.
‘Taut, compelling and deliciously dark’ – B. A. Paris bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors
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 seem bent on having ‘the perfect wife’.
They don’t – ever – find themselves in the same train carriage or meet accidentally at the gym or in the coffee shop. And they don’t – ever – discuss their problems and find common ground.
But they do cross paths. And they see something each recognizes in the other.
That they are living in hell.
Neither narrator is unreliable. They always tell us the truth. And their truth hurts. A lot. Because these two attractive, intelligent professional women are living in a hell of their husband’s making. And there is no way to get out of hell. Is there?
'A thrilling debut – I couldn’t put it down!' – Shari Lapena, author of The Couple Next Door
Advance Praise
'A thrilling debut―I couldn’t put it down!' Shari Lapena
'Taut, compelling and deliciously dark, I tore through The Favour' B. A. Paris
'Dark, unsettling, brave and compassionate' Victoria Selman
'A beautifully written yet chilling glimpse behind the curtain of relationships gone badly wrong, and the terrifying consequences of what happens when wronged women fight back. Absolutely brilliant' Fiona Cummins
'I loved following the parallel lives of Leah and McKenna, two strangers whose actions tie them together forever. The Favour is a page-turning debut that will have you questioning the lengths you’d go to save someone else, even though it’s you that needs saving' Sandie Jones
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781529068818 |
| PRICE | £14.99 (GBP) |
| PAGES | 416 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Laura d, Reviewer
The favour is a must read for anyone who loves a good thriller!
I felt for Leah and Mckenna, two women who are in the same type of situation and see no escape, until one fateful evening.
This novel is fast paced and tense!
Leanne C, Book Trade Professional
What an absorbing page-turner of a debut! This is domestic psychological thriller at its best. Addictive as well as thought-provoking.
Two women are standing in line at the shops and one watches the other as she feels drawn to her for some reason, so she follows her and becomes fascinated by the life she spies behind the open windows of her home as it mirrors her own. The reader then follows the story written from 3 perspectives; the two wives and the detective who becomes involved. Not going to say anymore about the plot as it would give too much away and it deserves to be read without knowing too much in advance.
Coercive control and domestic abuse has been used in TV and book plots many times before, but not in such a detailed way that the reader can really see exactly why a woman “just can’t leave” and gets trapped in a downward spiral of self-doubt and fear by having to ‘walk on eggshells’ constantly. Nora’s experience as a family lawyer means she gets straight to the heart of the issues that women face stuck in relationships with charming and manipulative narcissists, but it is not only the partners that suffer from their abuse. Parents and siblings of these abusers are also often victims of their behaviour as well.
Some reviewers have commented how it jarred with them that the wives and husbands in this story are too physically and mentally alike, but that is exactly how these people work. They definitely have a ‘type’ they target.
Not only is this a gripping read, but the addition of the author’s notes at the end will make a good starting point for any book club discussion and hopefully will also help any reader recognise the signs of domestic abuse in neighbours or friends.
Aria H, Reviewer
This book was so good it was suffocating, I felt like i couldn't breathe whilst reading it but in a really good way. It was well written with an intense and compelling storyline and well developed and relatabel characters, This was a fast paced, tense, dark and gripping read that had me on the edge of my seat with twists and unpredictability. A really enjoyable read,
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