Mysteries and Children's Books
Cassandra Sato Mysteries
Reading this series is practically a master's degree in mystery-solving!
Follow Cassandra’s first year at Morton College, where her Vice President of Student Affairs dream job hasn’t turned out quite how she expected. On the plus side, Cassandra, reunites with an old friend, juggles a couple of potential romances, and makes a positive impact on the students she is charged with mentoring. Weigh that against the dead body/campus emergency count, an adopted dog with an attitude, and figuring out how to dress in Nebraska during the winter. Cassandra often wonders if she made the right choice to leave her home in Hawaii. Sometimes it’s better not to ponder that too deeply, right? Cassandra is smart, witty, and anyone who knows academia will feel right at home.
This series has minimal violence, no sexual content, and minimal swearing. Think “rated PG.” Appropriate for anyone ages 12 and up who enjoys a good whodunit.
Coming in 2025! Homecoming Homicide, book #5 in the series. Cassandra leads a group of students to an academic conference in Honolulu where they work to solve a cold case.
Invite me to your book club meeting to talk about the mysteries and writing. I’ll join virtually or in-person if you are close by. Comes with free discussion questions and bookmarks. Email: kelly@kellybrakenhoff.com
Series Novels
Cassandra’s dream position at Morton College becomes a nightmare when a student turns up dead. The only way she can save her job is by uncovering the truth. But can she do it without putting herself in the killer’s crosshairs?
Join Cassandra Sato in Carson, Nebraska for fussy professors, student shenanigans, and small town drama.
Will Dead Week kill Cassandra Sato’s career? Juggling student activists, quirky academics, and a dash of romance, her search for truth stirs up the wrath of those who want the past forgotten.
Can you guess whodunit before time’s up on final exams?
It’s beginning to look a lot like murder…
And Cassandra is knee deep in suspects. Her boss is dead, and the police are calling it burglary gone wrong. But when the killer comes after her, it’s going to take more than a pair of furry boots to keep the smart, witty Morton College administrator, Cassandra Sato, out of the deep snow.
Her first Christmas in Nebraska could be her last unless her friends help unravel the mystery and housebreak her dog.
Failure is not an option.
When a student production of The Three Musketeers inspires a real and deadly sword fight, Cassandra Sato and her students must untangle a complicated web of deceit to save Morton College from a mysterious threat.
Solving the mystery will take more than detective work and Cassandra must face her own past as she works to solve this unexpected crime.
Short Stories & Novella
When a devastating tsunami bears down on Oahu, Hawai’i, Cassandra Sato faces unparalleled challenges as she scrambles to ensure the safety of 1,000 students. This dramatic prequel short story kicks off the action-packed Cassandra Sato Mystery Series and follows an ordinary heroine as she faces an unexpected adventure with courage and ingenuity! Get it FREE from the bookstore!
Beware the goddess in the graveyard!
Chaperoning two ten-year-olds who find a chunk of Hawaiian lava rock shouldn’t be hard, but Pele’s curse could get Cassandra Sato fired.
Cassandra Sato always goes the extra mile for her job.
Even when pushed out of her comfort zone to join the Halloween Hustle 5K charity fun run. But when a training run takes an unexpected turn, and a body is discovered, she finds out that small town conflicts can be deadly. With no time to waste, she’ll have to race to the finish line to capture the killer before it’s too late!
Marcus Fischer is in the soup.
When a renowned poet’s letters from the Morton College archives are called into question, Marcus enters the seamy underworld of private collectors to investigate.
With Cassandra Sato off at a conference, it’s up to Marcus and their friends to navigate this culinary adventure. Hold on to your taste buds—this one’s going to be a scorcher!!