Broken Heart Attack (Braxton Campus Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Independently Published (November 25, 2018)
Paperback: 270 pages
ISBN-10: 1731310501
ISBN-13: 978-1731310507
Digital ASIN: B07KGGJX1T
When an extra ticket becomes available to see the dress rehearsal of King Lear, Kellan tags along with Nana D and her buddies.
When one of them dies of an apparent heart attack in the middle of second act, Nana D raises her suspicions and asks Kellan to investigate the death. With family members suddenly in debt and a secret rendezvous between an unlikely pair, Kellan learns that the Paddingtons might not be as clean-cut as everyone thinks.
But can Kellan find the killer, or will he get caught up his own stage fright?
Purchase Links: Amazon
5 Stars: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Although this book has elements of a cozy mystery (I.e. amateur sleuths, small town setting, quirky/eccentric characters), there is more of a contemporary mystery feel to it. In this outing of The Braxton Campus Mysteries, Kellan is recruited by Nana D. And her friend Eustacia Paddington to find out who killed Gwendolyn Paddington. I will say Kellan has more patience than I do. The Paddington family is full of spoiled, rude, greedy and secretive people who tried their best to get rid of Kellan’s interference. Throw in other snarky females (his boss Myriam, the sheriff April, and Nana D.) and it is a wonder he doesn’t hate women. Do not give up hope, his sister Eleanore and friend Maggie, are understanding and supportive and by the end of the book, even the sheriff comes around. While trying to solve the mystery, Kellan is dealing with all the changes in his personal life, things at work and running Nana D’s mayoral campaign.
This is a very character driven story with characters that are being developed more in each book. The main characters are also becoming more likeable which I am happy about. The mystery was a good one with clues being dropped throughout the book, but also several red herrings. I thought I had it all figured out, then something else was revealed to lead me in another direction. As the reveal occured, I followed along shaking my head, thinking, “of course, why didn’t I think of that.” The dialogue was crisp, snarky in many cases, and revealed so much about the characters. Emma, Kellan’s 6 year old daughter is adorable. She is sweet, mature and can also give the attitude (I think Nana D is rubbing off on her). I am looking forward to the next book in this series to find out what happens next in Kellan’s life as well as picking up on those few situations that popped up at the end of the book. If you enjoy a mystery with some cozy elements, pick up this series and delve into life at Braxton College and town.
About the Author: James is my given name, but most folks call me Jay. I live in New York City, grew up on Long Island, and graduated from Moravian College with a degree in English literature. I spent fifteen years building a technology career in the retail, sports, media, and entertainment industries. I enjoyed my job, but a passion for books and stories had been missing for far too long. I’m a voracious reader in my favorite genres (thriller, suspense, contemporary, mystery, and historical fiction), as books transport me to a different world where I can immerse myself in so many fantastic cultures and places. I’m an avid genealogist who hopes to visit all the German, Scottish, Irish, and British villages my ancestors emigrated from in the 18th and 19th centuries. I frequently blog and publish book reviews on everything I read at ThisIsMyTruthNow via WordPress.
Writing has been a part of my life as much as my heart, my mind, and my body. I decided to pursue my passion by dusting off the creativity inside my head and drafting outlines for several novels. I quickly realized I was back in my element growing happier and more excited with life each day. My goal in writing is to connect with readers who want to be part of great stories and who enjoy interacting with authors. To get a strong picture of who I am, check out my author website or my blog. It’s full of humor and eccentricity, sharing connections with everyone I follow—all in the hope of building a network of friends across the world.
When I completed the first book, Watching Glass Shatter, I knew I’d stumbled upon my passion again, suddenly dreaming up characters, plots, and settings all day long. I chose my second novel, Father Figure, through a poll on my blog where I let everyone vote for their favorite plot and character summaries. It is with my third book, Academic Curveball, the first in the Braxton Campus Mysteries, where I immersed myself in a college campus full of so much activity, I could hardly stop thinking about new murder scenes or character relationships to finish writing the current story. Come join in the fun!
List of Books & Blog
Watching Glass Shatter (October 2017)
Father Figure (April 2018)
Braxton Campus Mysteries
Academic Curveball – #1 (October 2018)
Broken Heart Attack – #2 (November 2018)
Flower Power Trip – #3 (Early 2019)
Websites & Blog
Website: https://jamesjcudney.com
Blog: https://thisismytruthnow.com
Social Media Links
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/James-J.-Cudney/e/B076B6PB3M/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamescudney4
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesJCudneyIVAuthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BraxtonCampusMysteries
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/james-j-cudney
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamescudney4
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jamescudney4
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamescudney4
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jamescudney4
March 9, 2019 at 11:38 pm
Fantastic review Carla! I haven’t read any of Jays books so it sounds like I better get busy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 12, 2019 at 7:05 pm
I enjoyed the cozy mystery as much as the books with family and all sorts of drama. Yes, time to read one, Diane. Did you pick any up from Amazon when they were free?
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 4, 2019 at 2:57 pm
Terrific review. He writes such a great books!!
LikeLike
February 5, 2019 at 2:07 pm
Thanks Mac. I have enjoyed every book of his so far.
LikeLike
February 3, 2019 at 7:05 pm
Lovely review Carla. I agree with you… I also find that Jay’s cozies have a contemporary feel to them 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 5, 2019 at 2:21 pm
You do not have to be a cozy mystery lover to enjoy his books.
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 5, 2019 at 6:56 pm
True.
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 27, 2019 at 11:00 am
Lovely review, Carla. You have definitely piqued my interest about this series from James. It sounds absolutely charming.
LikeLike
January 27, 2019 at 2:06 pm
I am enjoying it. It is more than just a typical cozy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 26, 2019 at 9:41 pm
I loved this one too Carla❤️ Jay has done it again! 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 26, 2019 at 9:44 pm
Yes he did. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 26, 2019 at 9:54 am
A great review of Jay’s book, Carla. I read the first one recently and loved it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 27, 2019 at 2:06 pm
Hope you get a chance to read this one Robbie.
LikeLike
January 26, 2019 at 9:10 am
Hi, Carla,
Thank you very much for this wonderful review. I am so appreciative of your kindness. I’ll share it everywhere and comment separately, too. xoxo
J
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 26, 2019 at 9:40 am
You are very welcome Jay. I am enjoying the evolution of this series and am looking forward to the next outing. Keep them coming.
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 26, 2019 at 9:52 am
Flower Power Trip is 67% done. I was awake from 3am til 6am planning the plot corrections to make it all come together. OH MY!
LikeLiked by 2 people
January 26, 2019 at 7:32 am
Good review, Carla. I liked the first book more than the second. Personal preference probably, but I am still looking forward to #3.
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 26, 2019 at 7:36 am
Thanks Linda. This one has a lot of threads hanging, but I liked it better. Perhaps because we got to know some of the characters better.
LikeLiked by 3 people
January 26, 2019 at 2:07 am
Aww Carla sweetest review… Well said
LikeLiked by 2 people
January 26, 2019 at 7:39 am
Thanks Shalini.
LikeLiked by 2 people