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Will a mixture of pranks, revenge, and a global pandemic explode in danger or ignite hilarious, unexpected results?

Marty Golden wishes this prequel novella was his superhero origin story but alas, he’s merely a mild-mannered Silicon Valley geek whose skills of daydreaming and attention to detail are put to the ultimate challenge—entertaining his nieces.

See Marty before he becomes the super-sleuthing, crime-busting hero of the Silicon Valley Mystery series. In this short read, you’ll meet the lovable hero, an amateur sleuth who constantly frustrates and astounds everyone around him.

Can Marty complete the retelling of a story without bumbling into yet another mystery?

Nuts and Dolts is the humorous prequel novella in a refreshingly modern cozy mystery series set in Silicon Valley. If you like quirky sleuths, wacky side characters, and laugh-out-loud moments, you’ll love this offbeat whodunit.

Try Nuts and Dolts to log in to a great mystery series today!

76 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 30, 2020

216 people are currently reading
107 people want to read

About the author

Marc Jedel

17 books72 followers
Marc Jedel writes funny, feel-good murder mysteries filled with quirky characters, twisty plots, and the kind of humor that goes down easy with a cup of tea—or glass of wine.

After years writing marketing copy in Silicon Valley, Marc finally started crafting fiction people actually wanted to read. He’s the author of multiple cozy mystery series, including the Silicon Valley Mystery, Ozarks Lake Mystery, and Redwoods Country Mystery series. His books have earned thousands of glowing reviews.

Like Andy from the Redwoods Country Mysteries, Marc keeps getting older and sincerely hopes retirement doesn’t involve running a B&B. Like Marty from the Silicon Valley Mystery series, he lives in tech-heavy California, has worked in high-tech, and proudly wields bad puns. Like Jonas and Elizabeth from the Ozarks Lake Mystery series, Marc grew up in the South and spent many a summer in and around Arkansas.

He lives with his endlessly patient wife and a sweet, neurotic dog who remains deeply unimpressed by Marc’s jokes. When not writing, Marc can be found hiking, plotting murders (on the page, officer, really!), or avoiding whatever home improvement project he’s been putting off.

Visit his website, , www.mjedel.com for free content, special offers, and updates.

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5 stars
39 (23%)
4 stars
45 (26%)
3 stars
42 (24%)
2 stars
24 (14%)
1 star
19 (11%)
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Profile Image for Nicole.
2,900 reviews10 followers
May 15, 2021
An amusing short story where an uncle, in an effort keep his nieces amused, tells them a story from his final year of school.
I do have one problem with it. The uncle appears to have had his final year in 2020 - a time of pandemic with videoconferencing for school and work and yet, in the opening chapter for the next book, when he is picking the girls up from school and they are the same age as in the first story, we discover that he is 40 years old. While the story might be set 20 years into the future, there is no real sense of that.
668 reviews
July 10, 2020
Marty the greatest Uncle ever

Marty's sister Laney has just moved back to Silicon valley after her husband's death two years ago with their daughters Skye and Megan. Trying his best to keep them occupied while his sister unpacks, he decides to take them to the park. Only they fall in and Skye even loses a shoe. So it's back to the house after promising her he will take her shoe shopping since it's her favorite pair. Ugh! Then he decides to feed them PB&J's for lunch but has to substitute the J for C as in chips - uck. Then he starts telling them a story, after all he decides he will be the "Cool" Uncle. His story is quite fascinating. Would you like to know what happens in it? Read this great story by Marc Jedel to find out!
Profile Image for JoAnne.
3,191 reviews32 followers
October 26, 2020
Cute story at less than one hundred pages set during the pandemic we're still living through in Marty's reminisces when storytelling to his nieces. Loved all the references to masks, shortages, lines, anxiety, non cash transactions etc. Marty was definitely nerdy and naïve back in high school but now he's trying to be the cool uncle to his two nieces since his sister moved closer to him now that she's widowed. Didn't like the bullies that were athletes at the high school but payback isn't always the answer. Some twists and turns that sometimes were a little over the top. Nice closure. I look forward to reading more in this series. Cute and playful cover.

Mr. Jedel is a new to me author. I look forward to reading more of his books.
22 reviews
July 3, 2020
What a hysterical origin story! It's a great into into the The Silicon Valley Mystery Series, which is written in the "near future" so the prequel takes us back in time to the present day. Exactly now! Set during the pandemic, Marty shines as his adolescent self. The story includes some of the series' favorite characters as the book is written in flashbook format while he regales his nieces of his harrowing adventures during the pandemic. True to form, he is funny, clueless and a bit devious. A great quick read. You'll be left wanting more!
16 reviews2 followers
July 4, 2020
A great

A great preview to the continued tales of Marty Golden, his family and friends! This short story is but an introduction to Marty's world. If you understand what it's like to start your day innocently, and wind up far from where you ever thought about being, you will love and understand Marty. And stories these that are even funnier in the telling! Keep getting to know Marty and his gang, you'll laugh, you'll smile, and you'll make new friends along the way. Just like a good story make you feel!
316 reviews1 follower
August 3, 2020
Not sure on this

Kind of a mystery, an Uncle telling his niece a story about his past. The past parts where in present day first speaker. At first kind of confusing. However, it did kind of keep my interest. Glad if was short, don't think it would have held my interest for 15 chapters.
Profile Image for Kim Loomer.
626 reviews9 followers
August 3, 2020
Geek or Cool Uncle

When Lainey and her two daughters move to Silicon Valley to be near her brother Marty, Marty wants to be a cool Uncle. He decides to tell the girls a good story over having lunch with them. There is a lot of humor and lots of other things as well. I t was a good short story read and next I am going to read the first full length book of the series.
285 reviews2 followers
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July 20, 2020
Boring.

This is the prequel to a series. The story is about an uncle telling his nieces a story from his high school days involving a bully , a pandemic and an explosion. If this is an example of the authors imagination, I think I will skip the series.
501 reviews4 followers
August 6, 2020
For a 'brilliant' individual, I wasn't impressed with the main character, though I could identify with the challenge of trying to keep kids interested. It wasn't 'hilarious', but it was mildly amusing... and a quick read. It wasn't bad just not my cup of tea.
512 reviews
August 5, 2022
There really wasn't enough of a story to stay interested. And the main character laughing off putting explosives in the mail as a teen and forcing his entire family to move because of it really didn't sit well with me.
Profile Image for Ryan Hoffman.
1,215 reviews2 followers
January 15, 2023
Nice short story prequel to the series. Marty is trying to entertain his nieces Megan and Skye, featured in the first full novel Uncle's n' Ants, about his first misadventure in sleuthing in his final year of college. It was fun to see a younger Marty do the sleuthing and get involved in hijinks.
187 reviews3 followers
October 9, 2023
Prequel to Uncle and Ants a Silicone Valley series with the main character being Marty. A techy and uncle to two girls of his sister Laney.
Trouble from his youth was told in story form.
A good series that’s different than most.
132 reviews
July 21, 2020
Trying to be the worlds best uncle is hard.
542 reviews2 followers
July 26, 2020
Great read

Cute and a half! 😂 This was a really enjoyable introduction to the family and the craziness that comes with them!
50 reviews
January 23, 2022
This is a prequel that took place during the pandemic, yet his other stories are also present day? How can that be? One star less for that.

Profile Image for Alayne.
2,537 reviews7 followers
July 20, 2025
Inane and ridiculous. Did not finish.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews