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Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed #1
Dead Serious Case #1: Miz Dusty Le Frey
In the business of unfinished business...
Tristan Everett had always preferred the company of the dead because they were quiet and didn’t talk back. As a slightly awkward introvert working as a pathologist at the Hackney Public Mortuary suited him just fine. That is, until a freak accident with a rogue ice cube and suddenly he can see ghosts. No longer content to just lie on the table and let him figure out how they died, they’re now peering over his shoulder critiquing his work and confessing their most lascivious sins before skipping off merrily into the afterlife.
Just when he thought his life couldn’t get any weirder, London’s most infamous drag queen, Miz Dusty Le Frey, is wheeled in with a toe tag and she’s not prepared to go quietly into the light. Not only is she furious at the prospect of spending eternity in last season’s gold lamé, she’s determined that he help her solve her murder.
Suddenly Tristan finds himself thrown into a world of sequins and fake eyelashes, and worse still, he may have developed a bit of a crush on Scotland Yard’s brand new drool-worthy detective, Inspector Danny Hayes, who's been assigned to Dusty’s murder. Oh, and as the icing on top of a really crappy cake, the killer now wants him dead too...
All he ever wanted was a simple life but suddenly he’s juggling work, a deliciously sexy detective, a stubborn ghost and a relentless murderer... and things have just gotten dead serious….
From author Wendy Saunders writing as Vawn Cassidy comes this hot and funny, slow burn, opposites attract paranormal mm romance.
Tristan Everett had always preferred the company of the dead because they were quiet and didn’t talk back. As a slightly awkward introvert working as a pathologist at the Hackney Public Mortuary suited him just fine. That is, until a freak accident with a rogue ice cube and suddenly he can see ghosts. No longer content to just lie on the table and let him figure out how they died, they’re now peering over his shoulder critiquing his work and confessing their most lascivious sins before skipping off merrily into the afterlife.
Just when he thought his life couldn’t get any weirder, London’s most infamous drag queen, Miz Dusty Le Frey, is wheeled in with a toe tag and she’s not prepared to go quietly into the light. Not only is she furious at the prospect of spending eternity in last season’s gold lamé, she’s determined that he help her solve her murder.
Suddenly Tristan finds himself thrown into a world of sequins and fake eyelashes, and worse still, he may have developed a bit of a crush on Scotland Yard’s brand new drool-worthy detective, Inspector Danny Hayes, who's been assigned to Dusty’s murder. Oh, and as the icing on top of a really crappy cake, the killer now wants him dead too...
All he ever wanted was a simple life but suddenly he’s juggling work, a deliciously sexy detective, a stubborn ghost and a relentless murderer... and things have just gotten dead serious….
From author Wendy Saunders writing as Vawn Cassidy comes this hot and funny, slow burn, opposites attract paranormal mm romance.
313 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2021
About the author
Vawn Cassidy
18 books377 followersVawn Cassidy is the MM pen name of British author Wendy Saunders.
She writes supernatural & contemporary fantasy as Wendy Saunders. She also writes romantic suspense.
She writes supernatural & contemporary fantasy as Wendy Saunders. She also writes romantic suspense.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 469 reviews
November 3, 2021
I can pitch this book really quickly:
- A hot detective, who is warm, protective and respectful.
- A lovely nerd who, after some tragic and embarrassing events, starts to see ghosts.
- AND a drag queen who gets murdered and hunts said lovely nerd, until her case is closed. She also sings to him nonstop to get him to do things and interrupts his interactions with really fun commentary. 🤣🤣
Do I need to say more? I think not!!! This is comedy, is warm and it even got me to shed some tears so comedy with feelings? I dunno, but it was a hell of a ride and I enjoyed it.
The romance was not the center of this story beware, but it was a nice touch.
Can't wait for the next one! *squeals* ❤🔥
- A hot detective, who is warm, protective and respectful.
- A lovely nerd who, after some tragic and embarrassing events, starts to see ghosts.
- AND a drag queen who gets murdered and hunts said lovely nerd, until her case is closed. She also sings to him nonstop to get him to do things and interrupts his interactions with really fun commentary. 🤣🤣
Do I need to say more? I think not!!! This is comedy, is warm and it even got me to shed some tears so comedy with feelings? I dunno, but it was a hell of a ride and I enjoyed it.
The romance was not the center of this story beware, but it was a nice touch.
Can't wait for the next one! *squeals* ❤🔥
August 10, 2022
|| 2.0 stars ||
This has a very fun, whimsical and cute vibe to it, and I can see why people would enjoy this, but it just really wasn’t for me. It actually seemed a little childish in my opinion.
