"It might seem, as you read, that ours is a story of love.
It's not.
Ours is a tale of murder.
But that's to come. First, there was love. Or something like it. Something that looked like love, that wore its scent like a spritz of perfume.
Something that sounded right, that felt true.
Something that was always, actually, very, very wrong."


Murphy had me gripped from that very first paragraph and that grip never let go until I turned the final page.

Let me introduce you to our characters:

Klara and Troy - A married couple and the newest residents of Hawthorne Heights. They appear to be perfect and content yet something doesn't seem right.

Mary - A woman with a traumatic past that is trying to pack up her home so it can be sold. A lonely widow reminiscing about her sweet boy yet something doesn't seem right.

Henry - A man living in his childhood home with his parents after losing his job. With all this time on his hands he keeps watch over the neighborhood. It's a safe neighborhood yet something doesn't seem right.

This book had me baffled in the best way possible. I felt so off-kilter. As I was reading this it was as if there was this sense of menace that I just couldn't pinpoint but I sure as heck could feel. Murphy completely messed with my head and had me second guessing everything. I love when that happens.

Then at roughly 70% Part 2 starts and BOOM! 🤯 What the heck just happened?!?!

A very well written domestic suspense. Intricately layered and executed masterfully. Murphy didn't just come to play, she came to win, and this right here is a WINNER! 5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for my complimentary copy.

Wow, I really enjoyed this one! I had no idea where it was going for about 60% and didn’t see the first twist coming. I liked that the chapters were vague enough so that you could make guesses but didn’t know for sure.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the ARC!

I don't even know where to START with this one! I constantly see "an unbelievable twist!" in the description but 99% of them fall flat - hoooooly cow, not this one!

We start with Klara, an unhappy bride after her recent whirlwind marriage with Troy. Buuuuuut without giving too much away, nothing is quite as it seems. Then we bounce between the POVs of different neighbors who seem to have the whole suburban-white-picket-fence thing down. Meet Mary, a retired teacher who is in the process of going through her sons belongings as they prepare to sell the house, and Henry, a young-ish adult who recently moved back in with his parents after being let go from his job. While they have their quirks, mostly everything seems fine until one of the neighbors winds up dead in his own home.

This one was a WILD ride that I stayed up way too late to finish (worth it!). Not only did a good twist hit about halfway through the book, but the rest of the book was a whirlwind that ended up in ways I certainly didn't see coming - and that's saying something! An amazing thriller full of secrets that show us what we're truly capable of in the name of love.

Don't sleep on this one - I know it's be everywhere upon its release. Thanks so much for the ARC!

This book pulled me from a reading slump! Very addicting story with a satisfying ending. Would definitely recommend this author/book!

Great read! I definitely did not see some of the twist coming! Quick read I read this within 2 days after work!

"That may not have happened...But when you tell other people and yourself the same thing for so many years, it can become your truth."

It is difficult to say too much about the plot without giving spoilers...

Ours is a Tale of Murder is a fast-paced thriller that was a fine way to pass the time but I'm likely to remember mainly how it annoyed me. Told from mulitple POVs, there are several stories of the neighbors of Hawthorne Heights that eventually weave their paths together until the big picture becomes clear. You won't really know what is going on until about 60ish percent of the way through the book and I can see some people giving up in frustration long before that. The first half of the book is a substantial amount of domestic drama and sort of setting the stage for the big twist. There is a lot of exploration about the psychology of our characters and the secrets they keep - from themselves and others.

The book *does* have a wallop of a twist but it came off to me like a cheap shot -impossible to say more without spoiling it.

The book is very character-driven and there are a host of unlikeable ones to choose from. I think if you are good with suspension of disbelief and don't mind not having a clear protagonist to root for, this is a decent enough thriller with a fair share of twists. You will have to be willing to stick it out until the end...I'd say the last 1/4 of the book was the part I enjoyed the most. 3 stars

I am extremely grateful to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the privilege of reviewing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future

A gripping and atmospheric read. Ours Is a Tale of Murder weaves together suspense, dark secrets, and strong female perspectives in a way that kept me turning pages. The writing is sharp, and the pacing builds slowly but effectively. If you enjoy character-driven thrillers with a chilling edge, this one’s worth picking up.

Thank you NetGalley for the free ARC! I did receive this book for free, but I’m voluntarily leaving this review. This book was very enjoyable and engaging. It was very well written with complex characters and a suspenseful storyline. I was thoroughly entertained. However, I didn’t like the addition of Kate in the novel. I felt it was too extra and took away from the flow of the story, I do highly recommend this novel by Nora Murphyas well as The New Mother, both are 5 star reading.

Enjoyed this one. It kept me guessing and things were never as they seemed. Would have liked to get one MORE chapter of Henry's POV at the end after everything that went down.

Ours Is a Tale of Murder by Nora Murphy. A complex and chilling and twisty domestic thriller with a maze of dark secrets. Was never quite certain where the story was going. The way the stories came together was completely unexpected, and the twist was really skillfully done.
Thank you to the author, Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this book, with my honest review below.

Ours is a Tale of Murder was exactly the type of thriller that continues drawing you back to the genre. A neighborhood mystery with a cast of many, something isn’t quite right with some of the residents of Hawthorne Heights, from Mary whose family has had a tragedy occur at the hands of one of its members, to Henry, who is a creeper who constantly has his mother Janet on edge, to the newer neighbors, of which the wife becomes Henry’s focus, though he doesn’t quite crack the real her.

