Murphy likes things quiet. As the barman at the Purses Retainer, a half-forgotten pub in North London, he treasures the silence left behind by absent customers. The empty seats are both a blessing and a curse: his sanctuary is safe, but the pub is on the brink of closure.
Murphy has a gift for talking people into leaving him alone—long, winding stories that trap questions rather than answer them. But when the threat of redundancy looms, he sees an unlikely win-win: turn the pub into London’s first silent pub. No phones. No chatter. Just the perfect place for peace—until Instagram and the media get hold of it.
As Murphy’s eccentric experiment spirals into a cultural phenomenon, he meets Rebecca, a yoga teacher who relieves not only his bad back but begins to unravel the grief and isolation he has carried for years. Suddenly, Murphy must confront the very things silence has helped him to avoid: friendship, identity, love—and the chaos of feeling alive.
Wry, sharp and satirical, Murphy Who Talks is a comedy of modern Britain: a story about austerity and survival, male friendship and misogyny, silence and speech, and what it really takes to be heard.
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Murphy Who Talks 9781918163117 Paperback
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Bob Mortimer Energy, Pub Chaos, and Proper Heart
I really enjoyed this — it’s dry, funny, and has that slightly wonky, sideways humour that made me think of Bob Mortimer from the first few pages. Murphy Who Talks takes a man who just wants a bit of peace and throws him into the absolute opposite, and watching it all unravel is both ridiculous and…
I really enjoyed this — it’s dry, funny, and has that slightly wonky, sideways humour that made me think of Bob Mortimer from the first few pages. Murphy Who Talks takes a man who just wants a bit of peace and throws him into the absolute opposite, and watching it all unravel is both ridiculous and strangely touching. The idea of a “silent pub” is genius — very British, very doomed, and very entertaining. O’Shea writes with this effortless, deadpan charm that makes even Murphy’s rambling, avoidant monologues feel brilliant. It’s satire without being smug, and comedy with proper heart. What surprised me was how much emotion sits underneath the humour. As Murphy’s world gets louder and messier, you start to see the grief and loneliness he’s been hiding behind all that quiet. His relationship with Rebecca adds a lovely warmth to the chaos, and you end up rooting for him even when he’s being… well, Murphy. Smart, tender, funny, and a little odd — in the best way — this is a great read if you like contemporary British fiction with humour that actually lands.
- Authors:
- O'Shea, Ronan
- Year Published:
- 2025
- Country of Publication:
- United Kingdom
- Format:
- Paperback
- ISBN:
- 9781918163117
- Number of Pages:
- 198
- Publication Date:
- 09/10/2025
- Publisher:
- Indie Novella
- Language:
- English
- SKU:
- 9781918163117