Academic Curveball

Braxton Campus Mysteries, Book 1

By: James J. Cudney

Narrated by: Tanner De Bruyne

Who killed professor Abby Monroe?

When Kellan Ayrwick returns home for his father’s retirement, he finds a body in Diamond Hall’s stairwell.

Unfortunately, Kellan has a connection to the victim, and so do several members of his family.

Soon after, the college's athletic program receives mysterious donations, a nasty blog denounces his father, and someone attempts to change students' grades.

Someone is playing games on campus, but none of the facts add up. With the help of his eccentric nana, Kellan tries to stay out of the sheriff’s way. But who is behind the murder?

©2018 James J. Cudney (P)2019 James J. Cudney

Great story

Great story with an ending that makes you say wait...what?! The only bad thing I can say is that for a book about such academic people the narrator has a hard time pronouncing several words and that is one of my pet peeves. Good read tho

A Lighthearted Mystery

I received this audio book in exchange for an honest review.

Academic Curveball is the first book in the Braxton Campus Mysteries series. It's written by James J. Cudney and narrated by Tanner De Bruyne. The story follows Kellan Ayrwick, who's a successful 30-something with a sharp mind. After stumbling upon a dead body and learning that there's foul play, he goes to work to find the murderer. This nearly nine hour audiobook contains plenty of twists and turns. It introduces a host of interesting characters, and De Bruyne keeps it engaging with his expressive narration.

Kellan's adventure takes place on Braxton Campus, which is where he went college. He runs into his family, a past girlfriend, friends, acquaintances and staff members who all bring something unique to the table. The most interesting of the bunch is Kellan's grandma, who gets the most attention. The characters are slowly introduced throughout the book, which keeps things fresh. All the characters including Kellan could've benefited from more backstory. It's difficult to truly understand them without hearing where they came from. Nonetheless, the characters are likable with none of them seeming out of place. The dialogue is believable, even if it can seem simplistic at times. The story is told in a way that never gives too much away; Cudney keeps the reader guessing until the very end.

Bruyne provides believable narration throughout the book. He adds enough emotion and inflection to each character that never seems forced. He moves at a steady pace, although I sped up the narration for this audio book. He has good pronunciation that flows smoothly. He never took away from the adventure; I'd be happy to hear more of his work in the future.

Acedemic Curveball is easygoing and fun. It doesn't contain cursing or explicit themes, and it maintains a subdued tone even when discussing murder. It's easy to follow and intriguing. Bruyne provides solid narration throughout. This book is easy to recommend if you're interested in mysteries or mainstream fiction.

Fun book

I enjoyed reading this book. I also really liked the narration. I'll check out more books by this author and narrator.

Academic Curveball

Higher-Ed hijinks... an entertaining cozy mystery that takes place on a college campus. Follow along as Kellen works to get to the bottom of the misdeeds at Braxton Campus.

James J. Cudney introduces new characters throughout the book, increasing the possible suspects. He does a great job of keeping you guessing until the very end.

Tanner De Bruyne’s narration was well done. I would definitely listen to more of his work.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.

Pretty good

I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed the story and the characters and will continue with the series.