The murder mystery never truly gripped me, and I can’t say I was exceptionally eager to find out who killed Dusty and why.
Luckily, I did think that the reveal was quite well done, even though it was definitely a bit random and came out of nowhere, so I suppose there’s that.
The romance lacked detail and depth, and I really wasn’t particularly invested in it. Tristan and Danny are both sweet, and I’m sure they’ll make each other very happy, but their love story just meant nothing to me.
I liked the paranormal aspect of this book, though. The book starts with Tristan having developed the ability to see ghosts, and he is now being pestered by Dusty’s ghost to help solve her murder.
Dusty is a drag queen and her sass and running commentary could often be quite funny. She also had some lovely banter with Tristan from time to time.
All in all, I think this was a fun book and I didn’t think it was bad at what it was trying to do, but I just wasn’t a big fan. It was mostly boring to me.
This has a very fun, whimsical and cute vibe to it, and I can see why people would enjoy this, but it just really wasn’t for me. It actually seemed a little childish in my opinion.
The murder mystery never truly gripped me, and I can’t say I was exceptionally eager to find out who killed Dusty and why.
Luckily, I did think that the reveal was quite well done, even though it was definitely a bit random and came out of nowhere, so I suppose there’s that.
The romance lacked detail and depth, and I really wasn’t particularly invested in it. Tristan and Danny are both sweet, and I’m sure they’ll make each other very happy, but their love story just meant nothing to me.
I liked the paranormal aspect of this book, though. The book starts with Tristan having developed the ability to see ghosts, and he is now being pestered by Dusty’s ghost to help solve her murder.
Dusty is a drag queen and her sass and running commentary could often be quite funny. She also had some lovely banter with Tristan from time to time.
All in all, I think this was a fun book and I didn’t think it was bad at what it was trying to do, but I just wasn’t a big fan. It was mostly boring to me.
October 12, 2023
4.5 stars ...
Very fun! 😁
Very fun! 😁
August 28, 2024
This paranormal cozy mystery slash romance is flat and uninspired.
The mystery is underwhelming, with the perp coming out of nowhere and the motive dismissed as "emotional and mental problems." Red herrings abound. There's no way the reader can pinpoint the killer because we're not given the necessary information to do so.
The paranormal aspect isn't well developed. The ghost of Ms. Dusty, drag queen extraordinaire, was my favorite character, but even that wore thin as the story progressed.
The characters have the emotional range of stick figures. We're told everyone, especially Dusty's bestie Chan, misses Dusty terribly, but Chan is cracking jokes and innuendos every time she's on page. Her demeanor doesn't scream grieving friend.
The romance just kind of exists in the background. I've no idea what connected the two MCs except their love of movies. Again, we're TOLD their passion burns bright, but I wasn't feeling it at all.
The author is British and the story is set in England, but the characters talk like Americans (minus a few phrases here and there).
To add insult to injury, the editing is atrocious. I noted numerous grammatical mistakes - not typos but obvious mistakes like run-on sentences and ulnnecessary apostrophe0. Yikes.
The mystery is underwhelming, with the perp coming out of nowhere and the motive dismissed as "emotional and mental problems." Red herrings abound. There's no way the reader can pinpoint the killer because we're not given the necessary information to do so.
The paranormal aspect isn't well developed. The ghost of Ms. Dusty, drag queen extraordinaire, was my favorite character, but even that wore thin as the story progressed.
The characters have the emotional range of stick figures. We're told everyone, especially Dusty's bestie Chan, misses Dusty terribly, but Chan is cracking jokes and innuendos every time she's on page. Her demeanor doesn't scream grieving friend.
The romance just kind of exists in the background. I've no idea what connected the two MCs except their love of movies. Again, we're TOLD their passion burns bright, but I wasn't feeling it at all.
The author is British and the story is set in England, but the characters talk like Americans (minus a few phrases here and there).
To add insult to injury, the editing is atrocious. I noted numerous grammatical mistakes - not typos but obvious mistakes like run-on sentences and ulnnecessary apostrophe0. Yikes.
December 30, 2022
I have never heard of this author before but let me tell you, after reading this book I'm obsessed. I need more asap.
The world building was great, I loved both the main characters and the secondary characters and the pop culture references were many and relatable.
The world building was great, I loved both the main characters and the secondary characters and the pop culture references were many and relatable.
July 13, 2023
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes & tags down below.
"I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm no virgin, but even if I'm not completely unfortunate looking, I seem to have a personality that's just not compatible with finding and keeping a boyfriend."
You ever read something and think 'did I write this?'
