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Greybridge Noir Mysteries #1
Favor for the Dead
Favor for the Dead
A Greybridge Noir Mystery — Book 1 in a 7-Book Standalone Series
A past buried in blood. A woman who vanished twice. And a detective with everything to lose.
When Jack Mercer receives a letter from a woman long believed dead, the cryptic cold case he thought he buried with her body claws its way back to the surface. Eva Delaney was once his informant. Then his mistake. Now she’s a corpse in a motel room — except she knew she would be.
As Mercer hunts the truth, he uncovers a trail of clues Eva left behind — lipstick, matchbooks, a single name written in her old Glass. But someone is watching. And the deeper Mercer digs, the closer he gets to the rot inside his own department — and an unsolved murder case file someone wants to stay buried.
In a city built on secrets, the lie might be the only thing keeping him alive.
Perfect for fans of private investigator mysteries, neo-noir books, and dark murder mystery case files, this short, chilling read will leave you questioning what’s buried — and what’s still alive.
👉 A Favor for the Dead is a gritty, atmospheric noir mystery — a fast-paced, 30-minute read perfect for fans of dark crime fiction and buried secrets you can finish in one sitting.
📖 Continue the investigation in Greybridge The Complete Case Files — all seven mysteries in one volume. Available in Kindle Unlimited.
A Greybridge Noir Mystery — Book 1 in a 7-Book Standalone Series
A past buried in blood. A woman who vanished twice. And a detective with everything to lose.
When Jack Mercer receives a letter from a woman long believed dead, the cryptic cold case he thought he buried with her body claws its way back to the surface. Eva Delaney was once his informant. Then his mistake. Now she’s a corpse in a motel room — except she knew she would be.
As Mercer hunts the truth, he uncovers a trail of clues Eva left behind — lipstick, matchbooks, a single name written in her old Glass. But someone is watching. And the deeper Mercer digs, the closer he gets to the rot inside his own department — and an unsolved murder case file someone wants to stay buried.
In a city built on secrets, the lie might be the only thing keeping him alive.
Perfect for fans of private investigator mysteries, neo-noir books, and dark murder mystery case files, this short, chilling read will leave you questioning what’s buried — and what’s still alive.
👉 A Favor for the Dead is a gritty, atmospheric noir mystery — a fast-paced, 30-minute read perfect for fans of dark crime fiction and buried secrets you can finish in one sitting.
📖 Continue the investigation in Greybridge The Complete Case Files — all seven mysteries in one volume. Available in Kindle Unlimited.
26 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 24, 2025
6 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
About the author
Todd Morgan
14 books6 followersTodd Morgan didn’t plan to become an author. One book turned into dozens — each shaped by real life, hard-earned lessons, and a deep belief that struggle can be turned into something meaningful.
His first title, Smart Strategies for Better Living, became a #1 bestseller during its free promotional launch, connecting with thousands of readers seeking practical, down-to-earth guidance.
Since then, Todd has created three guided-journal series focused on healing and resilience: Life, Rewritten (families navigating separation and change), Toxic Ties (recovering from damaging relationships), and Rebuilding After… (starting over after life’s hardest moments). Each book is designed to help readers feel seen, supported, and a little stronger by the end.
Todd is also the author of the Greybridge Noir Mystery series, a seven-book collection of dark, standalone stories featuring detective Jack Mercer. Gritty and atmospheric, the series explores cold cases, buried secrets, and the psychological cost of uncovering the truth.
His fiction includes The Last Quiet Move, a full-length murder mystery blending psychological suspense with a puzzle-driven plot, and Northern Bite, a psychological crime story driven by atmosphere, moral ambiguity, and quiet tension.
Through it all, Todd writes with one goal in mind: to create work that matters — and to keep going.
His first title, Smart Strategies for Better Living, became a #1 bestseller during its free promotional launch, connecting with thousands of readers seeking practical, down-to-earth guidance.
