Thank you to NetGalley and Nora Murphy for this Audio-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback and review.

I started listening to this audiobook enjoying the narrator and the beginning of this story. Unfortunately it felt too much like "The Woman in the Window" and "The Girl on the Train" for me to keep my interest. This particular plot line seems to be overdone in the domestic thriller genre. If that is your favorite you may very well enjoy this novel. It just didn't seem to do it for me. I look forward to reading more from Nora Murphy as I think she is a wonderful writer.

Thank you so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for my gifted copy and for the early audio copy! I was so intrigued by this synopsis and excited to try this author's debut. The audio of this one was interesting and well done; I enjoyed it and finished it super quickly. I am glad I gave this one a go, but I do wish there would have been more twists and exciting suspense throughout. I didn't really find any moments shocking, and found most of the events predictable. Overall, this was an average thriller than I liked, but didn't love.

⚖️ 𝕿𝖍𝖗𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖊𝖗 𝕿𝖍𝖚𝖗𝖘𝖉𝖆𝖞: 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕱𝖆𝖛𝖔𝖗 ⚖️

Finished this one last week before I went on my romance binge (you guys I’m freaking loving THE FINE PRINT- if you haven’t jumped on that bandwagon GET IT! I’m almost done and ugh I love it so much.) BUT back to the thriller at hand😂🤓🔪

𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: domestic suspense
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞: Queue that song two black Cadillacs by Carrie Underwood🗡⚰️
𝐏𝐮𝐛. 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: May 31st, 2022
𝐌𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 3 stars
𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 4.01 stars

𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:

Even though they’ve never met, Leah Dawson and McKenna Hawkins have a lot in common. They’re “roughly the same height, with pretty features, blue eyes, and long blond hair.” They live in the same neighborhood in suburban Clarkstown, Maryland. They’re both childless, well-educated professionals—Leah’s an attorney, McKenna’s a pediatrician—married to even more successful colleagues. And both of their husbands are domestic abusers who seek to control every aspect of their lives. You’ll have to read the book to find out what happens but it’s JUICY if you like domestic novels!

𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:

It was good! I felt a bit far from the characters again, and I had been reading so many domestic thrillers/suspense (and I don’t usually love that genre) so I think I was burnt out:/ BUT IF YOU KNOW THAT CARRIE UNDERWOOD SONG, TWO BLACK CADILLACS and you think you’d love a book about a similar situation, this is one you should definitely add to your tbr!!

𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐭? 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲?!

I enjoyed the fast paced story telling, but overall, it wasn’t shocking or full of twists and turns that I look for in my thrillers. I did enjoy how it showed how domestic abuse doesn’t always look like it on the outside and we don’t always know what is going on behind closed doors. I will definitely be looking for more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance audio copy of this book.

I think fans of domestic suspense will enjoy this novel, and the audio is particularly well done. I don't have much more to say, because I've confirmed that domestic suspense is a genre I will always find lacking. This is more of a me issue than an issue with the book.

Wow guys, this is a debut domestic suspense and was everything I could've asked for. Leah and McKenna have never met. They live in the same neighborhood though. Both are married, both are educated, and HAD careers. Their lives are mirror images of the other especially because of the Unspeakable things happening behind closed doors.
💙🌸💙🌸
I loved how easy this was to read. I wasn't quite sure at first how I would like it but anything that has revenge-like Karma will always be at the top of my list and this one served it up for us sis. These two women barely spoke to each other, but, they both took actions that would bind them together for life. Their husbands were pieces of crap so I really didn't feel bad for them at all 😂🤷‍♀️. I loved it, thrilling, dark, and a bit dramatic. Well done👏👏

.

This is a story of two women who are absolute strangers and what happens when their paths cross one Friday night at the liquor store.

Leah and McKenna have no idea they are living parallel lives…suffering the same traumas and abuse…yet their lives look so picture perfect that no one has any idea.

They can’t access their bank statements, work, maintain friendships, they can’t be anything but under their husband’s thumb. It’s just too familiar and one woman has had enough…she won’t let someone else go through it too. If she cannot save herself she will save her.

But is she willing to help a complete stranger?
How far will she go to ensure this woman’s safety?

