Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints: A Jenna McGregor Origin Story

by Willow Thorne

Before the café.
Before the mysteries.
Before Jenna McGregor knew Maple Grove was built on secrets.

Sixteen-year-old Jenna McGregor never meant to start a mystery.

All she did was bump into the school trophy case.

But the next morning… it had moved.

At Maple Grove High, the trophy case has been bolted to the wall for decades. Everyone knows that. Teachers say it’s always been there. The janitor insists nothing changed.

But Jenna knows what she saw.

When the case shifts again—and a championship trophy disappears—Jenna and her best friend Lisa begin asking questions the town would rather leave alone.

What starts as a hallway accident quickly spirals into something much

Hidden seams in the walls.
Late-night break-ins.
Rumors of secret corridors beneath the school.
And a mysterious figure in a letterman jacket who appears… and vanishes.

With the help of future football captain Joe Carter and the observant Dan Harper, Jenna begins uncovering a secret Maple Grove has spent years carefully hiding.

Because some things aren’t lost.

They’re buried.

And someone will do anything to keep them that way.


The mystery that started everything.This suspenseful prequel novella reveals the first case that set Jenna McGregor on the path to becoming Maple Grove’s most unlikely amateur sleuth.

Perfect for readers who

✔ Cozy mysteries
✔ Small-town secrets
✔ Amateur detectives
✔ Hidden passageways and buried history
✔ Found-family sleuthing teams
✔ A touch of nostalgic Scooby-Doo-style adventure

New to the Jenna McGregor Mysteries? Start here.

This prequel can be enjoyed before or after the main series and reveals the moment Jenna first learns that Maple Grove doesn’t just keep secrets…

It builds them into the walls.


Continue Jenna’s story in the Jenna McGregor Mystery Series. After this first mystery, Jenna grows up to open Brewed Awakenings Café, where trouble has a way of showing up with the morning coffee.

177 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 18, 2026

About the author

Willow Thorne crafts cozy mysteries where small-town secrets, 1970s nostalgia, and "meddling kid" energy collide. Her stories invite readers into close-knit communities where the friendships are strong, the mysteries run deep, and the coffee is — mercifully — always brewing.

Her Jenna McGregor Mystery Series follows an unlikely crew of amateur sleuths in the charming fictional town of Maple Grove, where every quiet street hides a secret and every community event seems to end in chaos. Think Scooby-Doo for adults — with better coffee and gluten-free scones.

When she's not plotting her next fictional crime spree, Willow can usually be found hitting a new PR on her Peloton, spoiling her grandchildren, or watching the birds outside her home office window with her cat Charlie. She believes the best mysteries are the ones that make you laugh, gasp, and reach for a second scone.
Willow loves connecting with fellow sleuths!

Find her at willowthornemysteries.com or on Instagram @WillowThorneMysteries.
Find Willow's books at : books2read.com/u/3LPKrw

Reviews

[Terri]

The secrets of Maple Grove stayed buried until the day 16 year old Jenna accidentally bumped the trophy case at the high school. The mysteries kept multiplying and Jenna begins uncovering secrets that someone is willing to do anything to keep buried! This prequel takes us back to Jenna's teenage years when she first got bitten by the sleuthing bug! Adorable characters, just enough humor and a story that will definitely keep you engaged! Loved it and I can't wait for more!

[Lynda]

This was a fun story about the early Jenna and her friend Lisa while Aunt Clara is still at Brewed Awakening. There is a ghost running through their high school and the girls with some help from Joe, Dan, and Winston do some sleuthing with the Scooby Squad. I think they might have stolen the name but that's the way it goes. They were doing good until Jenna is kidnapped by the ghost and they had to find her. Winston did good and some of the adults helped solve this story.
I received an arc and this is my review.

[Steve Canada]

Willow's descriptions were top notch, felt like I was right there in the school. I was reminded of the Hardy Boys novels I read as a young lad.

Do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this one!

[Gerri Bauer]

“Ghosts Don’t Use Blueprints” was a very enjoyable prequel to the Jenna McGregor Mystery series. The amateur sleuths are Jenna, Lisa her best friend, Dan the Mascot for the football team, and Joe. Maple Grove High School is a hot bed of rumors, secrets, and strange happenings. I thoroughly enjoyed this prequel and look forward to reading more Jenna and friends escapades. I highly recommend this book.

[Jea]

If you enjoyed Scooby Doo mysteries, you’ll like Willow Thorne’s prequel novella, Ghosts Don’t Use Blueprints. The mystery begins with Jenna accidentally bumping the trophy case which the entire school knows is supposed to be avoided at all costs. Soon after the bump, strange things begin happening around the school, and Jenna, her BFF Lisa, and a few of their classmates are quickly on the case.

[Nancy (The Avid Reader)]

Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints may not be the first book in Willow Thorne’s Jenna McGregor Cozy Mystery Series, but it marks Jenna’s initial investigation. Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints reveals how Jenna embarked on her journey as an amateur detective.

It all commenced when Jenna accidentally collided with a trophy case in the corridor of her high school. The case shifted, an action it should never have done since it was securely fastened to the wall. This unexpected movement of the trophy case sparked a wave of curse tales among the students. The entire school buzzed about Jenna and her encounter with the case.

Day after day, Jenna and the whole school engaged in discussions about the supposed curse placed on the school’s football team after someone collided with the trophy case. The pressing question now is, is the school haunted or cursed? Or could it simply be a coincidence that the school began losing football games after that incident?

Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints is a truly captivating tale that leaves you with an unsettling sensation. It brought to mind the Nancy Drew mysteries I enjoyed as a child. Throughout my reading of Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints, I found myself thinking that if it were a Nancy Drew mystery, the title might have been something like “The Mystery of the Shifting Trophy Case.”

The descriptions were so vividly crafted that I had no difficulty visualizing everything I read in my mind as if I were a student observing it all. I was utterly engrossed in Jenna’s origin story from the very first moment I began reading; once I started, I couldn’t put it down until I reached the final page.

I wholeheartedly suggest you pick up a copy of Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints today to discover how it all began.

[Willow Poteet]

Jenna McGregor is a klutz and she knows it.
Sadly, so does Manchester High School.
But, an innocent bump against the school’s trophy case starts a mystery that Jenna and her best friend, Lisa, is drawn into. With Jenna's secret crush, football star Joe Carter, and school mascots, Dan and his bulldog Winston, the students can't ignore the strange goings on at the school.
The trophy case keeps moving slightly and when a championship trophy disappears, the group is drawn into a mystery much bigger than anyone expects
I LOVED this prequel to the Jenna McGregor Mystery series! It pulls the previous books together and introduces Jenna to her love of sleuthing.
There were hidden passages and secrets built into the walls and I just couldn't put it down once I started reading! I can't wait for the next book!
I am honored to be on the ARC team for this wonderful book and I am happy to leave this voluntary review.

[GinaB.]

Ghosts Don’t Use Blueprints is a great prequel. This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but it won’t be the last. I liked reading about Jenna & will get books from the Jenna McGregor Mystery series since it turns out this book is a prequel. Jenna & her pal Lisa recruited Manchester High’s football player Joe Carter (Jenna’s crush since kindergarten), school mascot wrangler Dan Harper & his bulldog Winston into the Scooby Crew. They looked into the moving trophy case, a trophy that appears in Jenna’s locker, then it’s back in the trophy case & solved the mystery as to who’s involved. Jenna’s Aunt Clara & her crew were great. The humor was nice in this quick read. I received this cozy mystery as an ARC from Book Sprout & am leaving an honest review.

[Chere Gruver]

This prequel is just perfect!

Sometimes when the prequel comes after the series has started, it just doesn’t hit right. However, that is so not the case with this one. I really loved getting to know young Jenna, Lisa, Joe, Dan and Winston too. Not to mention, Aunt Clara. I particularly enjoyed the Scooby Doo references as well, as that was my aunt’s favorite cartoon. Yes, I would definitely love to see more of these Maple Grove High adventures. This story, like all the other Jenna McGregor stories, had just the right amount of humor, the right amount of danger and a great mystery which they solved.

I received an advanced reader’s copy and am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Mrs K.Bryant]

Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints is a Superb story and series about Jenna McGregor a teenager and her friend Lisa. Unfortunately Jenna is accident prone and she knocks into the trophy case. This starts her to look into strange occurrences at the school. She is assisted by her friend Lisa and some classmates. But what will she uncover and can she discover the truth?
I enjoyed reading this story and I highly recommend that you read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Stephanie]

Ghosts Don't Use Blueprints: A Jenna McGregor Origin Story was my first time reading anything by Willow Thorne. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. She has gained a new fan!

I liked the mystery and intrigue throughout the story, especially how the trophy case was moving and how the ghost was moving throughout the school. The story did remind me about a certain teen mystery cartoon that was popular in the 1970's! Very good book, Willow! I recommend this book for teens and adults. Wait, why are you still reading this? Go, download this book and escape into an awesome mystery!

[Johanna]

'The mystery that started everything.
This suspenseful prequel novella reveals the first case that set Jenna McGregor on the path to becoming Maple Grove’s most unlikely amateur sleuth.'

The characters were very appealing and likeable and quirky. Plot was intriguing and exciting and well paced. World building was excellent and solidly drawn. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.

Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[S. King]

If you've read any of the Jenna McGregor mysteries, you will absolutely love this! It's very clever of the author to go back in time so we can get a glimpse of what these characters were like as teens. 

I really enjoyed this story and I was glad to see that there *may* be more high school adventures ahead. Yay!!

[Jessica Forbes]

This origin story for Jenna is fun and definitely gives off 'Scooby Doo' vibes. Winston is absolutely adorable, and Jenna, Lisa, Joe, and Dan all feel accurate to their older characters in the original series. I'd love to see more of Jenna's high school adventures.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kelly]

I found this to be an entertaining and enjoyable read. This is a fast read and a great escape. I will be watching for more by this author.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kay]

A fun read!

[Lillian]

The group are all here in this origin story of Jenna and her crime fighting friends.
Super cute as it lets us into the Major Grove world as high schoolers with Scoby Doo vibes abounding

[Patricia A Spring]

mystery

The prequel is interesting. It’s still leaves a lot of holes before the first story. Maybe the other books in the series starts filling in the background.