Listen free for 30 days

  • Finding Murph

  • How Joe Murphy Went from Winning a Championship to Living Homeless in the Bush
  • Written by: Rick Westhead
  • Narrated by: Brandon Massey
  • Length: 10 hrs and 30 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (52 ratings)

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Finding Murph cover art

Finding Murph

Written by: Rick Westhead
Narrated by: Brandon Massey
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $40.01

Buy Now for $40.01

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

Joe Murphy had it all. 

In 1986, he became the first college-educated hockey player ever selected first overall in the NHL entry draft. He won a Stanley Cup in Edmonton four years later. But since then, his life has taken a tragic turn, largely due to the untreated brain injuries he suffered as a player. 

Murphy’s life didn’t begin on a track that would lead to homelessness. He was smart, dedicated to hockey, and was a key player for the Oilers, Red Wings, and Blackhawks, among other teams. But one vicious body check changed his life forever. Despite being shaken by the hit, Murphy was cleared to return to the game. Soon after, his entire life seemed to change. Murphy became a journeyman, moving from team to team. Along the way, other NHLers said they noticed something different about him, too. Murphy wasn’t acting like himself and soon found himself out of the NHL entirely. Eventually, Murphy became homeless. 

In the spring of 2018, Murphy made his way to Kenora, Ontario, where he lived in the bush, spending his days outside a local convenience store, muttering to himself and taking handouts of food and drinks from passersby. The player who had once set the NHL aflame now slept by the side of the road in the unforgiving North. 

In Finding Murph, Rick Westhead traces the true story of Joe Murphy and examines the role of the NHL in the downward spiral of one of the league’s most promising players.

©2020 Rick Westhead (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers

What listeners say about Finding Murph

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    22
  • 4 Stars
    17
  • 3 Stars
    11
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    14
  • 4 Stars
    11
  • 3 Stars
    9
  • 2 Stars
    7
  • 1 Stars
    7
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    29
  • 4 Stars
    10
  • 3 Stars
    7
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Startling tale

The story of Joe Murphy's life has devolved is a sad one. It boggles my mind how the NHL continues to deny what doctor's have known for decades. That fact is even more sad because it negatively impact more than just Joe Murphy.

While the story itself is an important one, the narrator made this hard to get through. It seems clear that he did not follow the game or those who take part in it, as judged by the countless pronunciation errors of surnames. Also, pronouncing the K in Etobicoke solidified for me that he didn't do any sort of research before reading the lines from the page.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

If you’re going to read a hockey book then you should know how to pronounce the names of the Superstars.

If you’re going to read a hockey book then you should know how to pronounce the names of the Superstars.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Book is fine the narrator is no good.

The book itself is worth listening to but surely they could have found a better narrator. The guy doesn't even know how to pronounce most of the players names properly. I counted at least 10 players names that were pronounced wrong. Also he is pretty robotic in his delivery and tone.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good book exactly like I met him

I wanted to read this book because I gave him a ride from Sault Ste Marie to Wawa probably a month before Joe got to Kenora. He seemed interested that I was a big Habs fan he admitted knowing Marc Bergevin when I asked how did he knew him he avoided the subject and slept all the way to Wawa. I brought him to Algoma's Welfare office in Wawa and never saw him again. I wanted to learn more about Joe and I did thanks to this great book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Disappointing

This book is more about NHL politics and their concussion issues. Joe Murphy’s story is secondary. Narrator struggled to pronounce names correctly. I expected better.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Sad tale about so much potential

Enjoyed the story, but felt bad for the guy. The narrating was a bit robotic at times.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Not a fan of Narrator

Interesting story, wish there was more on the recent years. Narrator made the book drag on, not a fan.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting book

Really enjoyed the content of the book and the research into a lot of the medical issues.

As a hockey fan, I was disappointed with the pronunciation of players and city names by the reader. Someone with a hockey background should have proofed the audio before it was published.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A pointed reminder.

Good book with a sad story and important message. No offers of a solution but that is not what I came for.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great book!

This is a very sad story of a man who seems to be bipolar but then also suffers a server brain tramua, I hope he gets some help.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful