Jumper and the Apple Crate

A funny, off-beat mystery with an unlikely sleuth. This book was a finalist for the 2018 Oregon Book Awards. Jumper is a man in his mid twenties who doesn’t have much education; that’s obvious by the way he mishandles language. But he has a big heart, an irresistible optimism, and an odd hobby: he likes to jump off garage roofs and trees. Plus, he’s an amateur detective, an avocation he learned by watching T.V. shows. In a previous book, Jumper and the Bones, he dealt with a dangerous gang that threatened him and his friends. In Jumper and the Apple Crate, he confronts a bizarre burglary in his own apartment building. His investigation leads the reader on a wild ride through zoos and circuses and some of the seedier parts of Denver. The book is funny with some serious moments. It appeals to both adults and mature younger readers.

Reviews on Amazon

” In this sequel to his first adventure, Jumper and the Bones, Jumper explains how he got the apple crate on his balcony. It’s a wild romp involving the circus, chimps, burglaries, and some bad guys who need to get their comeuppance… The character captivated me in the first book, and brings the same keen observations of people and behavior to this story. A warning to those fussy about grammar, Jumper’s voice is unique, but he is guaranteed to make you laugh.–Liz Hill, author of The Last Brass Ring

“…True, Jumper mishandles and misappropriates language, but his raw and honest way of saying things just makes his point of view and bursts of wisdom sink in all the better…For instance…”There ain’t so many guys who’ll talk to you about paint colors these days. That don’t say nothing good about our education system.” or “Every time you have a dumb idea which everybody would laugh at but it works anyway, you feel as good as if you just invented electricity or apple pie.” …As far as I’m concerned, any adventure Jumper undertakes is one worth taking, and one I would gladly join him in.”–
Melanie I. Mulhall,book editor

“If you’re looking for a clever, entertaining detective story with an appealing hero, pluck this one off the shelf…Along with a rollicking good story, there are little bits of wisdom [like] “Her voice told me that circus people like other circus people better than they like people who live in towns. You can’t hold that against them; everybody likes people like theirself. You just got to find out how someone else is like you and then you’ll think they’re OK too.” —Helen Williams, author

“I fell in love with Jumper in Amdahl’s first book, Jumper and the Bones, and it is such a joy to spend time with Jumper and his friends once again…Sometimes serious, oftentimes laugh-out-loud humorous, you can’t help wishing you had a friend like Jumper.” Betty Barney

Reading this book lets you take a little vacation from your real life…Jumper is a charming character — a cousin to Forrest Gump perhaps”–R. Rosauer