This book is peak entertainment for me. I'm such a sucker for the medium/psychic-helps-police trope. I gobble that shit up. This is one of the first MM books I read actually, and this time I listened to the audiobook. Joel Leslie honestly can't be real. Is there any accent he can't do??
I don't have too many thoughts as I'm really just rereading/listening to prepare for book #3, but yeah. If you need some well-written humor, spice, a Scotland Yard inspector who - apparently - looks like Taron Egerton, and a clumsy twink who talks to ghosts, this is the one.
It’s not 5 stars for me because the relationship falls to the background a lot. Luckily we get more books with these MCs (which I never ever say usually lol).
"'Or did you just want to browse a bit? Are you looking for something in particular? A Beginner's Guide to Wicca? How to Dance Naked under the Full Moon with Friends without making it Awkward? That book was really quite informative, not sure why it didn't sell more copies,' she muses."
Book safety
TW/CW
Tropes & tags
"I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm no virgin, but even if I'm not completely unfortunate looking, I seem to have a personality that's just not compatible with finding and keeping a boyfriend."
You ever read something and think 'did I write this?'
This book is peak entertainment for me. I'm such a sucker for the medium/psychic-helps-police trope. I gobble that shit up. This is one of the first MM books I read actually, and this time I listened to the audiobook. Joel Leslie honestly can't be real. Is there any accent he can't do??
I don't have too many thoughts as I'm really just rereading/listening to prepare for book #3, but yeah. If you need some well-written humor, spice, a Scotland Yard inspector who - apparently - looks like Taron Egerton, and a clumsy twink who talks to ghosts, this is the one.
It’s not 5 stars for me because the relationship falls to the background a lot. Luckily we get more books with these MCs (which I never ever say usually lol).
"'Or did you just want to browse a bit? Are you looking for something in particular? A Beginner's Guide to Wicca? How to Dance Naked under the Full Moon with Friends without making it Awkward? That book was really quite informative, not sure why it didn't sell more copies,' she muses."
Book safety
TW/CW
Tropes & tags
March 5, 2022
Would have been 3, 3.5 stars if not for making the killer “mentally and emotionally disabled” which is one of the things I hate the absolute most. Especially when it doesn’t have to be! Literally could have been the same person with pretty much the same motive! Except giving them this random unspecified disability means the motive and end climax can be flimsier and not make as much sense. The characters even mention how the motive doesn’t make sense and joke about it! So frustrating.
October 12, 2023
Perfection!
I absolutely loved this! Not only was it a perfect story, it was perfect for the October season! 5 stars and 5 extra ghosts! Highly recommended! ⭐️ 👻 ⭐️👻⭐️
I absolutely loved this! Not only was it a perfect story, it was perfect for the October season! 5 stars and 5 extra ghosts! Highly recommended! ⭐️ 👻 ⭐️👻⭐️
March 20, 2022
This book was such a wonderful surprise
I wasn't sure what I was expecting from this paranormal romance, but what I got was an absolutely delightful story filled with humour, heat, a great mystery and a little bit of pathos.
I wasn't expecting to fall in love with the sarcastic ghost of a drag queen either but Dusty stole my heart as easily as she gained Tristan's friendship.
In fact, apart from Brandy, I loved all the drag queens we were introduced to in this excellent murder investigation come ghost story and I very much appreciated the way they all were determined to find out who was responsible for Dusty's death.
With red herrings galore, I never saw the perpetrator coming but it completely worked for me within the narrative.
Did I mention our wonderful Detective Inspector yet? A fellow Yorkshireman, Danny was a perfect partner for Tristan, someone who liked him for all of his quirks and had no desire to change him.
I won't give away too many secrets and, apart from the odd minor niggle with formatting/editing errors, I fell madly in love with the whole premise of this series.
I can't wait for more!
I wasn't sure what I was expecting from this paranormal romance, but what I got was an absolutely delightful story filled with humour, heat, a great mystery and a little bit of pathos.
I wasn't expecting to fall in love with the sarcastic ghost of a drag queen either but Dusty stole my heart as easily as she gained Tristan's friendship.
In fact, apart from Brandy, I loved all the drag queens we were introduced to in this excellent murder investigation come ghost story and I very much appreciated the way they all were determined to find out who was responsible for Dusty's death.
With red herrings galore, I never saw the perpetrator coming but it completely worked for me within the narrative.
Did I mention our wonderful Detective Inspector yet? A fellow Yorkshireman, Danny was a perfect partner for Tristan, someone who liked him for all of his quirks and had no desire to change him.
