Ours Is a Tale of Murder

 

Ours Is a Tale of Murder by Nora Murphy
2/10/26; 384 pages
Sourcebooks Landmark

Ours Is a Tale of Murder by Nora Murphy is a highly recommended domestic psychological suspense novel following three different families.

Klara Martin and Troy Weston are both lawyers who have a whirlwind romance and quickly marry. Troy surprises Klara with a house in Hawthorne Heights where the two settle in after their honeymoon and Klara leaves her job. Their relationship becomes increasingly unsettling. 

In the same neighborhood Mary, a retired teacher, is clearing out her home to sell. She reminiscences about her beloved son Owen and her many regrets over her late husband Ed.   

Henry is a grown man living in the basement of his parents home after losing his job months earlier. He keeps watch on the neighborhood, especially watching Klara, Troy, and Mary. Henry has a long history of stalking women.

These three stories unfold, followed by a big twist in part two of the well-written novel which happens relatively late in the narrative, where the perspective of everything shifts. There is no doubt that the slow-burning novel does hold your attention from the start but following the three different stories/characters and their points-of-view is really telling three divergent stories until late in the novel where the big twist happens about 2/3rd the way through. At this point the narrative changes and events coalesce into the tale of murder. 

The novel is character driven, but none of the characters are particularly likeable. Their reliability is questionable, they all are flawed, dysfunctional, and secrets abound, which is all an essential part of the plot. The tone of the whole atmospheric novel is heavy, unsettling, and gloomy. Additionally, you will have to suspend some disbelief along the way. This may be a totally personal feeling, but in my opinion misandry pervades this plot and this left me with a dubious opinion early on while reading. In the end the opening warning and title of the book. "Ours is a tale of murder" comes to fruition. 

Ours Is a Tale of Murder is a good choice for those who enjoy slowly building psychological suspense novels. Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.