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James J. Cudney
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Mistaken Identity Crisis: Large Print Edition Paperback – Large Print, June 5, 2019

by James J. Cudney (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 93 ratings
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A clever thief with a sinister calling card has invaded Braxton campus.

Meanwhile, a string of jewelry thefts, remarkably similar to an unsolved eight-year-old-case, is taking place in town. When a body is discovered at the campus, Kellan is called in to investigate.

And if the latest murder isn’t enough to keep him busy, Kellan partners with April to end the Castigliano and Vargas crime family feud. As the summer heat begins to settle in Wharton County, what other surprises are in store?

Praise:

★★★★★ - "I highly recommend this series to any cozy mystery lover."

★★★★★ - "Excitement never stops in this brilliant book."

★★★★★ - "I love this series."

Previous page
  1. Book 4 of 8
    Braxton Campus Mysteries
  2. Print length
    505 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    June 5, 2019
  5. Dimensions
    6.14 x 1.14 x 9.21 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    107228295X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1072282952
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published (June 5, 2019)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 505 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 107228295X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1072282952
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.94 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.14 x 1.14 x 9.21 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 93 ratings

About the author

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James J. Cudney

James J. Cudney

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James is my given name; most call me Jay. I grew up on Long Island, lived in New York City for over a decade, and currently live in Stamford, CT, but I've traveled all across the US (and various parts of the world). After college, I began working in technology and business operations in the sports, entertainment, media, retail, and hospitality industries. Although I enjoy my job, I also want to re-focus on my passions: telling stories and connecting people through literature.

In 2017, I published my debut novel, Watching Glass Shatter, a contemporary fiction family drama with elements of mystery, suspense, humor, and romance. The sequel, Hiding Cracked Glass, released exactly three years later in 2020. I've also written another family drama novel, Father Figure, and created the Braxton Campus Mysteries, a light investigation series about a humorous thirty-something guy dealing with murders and the drama of a small town. I've also co-authored a book, Weathering Old Souls, with the wonderful Didi Oviatt.

Most of my books are available in hardcover, paperback, electronic, and audiobook formats, as well as in a variety of bookstores. We've begun translating into Portuguese, Spanish, German, Greek, and Italian for some of the books too. To see samples or receive news from my current and upcoming books, please subscribe with your email address at my website: https://jamesjcudney.com.

Outside of writing, I'm an avid genealogist (discovered 2,500 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 1,000 book reviews which will give you a full flavor for my voice and style. On my blog, I share several fun features, including the Book Bucket List, Tips & Advice, Author Spotlights & Book Alerts, and the 365 Daily Challenge, where I post a word each day that has some meaning to me, then converse with everyone about life. You'll find tons of 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. Baxter, a two-year-old shiba inu, constantly tries to stop me from writing so I can play with him and keep him amused. How else can you pen the best story possible without these things by your side?

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
93 global ratings
Twisted, Tangled Complex . . .
5 Stars
Twisted, Tangled Complex . . .
Dollycas’s ThoughtsWhat really happened to Francesca while all those postcards showed up in Braxton? I have been dying to find out!!Also, Kellan finds a body in the college cable car and the death may be related to a rash of jewel thefts now and an old case from 8 years ago. Crazy, the thefts stopped at the same time his brother Gabriel left town and started up soon after his return.A twisted, tangled, complex, snarled, intricate, complicated, story is what you find within the covers of this book. I am not going to lie, my main mission in reading this book was to get to the bottom of the Francesca mafia mob story. I have really grown to love Kellan and his daughter Emma and I really wanted to get the Francesca drama behind them. But I found myself hooked by every part of this story.Mr. Cudney has blended together an amazing story that I just could not read fast enough. Kellan is teaching a summer class, Emma is going to a day camp, Nana D has won the mayoral race, the sheriff is warming to Kellan, the mob has come to Braxton, Francesca may be nearby, Hollywood is calling, there is a thief robbing jewelry, and, oh yeah, there is that dead body in the cable car, and the killer left a big clue. So you see what I mean, there is a lot happening and the pace is pretty quick!This author has really excelled since the first book in this series. He has gotten more comfortable with his characters and Braxton. The characters continue to grow and he sets a scene in a way that it is easy to visualize. The dialogue is tight and the interactions between the characters are realistic. Nana D. continues to be my favorite character. The mysteries are real puzzlers and I didn’t slide in the last piece until everything was revealed. The story has a few emotional moments too. I was so pleased with the ending and am excited to see what happened next.Another Perfect Escape from James J. Cudney. While this book can be read on its own, you will enjoy it more if you start at the beginning of the series.
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Top reviews from the United States

Betty Louise
5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Read
Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2019
Verified Purchase
Delighted to receive this book, the thirteen edition of Her Royal Spyness series. Darcy and Georgina are In an extended honeymoon in Kenya. They travel by bus boat train and airplane until they reached Happy Valley, the upper-class settlement. 

