Beneath the Surface

by Anthony Murphy

The gavel falls, but justice is never that simple.

In the heart of Rochester, New York, Anthony “Preme” Murphy stands accused—his name echoing through the courtroom like a loaded verdict. The trial is only the surface. Beneath it lies a world of unbreakable codes, dangerous loyalties, and the kind of choices that leave scars you can’t see.

From the tense chambers of federal court to the unforgiving streets, Beneath the Surface is a raw, unflinching journey through betrayal, survival, and the quiet moments of love that keep a man from losing himself entirely. Friends become enemies, enemies become tools, and every move has a price.

Beneath the surface becomes more than just a legal chronicle—there was Leah, perhaps the best thing to ever come into his life. So full of love, she overflowed his guard, saturating Anthony’s heart with unparalleled joy, happiness, and true companionship. It’s a story of survival in a system built to break you, but also of the rare bonds and fleeting peace that make the fight worth it.

A gripping blend of memoir and street-lit grit, Anthony Murphy’s debut pulls no punches. Every page peels back another layer, revealing not just the crimes and consequences, but the man beneath it all.

Sometimes the truth is deeper than you’re ready to dive.

Kindle Edition

Published September 16, 2025

About the author

I am a journalist, author and photographer living in Drogheda, Ireland, with my wife Ann and our five children. I live four miles from Newgrange, a 5,000-year-old stone monument in the Boyne Valley. My exploration of the valley over the past 19 years has led been a huge influence in my work, both non-fiction and fiction.

I am the author (with artist Richard Moore)of 'Island of the Setting Sun: In Search of Ireland's Ancient Astronomers' (Liffey Press, 2006, 2008). I wrote 'Newgrange: Monument to Immortality' (Liffey Press, 2012). I contributed to 'The Mythology of Venus', an international collaboration edited by Helen Benigni and featuring a foreword by Morgan Llywelyn. My latest work of non-fiction is called 'Mythical Ireland: New Light on the Ancient Past'.

My first work of fiction was a novella, 'Land of the Ever-Living Ones'. My second work of fiction is a short novel called 'The Cry of the Sebac'.

I am the former Editor of the Drogheda Leader newspaper and was also Editor of the Dundalk Democrat newspaper. I currently work as a sub editor and graphic designer for the Irish Farmers Journal and The Irish Field newspapers.