I enjoyed the alternating points of view and the reveals were so well done. Without wanting to spoil, the book you think you’re reading is a little bit different than the one you get, in a great way.

If Carter Wilson gives a book his seal of approval im very clearly going to read it 😂

Nora Murphy is a new author to me and I was very pleasantly surprised with this book! The writing is very catchy and the plot will have you glued to the pages. The pacing is quick so if you are looking to get out of a reading slump and dive into something that will very quickly grab your attention and keep your interest then this is a solid choice.

As for the twists I was definitely caught by surprise!

There are multiple POV as well as two parts to the story, but everything is blended well together and nothing feels awkward or out of place, there’s definitely no jarring time jump that leaves you feeling out of place. The plot follows the lives of seemingly unconnected people but as we read on their paths are woven together and we start to conned the threads and see why they are all important to each-others stories. Arguably you won’t find many likeable characters here but that’s part of the fun.

Thank you to sourcebooks landmark and Nora Murphy for the #netgalley #gifted copy!

Publish date : February 10th 2026

In Ours is a Tale of Murder by Nora Murphy, there is immediately a sense of lives being intertwines in ways that are not immediately obvious, but there is undeniable likeness to all of their stories. Set in the greater DC Metropolitan area, the reader meets Klara, an attorney who meets Troy Weston at a networking event by happenstance, or so it appears initially. We then meet Mary as she begins the process of packing up her house for a move, and Henry, a recently unemployed man now living with his parents who are not entirely pleased with the arrangement. All three narratives are filled with an undercurrent of something nefarious, but Murphy takes care in revealing the depths of darkness just a little bit at a time.

The book takes the reader on a multitude of twists and turns that are never difficult to follow, but are delightfully difficult to anticipate. The women in the story drive the plot as the men are consumed by the things that men are consumed by: themselves. It is a story of love, yes, but also a refusal of what's "expected" of a person when the expectations compromise contentment and the ability to live in peace. I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it!

I could not put this book down.
Every page, every chapter is a
question mark. This book keeps
you on your toes. Trying to figure
out what is truth and what is fiction
is a challenge. After each chapter,
you just want to know more. Seeing
how the different characters
intertwine was so fun and twisty.
Pick this up on February 10, 2026.

2.5⭐️ Ours Is a Tale of Murder wasn’t a favorite for me, but it had some compelling moments.

The story centers on a group of neighbors: Klara and Troy, a married couple whose lives aren’t as perfect as they seem; Mary, who’s haunted by her past as she prepares to sell her home; and Henry, newly unemployed and watching it all unfold from his window. As secrets simmer beneath the surface, a murder begins to take shape — but not in the way you’d expect.

The POVs shift each chapter without clear labels, which made it harder to get into the story. One of the perspectives felt pretty unnecessary, and while a twist midway through surprised me, I didn’t love where it went. The writing wasn’t really my style, and the tone leaned more sad than suspenseful. An okay read, but not a standout for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Listen listen listen wow wow I didn’t expect anything less from this author. She is amazing. I am a fan. This book was so amazing. Can’t be up all night. I love a good thriller and this just did it for me and I’m sure one others read it and get excited fast please can’t put down type of read

When I started this book, I wasn't sure what to expect. It jumped between different characters who seemed to have no connection, and I worried I might get a bit confused - so much so that I started jotting down notes to keep track of who was who. But as their stories unfolded and deepened, little threads began to weave together, revealing a bigger picture that led up to a shocking murder.

This is a chilling psychological thriller that was so cleverly crafted, I honestly had no idea which way it would go. The themes are quite heavy touching on pregnancy and loss, as well as abusive relationships.

I was completely drawn in, on the edge of my seat, eager to see what would happen next. I was taken aback by the abrupt ending, I felt so unsettled. I absolutely love it when a story wraps up leaving you in a state of shock.

At first, I wondered if the epilogue was even necessary after such that ending. But by the time I finished, I realized it was the perfect touch. It left me feeling unsettled and definitely thinking about the story long after I finished.

This was my first book by this author, but they totally pulled me in with their twists and misdirections, leaving me gasping more than once. I’ll most definitely be checking out more from them.

Thanks so much to Sourcebooks for providing me with this NetGalley copy!

Book: Ours Is A Tale Of Murder
Author: Nora Murphy
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Pub Date: February 10, 2026

This book is so hard to summarize without giving something away. Each storyline has a strong twist – each chapter propels you forward and makes you want to stay up all night and finish it. Murphy opens this thriller in a seemingly quiet suburban setting – but you find yourself among three households that are anything but normal. Klara and Troy are mismatched; Mary who is reconnecting with loss in an empty childhood room; and Henry is restless and watchful after losing his job. The author hides the threads of connection among the three families well. When those threads finally snap into place, the collision is quiet at first but devastating. This is a chilling domestic thriller. I also feel like she did a great job with character development and the twists! Everything about this was believable including the ending. This is a great example of how well people hide what they are capable of.

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for this sneak peak! Publication date is February 10, 2026.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Omg this was so good! I couldn’t put it down. Ms Murphy does an excellent job of writing twists you don’t see coming.

While a tale about seemingly disparate storylines of three characters living in a “safe” neighborhood, the reader comes to discover how intricately their lives are intertwined. Told through three different POVS, Ms. Murphy writes compelling characters that have you craving for more of them. I found her writing to be really engaging and couldn’t put the novel down, craving to find out what sort of resolution was in store for these characters. A fast paced, engaging novel I would recommend for thriller lovers.