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Where's Merrill? *** the world of Gearóid O'Neary ***
Irish Ancestry Research
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Category:
Mystery/Suspense
Publisher: Gearóid O'Neary
Type: Fiction
Pages: 163
Copyright: Feb 27, 2013
ISBN-13: 9781301611225
Price: $4.99 (eBook)
An Irish genealogist called Jed is commissioned by Tim, an American client, to help identify and find his grandfather; a man who simply disappeared. No death record, no burial. Nothing.
"Where's Merrill?" is a uniquely crafted mystery thriller based upon real life historical events. In fact, it is two inter-related stories in one novel set in different timeframes, namely the past and the present. An Irish genealogist called Jed is commissioned by Tim, an American client, who needs to understand more about his mysterious maternal ancestry. Fate had dictated that Tim never got the chance to meet his grandparents, and he didn't even know the name of his mother's father. She refused to tell Tim, even on her death bed. Why? That was a question which troubled Tim as he witnessed his mother's melancholy throughout his adult life, and after her death he resolved to find some answers - and some peace of mind.
It was also a question which intrigued Jed after he learned that Tim's grandfather simply "disappeared". No death record, no burial - nothing. Jed identifies the "missing" grandfather to be Merrill Harrison. Within weeks, Jed becomes obsessed with Merrill's life, as he embarks on a personal crusade to find Merrill's resting place on Tim's behalf. More fundamentally, Jed needs to fully understand the complex twists and turns linked to Merrill's existence and eventual disappearance which take the Irish researcher on a fascinating trail stretching back to the pioneering immigrants of Midwest America all the way to the White House during WWII.
A web of worrying deceit woven by Tim's ancestors is gradually unraveled. Once hidden family secrets are exposed. Jed turns from genealogist into cold case detective as he comes to the conclusion that multiple criminal misdeeds have been covered up ... but where is Merrill?
Excerpt
PROLOGUE
Where’s Merrill? is a fact-based story about genealogy—the tracing of one man’s lineage and a study of the associated families throughout history. However, you will soon discover that this is no ordinary family tree. It is a tree inhabited by a very remarkable and unique set of ancestors.
In most ancestry research into normal everyday families, words like “suicide,” “insanity,” “false ID,” “deceit,” “greed,” “the U.S. President,” “disappearance,” and so on, do not crop up. But in this particular research project commissioned by Tim, an American client, bizarre happenings cropped up time and again.
At the beginning of the project, Tim had many unanswered questions concerning his ancestry. He also had some highly personal reasons to explore his forefathers. For starters, he knew very little about the backgrounds of both of his parents.
In his father’s case, the motivation to dig deeper was the loss of a parent in childhood. This is probably the most common reason to commence a family history research project. In middle to late adulthood, people often develop a desire to understand their roots. They want to discover what makes them the people they are. Or, what brought them to the place in which they reside. Sometimes, though, it is more fundamental or even critical. For instance, the contracting of a genetic disease can trigger a frantic search for a detailed family history.
On his maternal side, Tim‘s desperate desire to learn more was of a similar crucial nature and went far beyond a lack of information about a long-deceased parent. His mother lived into old age. From little quips she occasionally made to Tim, he knew that his mother had had a difficult upbringing. But, she refused to engage in any real discussion about what had happened before Tim was born. A loving son knew that his mother hurt from it, but the trouble was, Tim never really knew any details of “it”. As his mother grew older and steadfastly refused to reveal much about her birth family or her childhood experiences, Tim developed the feeling that his own peace of mind demanded at least a good faith effort on his part to establish the facts. Why was she so sad, and secretive, about her childhood and parents?
Tim knew that repeatedly asking his mom these personal questions only created tension and discomfort for her, so he eased off from trying to discover the “truth” while she was alive. It was not until after the death of his mother that Tim stepped up his family history research efforts and subsequently commissioned some professional assistance.
I am honored to say that I became good friends with Tim. As he opened up more and more about his private feelings, my respect for him increased. We regularly discussed the personalities of his deceased family members, as each one was uncovered and examined in detail. These individuals started coming to life. We were more than fascinated by them as the truth about his mother’s background was gradually exposed.
As a researcher of the past, it was also a rare treat to be introduced to Tim’s living family. We shared in current traumas, at the same time as we worked to understand the devastating or ostensibly weird events witnessed by his ancestors. We were regularly puzzled or shocked. We empathized, we laughed, we tried to hold back tears.
The telling of the Where’s Merrill? story has been intentionally crafted so that the reader discovers the often conflicting and confusing family history facts in the same sequence as the researching genealogist. As a result, Where’s Merrill? is deliberately structured in flashback sequences set in the USA, interspersed with scenes that occur in the Ancestry Research HQ in Ireland. The “story” begins with Merrill as a child in Kansas and then jumps to other states and other parts of his life in unanticipated ways, reflecting the alternating horizontal and vertical research trail that became a remarkable journey of discovery.
In the passages of this book set in decades gone by, the events which unfold are based firmly on our findings, right up until near the end. In spite of thorough investigations, the complex multi-dimensional research trail came to a mystifying halt each time it was sensed that the ultimate goal was around the next bend. As a result, parts of the closing chapters have been composed by bringing together all shreds of available evidence, thereby formulating a logical and totally plausible conclusion. It is for the reader to determine how much fiction has been added in order to enhance or explain the strange goings-on.
However, all the direct references to the ancestors researched from present day Ireland are factual in terms of relationships and vital events, except for one key ingredient. After a lot of soul-searching, Tim conceded that the names of his newly-discovered ancestors should be changed for this novel, as a mark of respect for his past and present extended family —regardless of the good deeds or misdeeds attributed to various individuals.
With regard to the decision of Tim and I to respectfully change the names of our book’s characters, it is ironic that a recurring theme of this story is the interpretation of “the truth“, and in particular, understanding the reasoning why some people conceal their true identities to differing degrees. Ultimately, I believe that Tim made a very honorable decision regarding the concealment of names. Family privacy is important on many levels. After reading this tale, you might like to consider whether the deviousness of some of Tim’s ancestors was as praiseworthy.
I wrote this book with a soundtrack in my head; a tune which I regularly listened to during the long research process. I told Tim to listen to it as well. He got the point straight away. The accompanying piece was “Music For A Found Harmonium” by the Penguin Café Orchestra. The simple melody is relentless, echoing the never-ending search for more information. The volume increases as more instruments come together. Just as the listener (or researcher) tires, the tune erupts into a different variation of repeated notes. You are jolted awake by a new discovery. And then it speeds up, but gets complicated. You are briefly lifted, but confused—soon ready to return to a more basic melody and rhythm. Start again, maybe a bit quicker this time around. Go over it all one more time. Don’t give up. Maybe another surprise is around the corner…
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