A Simple Favor

A Simple Favor is often described as a noir novel. Noir is a specific subgenre of the crime genre and can also be considered a psychological thriller. Noir fiction often features intricate plots with truths that are revealed in layers. People are not who they appear to be, and the narrative is filled with secrets and plot twists.

The noir subgenre is also recognizable by its dark tone, and in these narratives, sex and violence are often intertwined. The moral ambiguity or flexibility of the characters is another feature of noir. Darcey Bell draws attention to these noir characteristics in A Simple Favor by referencing noir fiction and film classics to draw the connection to the genre.

Many of Bell’s noir references are to Patricia Highsmith and her work. Highsmith was a psychological thriller and crime novelist whose work delved into noir conventions. Highsmith’s best-known work is her novel The Talented Mr. Ripley, published in 1955. This novel and four later Ripley books have become known as the Ripliad and cemented Highsmith’s reputation as a master of psychological thrillers. Her first novel, Strangers on a Train, was published in 1950 and adapted into