Bryan Murphy

Biography

Bryan Murphy is a writer from Kent, England. He has lived and worked in Africa, Asia and Europe. Bryan recently retired from a job as a translator and editor within the United Nations system, and now concentrates on his own words. He divides his time among England, Portugal, the wider world and cyberspace.

Smashwords Interview

What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
Seeing my words on the screen as I type them in and thinking “Someone is going to read this”.
What's the story behind your latest book?
Houlihan’s Wake is set in the fictitious former-hippy hangout of Playa Chisme (“Gossip Beach”) on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. The first time I visited the real place, I noticed a middle-aged man sitting on the beach in the lotus position, bare-headed under the noonday sun. When I asked about him, I was told that he was a US citizen who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had decided to come to Playa Chisme in order to die in a beautiful place. The last time I visited, years later, he was still there. I took up the idea of someone going to a beautiful place in order to die, and finding it remarkably hard to do so. Houlihan, though, is young and healthy except in his mind. Like Joyce’s Finnegan, he gets to attend a party that could have been his own funeral.
Read more of this interview.

Where to buy in print

Series

Franco Tira
In the future Rome, retired spy Franco Tira is forced to come to terms with the ghosts from his nasty past.
Murder By Suicide
Price: Free!
SuperOldie
Price: Free!

Books

SuperOldie
Series: Franco Tira. Price: Free! Words: 6,830. Language: English. Published: December 6, 2015 . Categories: Fiction » Humor & comedy » Black comedy, Fiction » Science fiction » General
(5.00 from 1 review)
Retired spy Franco Tira saves an old Englishman, Charlie Dunpy, from poison meant for himself. Charlie has dementia, but also unusual powers that Franco wants to harness to protect himself against killers seeking revenge for his own past misdeeds. Will Charlie help him? Will his powers keep them both alive?
Linehan's Ordeal
Series: Sean Linehan. Price: Free! Words: 9,250. Language: English. Published: April 20, 2015 . Categories: Fiction » Literature » Literary, Fiction » Science fiction » General
(4.33 from 3 reviews)
Sean Linehan brings over his dead boss to Hong Kong to open Asia’s finest sports venue. Captivated by the alluring Hypatia, Sean gets kidnapped by Maoist guerrillas. His government will not pay a ransom. Can he stay alive long enough to fulfil his quest to become good? Dark humour and subtle satire enrich this tale of our all-too-near future.
Angels Versus Virgins
Price: Free! Words: 4,590. Language: British English. Published: February 2, 2015 . Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » Utopias & dystopias, Fiction » Coming of age
(5.00 from 2 reviews)
A young man with a mission: to get himself killed, to subvert the established order in the name of the one true faith. What can come between him and the virgins he has been promised, if not the Angels in his heart? Dark humour lightens this tale of teenage longing taken to the extreme.
Houlihan's Wake
Price: Free! Words: 9,300. Language: British English. Published: November 17, 2013 . Categories: Fiction » Literature » Literary, Poetry » Contemporary Poetry
(5.00 from 1 review)
Can a young man succeed in dying amid the splendour of Mexico?
Madeleine's Drug
Price: Free! Words: 7,010. Language: British English. Published: October 14, 2013 . Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » Utopias & dystopias, Fiction » Literature » Literary
The future: work is a luxury, mating a duty and sex a drug. What will you take to survive?
Addio pioggia limpida
Series: Daria Rigoletti - italiano. Price: Free! Words: 2,410. Language: Italian. Published: June 28, 2013 . Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » Utopias & dystopias, Fiction » Urban
Uno stato canaglia in agonia. Un uomo con una missione: salvare i figli dei suoi migliori amici. A che prezzo? E basterà? Chi è la misteriosa intermediaria, fredda ma sensuale? Un "prequel" di "Padania addio" per presentarvi Daria Rigoletti.
Breakaway
Series: Daria Rigoletti. Price: Free! Words: 3,730. Language: English. Published: June 17, 2013 . Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » Utopias & dystopias, Fiction » Thriller & suspense » Psychological thriller
(5.00 from 2 reviews)
An independent state carved out of Italy is sliding into bloody chaos. A United Nations campus protects refugees. A foreign worker pursues a mission: to save the two children of his closest friends from murderous racist thugs. He is ready to pay any price, but will it be enough? Download and find out.
Linehan Saves
Series: Sean Linehan, Book 2. Price: Free! Words: 5,470. Language: English. Published: June 6, 2013 . Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » Utopias & dystopias, Fiction » Sports
(5.00 from 2 reviews)
The year is 2020. China has sentenced corrupt soccer players and officials to death in a crackdown. The world body sends Seán Linehan to save them. As usual, Linehan has his own agenda: no girls, art or money this time. He wants to be good. But China strews his path with temptations. Dark Future, good reading.
Heresy
Price: Free! Words: 4,380. Language: English. Published: March 13, 2013 . Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » Utopias & dystopias, Fiction » Literature » Literary
(4.50 from 2 reviews)
A riveting tale of a not-so-distant future in which who you are is what you eat. And loyalty depends on sharing, or refusing to share, blood. Literally. Dark Future, good reading.
Murder By Suicide
Series: Franco Tira. Price: Free! Words: 3,150. Language: English. Published: February 5, 2013 . Categories: Fiction » Thriller & suspense » Spies & espionage, Fiction » Science fiction » General
(4.67 from 3 reviews)
A rare visitor to a hospice near Rome draws out macabre reminiscences from inmate Franco Tira, whose life changed when the day-to-day business of disposing of dissidents got personal. A gripping, illusion-free look at people we license to kill.
Padania addio
Series: Daria Rigoletti - italiano. Price: $2.99 USD. Words: 13,090. Language: Italian. Published: November 29, 2012 . Categories: Fiction » Thriller & suspense » Psychological thriller, Fiction » Science fiction » Utopias & dystopias
In uno stato immaginario prossimo venturo che si è separato dall’Italia, una giovane donna tenta di emanciparsi dal ruolo che il destino sembra averle riservato: quello di killer professionista. Sullo sfondo di uno stato canaglia in agonia, Daria Rigoletti si trasforma prima in una contrabbandiera di esseri umani, poi in una cult leader. Ma le circostanze tramano contro di lei.
Goodbye, Padania
Series: Daria Rigoletti. Price: $2.99 USD. Words: 13,120. Language: English. Published: October 28, 2012 . Categories: Fiction » Thriller & suspense » Psychological thriller, Fiction » Science fiction » Utopias & dystopias
(4.50 from 2 reviews)
Daria is a young woman from the south of Italy. Seduced by a priest, she never forgets and never forgives. Years later, in an independent, racist state carved out of Italy, she has a contract to fulfil: a contract to kill. The look in her victim Mercurio’s eyes stops her, and now Daria herself is on the run. She does everything to give up killing, but can she?
Linehan's Trip
Series: Sean Linehan, Book 1. Price: Free! Words: 5,060. Language: English. Published: July 3, 2012 . Categories: Fiction » Sports, Fiction » Science fiction » Utopias & dystopias
(4.17 from 6 reviews)
Italy, but not as we know it. Racists have come to power and even a church can burn. Sports executive Sean Linehan arrives on official business, with his own agenda involving art, girls and money. How will our anti-hero react when the new nation reveals dark secrets?

