The Favor

London physician Jude Winter, the protagonist of this slow-moving suspense novel from the pseudonymous French (The Unheard), is planning her wedding when, after 11 years of no contact, her first love, Liam Birch, comes to see her and asks for a favor. All she has to do is drive his car to an Airbnb in Norfolk, where he has already left his luggage and will join her. “I wouldn’t ask you to do anything wrong,” he assures her. While she waits for him to arrive, the phone in Liam’s bag rings. It’s the police, who have bad news about Liam. At this point, Jude’s life begins to unravel. The police believe that she was involved in some scheme with Liam and was establishing an alibi for him. This version of the story is leaked to the media. Hounded by the press, shunned by her colleagues, berated by her angry fiancé, and constantly scrutinized by the police, Jude decides to find out who her teenage sweetheart really was. Illogical plot points, such as an educated woman like Jude agreeing to Liam’s request, make suspending disbelief difficult. Dyed-in-the-wool French fans will stay the course, others will not. Agent: Joy Harris, Joy Harris Literary. (Oct.)