Murder at Jasper’s Junk and Jewels: Prologue: Sass Meets Superstition in a Southern Gothic Cozy Mystery

by Arden Gray

Silicon Valley data analyst Emmy Forester loves a cozy mystery, but now she's in the middle of a real whodunit.

After an unexpected inheritance from a mysterious aunt, Emmy is on her way to the Appalachian Mountains to claim it.

Along a mountain road she stops to browse a curious country junk shop.

She overhears Jasper, the twitchy owner, arguing with someone in a back room.

Later Jasper is found dead and Emmy’s fingerprints are all over the murder weapon.

With her drama-lovin' dachshund Wyatt Burp, Emmy turns into an amateur sleuth to find the truth.

On a crusade to clear her name she finds out that Jasper's cousin has a grudge, his ex-wife has a grievance, and his shady antiquities trader has a deal gone wrong.

As she gets closer to solving the case, she receives a death threat note on her windshield.

She needs to find the killer fast before she ends up in a jail cell or the killer comes after her next.

66 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 25, 2025

Reviews

[Merry Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new series beginning that was fast paced with a great protagonist in Emmy Forester and her clue finding dog, Wyatt Burp. The name says it all. Emmy has it all, a great analyst job in Silicon Valley, a great apartment, a nice life. But when a surprise inheritance from an Aunt she never knew, in the Appalachians piqued her interest. Maybe a new adventure is in the cards. So quitting her job and packing up and with Wyatt, Emmy heads on out to her see what this new life has in store for her. Maybe a little peace and quiet is just what she needs. When she stops at a rundown looking shop called Jasper's Junk and Jewels looking for directions, her encounter was strange with Jasper and she heard arguing in the back. So she left and went to the diner next to it. When the police come into the diner and tell her Jasper was murdered and she was seen there. She goes into the police station for questioning and can show the female detective she is innocent and points the detective in another direction. Emmy decides she and Wyatt needs to investigate. Can she uncover a murderer? Will the threats she receives stop her? Who is the friendly female detective that believes Emmy is innocent and follows up on Emmy's information? This is a first book written like a prequel to an upcoming series since there were so many things left on the table. So, I am looking forward to seeing what Emmy and Wyatt get themselves into next. I received an ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[Nancy Garbe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having worked in Silicon Valley and moved to the East Coast, I was drawn to this book. Emmy receives word that she is to inherit her relatives shop in a small town in the East and decides to pack up and leave her previous life with a large Silicon Valley firm behind. She and her beloved mutt, Wyatt Burp, head out and nearly make it to their destination when they stop at a small shop to ask directions. Chaos erupts inside the shop and Emmy is ordered out of the store with her dog.

The police show up and Emmy is questioned about a murder which just took place in the shop. The police question Emmy and request that she go to the police department for additional questioning. When she is finally released, she realizes she has captured some of the murder on her advanced gadgets she has in her car. She provides evidence to the police and is subsequently able to collect additional information to assist in solving the murder. Once they wrap up the investigation, Emmy and Wyatt Burp he’d to their new home and new adventures.

Wyatt is a very special sidekick and Emmy’s experiences in technology are wonderfully helpful in dealing with those bad guys.

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

ASIN:‎ B0DV456WP1
Publication date:‎ January 24, 2025
Language:‎ English

Murder at Jasper's Junk and Jewels is the first book in Arden Gray's new series, An Emmy Forester Cozy Murder Mystery. The book is a quick read, but once past the first few pages, it picks up the pace and gets you into the story.

Arden Gray creates enough characters/suspects to add some twists and turns to the murder mystery. There is a great protagonist in Emmy Forester and her clue finding dog, a dachshund named Wyatt Burp. Emmy quickly eliminates herself as a suspect, but finding the real killer will take some luck and a bit of sleuthing skill. It's an enjoyable couple of hours of relaxation and entertainment.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this 4 1/2 Stars!!

This is the first book in the series An Emmy Forester Cozy Murder Mystery. Emmy works and lives in the city with her dog Wyatt Burp. She gets a call saying she inherited a shop in the Appalachian Mountains. She quits her job and packs her stuff then heads to the Appalachian Mountains. Before she makes it all of the way she gets brought into questioning because someone was murdered and she was one of the last people at the store. Can she prove her innocence? Can she find out who was behind it? I loved her dog. So far this series has started off good. I can’t wait to read the next book.