Georgina is surprised at the actions of the residents. Darcy finally admits to Georgina that he after a jewel thief. After a rough night at a wild party, they left the house. They found Lord Cheriton's vehicle in the middle of the road and his in the body, partly eaten by animals. The motives for his death are many. There are several attempts to kill Georgina and Darcy. Will the guilty party succeed?

The descriptions of Kenya at the time are correct. Words will put right there. I enjoyed the scenes of the various animals. I felt for Georgina as she found her windows open and the lion outside their tent. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND SERIES.

Disclosure: Thanks to Berkley for a copy through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.

was please to read the fourth book of the Braxton Campus mysteries to continue the story of Kellan's family and his time at Braxton. 

I find the plots clever and creative but the editing could be better.  The characters are well developed and become friends in the first book. Each has grown over the books. I especially liked Kellan, Nana D, Emma,Gabriel,  April and while not a single character the Castiglianos, Francesco and her Mother.

Kellan becomes a friend of electrician, Quint as construction at Braxton College continues on the path to turn the college to an university. One morning he  finds Quint dead near the electric wires. A black calla lily is found nearby.The story turns at this point toward a robbery of few years ago. Does Francesca appear? How was Gabriel involved? I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND SERIES.
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L. Higgins
5.0 out of 5 stars Characters and Plot Share the Spotlight
Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2019
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I am sure that I have not read a more complex cozy mystery with regard to characters than Mistaken Identity Crisis. Author James J. Cudney had my head spinning with all of the intricate relationships in his story. Fortunately, he includes a categorized list of characters with brief descriptions for support if you get confused. To my surprise, I only referred to it a few times as the characters appear multiple times and Cudney puts them in context with references to their relationships and backgrounds. Therefore, they rapidly take on unique identities for the reader.

Along with an emphasis on characters, Cudney has devised a complicated plot with more than one mystery. Hop aboard the campus cable car to find a dead body, intrigue with stolen jewels, and symbolic black calla lilies. Kellan, a professor at Braxton, comes closer to resolution with his presumed dead wife Francesca and two warring mobs. Feisty Nana D takes office as the new mayor, and Kellan sees a new side of April, the local sheriff.
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Valerie L
5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous!
Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2019
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I think this is the best one in the Braxton Campus series so far! I love this series anyway, but I really think this is the best one so far. This one had just a little more suspense and thrill aspects to it than the first three.

The addition of the mafia as a bigger piece of the story line helped to heighten the suspense in this one. There were also plenty of plot twists to keep me guessing all the way through. I did not see the biggest plot twist coming and that caught me totally off-guard (something I actually like a mystery to do).

The dynamics between Kellan and his family are well-explored in this book. We learn more about his brother, Gabriel; his in-laws; and his extended family.

I highly recommend this series to any cozy mystery lover. While each mystery can be read alone, the rest of the interpersonal dynamics are going to make a LOT more sense if you start from the beginning, Academic Curveball.
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Amber Garabrandt
4.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book!!
Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2019
            Mistaken Identity Crisis begins with a thief recreating unsolved thefts from eight years ago.  Each time it's the same family as was hit last time, with the same calling card.  Is this the same thief or a copy cat?   While Kellen tries to help April, the town sheriff, figure this out without stepping on any toes he also has to work closely with her to end his in-law's feud with the Vargas family before someone gets hurt.  On top of everything, a dead body is found on campus and Kellen is encouraged by loved ones to investigate.  Can he keep everything moving in the right direction or will this be the mystery that takes him down?

    First, let's talk about the relationship that's heating up between April and Kellen.  I am here for this!  I really like them as a couple, and I love that she's trying to be a bit less combative with him.  The moments where he recognizes the attraction between them are really cute.  I also liked that I got more time with the Castigliano family (Kellen's in laws) and that Emma's finally being told what's going on with her mother.  Family wise, this was a fantastic addition to the series.  

    The mystery here is also really interesting.  Having the murder tied to thefts both present and past- and implicating one of Kellen's loved ones- was an interesting touch.  I loved getting to see the new characters, and some side characters from before that simply got more time here.  Honestly, I think the colorful characters of Wharton County may be my favorite thing about this series, and they will definitely keep me coming back.  For me, this is a four star book.

       On the adult content scale, there's language and violence.  None of it's too over the top, and I would still hand this one to my niece but the jokes are getting just a bit more risque (thank you, Helena).  Let's give this one a four as well.
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Top reviews from other countries

sjhigbee
5.0 out of 5 stars A strong addition to this entertaining, quirky series
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 13, 2021
Verified Purchase
It’s been longer than I originally intended, before I became reacquainted with engaging Kellen and his eventful life. It was a delight to jump back into this busy world and get back in touch with not just our rather frayed hero, but many of the other characters that also feature in this charming series. Like many other readers, my personal favourite is Kellan’s feisty grandmother, Nana D, whose peppery comments hide a fierce love for her grandson and his daughter. Now she is local mayor, she is determined to root out any corruption and get things running more smoothly.