____________________

This book was amazingly binge-worthy. I listened to it in two days. The inner dialogues and background information was done flawlessly- adding in the detective’s POV was *chef’s kiss* - It kept my attention the entire time and I was desperate to know how it ended yet didn’t want it to end at the same time. Highly recommend!

⚠️ domestic abuse, alcoholism, miscarriage

Interesting plot with some twist and turns. I enjoyed both female MCs and it had a satisfying ending. I will definitely be checking out other books by this author.

Two women who have never met. Both seemingly leading perfect lives.
The handsome, charming, successful husband. They don't need to work.
But is there more to the story?
Suddenly, one of the husband's gets shot and killed. His wife didn't do it and if she didn't do it, who did?
Gripping novel told in three POVs - McKenna, Leah, and Detective Harrison.
Something is amiss in McKenna and Leah's lives, but what is it? Will they be charged when both their husbands turn up dead - shot in similar styles?
If you like domestic thrillers - this is a book for you!

Thanks to NetGalley & MacMillan Audio for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

You're familiar with this story, for sure, but probably not with the way it's portrayed. Two women, each in an abusive relationship with a controlling husband. Each a former professional whose raison d'etre has been taken away. Each with a gun in the home. Everything hinges on a chance encounter at a local liquor store, one of several visited regularly by Leah, who has become something of a drunk now that her dominating husband has banished her to living in their basement guest room (except when he expects his dinner on the table). She sees McKenna in the store line, buying several bottles of wine, and sees a version of herself she used to be, before she stopped exercising to spite her husband's wishes for her to remain slim and athletic (hence the banishing). On a whim, she follows the woman ... and the rest is history.

This is actually a fairly fresh take on the "Strangers on a Train" trope; I found myself rooting for these two abused but intelligent women. Their husbands are certainly despicable and deserve everything coming to them. The situation is pretty unlikely as written, and some of the details strain the boundaries of credulity, but hey, that's how it goes in a domestic thriller, amirite?

Aside from some occasional clunky writing (if you're using "to whom" in a sentence, don't end it with a preposition ... sigh) and weird word use, the writing is good and flows easily and quickly. I definitely wanted to go back to the book and finish, and the use of several voice actors made it easy to keep track of who was saying and doing what. The two female leads were excellent, the male was pretty good.

There was an odd B ploy involving the cop's injured partner that I suppose was added in to humanize him, but it just convoluted the story and didn't really go anywhere. Perhaps the author intends to bring back the detective and continue the B plot? I hope not, bc the cop is the least interesting character by far.

A solid outing overall.

***4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account***

The Favor by debut author Nora Murphy is an intense psychology thriller that had my pulse racing. Leah quickly recognizes the fear and depression emanating from McKenna when she spots her in the liquor store. Following her home she witnesses McKenna's husband abusing her. Leah knows it's too late for herself but maybe she can do McKenna a favor and save her.

Narrators Leon Nixon, Sarah Mollo-Christensen and Dylan Moore bravely tell this story of pain, abuse and desperation. Besides their POVs we get Detective Harrison trying to figure out how two women who have never met, never spoken and have no one in common are leading the same life. A too real but perfectly executed thriller.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from MacMillan Audio via #netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars
Leah and McKenna lock eyes in a liquor store one day, and something clicks. It’s one abused woman recognizing herself in the other woman. Leah discovers they live in the same neighborhood and sees something through McKenna’s window one day that pushes her over the edge. What will Leah do, and will McKenna repay the favor?

The writing and pacing were good, but there were a lot of plot holes and the need to suspend disbelief. Although I usually enjoy the addition of a police procedural in a thriller, I didn’t find the chapters from the police detective added anything to the story.

Once again, we have a MC who is an educated, intelligent, professional woman whose narrative is fueled by massive amounts of alcohol. I’m officially done with this trope. As well as domestic abuse stories.

The epilogue gives information about domestic abuse, which I applaud, but references only women who are abused. We need to acknowledge that men can be, and are, abused as well, both physically and psychologically. It may look different, but it IS abuse, and can break a man psychologically, just as it does a woman.

All in all, a solid debut. Despite my few quibbles, I did enjoy the listen. What bothered me may not bother others, and it’s worth the read. I look forward to seeing what the author does next.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* 4.5. Great book, kept me on the edge of my seat, for sure didn't want to put this down! can't wait for this to get turned into a movie (as long as it doesn't ruin it!).

