Broken Heart Attack: Braxton Campus Mysteries Book 2

 

 

When an extra ticket becomes available to see the dress rehearsal of King Lear, Kellan tags along with Nana D and her buddies. But when one of them dies of an apparent heart attack in the middle of second act, Nana D asks Kellan to investigate. 

With family members in debt and secret meetings, Kellan learns that the Paddingtons might not be as clean-cut as everyone thinks.

But can Kellan find the killer of Gwendolyn Paddington, or will he get caught up his own stage fright?

Broken Heart Attack is the second book in James Cudney’s Braxton Campus Mysteries. Just as the first, I love Mr. Cudney’s COZY MYSTERY true to the genre with MURDER, MYSTERY, and a HUMOROUS SLEUTH. Again, KELLAN finds himself involved in another Braxton campus crime, a murder revolving around the affluent PADDINGTON FAMILY. GWENDOLYN Paddington, the matriarch of this dysfunctional clan and close friend of Kellan’s grandmother, NANA D., dies on Kellan’s shoulder in the middle of a King Lear production. How crafty of Mr. Cudney to use Shakespeare’s King Lear as the play where death befalls the murder victim. Just as in King Lear, Broken Heart Attack revolves around the victim’s last will and testament and the clashing family heirs. 

Gwendolyn knew her life was in danger. Who wanted her dead?

Suspicions surround the family when Gwendolyn’s will goes missing. As usual, Kellan disregards the local Sheriff, April Montague’s, warnings to stay out of her investigation. Hard-headedly, Kellan insinuates himself into the Paddington family, investigates each member’s MOTIVE for murder, uncovering years of animosities and infidelity from the past that threatens the family’s foundation. Who was clever and hateful enough to murder her with a lethal dose of cocaine-infused medication, and why? Was it Brad, THE NURSE, Millard her HUSBAND, Ophelia her DAUGHTER, Richard her SON-IN-LAW or one of the GRANDCHILDREN?  

With the help of his wise-cracking Nana D., now running for town mayor, Kellan powers on, budding into the Paddington family’s past and present history until he uncovers the killer.

But some days Kellan’s had just about enough of older women bossing him around.

Kellan’s personal life is fraught with uncertainties when his supposedly dead wife, Francesca, resurfaces, still insistent on remaining in his life. The dangerous Castiglianos, his wife’s family, is more of a threat than Kellan realizes. Just when Kellan believes his life is resuming some normalcy, he stumbles on another secret, this time involving his brother. Will Kellan ever find peace. Highly unlikely with another looming drama involving his wife. Will Kellan ever break free of his wife? Does he want to?  

Mr. Cudney’s, lovable and humorous sleuth and his relationship with Nana D. always makes me laugh. I enjoy the banter between these two and Kellan’s dangerous capers keep me turning pages as if I’m right with him in solving the mystery. Broken Heart Attack is WELL WRITTEN, SUSPENSEFUL, and a PAGE-TURNER that kept me GUESSING to the end. I highly recommend this novel to those who love a cozy mystery or those looking for a good read. Thank you, Mr. Cudney, for the laughs, thrills, suspense, and great read!

James is my given name; most call me Jay. I grew up on Long Island and currently live in New York City, but I’ve traveled all across the US (and various parts of the world). After college, I spent 15 years working in technology and business operations in the sports, entertainment and media industries. Although I enjoyed my job, I left in 2016 to focus on my passion: telling stories and connecting people through words. My debut novel is ‘Watching Glass Shatter,’ a contemporary fiction family drama with elements of mystery, suspense, humor and romance. To see samples or receive news from my current and upcoming books, please subscribe with your email address at my website: https://jamesjcudney.com

What do I do outside of writing: I’m an avid genealogist (discovered 2K family members going back about 250 years) and cook (I find it so hard to follow a recipe). I love to read; between Goodreads and my blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, I have over 500 book reviews which will give you a full flavor for my voice and style. On my blog, I started the 365 Daily Challenge, where I post a word each day that has some meaning to me, then converse with everyone about life. There is humor, tears, love, friendship, advice and bloopers. Lots of bloopers where I poke fun at myself all the time. Even my dogs have segments where they complain about me. All these things make up who I am; none of them are very fancy or magnanimous, but they are real and show how I live every day.

A bit of humor: Everything doubles as something else when you live in NYC. For me, it’s the dining room, my favorite space in the apartment, where more than just my cooking is on display! As I look out the windows onto a 12th floor terrace, various parts of nature (trees, bushes, flowers, bugs & animals) inspire me to write. How else can you pen the best story possible without these things by your side?

Connect With Author At:

Author’s Website; https://jamesjcudney.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesJCudneyIVAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamescudney4/

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