What do you think?
The Girl in the Tower
When the past lies buried beneath the waves, and the present hides behind a veneer, what power do we have over the future?
As high-flying energy magnate, Parsley Ringland, prepares for maternity leave, tragedy strikes. She passes out after a health complication and wakes up elsewhere. In the tower that sustained the life she had once known.
As she fights to protect herself and her unborn child, Parsley begins to fear for humanity itself. She is faced with an impossible dilemma. Does she keep the world in comforting darkness? Or expose a cruel truth that might destroy it?
Is it better to endure a terrible truth than to lounge inside a lie?
As high-flying energy magnate, Parsley Ringland, prepares for maternity leave, tragedy strikes. She passes out after a health complication and wakes up elsewhere. In the tower that sustained the life she had once known.
As she fights to protect herself and her unborn child, Parsley begins to fear for humanity itself. She is faced with an impossible dilemma. Does she keep the world in comforting darkness? Or expose a cruel truth that might destroy it?
Is it better to endure a terrible truth than to lounge inside a lie?
285 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 26, 2025
About the author
Harrison Murphy
5 books15 followersHarrison Murphy is a writer from Motherwell, Scotland. He specialises in downbeat, and often provocative, speculative fiction with elements of sci-fi and fantasy thrown into the mix. The Girl in The Tower – a cli-fi Rapunzel story – is his most recent novel. His fourth novel, IV, is an exploration of the afterlife, as well the limited agency we have in affecting this life. He also wrote the Chrysalis trilogy, set in a world where we can design our own minds.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 4, 2026
I really wasn’t sure what to expect going into this book. I was so excited to find that it was like a dystopian/scifi/cyber fiction mash up.
The story follows Parsley, CEO of the leading renewable energy company that uses salt water (tears) instead of gasoline and fossil fuels. But it also follows a few other characters and slowly you get to figure out how all their stories connect and how Parsleys world is far from straight forward… or even real.
At first I felt very confused and had to keep re reading some parts to make sense of the story.. which usually would ruin a book for me HOWEVER… when you DO understand what’s going on it’s like a lightbulb goes off in your head and you NEED to keep reading to figure out the rest!
I really loved and hated Parsleys character, she was a massive b*tch but when you figure out why you end up loving her!
Honestly I really enjoyed this book and it was written so well I highly recommend if you like this genre!
The story follows Parsley, CEO of the leading renewable energy company that uses salt water (tears) instead of gasoline and fossil fuels. But it also follows a few other characters and slowly you get to figure out how all their stories connect and how Parsleys world is far from straight forward… or even real.
At first I felt very confused and had to keep re reading some parts to make sense of the story.. which usually would ruin a book for me HOWEVER… when you DO understand what’s going on it’s like a lightbulb goes off in your head and you NEED to keep reading to figure out the rest!
I really loved and hated Parsleys character, she was a massive b*tch but when you figure out why you end up loving her!
Honestly I really enjoyed this book and it was written so well I highly recommend if you like this genre!
January 5, 2026
What a read it is! Dystopia isn’t my usual genre but the author writes it in such a way that I always get completely involved in the characters and the story. And when a story feels a million miles from my every day, yet also something that could easily happen given the current state of our planet and priorities, it equals me being enthralled.
The plot twists and flows between different times and places, and I love how as you progress you see the threads coming back together. Time is identified by the birth of Driscoll, either days before or days since. Driscoll is a very important baby, belonging to our main character, Parsley. I had a love/hate thing going on with Parsley, but she is brilliant and goes through such a journey.
Once finished the book truly left me thinking, pondering what my own decisions would be, and that’s definitely the sign of a talented author.
The plot twists and flows between different times and places, and I love how as you progress you see the threads coming back together. Time is identified by the birth of Driscoll, either days before or days since. Driscoll is a very important baby, belonging to our main character, Parsley. I had a love/hate thing going on with Parsley, but she is brilliant and goes through such a journey.
Once finished the book truly left me thinking, pondering what my own decisions would be, and that’s definitely the sign of a talented author.
December 23, 2025
I wasn’t sure what to expect from the blurb but this book is so twisty and detailed! I had to keep going back so have your stickers ready, it’s so worth it!
Parsley is a character you want to dislike but you can’t! I did really enjoy her story and the history behind it - that isn’t a spoiler!
It is so intricately written, sensitive, intense and mysterious!
In a world buried beneath the waves what would you do? Endure a terrible truth or lounge inside a lie?
Such a series of life decisions! Love it!
Parsley is a character you want to dislike but you can’t! I did really enjoy her story and the history behind it - that isn’t a spoiler!
It is so intricately written, sensitive, intense and mysterious!
In a world buried beneath the waves what would you do? Endure a terrible truth or lounge inside a lie?
Such a series of life decisions! Love it!
March 13, 2026
This was a thought-provoking novel that deserves far more recognition.Observing the current world scenario and the deteriorating climatic conditions, this does not seem unfeasible; rather, it feels like a prediction of what could happen in the future if we continue taking climate issues for granted. The author’s idea of connecting environmental problems with consumerism was commendable, and comparing the game of Monopoly with capitalism was particularly thoughtful. It also depicts how societies normalise certain harmful behaviours while condemning smaller ones.
