DNF due to anxiety triggered by the relationship between McKenna and Zack. Giving 5 stars in fairness to the author and the publisher.

This was a quick read mystery. I found the book to be an enjoyable read. It is a book which I would recommend to others who like to read a good mystery.

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 her 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 also 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.

This book was great, the characters were well developed. The plot was interesting. Highly recommend it.

This book was hard to read by design. I found myself drawn to the characters and invested in their stories. The domestic abuse was an uncomfortable reminder that even the most appealing relationships from the outside can have secrets.

I loved the premise of this book and was quickly engaged from the beginning. That eventually turned into impatience and I lost all interest. I got halfway through this book before I finally put it down forever.
Domestic abuse is definitely a theme here. In fact, reading about the physical abuse was the reason I stopped reading altogether. Maybe it serves the story by the end but I wasn't willing to waste anymore time with this disappointing plot.

Leah has a favorite liquor store for every day of the week so no one knows how much she's really drinking. She is so unhappy that drink is all that helps get her through. She has lost her job for something that makes no sense to her.

McKenna is also an unhappy wife. She has quit her job that she loved because she had a miscarriage and her husband thinks her job contributed to the loss. McKenna is trying to get pregnant again.

These two women's lives intersect at a liquor store. They don't strike up a conversation, but they are so similar in looks that they are curious about one another.

The way their lives weave will leave you wanting more. This was a very intriguing story, and you find yourself rooting for these women.

I can't wait to read more by this author. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A POWERFUL thriller!! I did not want to stop reading because I needed to know what happened next. The book starts out from Leah's perspective. She is in a liquor store and she sees a woman who is very similar to herself. Leah starts to remember what her life used to be like before her husband. Leah follows the woman (McKenna) and finds that their lives are eerily similar in a way. What follows will have you shocked and not able to put the book down. I don't want to give too much away but this book will keep you reading as you have to find out what happens to Leah and McKenna.

This is a must read for anyone who loves thrillers. There is also more to this book in that it is a good reminder that there is more going on in people's lives then we think. Anyone can become trapped in certain situations and not even realize it. This was an excellent read!!

Thank you to Danielle Prielipp and St. Martin's Publishing for this advanced copy.

Two lives running a parallel course finally collide in this debut domestic thriller by Nora Murphy. Two educated, professional women both trapped in a life with men they no longer recognize or trust. Two women who fear the consequences of trying to escape their abusive marriages more than they fear continuing to live with the pain, threats and isolation. Two women who've never met until the day fate steps in, leaving them reeling - free on one hand, but just as trapped on another.

The Favor is an intense, gripping domestic thriller that explores the lives of two women struggling in abusive, controlling relationships. Neither can believe they've let the man they married manipulate them into a life of isolation, pain, fear and shame. Both women are, or were, professionals who loved their jobs - one a doctor and the other a lawyer. And yet both highly educated women end up forced out of their jobs by the underhanded manipulation of their husbands under the guise of providing for them. Both are at the end of their rope - afraid to make a run for it or tell anyone. When their paths cross in a checkout line while purchasing alcohol, one woman recognizes the signs of domestic violence in the face of the other. Why? Because she recognizes herself. She makes a split second decision to follow the other woman home and is stunned to learn they are living parallel lives including spousal abuse. While the one wife doesn't think she can find a safe way out herself, she decides then and there to help the other woman get out. Little does she know she's opened Pandora's Box when she moves from watching to take action. Events quickly spiral out of control and soon both their worlds come crashing down.

There's no way to share more details of this story without revealing spoilers. I found my heart racing as I stood in the shadows with Leah watching McKenna cowl down before her husband as he berates her. I could smell the fear, the hopelessness, the pain. Readers are privy to both women's fear as the author's use of alternating points of view makes the nightmares they're each living all too real. The fear escalates when their picture perfect husbands arrive home and both wives are wondering what they will do to set the men off this time. Dinner overcooked? Or late? House not clean enough? What excuse will he have for abusing her this time?

Murphy does an excellent job shattering society's preconceived notion of what occurs behind closed doors in upper income homes where perfect men come home to perfect wives each night, and she does so by revealing the often hidden domestic abuse that resides within. By allowing readers behind the scenes, she educates them on the fact that upper income professionals can get caught in abusive relationships and find it just as difficult to escape as an uneducated woman from the poor side of town. Murphy's expertise as a lawyer who has worked domestic abuse cases gives this story an authentic air and the end result is a believable if horrifying story of how far a woman may be pushed before seeking a way out . . . and what drastic measures she'll take to get out.