I won't give away too many secrets and, apart from the odd minor niggle with formatting/editing errors, I fell madly in love with the whole premise of this series.
I can't wait for more!
October 31, 2021
This is a new author to me, but that blurb spoke to my soul so I took a chance and I'm glad I did! I absolutely loved our MC Tristan and his dead sidekick Dusty (sorry Dusty for calling you a sidekick), and thought this was a fun, sweet, and at times steamy start to a new series. I really enjoy my MCs nerdy and shy and Tristan totally fit the bill. He isn't big on crowds, but you get to see him slowly become a person who is more comfortable in his skin as he tries to figure out what exactly happened to Dusty and why he's now the only one who can see her. I truly had fun while reading this and look forward to more.
Now you may notice I haven't really mentioned our other MC Danny. I did like Danny, he was strong and sweet, but he was a little boring. I wish his POV was either, A. spent on the investigation or B. not included. It's rare that I don't like dual POV, but I just didn't feel like it was necessary here and didn't really add much to the story. Hopefully as the series progresses we get more out of him than him mooning for Tristan (although Tristan definitely is someone to get moony over), as I feel like he has more to add than was given here. It's a little instalovey for my taste, and I think this could have made for a good slower burn, but I still have high hopes and can't wait to see what comes next!
Now you may notice I haven't really mentioned our other MC Danny. I did like Danny, he was strong and sweet, but he was a little boring. I wish his POV was either, A. spent on the investigation or B. not included. It's rare that I don't like dual POV, but I just didn't feel like it was necessary here and didn't really add much to the story. Hopefully as the series progresses we get more out of him than him mooning for Tristan (although Tristan definitely is someone to get moony over), as I feel like he has more to add than was given here. It's a little instalovey for my taste, and I think this could have made for a good slower burn, but I still have high hopes and can't wait to see what comes next!
July 15, 2022
4 stars
Yes haha I loved this.
I don’t know what it is about paranormal people who can see the dead (aka mediums) I just love it! Haha
Tristan was a cute little clutzy pathologist who doesn’t do well with people (dude I totally get it) and I just wanted to wrap him in a hug!
Danny was a great partner for Tristan, he supported him and didn’t make Tristan feel bad for being different. I am hoping we get more info on Danny in the next book!
And Dusty the true star of the show! She made this book with the sassiness and just the right amount of support to Tristan!
I do wish that Tristan told Danny about his ability to see dead people haha but hopefully that’s for next book…? Fingers crossed! Also this book just got released on audio and Joel Leslie narrated this perfectly!
So glad this cop/mystery/ romance was so much better than the last book I read haha!
Yes haha I loved this.
I don’t know what it is about paranormal people who can see the dead (aka mediums) I just love it! Haha
Tristan was a cute little clutzy pathologist who doesn’t do well with people (dude I totally get it) and I just wanted to wrap him in a hug!
Danny was a great partner for Tristan, he supported him and didn’t make Tristan feel bad for being different. I am hoping we get more info on Danny in the next book!
And Dusty the true star of the show! She made this book with the sassiness and just the right amount of support to Tristan!
I do wish that Tristan told Danny about his ability to see dead people haha but hopefully that’s for next book…? Fingers crossed! Also this book just got released on audio and Joel Leslie narrated this perfectly!
So glad this cop/mystery/ romance was so much better than the last book I read haha!
October 11, 2022
This is an audio review.
This book is a really fun story. It’s well done and is really more about Tristan and Dusty (the drag queen ghost), than it is about Tristan and Danny (the couple). This isn’t a romance. It’s a paranormal murder mystery and the romance is a minor side plot. In this case, that’s ok. Partly because this is an ongoing series following the same couple with each book about a new ghosty mystery. Think along the lines of the Curl Up and Dye series.
It was super entertaining and honestly my favorite part was Dusty. And I got a little shocked by some tears shed at the end. And it was a fabulous end. I’m looking forward to more, but think I may wait for the audios, because Joel did a great job as always.
This book is a really fun story. It’s well done and is really more about Tristan and Dusty (the drag queen ghost), than it is about Tristan and Danny (the couple). This isn’t a romance. It’s a paranormal murder mystery and the romance is a minor side plot. In this case, that’s ok. Partly because this is an ongoing series following the same couple with each book about a new ghosty mystery. Think along the lines of the Curl Up and Dye series.
It was super entertaining and honestly my favorite part was Dusty. And I got a little shocked by some tears shed at the end. And it was a fabulous end. I’m looking forward to more, but think I may wait for the audios, because Joel did a great job as always.