The characters, especially Parsley, are complex and morally grey, but I don’t hate her rather, I feel empathetic towards her. I really liked the narration about how, as humans, we all crave validation to a certain extent. I truly enjoyed reading this novel, especially the last two chapters and the epilogue. From the central theme of the novel to the narration style, everything was top-notch. Whether or not this is someone’s usual type of novel, I still believe it is truly a must-read.
The characters, especially Parsley, are complex and morally grey, but I don’t hate her rather, I feel empathetic towards her. I really liked the narration about how, as humans, we all crave validation to a certain extent. I truly enjoyed reading this novel, especially the last two chapters and the epilogue. From the central theme of the novel to the narration style, everything was top-notch. Whether or not this is someone’s usual type of novel, I still believe it is truly a must-read.
January 15, 2026
Well, what an unexpected read this was, pleasantly unexpected that is.
Going into the read, I thought it was your standard Sci-fi ( which by the way, is one of my favourite genres ), but as I got into the read, I was excited to discover it's more of a dystopian, cyber punkish blend, which is even better.
One of my favourite aspects about this type of read is how it makes your think and ponder on the future and what it holds, which this does wonderfully. And I also enjoy the feeling of stories like this being so far removed from my own life, and our wider society, which again, this does brilliantly.
There's also some great plot twists and turns and the world building is evocative, vivid and marvelously descriptive.
The characters were believable and felt real and the story flowed well.
4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
Going into the read, I thought it was your standard Sci-fi ( which by the way, is one of my favourite genres ), but as I got into the read, I was excited to discover it's more of a dystopian, cyber punkish blend, which is even better.
One of my favourite aspects about this type of read is how it makes your think and ponder on the future and what it holds, which this does wonderfully. And I also enjoy the feeling of stories like this being so far removed from my own life, and our wider society, which again, this does brilliantly.
There's also some great plot twists and turns and the world building is evocative, vivid and marvelously descriptive.
The characters were believable and felt real and the story flowed well.
4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
June 9, 2026
This incredibly clever novel is a refreshing read in a world where so many Sci-Fi books get so bogged down in backstory, lore and plot exposition that they forget the most important element – story.
I read this in tandem along with a few other books, as I have a different book for every mood these days – and this was my go-to read to recover from Iain M Banks’ Consider Phlebas, a speculative Sci-Fi novel that got wrong everything "The Girl in the Tower" got right.
Where Banks’ characters contradict themselves in motivation, moral character and sometimes even appearance, Murphy’s are believable, steadfast and self-actualising products of the worlds they grew up in. Where Banks’ societies flounder like fish on a dystopian shore, Murphy’s are fleshed out, visual, and believable – sometimes to the point of existential anxiety. And for me, one of the most important differences between these two authors, is how well they write women.
In Consider Phlebas, women are defined by two things – their physical appearance, and their effect on the men around them. In contrast, The Girl in the Tower passes the Bechdel Test with flying colours. Harrison Murphy's main female protagonists, Parsley, Dejana, and Lou, are three dimensional characters with believable and relatable goals all their own.
Fans of Plato (Allegory of the Cave), Phillip K Dick (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep) and Masamune Shirow (Ghost in The Shell) will find a lot to love in this book for its in depth and terrifying exploration of what happens in a world where sensory perception meets artificial intelligence, shadows are mistaken for reality, and where humanity becomes an unknowing slave to machinery.
Bravo!
I read this in tandem along with a few other books, as I have a different book for every mood these days – and this was my go-to read to recover from Iain M Banks’ Consider Phlebas, a speculative Sci-Fi novel that got wrong everything "The Girl in the Tower" got right.
Where Banks’ characters contradict themselves in motivation, moral character and sometimes even appearance, Murphy’s are believable, steadfast and self-actualising products of the worlds they grew up in. Where Banks’ societies flounder like fish on a dystopian shore, Murphy’s are fleshed out, visual, and believable – sometimes to the point of existential anxiety. And for me, one of the most important differences between these two authors, is how well they write women.
In Consider Phlebas, women are defined by two things – their physical appearance, and their effect on the men around them. In contrast, The Girl in the Tower passes the Bechdel Test with flying colours. Harrison Murphy's main female protagonists, Parsley, Dejana, and Lou, are three dimensional characters with believable and relatable goals all their own.
Fans of Plato (Allegory of the Cave), Phillip K Dick (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep) and Masamune Shirow (Ghost in The Shell) will find a lot to love in this book for its in depth and terrifying exploration of what happens in a world where sensory perception meets artificial intelligence, shadows are mistaken for reality, and where humanity becomes an unknowing slave to machinery.
Bravo!
