Thank you Minotaur / Netgalley #partner, for the advanced copy of The Favor in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Published: May 31, 2022
Summary:
A gripping debut domestic suspense novel, The Favor explores with compassion and depth what can happen when women pushed to the limit take matters into their own hands.
Staying is dangerous. Leaving could be worse.
Leah and McKenna have never met, though they have parallel lives.
They don’t—ever—find themselves in the same train carriage or meet accidentally at the gym or the coffee shop. They don’t—ever—discuss their problems and find common ground. They don’t—ever—acknowledge to each other that although their lives have all the trappings of success, wealth and happiness, they are, in fact, trapped.
Because Leah understands that what’s inside a home can be more dangerous than what’s outside. Driving past McKenna’s house one night, she sees what she knows only too well herself from her own marriage: McKenna’s “perfect” husband is not what he seems. She decides to keep an eye out for McKenna, until one night, she intervenes.
Leah and McKenna have never met. But they will.
My thoughts:
There have been some pretty amazing debuts this year and I am thrilled to say this one from Nora Murphy is definitely one of them. Right from the beginning I was captivated and that never let up…and that is all due to the writing!
There are many books out there that deal with domestic abuse, but none that handle it like this. I loved the way the characters, Leah and McKenna were developed and how they played off each other. It was so clever to have them help each other, yet never meet each other. This is the type of book that just grabs you and you find yourself silently rooting for them without even realizing it.
Be prepared to be totally consumed with this book once you start it. The pace is pitch-perfect with just the right amount of suspense thrown in, and the perspectives we get here are just so eye-opening. Telling the story from the point of view of the abused is what really sets this apart and when you read the author’s note it really makes it all the more impactful. As I already stated, this debut really stood out for me and I see big things coming for this author…I’ll be eagerly awaiting her next book!