October 28, 2021
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
Dead Serious is the start of a paranormal mystery series by Vawn Cassidy. Tristan is a pathologist at the morgue who is very much an introvert. One night, his work friends drag him to a bar where he chokes on an ice cube and technically dies for a few minutes. After that, his life changes, he can now interact with the departed he spends his days working on. Scotland Yard Inspector Danny is new to the area, and he is instantly captivated by Tristan, even before he saved his life at the bar. His new case, the murder of a well-loved drag performer named Dusty, find his and Tristan's paths crossing frequently. Dusty happens to be the first ghost Tristan interacts with and promises her he will help put her to rest while she provides endlessly entertaining commentary on his life. Alongside exploring his feelings for Danny, Tristan finds himself in the middle of the murder investigation, putting his life in the cross-hairs of a killer.
"Ghosts aren't real , and I'm clearly having some kind of mental breakdown."
"Honey, I hate to break it to you, but ghosts apparently are a thing, and I'm pretty sure you're looking at one."
I really enjoyed a lot about this book. First I want to mention all the Drag pride and love in this one, it made my heart happy. Then we have our main characters, Tristan is precious with his clumsiness, lack of people skills and genuine care for others. I loved how Tristan came into himself more the longer he had his ability. While he saw it as a hurdle and something bad in reality, it introduced him to new friends who help with his confidence. Danny is charming and gentle, and I loved how he was with Tristan. Making sure he was taken care of for once and showing him how he found his quirks endearing, not something to be embarrassed about. There was some quality sexual slow burn tension between the two of them and when they finally kiss, it was just so perfect for them. Then when they finally take it the next step it was literally catastrophic to their surrounding 😂 and hot as hell.
"He isn't my Tristan yet...or maybe he is, because one thing I sure as hell know is that in that moment he kissed me, he's fucking owned me in a way no else ever had."
For a paranormal mystery series, I wasn't expecting the amount of heavy emotions I was hit with. When Tristan shows Danny his relationship with his father, I was left sobbing like a baby and the scene when Tristan brings Dusty the closer she needs. Ugh I just wasn't emotionally ready for either scenes, and it hurt.😭
There are only a few things keeping me from giving this a higher rating. Tristan is a movie buff and there are a lot of movie references in the book. It's pretty much a part of the story, but at times it felt exhausting. Next, if Danny mentioned one more time that Tristan wasn't his usual body type or guy he was typical was attracted to, I would have screamed. That statement really only needs to be made once, not repetitively throughout the book. Last but definitely not least is the lengthy Harry Potter reference at the end, like WTF, why? Has the author and beta readers been living in a hole, there was no need for it, and I shouldn't have to explain why it's a problem .
All in all , Dead Serious by Vawn Cassidy was a great start to a paranormal romance mystery series with a high maintenance cat, drag, persistent ghosts, emotion, and a sweet slow burn romance.
Trigger warnings : discussion / remembering of a hate crime, HP references
Dead Serious is the start of a paranormal mystery series by Vawn Cassidy. Tristan is a pathologist at the morgue who is very much an introvert. One night, his work friends drag him to a bar where he chokes on an ice cube and technically dies for a few minutes. After that, his life changes, he can now interact with the departed he spends his days working on. Scotland Yard Inspector Danny is new to the area, and he is instantly captivated by Tristan, even before he saved his life at the bar. His new case, the murder of a well-loved drag performer named Dusty, find his and Tristan's paths crossing frequently. Dusty happens to be the first ghost Tristan interacts with and promises her he will help put her to rest while she provides endlessly entertaining commentary on his life. Alongside exploring his feelings for Danny, Tristan finds himself in the middle of the murder investigation, putting his life in the cross-hairs of a killer.
"Ghosts aren't real , and I'm clearly having some kind of mental breakdown."
"Honey, I hate to break it to you, but ghosts apparently are a thing, and I'm pretty sure you're looking at one."
I really enjoyed a lot about this book. First I want to mention all the Drag pride and love in this one, it made my heart happy. Then we have our main characters, Tristan is precious with his clumsiness, lack of people skills and genuine care for others. I loved how Tristan came into himself more the longer he had his ability. While he saw it as a hurdle and something bad in reality, it introduced him to new friends who help with his confidence. Danny is charming and gentle, and I loved how he was with Tristan. Making sure he was taken care of for once and showing him how he found his quirks endearing, not something to be embarrassed about. There was some quality sexual slow burn tension between the two of them and when they finally kiss, it was just so perfect for them. Then when they finally take it the next step it was literally catastrophic to their surrounding 😂 and hot as hell.
"He isn't my Tristan yet...or maybe he is, because one thing I sure as hell know is that in that moment he kissed me, he's fucking owned me in a way no else ever had."
