Cold File reviews

Rating: 5 hearts

This is an excellent police mystery and wonderful first novel in a new series. The
author effectively uses all the tools of the writer’s trade to craft a riveting story.
We ranked it five hearts.

See the complete review at Heartland Reviews

Murphy did a fine job with this thrilling mystery and you should get it and read
it for yourself. The characters are all very well developed. You even get to know
the bad guys pretty well. Almost every chapter ends with a cliff-hanger that
leads into the next chapter. It makes you not want to put it down to go to bed.

Rating: 5 Angels

With great police action and fast-paced dialogue, there are many twists and
turns that make this a page-turner. Mr. Murphy crafts a great plot, some bad
guys, along with other well-rounded characters, that keep the suspense
churning. He weaves a clever storyline and creates a town that appears
realistic within an entertaining and intriguing read. I look forward to reading
more of his stories.

Casey Bannister returns in a refreshingly old school mystery novel that hits
the ground running, driven by the kind of engaging dialogue and strong
characters that you expect to see in the very best of the genre.
Robert Rummel-Hudson author of Schuyler's Monster (St. Martin's Press, 2008)

Michael Murphy has crafted a modern, multi-layered suspense with the
kind of gothic elements I love...a creepy old house, a mysterious death
and a protagonist haunted by his past. Secrets of Sheridan Manor is a
tightly-plotted, fast-paced story that will keep the reader turning pages
far into the night.
Amanda Stevens, author of The Dollmaker

Michael Murphy deserves high praise for bringing off such a difficult task so
well and for having the courage to issue a much needed reminder that the real
costs of war are the human costs and that war is never justified no matter what
the so-called "statesmen" tell us.--Author William Calabrese, To See Father
Washington, Wings ePress

"The mixture of humor and suspense will keep you turning the pages and
Murphy's development of his characters is superior. You must read it."
Sid Weaver Mainly Mysteries

Cuts Like a Knife by Michael Murphy deserves its name. It lays
out the raw flesh of human experience. On the surface, the
novel thrills with a fast-paced murder mystery involving the
fearless detective, Casey Bannister, whose dry wit and angst
about women make him lovable. On a deeper level the novel
explores whether we can act honorably, whether we can trust
each other, or more disturbingly whether there is any good in
humankind to be found. Murphy's answers by turns comfort and
haunt. Cuts Life a Knife is a fine read, one I highly recommend.

Toby Heathcotte, Author and President
Arizona Authors Association