The Favor is a raw, gripping, intense story that I found hard to put down. I was drawn in by the dangerous vibes that permeated each page as the well-plotted story progressed. A dark, ominous tone sets the stage for pending disaster. While there are a couple of elements in this story that didn't resonate with me, it's so well executed that I brushed them off and burned pages until the end. Fans of domestic suspense books, this one is for you! Also recommended to fans of suspense thrillers.

The Favor is full of suspense and intrigue. The reader will be anxious to find out what happened at the end!
Thank you to NetGalley.

I really loved this one! Domestic thrillers are becoming one of my favorite genres, and this one did not disappoint.

The Favor
by Nora Murphy
Leah understands that what’s inside a home can be far more dangerous than what’s outside. So when she notices someone else who may be starting down the same path she’s on, she pays attention. She watches over McKenna from afar. Until one night she sees more than she bargained for. Leah knows she can’t save herself, but perhaps she can save McKenna.
Leah and McKenna have never met. But they will.
I Loved the book. It was one I read straight thru. Domestic violence and the women that almost give up. Brilliantly written.

I lovedddd this book! It addresses an issue in the world that is not talked about enough. It was so suspenseful it had me flying through the pages. I could not have been more satisfied and happy with the ending. Brilliantly done, a story that needed to be told.

This domestic suspense was a great read. It may be difficult for some to read but domestic violence is something we should all talk about. This was a read that kept me on my toes and I really enjoyed it. Thank you!

The Favor, by Nora Murphy was a great first time book by an author who I will definitely read more of!, This was a solid debut. I’m always a sucker for books with alternative POVS. I don’t want to say too much because that would reveal spoilers. Let’s just say that both narrators of this story are somewhat unreliable. I don’t mind that at all, it just makes the ending even harder to figure out on your own, which is what a reader wants, in my opinion. Guessing the outcome isn’t fun! The more surprise, the better, I definitely enjoyed the twists and plot twists in this story. I felt the writing was very well done. This was a total bing-read for me, I was totally engrossed in this book. Looking forward from more from Nora Murphy, Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. I highly recommend this book and will be posting on my bookstagram blog soon,

This was one of those books that you can't put down. I read it in two days. I am definitely looking forward to reading more books from this author. I liked now Murphy developed Leah and McKenna's characters. Immediately from the beginning of the book I was intrigued by what was happening and constantly guessing the next turn in the story. This would be a great book for a book club.

Two strangers trapped in marriages with violent men with no way out in sight. They discover each other’s situations by accident and feel compelled to help each other.

This book does’t outright come with a trigger warning, but hopefully anyone who chooses it will read the synopsis first before beginning it.

This started as a slow burn for me, but by the end I was staying up late to find out what was going to happen. The way the women’s lives intertwine without ever meeting is very well done and the story is compelling.

3.5 rounded up.

Leah and McKenna know one another's lives well. They know the struggles and the secrets most of all. However, Leah and McKenna do not know one another. However, one night McKenna sees something happen at Leah's house, and she knows how it goes because it's her story, too. Not only does she see what's happening, but she decides to take action on Leah's behalf. Y'all, this was a thriller that is also chock full of feels. It's told from three perspectives - Leah, McKenna, and a detective who investigates after things go down - and y'all know how much I love multiple narrators! The advantage of these three narrators is it also lets the reader see the story from all angles, including what's really happening behind close doors. I found the story to be a pageturner because I was invested in what was going to happen to McKenna and Leah as they are each carrying and hiding so much from others. This one is so well told and definitely packs so many thrills. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this May 2022 release!

I was sent a widget for this book and read it in two days! I devoured this storyline told from the perspective of both main characters. The story just flowed and anyone that has been in their situation will make them relatable (them = main characters). You will hate their menacing husbands and say good for those ladies! You will not want to put this one down!

This book took me for a ride and I’m still recovering! Leah and McKenna have never met, never knew the other existed. But one day Leah sees McKenna and recognizes something in her. It’s like they could almost be the same person. Leah feels that she must know more and begins to check in on McKenna without her knowledge. When her fears are confirmed, she knows she has to do something….
Such a good read, other than it ended kind of abruptly. At times my heart was pounding and it was all I could do to make it to the next page.
I could see this being made into a movie!