Bryan Murphy's tag cloud

addiction    adventure    antihero    asia    belief    beliefs    blood    brexit britain    brighton    britain    campus    china    church    coffee    community    conflict    corruption    cover up    crime    cult    dementia    diet    dilemma    distopia    drifters    drugs    employment    england    entertainment    family    fantapolitica    fantascienza    fiction    food    football    friendship    future    futuro    humour    ideas    idee    italia    italy    jazz    killer    linehan    love    mafia    mating ritual    memories    mexico    murder    music    mystery    noir    oration    orthodoxy    padania    poetry    politica    politics    racism    redemption    religion    reproduction    romanzo    sea    sex and culture    short stories    short story    smuggling    socccer    soccer    social issues    speculative ficition    speculative fiction    sport    spy    suicide    superpowers    survival    temptation    terrorism    thriller    torino    travel    united nations    work   

Smashwords book reviews by Bryan Murphy

  • A Picture is Worth 1000 Words on Feb. 22, 2016

    A fine, varied collection that is well worth reading.
  • Something in the Water on May 05, 2016

    The new Tunbridge Wells writers take an often playful approach to portraying the town's eminent writers of yore. Entertaining and informative.
  • Fright Night II on Oct. 06, 2016

    The stories in this fine collection were written for a Hallowe'en celebration, so most of them are good fun, with an occasional note of realism to add a jolt of horror. I think this anthology is worth dipping into at any time of the year.