For a paranormal mystery series, I wasn't expecting the amount of heavy emotions I was hit with. When Tristan shows Danny his relationship with his father, I was left sobbing like a baby and the scene when Tristan brings Dusty the closer she needs. Ugh I just wasn't emotionally ready for either scenes, and it hurt.😭
There are only a few things keeping me from giving this a higher rating. Tristan is a movie buff and there are a lot of movie references in the book. It's pretty much a part of the story, but at times it felt exhausting. Next, if Danny mentioned one more time that Tristan wasn't his usual body type or guy he was typical was attracted to, I would have screamed. That statement really only needs to be made once, not repetitively throughout the book. Last but definitely not least is the lengthy Harry Potter reference at the end, like WTF, why? Has the author and beta readers been living in a hole, there was no need for it, and I shouldn't have to explain why it's a problem .
All in all , Dead Serious by Vawn Cassidy was a great start to a paranormal romance mystery series with a high maintenance cat, drag, persistent ghosts, emotion, and a sweet slow burn romance.
Trigger warnings : discussion / remembering of a hate crime, HP references
January 6, 2022
3.5 stars
This started out really good and for the first half I was overjoyed to read this.
But while the whole ghost seeing thing with Tristan and his growing bond with ghostly drag queen, Dusty, was pretty fleshed out, I thought the romance was not great.
While we got Danny’s POV I still felt like I didn’t know him at all. And I also felt that Tristan and Danny didn’t know each other that well. They saw each other a few times and they went on two dates, but I still felt it was all so superficial.
I also had a lot of issues with the investigation into Dusty’s murder. And especially the way Danny, as lead inspector, handled things.
Tristan shows up at Dusty’s funeral and Danny is suspicious about that, as a good cop should be. But then he is completely placated when a friend of Dusty’s vouches for Tristan (in a VERY suspicious and unsubtle way).
After Danny has let go of his suspicion of Tristan he then continues to share all kinds of details about the case with Tristan. Which would be really unprofessional of him. Especially since Tristan knew all those things about Dusty and could potentially be involved in the murder.
Also after the big showdown, the people involved (Tristan and Dusty’s drag queen friend, Chan) were not interviewed but sent home immediately.
What I did love about his was the humor and I absolutely adored Tristan. But I didn’t like Danny one bit, and the police procedures were very very unrealistic.
I don’t think I will be reading more in this series, while I did like this author, so perhaps some other books by her in the future.
This started out really good and for the first half I was overjoyed to read this.
But while the whole ghost seeing thing with Tristan and his growing bond with ghostly drag queen, Dusty, was pretty fleshed out, I thought the romance was not great.
While we got Danny’s POV I still felt like I didn’t know him at all. And I also felt that Tristan and Danny didn’t know each other that well. They saw each other a few times and they went on two dates, but I still felt it was all so superficial.
I also had a lot of issues with the investigation into Dusty’s murder. And especially the way Danny, as lead inspector, handled things.
Tristan shows up at Dusty’s funeral and Danny is suspicious about that, as a good cop should be. But then he is completely placated when a friend of Dusty’s vouches for Tristan (in a VERY suspicious and unsubtle way).
After Danny has let go of his suspicion of Tristan he then continues to share all kinds of details about the case with Tristan. Which would be really unprofessional of him. Especially since Tristan knew all those things about Dusty and could potentially be involved in the murder.
Also after the big showdown, the people involved (Tristan and Dusty’s drag queen friend, Chan) were not interviewed but sent home immediately.
What I did love about his was the humor and I absolutely adored Tristan. But I didn’t like Danny one bit, and the police procedures were very very unrealistic.
I don’t think I will be reading more in this series, while I did like this author, so perhaps some other books by her in the future.
September 24, 2023
Plaster na obolałe serduszko - tak podsumowałabym tę książkę.
Niby trochę kryminał, bo szukają sprawcy morderstwa, ale w gruncie rzeczy ciepła opowieść o przyjaźni, którą znajdujesz w najdziwniejszych miejscach i okolicznościach. Jest oczywiście również miłość, ale nie zdominowała tej historii. Wszystkie wątki świetnie się ze sobą łączą i przeplatają.
Trochę niezdarny i nieskoordynowany patolog, Tristan, pracownik londyńskiej kostnicy, po pewnym niefortunnym wydarzeniu zaczyna widzieć duchy. Szczególnie jeden duch nie daje mu spokoju - tytułowa Miz Dusty Le Frey, wybitna drag queen, ofiara zabójstwa. Tristan czuje, że musi jej pomóc przejść na drugą stronę, choć nie ułatwia mu tego jego nowo odkryta fascynacja policjantem prowadzącym sprawę, Dannym.
