A good deed can turn deadly…
When Liam unexpectedly turns up in Jude’s life after ten years of no contact, asking her for a favour, she just can’t say no. He was her first love, and even though she is now a successful doctor and about to get married, he will always be someone special to her.
But after she does the favour, she is contacted by the police, informing her that Liam has been found dead, and suddenly she is caught up in a murder investigation.
And she realises this one decision could cost her everything – even her life…
Read some great reviews from our Preview readers here:
The Favour by Nicci French was a catchy book that started with a simple favour that spiralled out of control. What would you do if a person from your past asked you a favour? It might seem small but what flow-on effects might come out of this? This is something that the main character Jude does not consider when Liam asks for a favour after years of no contact. Jude’s character is well-written and believable. It shows how one small decision can impact your entire life. I loved this book and the twists and turns! You never quite knew what was coming next! Melissa, QLD, 5 Stars
What does someone do if their first love turns up after ten years and asks you to do him a favour? If your name is Dr Jude Winter, you drop everything including your friends, your job and soon to be husband and head off to meet ex-lover, Liam, in a small town outside London. The Favour was full of intrigue from the first page—fast-paced and exciting with a number of reveals I didn’t see coming. I can strongly recommend The Favour —it doesn’t disappoint. Annette, QLD, 5 Stars
I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone. 5 stars!! Angie, QLD, 5 Stars
A face-paced thriller, I couldn’t put the book down. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and will seek out other novels by the same author. Luciana, WA, 5 Stars
How goodwill became so deadly and the entanglement in others lies and deceptions to learn what really is the truth. This lives with us every day and ‘The Favour’ can show how easily we believe what is loyalty and devotion and is in actuality lies and deception. Joan, VIC, 5 stars
Ever wondered what you would do if someone out of your past turned up suddenly and asked you for a favour? This latest from Nicci French explores what happens when the main character, Jude, says yes, despite having no idea what that former lover, Liam, has been up to for the last 11 years. From there on, everything that could possibly go wrong, does go wrong! It’s well worth the journey through the book as the authors deftly take us through one disaster after another before bringing about the resolution Jude needs, with an unexpected twist. I loved this. The Favour is a great read! Chris, QLD, 5 Stars
This is the first book in a while that I have not wanted to put down. I just wanted to keep turning the pages to find out what happened, all the while my mind screaming “why”! Walking the journey with Jude begging her to back away, all along questioning whodunit. it’s well written, will be reading more of Nicci French’s books. Really enjoyed The Favour. Michelle, QLD, 5 Stars
We have all done stupid things we regret as a teenager. If we’re lucky, we get away with it and never look back. But what happens if it comes looking for you? A must-read that will have you yelling at the main character as if she was running up the stairs in a horror movie! Train wreck after train wreck, you can’t look away and you don’t know where you will be in 5 pages. So many lovable and loathsome characters you won’t know who to trust. Seriously you won’t be able to put this book down! Mary, SA, 5 Stars
Have you ever wondered what you would do if your first love walked back into your life? What if they asked you for a favour? Maybe their life didn’t work out as well as yours. How much would you risk to help them out? If you have ever pondered this then this book will have you hooked from the start. I picked it up on Boxing Day afternoon and couldn’t put it down!! A really exciting and twisty page-turner that leaves you desperately trying to guess what happens. Highly recommend. 10/10. Yasmin, NSW, 5 Stars
Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review this wonderful book. It has been a while since I have read a thriller that has kept me guessing and kept me intrigued enough to keep reading well past bedtime. I am a slow reader but finished this book in record time for me. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good thriller. The story itself was a little different from the norm, it really made you keep asking yourself – OMG what would I do if that happened to me? Sandra, QLD, 4 Stars
If you like a page-turner that keeps you guessing until the end, then ‘The Favour’ by Nicci French is the book for you. Throughout the story, the reader is kept at a distance from immediately knowing the internal motivations of the characters, until we begin to discover more of the underlying secrets that prompt the actions of the main character, Jude, as well as others throughout the story. As pieces of the puzzle slotted into place, the more I felt this is a book I could enjoy re-reading as there are no simple or easy answers once you begin to delve beneath the surface narrative. Jude’s motivations are continually questioned by others, and I too had that desire to understand burning in my brain and prompting me to keep turning pages. A clever storyline, interesting characters and settings, and no neat and tidy answers to everything make this a book that would be great to discuss with friends or at a book club. Lisa, QLD, 4 Stars
