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Rockaway Blue
When terrorists attacked on September 11, 2001, Lieutenant Brian Murphy rescued seven people from the World Trade Center. Even as steel girders buckled and groaned, Brian rushed back up the stairs of the North Tower in search of those in need. He died a hero, one of more than four hundred police officers, firefighters, and other first responders who perished that fateful day.
Three years later, Vietnam veteran and retired NYPD detective-sergeant Jimmy Murphy is on a mission to find the truth behind his son's death. Why was Brian in the tower that morning? Had he anticipated the attack? Suspecting a cover-up of a deeper truth, Jimmy must confront his family, friends, and old colleagues in the police department to discover what happened to Brian and who his eldest son really was.
Murphy's investigation takes him from his home turf in the Irish American enclave of Rockaway Beach to Muslim Atlantic Avenue and beyond in order to find his own truth about 9/11. Dry-eyed and determined, Murphy battles barstool patriotism, the NYPD blue wall of silence, and a ticking clock—all the while haunted by his own secrets and the raw memory of his difficult relationship with his dead son.
Written by author and musician Larry Kirwan, Rockaway Blue is a thrilling and poignant story of a family struggling to pull itself together after an unthinkable trauma.
Three years later, Vietnam veteran and retired NYPD detective-sergeant Jimmy Murphy is on a mission to find the truth behind his son's death. Why was Brian in the tower that morning? Had he anticipated the attack? Suspecting a cover-up of a deeper truth, Jimmy must confront his family, friends, and old colleagues in the police department to discover what happened to Brian and who his eldest son really was.
Murphy's investigation takes him from his home turf in the Irish American enclave of Rockaway Beach to Muslim Atlantic Avenue and beyond in order to find his own truth about 9/11. Dry-eyed and determined, Murphy battles barstool patriotism, the NYPD blue wall of silence, and a ticking clock—all the while haunted by his own secrets and the raw memory of his difficult relationship with his dead son.
Written by author and musician Larry Kirwan, Rockaway Blue is a thrilling and poignant story of a family struggling to pull itself together after an unthinkable trauma.
- GenresFiction
264 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 15, 2021
16 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
Larry Kirwan
13 books15 followersLarry Kirwan (born 1948 in Wexford, Ireland) is an expatriate Irish writer and musician, most noted as the lead singer for the New York based Irish rock band, Black 47.
Prior to Black 47, Kirwan and fellow Wexfordian Pierce Turner led the new wave band Major Thinkers, based in New York City.
Kirwan has also written and produced several plays which have been performed in the United States and Europe, most of which deal with Irish history and politics, particularly Northern Ireland. He has made statements in support of the Irish Republican Army.
Since April 2005, he has hosted "Celtic Crush," a radio show on Sirius Satellite Radio that features Celtic artists from a wide variety of genres.
He is a naturalized U.S. citizen, having emigrated in 1970. He is married to June, and they have two children.
Prior to Black 47, Kirwan and fellow Wexfordian Pierce Turner led the new wave band Major Thinkers, based in New York City.
Kirwan has also written and produced several plays which have been performed in the United States and Europe, most of which deal with Irish history and politics, particularly Northern Ireland. He has made statements in support of the Irish Republican Army.
Since April 2005, he has hosted "Celtic Crush," a radio show on Sirius Satellite Radio that features Celtic artists from a wide variety of genres.
He is a naturalized U.S. citizen, having emigrated in 1970. He is married to June, and they have two children.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 8, 2021
Polymath Larry Kirwan explores issues ranging from the loss of identity to the Mets-Yankees rivalry in this post 9/11 novel about the tragedy's impact on an Irish-American family living in Rockaway.
August 17, 2022
This is such a great read. I was totally invested with these people and it has brilliant twists to the story that I wasn't expecting. Very strong characters and totally believeable. I highly recommend picking up this book!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews