Mystery in Academia and Family Ties in Academic Curveball

Kellan Ayrwick returns home for his father’s retirement. Instead of a straightforward family visit, he finds a body in a stairwell at Diamond Hall. The victim, Professor Abby Monroe, has connections to Kellan and to several members of his family.

That is the starting point of James J. Cudney’s Academic Curveball, the first Braxton Campus Mystery. The campus setting places a murder investigation close to the people Kellan knows, making it difficult to keep family loyalty separate from the search for answers.

Trouble beyond the stairwell

The death is not the only disturbing development. Unexplained donations reach the athletic program, a hostile blog targets Kellan’s father, and someone tries to alter student grades. Each problem gives Kellan another reason to question what is happening around him.

These are specific pressures within a college community: money, professional reputation, and academic records. Readers who enjoy institutional mysteries have more to consider than a single crime scene.

Investigating among familiar people

Kellan’s grandmother helps him investigate while he tries to avoid obstructing the sheriff. Their involvement adds a family relationship to a case already complicated by personal connections.

If you like a mystery in which knowing the people involved can make the investigation harder, Academic Curveball offers that starting point. Visit the book page for the description and an available preview, or explore the Braxton Campus Mysteries in reading order.