[Linda DuPont · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, but fun to read. Emmy has inherited her Aunt Gertie’s antique shop in Hope Springs, deep in Appalachia. It’s a long way from Emmy’s Silicon Valley job and home - and a totally different culture. After deciding to make the life change, Emmy and her cute dachshund, Wyatt Burp, find more than pine trees on their way to Hope Springs. A mystery - murder, at that! - awaits them in Piney County at Jasper’s Junk & Jewels. Emmy and Wyatt work together to help solve the mystery before driving to their new home, The Oddity Shop.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great beginning to new series!
Quiet towns....idyllic? Perhaps not so conducive to peaceful retirement or life! In this mystery we are introduced to our main characters~Emmy and her faithful Wyatt ~ in such a way that I'm looking forward to the next in the series. I've invested time in a positive way. Great twist at the end with lots of suspense and intrigue packed into just a few chapters! Excellent and recommended‼️

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute short mystery, written in a fun, breezy style! I'll keep an eye out for the next in this series.

FWIW, I really liked the opening section, where Emmy is preparing to leave Silicon Valley with her little dog. The whole attitude about her adventure and life change made me smile. (As a denizen of the Valley, yeah, I get it.)

Full disclosure: obtained this as a freebie via the author's site, thanks to BookFunnel.

[Anne Newman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really easy to read short story about Emma and her dog leaving Silicon Valley for Hope Springs, where she has inherited The Oddity Shop from an aunt she didn’t know she had. On the way she happens to get caught up in a murder.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emmy thinks she’s on the way to claim an inheritance but has a surprise along the way. Murder isn’t what she expected and being accused is definitely not part of the plan. Will she find the truth in time to save herself. New author to me and totally enjoyed.

[Juanita E. Arp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book, it has an entertaining storyline and great interaction between the characters. I can't wait to read more from this author. I received this book as a Free ARC copy to read and I voluntarily leave this review.

[Linda Whitenight · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute mystery/murder with great introduction to the characters. Emmy moves across the country to take over her Aunt's property upon her death and stumbles upon a mystery and murder. With the help of her trusty pup Wyatt, she assists the local detective with the case.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I totally agree with all the other reviews listed for this book so I don't know what else I can say! Loved Emmy and Wyatt Burp. When I got to the end, I really wanted more ... such as her moving into Oddity and the ins and outs of her new home.

[Rachelle Bachiu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading this story. Funny at times yet murder is the main topic. Emmy and Wyatt are very entertaining as they put all the clues together to solves this murder. Will be reading more from this author.

[Marseydoats · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy of her book. This is really fast paced. I know nothing about technology, so I don't know if the features on her space age car are real or not.
Fast, enjoyable read.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this will make an excellent series. The story was interesting and a bit humorous. I wish it had been a bit longer. Recommend.

[Rick Farlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute little murder mystery… and Wyatt (her dachshund) is the heart of the story.

[Doreen Farrar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an entertaining and fun book to read. The characters are so well written! I didn't expect the ending at all. Highly recommended!

[Jane Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a very good book.

I didn’t realize who the killer was until the second last chapter.

[Douvonté · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.25

[Marietta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a new author for me and I did enjoy this book it was very light reading with a bit of mystery to it. Emmy Forester and her mini dashund Wyatt are on a new adventure to the new place that she has never been before. With inheriting a small shop in Hope Springs Appalachia from her aunt Gertie. Emmy has been think along the line of retiring from her job as she has made a few dollar over the years and she is not as happy doing what she does anymore. On her way to Hope Springs she has run into alot of different people at the charging station along the way. But once she get into the Appalachia mountain the weather starts to change and she ends up going threw a storm. At the last town she stopped in she visited a second hand store and meeting the owner who is not all that friendly but after she leaves his store he is murdered. and of course someone thinks that she may have killed him but she is able to prove that there were other people there after she left. But she feels that she had to solve the murder case. If the next book is anything like this one I am sure I will enjoy it just as much.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the series and it fills in a,lot of blanks. I now know more about Emmy's background and how she ended up in Hope Springs. What a road trip. I have never been in an electric vehicle so I don't know about the availability of charging stations nationwide. It was interesting when she stopped at charging stations and interacted with fellow travels. I like Emmy's quick reaction to the murder and how she was able to remove herself as a murder suspect. The plotline was very well written.

Now that I have read all three books, I can wholeheartedly recommend the complete series.