Spotlight: Xonarye Series by S.H.S.
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Xonarye: Australia
Xonarye Book 1
Genre: Travel Adventure, Mystery
One hidden book. A forgotten country. Three mates on a journey that could change everything.
Nineteen-year-old Leaf Brodie is just an ordinary apprentice from Naracoorte, a small country town tucked between Adelaide and Melbourne. He lives a simple life apprentice builder, beers with mates by night until a routine renovation job uncovers something that doesn’t belong: a sealed, leather-bound book hidden inside an old farmhouse wall.
The book tells of a place that doesn’t exist on any map. A country called Xonarye, once nestled between Yemen and Somalia, rich in a rare, indestructible mineral called Xzed. Long ago, the people of Xonarye vanished beneath the ocean to escape war and greed—but not before scattering twenty-six mysterious keys across the globe. Now, generations later, the legacy of that hidden world has landed in Leaf’s hands.
Driven by curiosity and loyalty, Leaf enlists his two closest mates Spence, a level-headed farmer, and Summo, a flashy car salesman with a sharp tongue to help him decipher the book’s secrets. Together, they uncover a forgotten legal contract, a hidden vault in Adelaide, and a belt buckle that can’t be melted, burned, or broken no matter what they throw at it. And then comes the final clue: a name, a country, and a warning.
Reblick, a shadowy global organisation, is also searching for the truth and they’re watching.
As the line between myth and reality begins to blur, Leaf is forced to make a choice: walk away and return to his normal life, or follow the trail to Cuba and beyond… risking everything to uncover the truth of Xonarye’s fate.
Xonarye rise again.
Xonarye: Cuba
Xonarye Book 2
The trail of Xonarye leads to Havana. But nothing about this journey is simple
Leaf Brodie thought his life changed forever back in Naracoorte when he discovered the mysterious book sealed behind a wall. Now, he and Selina are in Cuba, chasing the next clue in a worldwide puzzle that dates back centuries. A transparent cloth has revealed a hidden map, and it points straight to Havana.
But nothing stays easy for long. Reblick the secretive organisation that once silenced Xonarye is still in pursuit. Leaf and Selina must decipher local legends, evade dangerous followers, and track down a man who knows more than he lets on. Meanwhile, Summo makes his way to Panama City, following instructions tied to a hidden safe house, while Spence travels by air and ferry from Havana to the island of Tobago, meeting a one-legged stranger with a mysterious past.
Scattered across three countries, the friends are tested like never before.
From bustling city streets to forgotten safe houses, the legacy of Xonarye continues to unfold—one fragment at a time. But with danger closing in, and Reblick growing bolder, it’s no longer just about solving a mystery. It’s about staying alive long enough to piece it all together.
In a world full of deception, their bond of friendship is the only truth they can trust.
The journey continues. The stakes are higher. The legend grows.
Xonarye rise again.
Excerpt
I need you to get into that crate, ” she said, pointing to the middle of them. Leaf looked at her then looked back at the crates; it appeared as if there was just enough room for maybe two people to fit inside them at a squeeze.
He turned back to Selina and shook his head defiantly, indicating that he was not getting into what felt to him like a coffin.
Suddenly, Selina grabbed him and twisted his arm behind his back in what seemed like the blink of an eye. She leaned right up to his ear, and whispered, “ You need to hurry up and get into the crate before anyone sees us. I will be right next to you inside there.”
Leaf took another deep breath, feeling extremely anxious about the idea, and Selina released his arm and gave him a little nudge forward.
Leaf slowly slid over one of the edges of the crate and carefully laid down inside. Selina then did the same until they were both now lying in the crate, shoulder to shoulder, staring straight up into the afternoon sky.
Leaf was lying there in a state of anxiety, wondering what was going to happen next, when suddenly the lid was being placed on the crate. He instinctively put both his hand up to protect himself, but before he could stop the lid, Selina put her arm across his body.
Then, just as the wooden lid was about to be sealed, the friendly face of Vicente, the ship’s captain, appeared, and he said, “ You two all good?”
Selina gave him a quick wink back, and he slowly closed the lid, leaving nothing but little rays of sunshine squeezing through the cracks.
There was basically no room to move at all inside the crate, and Leaf couldn’t help thinking that this must be what it feels like to be in a coffin.
Xonarye: Japan
Xonarye Book 3
A dangerous betrayal. The journey of Xonarye leads to the edge of trust and the heart of Japan.
Leaf Brodie’s path has already taken him across oceans, through hidden vaults, and into the shadows of a global conspiracy. Now, with Selina by his side, he arrives in Japan following a transparent cloth that revealed the next clue in the legacy of Xonarye. The trail leads them to the Tanaka Dojo, but instead of answers, they find silence. Master Kenji Tanaka is gone.
Guided by a new thread, Leaf and Selina travel west to Izumo, a city of ancient tradition and quiet mystery. There, they meet the elusive Master Kenji a wise Aikido master who speaks in riddles and tests Leaf’s strength in more ways than one. Earning his trust means staying hidden, training in secret, and learning to control not only his body, but his purpose. Six months pass in the mountains, and while Leaf grows stronger and understanding himself.
Unbeknownst to him, another student Yuji Morita. Younger, faster, and full of questions, Yuji becomes both a training partner and a shadow. But he’s not who he seems. As Leaf trains to protect the truth of Xonarye, Yuji’s true allegiance to Reblick threatens to undo it all.
Meanwhile, the pieces set in motion in Cuba. Spence and Summo remain out of contact. The clock is ticking.
From sacred dojos to coastal shrines, from quiet reflection to explosive action, Xonarye: Japan is a journey of honour, resilience, and trust. As the legend of Xonarye draws more eyes from the dark, Leaf must face the hardest question yet:
Who can he trust when the enemy is already beside him?
Xonarye rise again.
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About the Author
Scott Shepherd is an emerging Australian author with a passion for adventure, storytelling, and the lure of lost lands. Hailing from Naracoorte, South Australia, Scott self-published his first novel in 2020, introducing readers to the daring world of Xonarye. Since then, he has written three books in the Xonarye series, bringing his vivid imagination to life through tales set in exotic locations steeped in mystery and culture.
In 2025, Scott re-released a refined edition of his debut novel, Xonarye: Australia, followed by the second instalment, Xonarye: Cuba, with the third book, Xonarye: Japan, set for release later the same year.
A part-time novelist, full-time family man, and self-described “regular guy,” Scott continues to write from his hometown, where he balances storytelling with hiking, fatherhood, and shared adventures with his partner. Whether at his desk or exploring the outdoors, Scott is always chasing the next great journey—on the page or beyond.