Since then, Todd has created three guided-journal series focused on healing and resilience: Life, Rewritten (families navigating separation and change), Toxic Ties (recovering from damaging relationships), and Rebuilding After… (starting over after life’s hardest moments). Each book is designed to help readers feel seen, supported, and a little stronger by the end.
Todd is also the author of the Greybridge Noir Mystery series, a seven-book collection of dark, standalone stories featuring detective Jack Mercer. Gritty and atmospheric, the series explores cold cases, buried secrets, and the psychological cost of uncovering the truth.
His fiction includes The Last Quiet Move, a full-length murder mystery blending psychological suspense with a puzzle-driven plot, and Northern Bite, a psychological crime story driven by atmosphere, moral ambiguity, and quiet tension.
Through it all, Todd writes with one goal in mind: to create work that matters — and to keep going.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 12, 2025
I loved how the author crafts his words. Not a lot of frills but every word has meaning. I could picture this world so well in my mind. The secrets and clues had me turning the pages. Everything is so corrupted. The story ended too soon but Mercer just may be the luckiest guy out of the bunch as he walks away.
January 1, 2026
Favor for the Dead - Todd Morgan
I was given a copy of this story by the author in order to provide an honest review.
Todd Morgan is a Canadian author and has seen success with books such as “Smart Strategies for Better Living”. Todd has also written a crime series known as The Greybridge Noir Mystery series. Todd’s one goal when writing is to create something that matters and to keep going.
Jack Mercer is a cop, a tired cop, and the last thing he needs is to be looking into a murder that was closed, marked as a robbery gone wrong.
Yet after a letter is delivered to him, supposedly from the very woman that was killed in this robbery gone wrong, Jack knows he needs to look closer.
This woman, Eva Delaney, was someone he knows, an informant he was meant to look after. In the past she had saved him, covered a mistake and now that favour he owes her – it's time to pay.
Jack knows that doing this, digging into what really happened to Eva, that will bring to light things from the past that the Department would rather keep hidden – but Jack knows he must do the right thing, even if it will ruin him.
“Favor for the Dead” is a short gritty crime story. Besides the fact that this story is quite a short story, it does manage to pack in intriguing plot lines with a few mysterious twists and turns. Honestly, my only criticism of this story is how short it was. Eva’s story really piqued my interest. Time will tell I suppose if Jack is able to discover the truth and right an old wrong.
I was given a copy of this story by the author in order to provide an honest review.
Todd Morgan is a Canadian author and has seen success with books such as “Smart Strategies for Better Living”. Todd has also written a crime series known as The Greybridge Noir Mystery series. Todd’s one goal when writing is to create something that matters and to keep going.
Jack Mercer is a cop, a tired cop, and the last thing he needs is to be looking into a murder that was closed, marked as a robbery gone wrong.
Yet after a letter is delivered to him, supposedly from the very woman that was killed in this robbery gone wrong, Jack knows he needs to look closer.
This woman, Eva Delaney, was someone he knows, an informant he was meant to look after. In the past she had saved him, covered a mistake and now that favour he owes her – it's time to pay.
Jack knows that doing this, digging into what really happened to Eva, that will bring to light things from the past that the Department would rather keep hidden – but Jack knows he must do the right thing, even if it will ruin him.
“Favor for the Dead” is a short gritty crime story. Besides the fact that this story is quite a short story, it does manage to pack in intriguing plot lines with a few mysterious twists and turns. Honestly, my only criticism of this story is how short it was. Eva’s story really piqued my interest. Time will tell I suppose if Jack is able to discover the truth and right an old wrong.
December 15, 2025
Short but intriguing, twisty and raw!
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and while this is a short story so much was packed in its few pages. This is a story of an informant who was killed and Jack Mercer who had a past with the informant.
So much history and knowledge of the past and things that were said and done which could change everything.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and while this is a short story so much was packed in its few pages. This is a story of an informant who was killed and Jack Mercer who had a past with the informant.
So much history and knowledge of the past and things that were said and done which could change everything.
December 10, 2025
A razor-sharp, atmospheric noir that pulls you under and doesn’t let go.
