The Favor

Lawyer Leah Dawson and pediatrician McKenna Hawkins, the protagonists of Murphy’s claustrophobic debut, appear to have idyllic lives, but both are trapped in abusive marriages. Nine months earlier, Leah’s husband, Liam, got her fired so she could concentrate on being a perfect wife. McKenna’s husband, Zack, made her quit working after she miscarried so she could focus on starting the family she no longer wants. Leah and McKenna are strangers, but when Leah sees McKenna in the liquor store one afternoon, she senses a kinship and tails McKenna home to an upscale neighborhood near her own. Liam is away, so Leah spends several evenings watching through windows as Zack menaces McKenna. Leah’s anonymous 911 call accomplishes nothing, so when Zack’s threats turn to violence, Leah intervenes, altering both women’s fates. Though the men in Murphy’s story lack dimension, Leah and McKenna are fully realized characters whose anger, fear, and despair are palpable. A kaleidoscopic narrative amplifies tension and imparts nuance by examining the two households from inside and out. Murphy paints a powerful portrait of domestic abuse. Agent: Helen Heller, Helen Heller Agency (Canada). (May)