August Book Club: Broken Heart Attack by James Cudney

In Broken Heart Attack, James Cudney’s second book of the Braxton Campus Mystery series, there’s conflict at every twisty turn. Our main sleuth is Kellan Ayrwick, a TV crime show researcher turned temporary teacher on the same campus where his father was president. We get to know a range of sarcastic characters on and off campus in Kellen’s wide circle of humorous friends and family. One of my favorites was his feisty grandmother, Nana D, whose unfortunate friend becomes the victim in this episode. Her wealthy family might not be as wholesome as they first appear. 

What follows is a complex murder mystery with a number of potential suspects. Along the way, Kellen is pulled in many directions as a single dad trying to make the best decisions for Emma, his six year old daughter. In fact, there were so many forces tugging Kellen in both his personal and professional life, that I began to feel sorry for him. He struggled to resolve any of them satisfactorily until the very end when the killer was revealed. At times you’ll laugh, but you’ll be angry, too. Mostly you’ll be entertained.

I’ve often thought Amazon needs an academic mystery category. I love good stories on college campuses because there’s so much potential for drama. In a regular office, you throw together people with different skills and personalities and hope they all team up to benefit your bottom line. On a college campus, you’ve got people whose expertise varies from Art Theory to Macrobiology to Thermodynamics. Chances are, there’s going to be conflict, drama, and an occasional murder. 

Cudney ended both the first and second books with cliffhangers, so be prepared to read all six books in this series once you begin. You’ll want to know what happens next.

The whole series is available on Kindle Unlimited so you can read them all for free if you’re a member!

Kelly Brakenhoff is the author of 15 books and a seasoned ASL interpreter. She splits her writing energy between two series: cozy mysteries set on a college campus and children’s books featuring Duke the Deaf Dog.

Parents, kids, and teachers love the children’s books and activity guides because they introduce ASL and the Deaf community through fun, engaging stories. And if you enjoy a smart female sleuth, want to learn more about Deaf culture, or have ever lived in a place where livestock outnumber people, the Cassandra Sato Mystery series will have you connecting the dots faster than a group project coming together the night before it’s due.

A proud mom to four adults, head of the dog-snuggling department, and grandma to a growing brood of perfectly behaved grandkids, Kelly and her husband call Nebraska home.