Getting Off Clean

The one thing that Eric Fitzpatrick wants is to escape--both from his family and the racially tense town in which he lives. The only son of an Italian-Irish family in a working class suburb of boston, he intends to go away to college and leave his old life far bhind. But all his plans are set askew when he meets Brooks, a mysterious, wealthy, black student at a local prep school. As their relationship grows ever deeper and more complicated, Eric must come to terms not only with his family and community, bu with his warring ambitions and desires.

“An extraordinary tale of young, forbidden love worth reading for both its topical matter and its style. This is an old stroy, but in Murphy's hands it is brilliantly old, with economy of language and a sure hand. Murphy is more than a writer to watch, he is one to read now.” —Library Journal

“Murphy's subtly charming writing invests these two unlikely lovers with a palpable, irresistable chemistry.” —Genre

“Conflicts, plus some well-constructed secondary plots, add depth to the story...a richly layered tableau of contemporary life in a small, blue-collar town.” —Publisher's Weekly

“A fresh, well-told story that weaves in rich detail the dynamics of a gay charater's life, family and community.” —Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

“A coming-of-age debut novel movingly limns young gay love in the racially charged setting of a Massachusetts small town...a new voice that is strong and true.” —Kirkus Reviews