Nonie Barry
a novel
by Eileen Connolly
an Upper Young-Adult Mystery
set in modern day Ireland where myth & magic live on
with a dark academia vibe.
New Yorker Nonie Barry arrives in Dublin with questions that only her mysterious aunt can answer.
With the aunt missing and whispers of a secret organization protecting ancient artifacts,
Nonie begins to suspect her aunt might be a little more than just a librarian…
…and she might be a little more than just a college dropout working in a Brooklyn bagel shop.
Something inexplicable is vibrating in the utter greenness of Ireland, and it is awakening something deep within her.
Nonie Barry is finally discovering her true nature.
Legend speaks of the Imbas Forosnai: the gift of second sight, a clairvoyant visionary ability possessed by the poets and Druids of Early Ireland, which illuminated great knowledge.
This gift is available to all who seek it, to all who have the courage to awaken to the energy of the universe.
“The power within you is a mighty force. You create your own reality. That is the only truth. It has always been this way but you are only now remembering.”
While awaiting her aunt’s return, Nonie tests her sleuthing skills on a series of coded messages within an antique volume of Hamlet to discover what Victorian newspapers called:
theMurder of the Century!
— a LOVE STORY turned TRAGEDY from 1878 —
How this Victorian mystery is important today is wondrous strange indeed for our intrepid detective.
a tangle of clues …
Nonie’s backpack quickly fills up with an odd assortment of evidence. To wit: not one but two identical editions of Hamlet from 1878 with cryptic marginalia; a Victorian Valentine overflowing with pictograms and love poems; an old tintype photograph; a rare children’s faerie book; and a series of alpha-numeric coded messages secreted away within the Shakespeare volumes. Curiouser and curiouser.
…let the hunt begin!
Doc Martens Mary Janes… classic black Levi’s… her dad’s vintage leather jacket & old rock band t-shirt… and Nonie Barry is ready to scavenge for clues in true Brooklyn style on her first adventure in Ireland.
a little music while you browse:
Jonathan Dinklage on violin is the star of this piece, produced by Rob Arthur. Thanks, boys, for a great day in the studio a long time ago for my production of Dracula.
“Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”
— George Bernard Shaw
follow in Nonie’s footsteps:
TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN - see the famous illuminated Book of Kells
MERRION SQUARE PARK - take a selfie with Oscar Wilde’s statue
DUBLIN WRITER’S MUSEUM - view first editions of James Joyce
GRAFTON STREET & POWERSCOURT CENTRE - shop and eat to your heart’s delight
KEVIN & HOWLIN - take home some traditional tweed
TEMPLE BAR - have a pint with a side of live music
MARSH’S LIBRARY- see the bullet holes from the Easter Rising
MARTELLO TOWER at SANDYMOUNT - put your toes in the Muir Éireann and say hello to the selkies
HA’PENNY BRIDGE - stroll the quay & admire the Liffey
CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL - visit the mummified cat & rat
SHELBOURNE HOTEL - luxuriate over a traditional high tea
ST. STEPHEN’S GREEN PARK - wander through the meadows and admire the swans
Visit my Pinterest page for research & inspirations:
“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”
—W.B. Yeats
NONIE BARRY will appeal to readers who love romping through foreign cities for a bit of shopping and sampling of the local cuisine, as well as solving puzzles, and chasing after clues in libraries, museums, and mummy-filled churches.
It will appeal to those who appreciate a confident heroine with a sense of style, one who doesn’t need to fight against evil, because she’s knows that listening and learning the truth is the fastest way to understanding and forgiveness.
Chapter 1
“Well, hello there.”
I am currently seeking agent representation.
Interested? Shall we enjoy a remote cup of coffee on Zoom, or meet up in NYC? Slip me a message below.
