The Last Picks Series in Order

About The Last Picks series

Series Premise

The series centers on Jagger, a young man who returns to his hometown after a personal crisis and takes a low-key job as a grocery store bagger—his "last pick" in a string of dead-end choices. When murders and suspicious deaths begin to occur around the store or town, Jagger finds himself drawn into investigations due to his proximity to victims, witnesses, or evidence. His keen observational skills (honed from years of watching people), dry wit, and outsider perspective make him an unlikely but effective detective. He often works alongside or in spite of local police, uncovering motives tied to small-town secrets, family resentments, workplace rivalries, or hidden pasts, all while trying to rebuild his own life and avoid becoming the next victim.

Main Characters

Jagger anchors the series as the reluctant protagonist: sharp-tongued, observant, and quietly wounded, he returns home with little direction but finds purpose in solving mysteries and forming unexpected bonds. His dry humor and refusal to be pitied make him compelling and relatable.



Supporting and recurring characters include:

- Coworkers at the store—quirky cashiers, stockers, managers, and shift leads—who provide comic relief, gossip, and occasional help or red herrings.

- Local police (such as a detective who grudgingly tolerates Jagger's involvement), who offer official contrast and occasional conflict.

- Friends and family (including a best friend or sibling figure) who ground Jagger emotionally and add layers to his personal struggles.

Setting

The series is set in a small, unnamed Midwestern town—think flat horizons, chain grocery stores, quiet subdivisions, local diners, and the kind of place where everyone knows your business but pretends they don't. The Save-More grocery store (or similar big-box store) serves as the central hub: fluorescent lights, endless aisles, break rooms filled with gossip, and a cast of employees who become Jagger's reluctant family. The atmosphere feels authentic and lived-in—harsh winter cold, humid summers, seasonal shifts, and the slow rhythm of small-town life—creating a grounded backdrop where secrets simmer beneath everyday routine.

Tone & Themes

The tone is dryly humorous, introspective, and quietly intense, blending cozy mystery elements with sharp dialogue, understated emotion, and a touch of melancholy. Ashe keeps suspense gentle and character-focused—no graphic violence—emphasizing clever deduction, workplace absurdities, and relatable human struggles. Themes explore second chances after failure, the weight of small-town judgment, the quiet strength of persistence, found family among coworkers and friends, and the idea that even in a "last pick" life, purpose and connection can be found. It celebrates resilience, self-acceptance, and the power of noticing the overlooked.

The Last Picks series shines with quiet wit, sharp observation, and the slow unfolding of second chances, proving that even in the fluorescent aisles of a nowhere town, a life can be rebuilt one mystery at a time. Gregory Ashe crafts a world where ordinary people carry extraordinary burdens, where humor hides hurt, and where solving a murder can mean solving yourself. Readers close each book moved, amused, and rooting for Jagger's next reluctant step forward—reminding us that sometimes the last pick turns out to be the best one after all. It's cozy mystery with soul, depth, and just the right amount of bite.