Spotlight: BROKEN HEART ATTACK : A Braxton Campus Mystery by James J. Cudney

About the Book

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?

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Purchase Links

Amazon

Tour Participants

January 17 – Here's How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT

January 17 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

January 18 – Valerie's Musings – REVIEW

January 18 – The Book's the Thing – GUEST POST

January 19 – MJB Reviewers – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 19 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book - SPOTLIGHT

January 20 – Books,Dreams,Life – SPOTLIGHT

January 20 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

January 21 – Mallory Heart's Cozies – REVIEW

January 21 – Cassidy's Bookshelves – SPOTLIGHT

January 22 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 22 – Bobo's Book Bank – SPOTLIGHT

January 23 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 23 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 24 – Jane Reads – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 24 – Christa Reads and Writes – SPOTLIGHT

January 25 – Brooke Blogs - SPOTLIGHT

January 25 – Laura`s Interests = SPOTLIGHT

January 26 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW

Review: MRS ODBODDY : And Then There Was a Tiger: A WWII Tale of Conflict and Carnivals, Turmoil and Tigers by Elaine Faber

Synopsis

While the ‘tiger of war’ rages across the Pacific during WWII, eccentric, elderly Agnes Odboddy, ‘fights the war from the home front’. Her patriotic duties are interrupted when she is accused of the Wilkey’s Market burglary.

A traveling carnival with a live tiger joins the parishioner’s harvest fair at The First Church of the Evening Star and Everlasting Light. Accused again when counterfeit bills are discovered at the carnival, and when the war bond money goes missing, Agnes sets out to restore her reputation and locate the money. Her attempts lead her into harm's way when she discovers a friend's betrayal and even more about carnival life than she bargained for.

Granddaughter Katherine's turbulent love triangle with a doctor and an FBI agent rivals Agnes’s own on-again, off-again relationship with Godfrey.

In Faber's latest novel, your favorite quirky character, Mrs. Odboddy, prevails against injustice and faces unexpected challenges . . . and then There Was a Tiger!

Review

Mrs. Odboddy is once again at her quirky best and following her own version of Murphy's Law. She's consistently at the right place at the wrong time, and it is not surprising she's the common denominator. Not enough evidence for an arrest but in a small town... Godfrey's return seems to be the bright spot and she is able to help with the war bond effort, and may just be cleared of the counterfeiting, until the old trench coat is donated and she tries to find it. 

This is a fun read with some surprises and unanswered questions - at least for Mrs. Odbuddy. The tiger is an added touch. So far, this is my favorite in the series, and it can be read as a stand-alone mystery. If you haven't read the others though, you should get to know Mrs. Odboddy and Godfrey's stories first. 

Books in this series:

Mrs. Odboddy: Hometown Patriot

Mrs. Odboddy: Undercover Courier

Mrs. Odboddy: And Then There Was a Tiger

Book Review: SO ABOUT THE MONEY : Holly Price Mystery Series #1 by Cathy Perkins

Synopsis

When Holly Price trips over a friend's dead body while hiking, her life takes a nosedive into a world of intrigue and danger. The verdict is murder--and Holly is the prime suspect. Of course, the fact that the sexy--and very pissed off--cop threatening to arrest her is JC Dimitrak, Holly's jilted ex-fiancé, doesn't help matters.

To protect her future, her business...and her heart...the intrepid forensic accountant must use all her considerable investigative skills to follow the money through an intricate web of shadow companies, while staying one step ahead of her ex-fiancé. She better solve the case before the real killer decides CPA stands for Certified Pain in the Ass...and the next dead body found beside the river is Holly's.

Review

Nothing seems to go right - her casual boyfriend Alex takes her for a hike, only he's really hunting pheasant and she's definitely not good enough for his mother. Then there's the dead body of her friend and Tim's wife accusing her of interfering with her life. And the detective in charge is her ex. She came home to help her mother, but her mother keeps flaking out on her. The one thing Holly has going for her is that she knows how to follow the money, not always staying on the straight and narrow. Somehow she can't seem to avoid JC though and has to worry about not only being a suspect but her re-awakened feelings for him. 

I liked Holly and her internal struggles over JC, his protectiveness and her angst. She's forced to deal with clients and personal relationships, possible corruption and infidelity, and the pulls of her small town and her prestigious position in Seattle. This is the first in the series and a good start. I'll be adding the next in the series to my TBR list.

The Holly Price Mystery Series
So About the Money 
Malbec Mayhem
Double Down
In It For the Money

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2019!

It's that time of the year once again - a time to reflect on the good and the not-so-good.  Overall, 2018 was a good year on all work levels - the day job and the writing. Lots of accomplishments for sure and hopefully more to come in 2019. 

On the plus side, publications in 2018 included: 

• Malicious Mischief (A Hannah and Tamar Mystery #4)
• A New Place, Another Murder (Sheridan Hendley Mystery Series #1)
• Foundations, Funny Business & Murder (Stacie Maroni Mystery Series #2)

Plans for 2019 include the next in each of those series... I suspect that will keep me busy (and out of trouble)!

At a more global level, the frequency of hate, violence and terrorism hasn't improved. As a year ago, with all the turmoil here at home and abroad, I will strive to:

• Be more positive and thoughtful of others
• Be an advocate and help out others as best I can
• Remember to engage in random acts of kindness
• Be respectful of others and their opinions, even when I disagree 

On a personal level, I can't avoid the tried and true:  Eat better, exercise more, lose weight... I'll add in there, take some time to relax.  And since I'm behind, catching up on the books I've read, but not yet reviewed. 

What about you? What will you be working on in 2019?

Wishing you a happy and healthy New Year

a Rafflecopter giveaway