This being my first Nicci French novel, I really enjoyed the twists and turns of this book. I did find the reason for Jude doing the favour a tad stretched the limits of believability as she stands to lose a lot by doing this favour for an old boyfriend/first love she hasn’t seen in years, but there is a twist in the book that sort of explains it. We go back in time a few times to explain her motivation. I did find many of the characters she comes across in the novel to be quite unlikeable and I’m not sure why Jude seemed to be drawn in by them. Perhaps with Jude being a doctor, it is in her nature to try to ‘help’ or ‘save’ people which goes some way to explain it. The story does drag on a little bit but if you can suspend your disbelief that Jude, as an intelligent woman, doesn’t spot the red flags it is worth a look. Overall the book had enough twists to keep me guessing which doesn’t always happen in crime novels and I enjoyed the ending. I would definitely read more Nicci French novels. Debra, NSW, 4 Stars
This was my first time reading anything by the team known as Nicci French. It’s the story of two people reconnecting after 11 years, having made very different lives for themselves in that time. The writers are obviously skillful and the novel started well with an interesting premise. It was a page-turner and I read it quickly as it definitely had me wanting for more. The plot, however, seemed to be increasingly unbelievable. Initially, I wondered why Jude would take on this ‘Favour’ but this was explained by events long ago. It seemed unlikely that she would want to spend time with an eccentric and sinister group of people but perhaps that could be explained by the intrigue of their bohemian household. The plot definitely wore a bit thin when she was trying to leave the household but one thing after another kept her there. I was thinking ‘Just walk out the door!’ Overall, I enjoyed it. Would be great for a beach or plane read. Thank you Good Reading for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. Jane, VIC, 4 Stars
An intriguing thriller that was filled with twists and turns. I couldn’t put this book down. The ending came as a complete surprise which was very novel as I usually figure out who the killer is. Definitely, one to add to your TBR pile. Nicole, NSW, 4 Stars
‘I want you to do me a favour.’ Jude is a doctor, working in geriatrics in London, and about to marry. As she finishes her shift one morning, she is told that someone is waiting to see her. It’s Liam, her first boyfriend, whom she’s not seen for over ten years. Liam wants a favour. Twist after twist kept me reading. Yes, I had to suspend quite a lot of disbelief while I was turning the pages as Jude followed poor decisions with worse ones, but I was intrigued to see how it would end. Plenty of secrets and lots of tension make for an absorbing page-turner. Jennifer, ACT, 4 Stars
Nicci French is a well-known author, but I don’t think I’ve ever read one of her books before. IThe plot line was a little unbelievable in places, though some of my concerns were addressed as I read on. That aside, it was very readable, and I enjoyed my first foray into Nicci French’s work. I will definitely go back and look for some of her older work. Karen, VIC, 4 Stars
Thank you Better Reading for an advance copy of this book. I have read other books by the duo who write under the name and had high expectations. Unfortunately, I couldn’t really believe the premise, and it takes a while for the reason for accepting the favor to become clear, but it still doesn’t ring true to me. Having said that, once you accept that it doesn’t seem particularly realistic, and just go with the flow, it is a good weekend read. Pamela QLD, 3 Stars
I have read a number of Nicci French book in the past and have quite enjoyed them, so I found myself disappointed when this one just didn’t hit the mark for me. While the bones of the plot were there, I could not make myself relate to the main character or believe that anyone would be as gullible as they were. Even after the ‘twist’ that was supposed to justify her actions was revealed, I just could not connect to her or rationalise her actions. Mel, NSW, 3 Stars
I have been a fan of Nicci French novels for many years but unfortunately, this one seemed far-fetched in plot and characters. Dr. Jude Winter, a respected doctor runs into an old flame one night and agrees to a very odd-sounding favour at the drop of a hat….then lies about it to her fiancée. The writing is fine as always but the story didn’t draw me in as I couldn’t relate to the characters or understand why they behaved as they did. Thanks to Better Reading for the ARC. Lesley, QLD, 3 Stars
The Favour by Nicci French was an interesting tale of a young doctor dragged into a devious plot by her ex-teenage boyfriend. Despite the fact that it was quite unbelievable that Jude would calmly accept to do the favour without a lot more questions, the story still gripped the reader. Just what was happening was hard to fathom as the plot continuously twisted and Jude was led into different scenarios. I’m not sure that Jude was portrayed well, could she really have been so naïve? The plot was sound and the many twists kept the reader interested. It was a good solid read. Michael, ACT, 3 Stars
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