What a great debut! Looking forward to seeing more from Nora Murphy.

Gripping and intense, this domestic suspense novel did a great job with character development and portraying domestic violence from the point of view of the person being abused.

I loved the dual perspectives and how the two women come across one another. I was so intrigued from the moment I picked up the book that I just had to read it every chance I got.

Highly recommend if you’re looking for a dark, suspenseful, domestic, can’t-look-away, can’t-stop-reading type of novel.

Domestic Abuse at its Finest!

Nora Murphy will keep you turning pages long past your bedtime with her smashing debut, THE FAVOR! A winner out of the gate. I could not tear myself away from this one. A top 2022 debut, she will be an author to follow for years to come. On my list for sure. I cannot wait to see what comes next.

Two women, strangers, have more in common than they know.

Leah Dawson (former lawyer) and McKenna Hawkins (former pediatrician)— are both intelligent, well-educated, and beautiful and live in the same neighborhood in suburban Maryland.

They both live in beautiful homes, drive the best cars, and are married to well-to-do men that are ABUSIVE AND CONTROLLING! Neither have children. They are lonely and want more than anything to escape their miserable lives. They are trapped.

From their lonely trips to the liquor store, they try their best to grab a little happiness with some snacks and alcohol while trying their best to put back some money. Their husbands control their lives, phones, finances, bodies, clothes, food, and minds. They make sure they are isolated and have no friends and family.

Leah sees something in McKenna. She realizes they are in the same situation. She follows her and watches her house. She will be there for her the way she would love for someone to be there for her.

To rescue. To save. When Leah steps in to save McKenna from harm then McKenna knows she must RETURN THE FAVOR!

Taut, exceptionally smart, addictive, and highly entertaining! I LOVED THIS ONE.

A superb character study and the author gets into the minds of her characters as they come alive on the pages. Wonderfully portrayed, the husbands reminded me of my evil, controlling ex-husband! I was glued to the pages and rooting for these women. For fans of B.A. Paris and Kimberly Belle.

I enjoyed the author's note and wealth of information and resources regarding domestic abuse and family law. The audiobook was exceptional, narrated by Dylan Moore, Leon Nixon, and Sarah Mollo-Christensen.

A special thank you to #MinotaurInfluencers, #netgalley, and #macmillanaudio for digital and audio ARCs to read, listen to, enjoy, and review.

Blog Review:
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: May 31, 2022
My Rating: 5/5 Stars

Thank you Netgalley for this audio edition of The Favor by Nora Murphy.

First off, narration was great! Three completely distinctive voices narrating for each character clearly, giving the story a great shape.

Leah is sitting in one of several liquor stores that she visits every week. She is not the woman she once was, definitely a shadow of the successful lawyer and runner that she used to be. While cruising the store she can't help but notice another woman, a woman who Leah is so drawn to that she follows her home from the store. Creepy, yes, but there is something so familiar in her.

McKenna is on her way home from the liquor store, dreading what she's about to do. She's finally going to host her friends for a long awaited get together, but these kinds of things are no longer the fun time that they used to be.

This is a story about two women that have so much in common that they silently agree to help each other out, but will it be to their ultimate downfall?

Obviously I can't give away much, so I'll just say, very satisfying read! It's cloaked in heartache and tragedy, but I'm sure it's also the fantasy of many who can relate to the characters. Plus, I always love seeing women supporting other women.

The Favor by Nora Murphy interested me because of the synopsis described it to be similar to Strangers on a Train. I am always intrigued by stories about people banding together even if they are blurring the lines of the law. The authors are able to bring their thought processes to the surface for book lovers like myself to try to understand. This was my first time reading anything from Nora Murphy.

As a debut novel, I enjoyed several parts of the book. The Favor is about two families: Liam and Leah Dawson and Mackenna and Zachary Hawkins. Liam and Leah are both successful lawyers while MacKenna is a pediatrician and Zachary is a psychiatrist. The two families seem perfect until they aren't. Leah's life has changed so drastically, especially after being fired from her job. Things just aren't going right in Leah's life causing her to slowly turn away from family and friends and use alcohol to help numb the emptiness. MacKenna suffered a miscarriage and decided to leave her job so she can focus on staying healthy. She and her husband are struggling to get pregnant again. And then within two weeks a life changing event occurs bringing both families together and the police to investigate. Will they survive? Will their lives go back to normal? The story is about survival and people sticking together through tough times especially after murder occurs in the community.