This short story delivers a tightly wound mystery packed with tension, grief, and the kind of moral decay that clings to every shadow. Jack Mercer is a compelling lead — a detective haunted not just by a past mistake, but by a woman who refuses to stay dead. Eva Delaney’s reappearance, both impossible and inevitable, drives the narrative with a chilling momentum.
The trail she leaves behind — lipstick, matchbooks, a single name — feels like stepping stones across a dark river, each clue deepening the intrigue. The story excels at mood: smoky bars, whispered threats, and a police department where rot runs deep. The pacing keeps you turning pages, and while the plot twists come fast, they never feel cheap.
If there’s a flaw, it’s only that the story is so short you’re left wanting more time with the characters and the world. But as a neo-noir snapshot soaked in blood, secrets, and betrayal, it hits hard.
This short story delivers a tightly wound mystery packed with tension, grief, and the kind of moral decay that clings to every shadow. Jack Mercer is a compelling lead — a detective haunted not just by a past mistake, but by a woman who refuses to stay dead. Eva Delaney’s reappearance, both impossible and inevitable, drives the narrative with a chilling momentum.
The trail she leaves behind — lipstick, matchbooks, a single name — feels like stepping stones across a dark river, each clue deepening the intrigue. The story excels at mood: smoky bars, whispered threats, and a police department where rot runs deep. The pacing keeps you turning pages, and while the plot twists come fast, they never feel cheap.
If there’s a flaw, it’s only that the story is so short you’re left wanting more time with the characters and the world. But as a neo-noir snapshot soaked in blood, secrets, and betrayal, it hits hard.
December 20, 2025
no spoilers
Favor for the Dead feels like stepping into a city where the past never really stays buried—it just waits in the shadows, patient and bitter. Todd Morgan writes with a quiet confidence, letting the mystery breathe instead of rushing it, and the result is a noir story that feels heavy with regret and unfinished business. There’s a constant sense that every answer uncovered only sharpens the unease, as if the truth itself might be more dangerous than ignorance. The atmosphere does a lot of the work here: rain-soaked streets, whispered secrets, and a protagonist who carries his history like a wound that never quite heals. It’s the kind of book that doesn’t rely on spectacle, but on mood and tension, pulling you deeper with each page until you realize the mystery isn’t just about the dead—it’s about what the living are still trying to outrun.
Favor for the Dead feels like stepping into a city where the past never really stays buried—it just waits in the shadows, patient and bitter. Todd Morgan writes with a quiet confidence, letting the mystery breathe instead of rushing it, and the result is a noir story that feels heavy with regret and unfinished business. There’s a constant sense that every answer uncovered only sharpens the unease, as if the truth itself might be more dangerous than ignorance. The atmosphere does a lot of the work here: rain-soaked streets, whispered secrets, and a protagonist who carries his history like a wound that never quite heals. It’s the kind of book that doesn’t rely on spectacle, but on mood and tension, pulling you deeper with each page until you realize the mystery isn’t just about the dead—it’s about what the living are still trying to outrun.
December 20, 2025
My first Mystery
I liked the story over all. Well what I assume is the beginning of a larger story.
I want to say it's way to short. I did however like the fact I could actually begin and finish it. My attention span has not been the best and I am very much a mood reader who hadn't finished anything since summer. But it would have been nice to have a bit more.
I don't really enjoy the amount of times like is used to give more detail about something in a row. That's just a personal thought though and doesn't really take away from the book.
Overall though it kept me interested. It created a setting and somewhat of a foundation. I'm interested to read the next one and see where it goes. Keep in mind This is not my usual and is in fact my first Mystery book. -JustJC
I liked the story over all. Well what I assume is the beginning of a larger story.
I want to say it's way to short. I did however like the fact I could actually begin and finish it. My attention span has not been the best and I am very much a mood reader who hadn't finished anything since summer. But it would have been nice to have a bit more.
I don't really enjoy the amount of times like is used to give more detail about something in a row. That's just a personal thought though and doesn't really take away from the book.