July 24, 2026
5 🌟
I don’t normally do this type of genre but I promised I would give it a go. Big difference from my usual genre, but I enjoyed it overall. At first I thought I was going to DNF the book due to “jumping timelines” ahhh I am not a fan! But I stuck with it. The funny references made me laugh and apparently I pick out the “authors voice” 😊. Overall this book stops and makes you think about the effects of global warming and its effects on our world. If not global warming, then it definitely makes you think of our future with technology! ✨
I don’t normally do this type of genre but I promised I would give it a go. Big difference from my usual genre, but I enjoyed it overall. At first I thought I was going to DNF the book due to “jumping timelines” ahhh I am not a fan! But I stuck with it. The funny references made me laugh and apparently I pick out the “authors voice” 😊. Overall this book stops and makes you think about the effects of global warming and its effects on our world. If not global warming, then it definitely makes you think of our future with technology! ✨
January 27, 2026
🌊📠 The Girl in the Tower by Harrison Murphy
Genre: Science Fiction
Length: 283 pages
Timeline: Dual
Pub Date: December 26, 2025
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you to the author for and advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review!
Summary (copied from Amazon):
As high-flying energy magnate, Parsley Ringland, prepares for maternity leave, tragedy strikes. She passes out after a health complication and wakes up elsewhere. In the tower that sustained the life she had once known.
As she fights to protect herself and her unborn child, Parsley begins to fear for humanity itself. She is faced with an impossible dilemma. Does she keep the world in comforting darkness? Or expose a cruel truth that might destroy it?
Is it better to endure a terrible truth than to lounge inside a lie?
Review:
You absolutely CANNOT drift off while reading this book! The story goes between two timelines, but following the same main group of characters. It is critical to take note where and WHEN you are at the beginning of each chapter to keep it all straight! That being said, the plot to this story was so well thought-out and though it took me about 30% into the book to begin to see how things were coming together, it was well worth the journey. I loved Parsley as a main character. She was hard to read at first, with so many complex character traits that somehow seemed at odds with each other... until that moment when it all became revealed! The author made a story that also seemed like a cautionary tale to us in the here-and-now of a 'what could be' if we don't get our acts together as humans.
One of my favorite parts in the book was where a professor breaks down humanity and how we respond to CV, SV, and AVs... not sure what those stand for? Read to find out and take on this wild adventure with some real baddie FMCs! 🔥🔥
Genre: Science Fiction
Length: 283 pages
Timeline: Dual
Pub Date: December 26, 2025
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you to the author for and advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review!
Summary (copied from Amazon):
As high-flying energy magnate, Parsley Ringland, prepares for maternity leave, tragedy strikes. She passes out after a health complication and wakes up elsewhere. In the tower that sustained the life she had once known.
As she fights to protect herself and her unborn child, Parsley begins to fear for humanity itself. She is faced with an impossible dilemma. Does she keep the world in comforting darkness? Or expose a cruel truth that might destroy it?
Is it better to endure a terrible truth than to lounge inside a lie?
Review:
You absolutely CANNOT drift off while reading this book! The story goes between two timelines, but following the same main group of characters. It is critical to take note where and WHEN you are at the beginning of each chapter to keep it all straight! That being said, the plot to this story was so well thought-out and though it took me about 30% into the book to begin to see how things were coming together, it was well worth the journey. I loved Parsley as a main character. She was hard to read at first, with so many complex character traits that somehow seemed at odds with each other... until that moment when it all became revealed! The author made a story that also seemed like a cautionary tale to us in the here-and-now of a 'what could be' if we don't get our acts together as humans.
One of my favorite parts in the book was where a professor breaks down humanity and how we respond to CV, SV, and AVs... not sure what those stand for? Read to find out and take on this wild adventure with some real baddie FMCs! 🔥🔥
Review of advance copy
💜 Blurb -
When the past lies buried beneath the waves, and the present hides behind a veneer, what power do we have over the future?
As high-flying energy magnate, Parsley Ringland, prepares for maternity leave, tragedy strikes. She passes out after a health complication and wakes up elsewhere. In the tower that sustained the life she had once known.
As she fights to protect herself and her unborn child, Parsley begins to fear for humanity itself. She is faced with an impossible dilemma. Does she keep the world in comforting darkness? Or expose a cruel truth that might destroy it?
Is it better to endure a terrible truth than to lounge inside a lie?
💚 Review -This was such a action packed and entertaining read. From the very first page the author's writing had me hooked and I kept reading until the end as I wanted to know what happened. I loved following the characters journey through the story. I found the story easy to follow and had brilliant pacing. Overall, a brilliant novel that I highly recommend to other readers.
💝 Thank you to Random Things Tours, the author and publisher for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
When the past lies buried beneath the waves, and the present hides behind a veneer, what power do we have over the future?
As high-flying energy magnate, Parsley Ringland, prepares for maternity leave, tragedy strikes. She passes out after a health complication and wakes up elsewhere. In the tower that sustained the life she had once known.
As she fights to protect herself and her unborn child, Parsley begins to fear for humanity itself. She is faced with an impossible dilemma. Does she keep the world in comforting darkness? Or expose a cruel truth that might destroy it?
Is it better to endure a terrible truth than to lounge inside a lie?
💚 Review -This was such a action packed and entertaining read. From the very first page the author's writing had me hooked and I kept reading until the end as I wanted to know what happened. I loved following the characters journey through the story. I found the story easy to follow and had brilliant pacing. Overall, a brilliant novel that I highly recommend to other readers.
💝 Thank you to Random Things Tours, the author and publisher for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews