Is Divorce Worse Than Murder?

About the Book

Inspired by a true case, this is a titillating story about a murder of one’s husband resulting from deviant sexual abuse so horrible that it tests the imagination. Domestic abuse and the role of the enabler is examined through the prism of the Catholic church’s stand against divorce. Divorce is a family embarrassment and a sign of failure to these triple-decker dwelling Boston Irish Catholics who identify themselves not by their neighborhood but by their parish. The murderer’s values and fear of divorce was developed by a strict Catholic upbringing and parochial education reinforced by the enduring relationships of her Irish immigrant parents and role models This novel traces the complexities of life in the 1920’s of Boston, capturing the arduous journey of the immigrant Irish from Brahmin discrimination to prominence. The trek from “Sand Hog” toiling under Boston’s streets and harbor (a filthy and dangerous one) to surviving the economic depression and World War ll and emerging as leaders in modern day Boston is demonstrated. The sense of community, parental respect, devotion to siblings and friends and political networking formed the foundation for the immigrants’ survival and success. The world of grand juries, indictments, plea negotiations, sentencing guidelines and court processes are illustrated under the threat of a long prison sentence for the mother of two pre-school children.

About the Author

Richard Murphy is a retired Boston attorney who had served as an Assistant Attorney General (Criminal Division) and First Assistant District Attorney (Norfolk County) in addition to serving as a partner in a private law firm. He is a graduate of Boston College High School,Univ. of Notre Dame & Boston Univ. School of Law. He served aboard ship in the U.S.Navy between college and law school and retired as a Commander in the Naval Reserves.As a champion boxer at Notre Dame he went on to become a NationalPresident of the ND Alumni Association. The father of nine children, he wrote a weekly column “Murphy’s Law” for several Massachusetts papers in the 80’s & 90’s. He was featured in the Law section of Time magazine(1/7/66) for winning a landmark civil liberty case. With Parkinson’s disease and a reverse shoulder replacement ruining his mediocre golf game he decided to try authoring and having received encouraging feedback he is now attempting to write entertaining books connected to interesting court cases.