Book Review: Mistaken Identity Crisis by James J. Cudney (Braxton Campus Mysteries #4)

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Kellan

Cons: Weaker writing, overstuffed story

The Bottom Line:

Death in cable car

Other situation, too

Overstuffed story

Can Kellen Identify Another Killer?

Those who have been reading the Braxton Campus Mysteries know that we’ve had a storyline building toward a climax. Going into Mistaken Identity Crisis, I was hoping we’d get some resolution to that particular story. Sadly, a split focus meant the book turned out to be just okay. 

For those new to the series, it features Kellan Ayrwick, who has returned to his hometown in Pennsylvania. He’s teaching at the college in the area, a place his family has worked at for years. 

This book picks up within days of book three ending. Summer session is about to get started, and Kellan is teaching one class on documentary making. He’s also been the official liaison with the man working on the cable car that unites the two parts of the campus. When he goes to check in one morning, he finds the contractor dead. Quint had been friends with Kellen’s younger brother years before. Still, Kellen vows he isn’t going to investigate. But he can’t help but poke around when his brother starts to become a suspect. 

Meanwhile, that ongoing situation I mentioned? It’s definitely heating up. I’m not going to tease anything from it because there is no way to do so with revealing some spoilers. But let’s say that I’ve felt this particular storyline, while intriguing, has also had some pretty serious soap opera elements to it. 

Unfortunately, the two combine for a book that is over stuffed with story. The mystery of Quint’s death would have been enough for a full novel. But throw in the other storyline, and there’s a bit too much. While we do get answers and everything is explained at the end, I feel like the ending is a bit too convenient. At the same time, I was certainly glued to the book as I was reading the climax to see how everything would play out. 

There’s a large cast of characters. Frankly, a little too large. And with all the connections going on, it was a struggle for me to keep all those connections straight as I read. The cast of characters at the beginning only helped with that a little. 

I’ve complained in the past about how some of the relationships are a little too contentious for my taste. I was glad to see that toned down here. In fact, I think one relationship progresses a little too quickly away from contentious, especially given where things stood in the previous book, which was just a few days ago for the characters. 

And let me be clear, I do like Kellan and many of the recurring characters. I enjoy rooting for them to figure out how to handle everything that is being thrown their way. 

The writing is a little weak, thanks in part to the author’s habit of summarizing large sections of dialogue. It just doesn’t pull us as fully into the story as I would like. And yes, I also recognize that this would make an overstuffed book even longer. I’m nothing if not hypocritical. 

This is an eight-book series, so I’m half way through. I’m curious enough about where the characters are going to wind up that I will keep reading. It helps that I’ve already bought the ebooks. 

Those who have been intrigued by the first three books will want to pick up Mistaken Identity Crisis. Personally, I’m curious to see where the story is going to go from here. 

Here are the rest of the Braxton Campus Mysteries.