The Running Waves

by Ted M. Murphy, Seton Murphy

Colin is haunted by the memory of a tragic accident that took the lives of his two best friends, in a book about unresolved grief, baseball, brotherly relationships, and the thorny road to redemption.

Genres: Fiction

260 pages, Paperback

First published May 31, 2010

Reviews

[Joanne Read · Rating 2 out of 5]

It had a lot of characters and it took be about halfway through the book to get them all squared away. I did not enjoy the first half of the book....but the second half was pretty decent and I ended up enjoying it in the end.

[Elizabeth Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Murphy brothers will take you into their world. Their pain. Their happiness. It is therapeutic to listen to their minds. It is a wonderful truth-based fictional book. This book does exactly what the authors wanted it to do: it takes you on a journey - into their lives - takes you on a guided tour of that moment in time. If you are a snobby reader - just keep moving.

The Running Waves reminded me of friends I grew up with on the beaches of San Diego. You do not have to be from the Cape, or from Mass, or even the East Coast to appreciate this book.
If you had a pulse in the 90's, read this book.
If you love John Hughes movies as much as I do, read this book.
If you ever had someone treat your heart like it was an appetizer, read this book.

Let the Murphy brothers bring the Running Waves to life - you will not be 'reading' this book - you will be Seeing, Feeling, and Tasting the Cape within a few turns of the page.

[Ronni Gonzales · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say that I love this book. At first I wanted to read it because it was written by local (Cape Cod) authors about a fictional seaside town. But once I got reading it, I wanted to keep reading about the lives of these brothers who were not too different from people I knew when I was growing up. The choice to have a soundtrack for a book such as this is genious, I love hearing the songs of my youth (I am not OLD, only 40) and reminicing about those days. I have recommended this book on my FB page, through word of mouth and by email to anyone and everyone I can think of because it moved me, is a GREAT read and its realistic! I am currently reading it AGAIN (I wont tell you how many times its been read now) and I am seeing things even more differently than the second time. I am anxiously awaiting a sequel.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

So.... this is a tough one cause it's dedicated to my cousin and it tells the fictional version of the story of his drowning in the sound off Falmouth, Cape Cod. It's cathartic, therapeutic and devastatingly accurate in describing the ways that teenagers cope with tragic loss... but, as literature, it's weak. The Murphy bros sure can evoke the Cape, though... wow.

[Kathy Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about grief, addiction and relationships
Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2024
This is an awesome book. I could smell the salt water while reading about Cape Cod. This is a touching story about grief, addiction, relationships and family dynamics. Hearing the story from a young man’s perspective was moving.

[Willy Whit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I met Ted Murphy here on the cape few years ago. Took me awhile to get around to reading his book. It's a great Beach read. Moves quickly and reminds me of growing up on Cape Cod in the Summers. If you love Cape Cod and you love a good story, check it out.

[Maureen Chew · Rating 4 out of 5]

An insightful perspective of growing up as a townie on Cape Cod. Written from the heart.

[Jack Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author is a personal friend of mine that gives a gripping tale of a tragedy and the perspective of being a teen on The Cape in the '80s

[Kimberly McGuire · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about a small Cape cod Town and struggles from grief and addiction and bringing brothers back together.

[Ami Keefe · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I will begin with the ocean. For me, the ocean is a religion.
A place first routed in childhood, solidifying into adulthood a place of refuge, solace, healing, love, beauty; essentially all bound in the unknown. The sea evokes feeling, memories sometimes lost and sometimes found.
I thank my friend for recommending The Running Waves. Brothers Seton and T.M Murphy have captured this time of innocence, deep connections with family and friendship. The reader travels like running waves from the carefree days of childhood to the trials and heartbreak of adulthood intertwined with music, movies, laughter and loss. Loss of love, the forever lost and the forever found. We may walk the path of life not always realizing the universe provides signs to guide us, it certainly lead me to this book. I lost my mother and it has helped me to know we are not alone in the struggle of dealing with significant loss; we have family, friends to lean on. They are the shining beacon on the horizon sending light when we are lost in the darkness. The Running Waves is a gift, please accept this brilliant story, and surround yourself with the ocean and a well written chance to experience a journey worth taking. Unforgettable

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a surprise hit! The authors really know how to write an ensemble of characters that feel like real people. From the outer banter between friends to the inner thoughts of the protagonists, I felt like the book was written directly about me and the people in my life. This book will strike a cord with you, whether you've dealt with grieving a loss, substance abuse, estrangement of friends/family, romantic drama, or most especially if you grew up in New England! If you're looking for an under-the-radar novel that will tug at your heart and search your soul, look no further.

[Laura Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved "watching" this book as I read it. The end of ch 14 made me laugh so hard I lost my breath. I cried a lot too. Im so glad I read this book, I just wish it had been around 20 yrs ago when I graduated from college and returned to my Silver Shores! Try it, you'll like it-it's only .99 on your Kindls!The Running Waves

[Cape Fisherman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Murphy brothers carried me back to my high school summers on the Cape. The characters, their lingo, the ficticous beaches and bars along with the struggles of adolescence. There is far more to this book than what is on the surface of it's pages. We can all connect with one or more of the characters as they face the transitions from child, to teenager to adult. Pick it up, you won't put it down.

[Maura Magill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found The Running Waves to be a fantastic read. I love a book that takes me away, and this one certainly did. I felt like I was back on Cape Cod in the '90s, and the references to music from that era aided in the journey. Thank you to the Brothers Murphy for an insightful, entertaining and reflective read. And thank you to my son for convincing me to give this a try.

[Mark Goldstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

After about midway through the book, I wasn't sure I would like it this much and would not have given it five stars. But the character development builds effectively, even if the story seemed to drag at times. There is a realness to these people that I liked, and the Cape Cod setting provides an excellent backdrop as well. The ending is intense and emotional and well worth waiting for.

[Kathleen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldnt even finish it. Reminded me of some drunken loser Cape Cod High School/College boys I knew. Probably could've even been these characters. They weren't pleasant in real life. Why read about them in a book?

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

So proud of my cousins for writing this book!

[Jed Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book. Very moving and great music references.

[Nic · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was terribly written. Too many characters were introduced throughout and never developed and the climax and denouement seemed rushed and under written.

[Jean · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't bother. 'nough said.

[Becca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great story, a bit of a choppy, drawn out read though.