However, there are a string of jewellery thefts – and once again, Kellen does his trick of unexpectedly encountering a dead body. Fortunately, his relationship with the local sheriff has now markedly improved, and instead of having to run the gauntlet of her scornful remarks and prickly attitude, she is now prepared to accept his help. So long as it’s on her terms…

Once more, I’m struck at how strong the characterisation is and how very well plotted the mysteries are – both of the jewellery thefts and the murder. And bubbling away in the background is a massive issue that has thrown a shadow over Kellen’s whole life and also very much impacts his daughter’s wellbeing, too. It would have been all too easy for Cudney to have slightly faltered with a loss of momentum, or overlooked a plot hole, while keeping all these narrative arcs moving forward. But his assured, readable writing style rolls the story forward such that I stayed up far later than I’d intended to find out what happened.

The denouement of this one worked particularly well and I thoroughly enjoyed where the story went. Fortunately, I have the next book in this entertaining series already on my ereader – and I won’t be waiting so long before giving myself a treat and tucking into it. Highly recommended for fans of cosy murder mysteries with plenty of plot twists and a cast of likeable characters – though whatever you do, start this series at the beginning – you’ll miss far too much vital backstory and enjoyable shenanigans, otherwise.
9/10
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Laura
5.0 out of 5 stars Review of Mistaken Identity Crisis
Reviewed in Canada on July 8, 2019
Verified Purchase
Kellan is overseeing the redesign of the cable car that runs between the North and South Campuses of Braxton. While checking in on the progress one morning, he is stunned to discover the body of the man hired to complete the remodelling. Now Kellan has this latest death to occupy his mind, while he has so much else on the go, with lots of goings on for Nana D., Emma, Eleanor, April, etc.

I believe this is my second favourite book in this series. I love the growing relationship between Kellan and April and his love for Emma is unparalleled. I’ll always love the first because it brought me to this wonderful author’s work, but this is great instalment and one I’m glad I didn’t miss. You shouldn’t either.
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Eileen Thornton
5.0 out of 5 stars A Most Enjoyable Mystery
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 20, 2020
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I had already read and thoroughly enjoyed the first three Braxton Mysteries by James J Cudney. Therefore I wasn't going to let this one pass me by.
Kellan Ayrwick, a lecturer at the college, takes the front seat as an amateur sleuth once again when he stumbles across the body of the man who had been fixing the college cable car. Was it an accident or had he been murdered? But that isn't the only thing that Kellan needs to work on. As the plot unfolds, he learns that his brother, Gabriel might have been involved; not only in the death of the man, but also of some jewellery robberies a few years previously. Then, if that isn't enough. Kellan learns that his wife, who had gone missing, was being held hostage and he is told he must be the go-between to get what is needed to free her.
Somehow, Kellan juggles his activities as a sleuth and those as a lecturer at the college, as he tries to find a solution to all the problems. While, at the same time, trying hard to keep on the right side of the local sheriff, whose toes he has trodden on previously.
I found this to be another most enjoyable novel in the series. I will most certainly be buying book five - Haunted House Ghost.
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Sashadoo
5.0 out of 5 stars Death stalks the campus. Tense and edgy Mystery
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 8, 2019
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Having read this author's previous Braxton mysteries, I preordered this one and looked forward to reading it. I wasn't disappointed as this latest story featuring amateur sleuth, Kellan Ayrwick delivered on all counts. Mr. Cudney has developed his central characters gradually through the series and in addition to the baffling death of a man working on the college's cable car repair, we at last find out what happened to Kellan's missing wife.
With two different mob families involved in her disappearance, the plot is definitely twisted and very edgy as her survival seems very much on the line.
Add in a host of suspects as well as Kellan's brother, Gabriel and he has his work cut out in trying to solve the murder, in tandem with the police, while trying to free his wife from the clutches of the mob.
The relationship between Kellan and police chief April takes a step forward in this book, leaving him with serious questions about his personal life.
With many twists and turns along the way, the author keeps the reader guessing right to the end in this much grittier Braxton mystery. Each one of these books is a little better than the ones before, a testament to the author's developing talent. Well done, Mr. Cudney, it was worth waiting for.
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claribel
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 5, 2019
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Having read all the books in the Braxton Campus Mysteries series , I looked forward to reading Death on the Cable Car. I wasn't disappointed. The characters were as interesting as usual and Kellan's deductions were as intriguing as ever.

I must admit I realised Francesca was plotting something early on and it was a neat solution to have her falling in love with someone else.

If you enjoy a cosy mystery, this is the series for you
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