The Favor starts with a murder. And as the story unfolds, we see more into the lives of families that seem perfect. Are all happy homes really "happy"? As Leah's life has turned upside-down, she visits the liquor store at least two or three times a week. On one of her visits, she decides to follow a customer home. She later finds out that the customer is MacKenna. Leah makes regular visits to see MacKenna in her happy home, until she realizes that this woman was "just like her". Appearances were not as they seemed. She tries to help and calls the police. Will the police be able to help? Will Leah be on her own to solve the problem?

With every book there is good and bad. So, here are a few things I really liked and other things that I did not care for as much.

The Good: This was an excellent book about domestic abuse. I liked the time and effort the author took to describe how the manipulation process begins and how it is not always obvious. I liked the first half of the book, the pacing was decent and wanted to hear more of how the women would prevail. This was a book about the strength of women and their determination.

The Bad: this is not really a thriller. Within the first few minutes the readers are aware of what is happening and who commits murder. (This is not necessarily a bad thing, just obvious) The story was slow at times. There were also unnecessary sections with a backstory for the police officer and his partner. The first half of the story is from the perspective of Leah and MacKenna and then at the halfway point it is from the perspective of the Police Officer. There was really no transition it just happens. By the second half the story was just dragging.

I would not necessarily recommend this book, but I will check out the next book the author writes. This is a debut so there will be growth I think for the author. So, I will look for future books.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC of The Favor. It was an honor to read and share my review.

Wow, what a stunning debut! This is a modern take on a classic book-murder situation.

Leah and McKenna are basically living their lives on a split-screen from each other across town. They’re both trapped in abusive situations. They’re both suffering from learned helplessness from being gaslit by their deviant husbands.

This is a unique situation in that these women had careers and degrees, the same as their spouses. Leah was a lawyer and McKenna was a doctor, before their spouses sabotaged their careers to keep them isolated and under their thumbs.

Leah, prone to over-drinking, sees McKenna while she’s out buying booze and senses that McKenna is going through the same thing. McKenna seems like a version of herself that is better at hiding it or perhaps in the earlier stages of abuse, so Leah follows McKenna home to observe. She doesn’t have anything else to do.

She thinks maybe she was mistaken when she sees McKenna with her girl friends until her spouse gets home and puts the evening on edge. She will come back another night to see.

Leah decides then that she can’t help herself but maybe she can help McKenna. McKenna wishes he’d been in an accident on his way home. Maybe there’s a better alternative than just wishing on that star.

What starts off as sad voyeurism, ends up in a bit of a loose quid pro quo ala Strangers on a Train. Abusive husbands are dropping like flies around here! Should the detective on the case keep pushing? Will he? Or can we all make peace with this and agree to live and let live?

I was so impressed by this book and the narration! I received the audiobook from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio. Thanks so much for the chance to hear a debut from what is bound to be a big new author in the thriller world!

The topic of this book is a real and important one about domestic abuse and violence. For that, I can appreciate this book!

We follow two women who are in challenging and abusive marriages. They see each other and recognize one another simply because of their own personal situation they are in. Things evolve in a creative and interesting way.

But. I felt like the storyline was a bit simplistic and repetitive and perhaps a bit unrealistic. I started to get bored half way through when I realized not much more was actually going to happen but resolve in a way I expected.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance audiobook.

Two intelligent and accomplished women are recently married. McKenna is a former pediatrician and Leah is a former lawyer. Both are stay-at-home wives to controlling and abusive spouses.

This book took me a little while to get into but then I was hooked as the story shows how these women ended up in such a turbulent situation, unable to defend themselves through a turn of events that left them powerless, and what happened when their paths collided.

I particularly enjoyed the character development to show how these strong and smart women have become victims to psychological, domestic abuse, coupled with the narrative of a male detective who is investigating events.

Recommended for fans of domestic thrillers and suspense.