Author: Nora Murphy
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Released: May 31, 2022
Received: NetGalley
Warnings: Domestic violence/abuse

Nora Murphy’s debut novel, The Favor, is domestic suspense with a dash of psychological thriller. In other words, it’s the perfect balance of the two, and it’s just waiting for new readers to come along.

Leah and McKenna could be twins for the situations they are in. Yet they never talk, never commiserate, and certainly never try to plan a way out together. Both women seem to have a perfect life, at least on the surface. Yet both are equally trapped.

For this reason, Leah decided to keep an eye out for McKenna, watching over her from the shadows. That is, until the night she decided to step in and intervene. Then everything changed.

The Favor is an intense read, to put it mildly. If my description didn’t make it clear enough, both characters (Leah and McKenna) are victims of domestic abuse. Their stories revolve around this plot, so you can’t avoid it. If this is upsetting to you, I would strongly suggest you look for another book to read.

That said, I absolutely adore how Nora Murphy portrays both leading characters. They feel so real and so painfully…human. It’s inescapable, making the situations they are in all the more painful, as I’m sure was the intention.

There were times when the violence got to be a bit much, which is why I wanted to bring it up early in my review. I still found it worth reading, though I can see why many readers would feel the opposite.

Thanks to Minotaur Books and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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