Overall though it kept me interested. It created a setting and somewhat of a foundation. I'm interested to read the next one and see where it goes. Keep in mind This is not my usual and is in fact my first Mystery book. -JustJC
December 15, 2025
If you like a short Sherlock Holmes-ish story you’ll like this book.
This is written like it was a beginning of a movie. In such a short book with just enough details and yet it seemed I was there in the shadows watching this detective trying to solve a case.
My only criticism is that it was very short. But to make you feel like you are there from the very beginning, I enjoyed that experience.
This is written like it was a beginning of a movie. In such a short book with just enough details and yet it seemed I was there in the shadows watching this detective trying to solve a case.
My only criticism is that it was very short. But to make you feel like you are there from the very beginning, I enjoyed that experience.
January 29, 2026
This was my first book by this author. I usually don’t enjoy heavy description, but I genuinely loved how his words set the tone and brought the setting to life. I felt fully immersed alongside the main character. The mystery kept me turning pages, though I was still left feeling a bit lost by the end.
February 4, 2026
Favor For The Dead is a short story about a woman Eva Delaney who is murdered by someone unknown to detective Jack Mercer. She saved him from being killed and asked for a favor in return. That favor? Don’t let them bury me with the truth. What could she possibly mean by that? Jack Mercer wants to know too. This story was short and to the point and leaves you on the edge of your seat wanting more
November 30, 2025
If you want to feel like you're the side kick helping solve a mystery, thus book is for you. It reminds me of the old black and white detective shows. The way it's written, the way it reads, I loved it. No excessive details here. Clear, concise, and to the point. GREAT READ!
December 13, 2025
Fast Paced and Gripping!
This is a fast paced, gripping story following Jack Mercier and him being haunted by a case that is closed but just isn’t sitting right with him! A lot packed into this and can’t wait to read more!
This is a fast paced, gripping story following Jack Mercier and him being haunted by a case that is closed but just isn’t sitting right with him! A lot packed into this and can’t wait to read more!
December 19, 2025
I’m sold! Love how the stage has been set for the series! Quick read, under 30 minutes. The descriptive imagery is on point.
Quote that stood out for me: “You think the truth is a scalpel, but it’s a wrecking ball. You want to swing it, you’d better be ready to take the whole house down.”
Quote that stood out for me: “You think the truth is a scalpel, but it’s a wrecking ball. You want to swing it, you’d better be ready to take the whole house down.”
January 18, 2026
Great quick and short thriller mystery. It’s a series so I’m looking forward to reading them all. They follow the detective throughout the series. I enjoyed the way the author writes. Even though it was short there’s enough information for you to capture the story.
January 29, 2026
Leaves you wanting more.
It was great introduction to a series. I am intrigued to find out more details. The scene set brought to mind the old detective movies with the intense horned soundtrack in the background.
It was great introduction to a series. I am intrigued to find out more details. The scene set brought to mind the old detective movies with the intense horned soundtrack in the background.
March 27, 2026
Page turner!
Really enjoyed this story. To me, it was an old 1930s feel, but still modern! Love the way the story is set up and the way the characters build and become more i depth. Great read!
Really enjoyed this story. To me, it was an old 1930s feel, but still modern! Love the way the story is set up and the way the characters build and become more i depth. Great read!
December 9, 2025
Fast paced thriller book. This little book was perfect to cleanse the pallet, it was such a fun read. I really enjoyed it. I can't wait to read the rest of his books.
December 16, 2025
Fast paced, straight to story, Detective Mercer had doubts about Eva case.
Corruption and lies. Can’t wait to read the rest of this standalone Series
Corruption and lies. Can’t wait to read the rest of this standalone Series
January 6, 2026
What an awesome quick mystery and with quick suspense.
February 21, 2026
The quotes in this book are so good. Imma go binge this author now.
December 15, 2025
The writing was descriptive which I enjoyed. To be honest I was lost, concerning the story. This isn’t my genre though.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews