Rebecca Murphy is an award-winning queer author from Cork, and she is set to publish her debut novel, Blood and Water, with Mercier Press this May.
The novel follows character Susan, as she travels to Dune Island, a fictitious place off the coast of the Wild Atlantic Way, to settle the matters of her late uncle’s estate. Said matters include “a weathered cottage, a small distillery, and a stubborn dog named Walter. On paper, nothing she couldn’t sort in a week. But Dune Island has been keeping its own secrets.”
Murphy has credited some of the greats as her inspiration for her writing style in this debut novel, “ranging from Anne Enright to Stephen King, by way of Maeve Binchy,” as stated on her website.
The anticipated book has been called “beautiful and important” in a review by Dr Natasha Bell, author, editor and Faber Academy tutor. The review continues, “Murphy’s haunting exploration of love, longing and the ways we push people away even when we need them the most will stay with me for a very long time.”
From influences of horror icons to unique angles and a Wuthering Heights-esque description of her next work, Blood and Water is shaping up to be a read worth keeping an eye out for; pre-order it using this link.
In May 2025, Murphy won the RTÉ Today show novel competition with Blood and Water, out of over 600 entrants. The Irish author has noted her interest in telling stories that “feature the beauty of the natural world filled with ordinary people struggling with and conquering terrible things.”
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Murphy herself has quite the story too. She’s originally from Cork, studied Drama and English in University College Cork (UCC), and has worked in a number of artistic mediums.
Outside of writing, the Irish author won the Good Craic Comedy Club competition in May 2023 at the Harbour Bar, Wicklow, the county belonging to her new home, Greystones, where she is often “pottering about” with her wife.
2024 wasn’t a quiet year for Murphy either. She was the recipient of a Faber Academy Scholarship to complete their Finish Your Draft course, which allowed her to attend the famous London-based academy.
If you’re interested in meeting Rebecca Murphy in person, she has a book launch for Blood and Water in Dublin on May 19. The launch is running from 6:30pm to 8pm in Books Upstairs on D’Olier Street.
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