Tristana i Danny'ego wiele dzieli, ale też wiele łączy, a powstała z tego mieszanka jest wybuchowa. Jedyna scena erotyczna w tej książce jest zarówno zabawna, jak i gorąca, i pierwszy raz od wieków przeczytałam seks i go nie przewinęłam.
Książka przesiąknięta jest filmowymi cytatami i odniesieniami (nie tylko do Ghost z Patrickiem Swayze), bo obaj MC są filmowymi maniakami.
W tle tej historii mrucząco przesuwa się charakterny, widzący duchy kot, co jest miłym smaczkiem.
Pod koniec bardzo się wzruszyłam.
Szczerze polecam osobom, które potrzebują jesiennego pocieszenia.
Niby trochę kryminał, bo szukają sprawcy morderstwa, ale w gruncie rzeczy ciepła opowieść o przyjaźni, którą znajdujesz w najdziwniejszych miejscach i okolicznościach. Jest oczywiście również miłość, ale nie zdominowała tej historii. Wszystkie wątki świetnie się ze sobą łączą i przeplatają.
Trochę niezdarny i nieskoordynowany patolog, Tristan, pracownik londyńskiej kostnicy, po pewnym niefortunnym wydarzeniu zaczyna widzieć duchy. Szczególnie jeden duch nie daje mu spokoju - tytułowa Miz Dusty Le Frey, wybitna drag queen, ofiara zabójstwa. Tristan czuje, że musi jej pomóc przejść na drugą stronę, choć nie ułatwia mu tego jego nowo odkryta fascynacja policjantem prowadzącym sprawę, Dannym.
Tristana i Danny'ego wiele dzieli, ale też wiele łączy, a powstała z tego mieszanka jest wybuchowa. Jedyna scena erotyczna w tej książce jest zarówno zabawna, jak i gorąca, i pierwszy raz od wieków przeczytałam seks i go nie przewinęłam.
Książka przesiąknięta jest filmowymi cytatami i odniesieniami (nie tylko do Ghost z Patrickiem Swayze), bo obaj MC są filmowymi maniakami.
W tle tej historii mrucząco przesuwa się charakterny, widzący duchy kot, co jest miłym smaczkiem.
Pod koniec bardzo się wzruszyłam.
Szczerze polecam osobom, które potrzebują jesiennego pocieszenia.
August 30, 2023
3.75🌟
Sooo many lovable characters! There's Dusty, Chan, Benny, and the mains, Tristan and Danny. And Jacob Marley, Tristan's cat ❤️
I enjoyed the cute, funny, whimsical, cozy vibes. The murder-mystery aspects need a lot of work.
Sooo many lovable characters! There's Dusty, Chan, Benny, and the mains, Tristan and Danny. And Jacob Marley, Tristan's cat ❤️
I enjoyed the cute, funny, whimsical, cozy vibes. The murder-mystery aspects need a lot of work.
November 20, 2023
Eh, I think I was turned off by the gay version of those scenes men write where the woman stands in front of the mirror to observe and talk about how gorgeous they are but think they’re not gorgeous
November 23, 2021
This is going to be a DNF. It was enjoyable enough despite poor editing, the lack of even the most basic of research into qualifications to be a forensic pathologist in the UK. I liked Dusty. What stopped me reading was one character telling a care home worker it was her job to be hit. Nope, you've lost me. It wasn't my job to be pushed to the ground by a patient earlier in the year either. Violence against healthcare workers is NEVER okay even when patients/residents/clients are not aware of what they are doing.
January 9, 2022
3.25 stars
Looking for the name of the publisher, I was sure I was going to find Harlequin as that's the impression I got while reading. Too-perfect protagonists, fluff, cavity-inducing sweetness, not to mention insta-love. Not that I didn't enjoy some of the great dialogue, especially from Dusty. She made me laugh out loud and carried the book for me.
The book could have used a serious editorial pass. There were enough grammatical and punctuation errors to drive me mad after a while. These, at the least, could have been caught by a talented beta reader.
Just not my cuppa.
Looking for the name of the publisher, I was sure I was going to find Harlequin as that's the impression I got while reading. Too-perfect protagonists, fluff, cavity-inducing sweetness, not to mention insta-love. Not that I didn't enjoy some of the great dialogue, especially from Dusty. She made me laugh out loud and carried the book for me.
The book could have used a serious editorial pass. There were enough grammatical and punctuation errors to drive me mad after a while. These, at the least, could have been caught by a talented beta reader.
Just not my cuppa.
September 14, 2022
I wanted to know how it ends, although the romance stays on the background. I throw in the towel at 70%.
I noticed the author's tendency to drown in detailed descriptions. Her dialog is often unrealisticly long monologs. But I could ignore it. Until she started to state the obvious and repeat facts.
The narrator, lately, has a tendency to slip into a rut that makes listening like the rhythm of train wheels lulling me to sleep. He had good stretches, but combined with boring text it got too much.
I noticed the author's tendency to drown in detailed descriptions. Her dialog is often unrealisticly long monologs. But I could ignore it. Until she started to state the obvious and repeat facts.
The narrator, lately, has a tendency to slip into a rut that makes listening like the rhythm of train wheels lulling me to sleep. He had good stretches, but combined with boring text it got too much.
November 1, 2022
If I could I’d give this book 10 stars. I can’t remember the last 5 star book I read this year. This book was just almost perfect for me. It was funny and sweet as well as sad and very touching in places. I actually read several pages to my partner after he ask why I was laughing so much. This was my first book by Vawn Cassidy but it certainly won’t be my last.
Tristan and Danny are so much fun together. I just loved them as well as all the supporting characters. Dusty of course steals many scenes, but so does Ruby Slippers and Chan.
Tristan and Danny are so much fun together. I just loved them as well as all the supporting characters. Dusty of course steals many scenes, but so does Ruby Slippers and Chan.
November 2, 2021
I LOVED this! Really can't wait to read more about Tristan and Danny and of course, Miz Dusty Le Frey!!
July 29, 2022
3.5 stars?? I liked this but I didn't fully like the relationship... somehow it was both insta-love/lust & a slow burn. I will read the next book, provided there is one.
January 26, 2023
I had to stop halfway through it. The two MCs are just not interesting and neither is the plot.
November 2, 2021
Dead Serious is the first instalment in the Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed series from Vawn Cassidy. With such an extremely enticing blurb, I simply had to see how this story would live up!
The premise of a forensic pathologist suddenly being able to commune with the spirits of the bodies on which he’s currently performing post mortems is fascinating enough. But, the beauty of this story is that the pathologist, Tristan, is a clumsy introvert with no confidence, and his first spirit happens to be a sassy drag queen, Dusty. Dusty ends up being some sort of life coach for Tristan as he explores his attraction to the investigator, Danny, who is in charge of Dusty’s murder. Whew!
This book is more than fun, spooks and sass. There’s a deep thread of connection throughout the story, not only with Tristan and Danny as the main romantic characters, but Dusty who provides a crucial element between all of the brilliantly crafted cast. Dusty’s wisdom, guidance and humour ultimately provide some of the most emotional moments in the narrative.
I fell quickly for Tristan and Danny and, even though they have a lot of barriers to overcome, their romantic thread provides plenty of heat and heart. The mystery to be solved is intriguing and kept me guessing throughout the entire book. But most of all, I love Dusty. She has so much depth and personality and brought so much delightful dialogue!
Readers looking for an emotional journey (laughs and tears), who enjoy movie and song quotes and snappy chit-chat with their quirky paranormal reads will simply adore Dead Serious. And like me, I’m sure you’ll be thoroughly enchanted by Vawn Cassidy’s wonderful writing. I am really looking forward to book 2!
The premise of a forensic pathologist suddenly being able to commune with the spirits of the bodies on which he’s currently performing post mortems is fascinating enough. But, the beauty of this story is that the pathologist, Tristan, is a clumsy introvert with no confidence, and his first spirit happens to be a sassy drag queen, Dusty. Dusty ends up being some sort of life coach for Tristan as he explores his attraction to the investigator, Danny, who is in charge of Dusty’s murder. Whew!
This book is more than fun, spooks and sass. There’s a deep thread of connection throughout the story, not only with Tristan and Danny as the main romantic characters, but Dusty who provides a crucial element between all of the brilliantly crafted cast. Dusty’s wisdom, guidance and humour ultimately provide some of the most emotional moments in the narrative.
I fell quickly for Tristan and Danny and, even though they have a lot of barriers to overcome, their romantic thread provides plenty of heat and heart. The mystery to be solved is intriguing and kept me guessing throughout the entire book. But most of all, I love Dusty. She has so much depth and personality and brought so much delightful dialogue!
Readers looking for an emotional journey (laughs and tears), who enjoy movie and song quotes and snappy chit-chat with their quirky paranormal reads will simply adore Dead Serious. And like me, I’m sure you’ll be thoroughly enchanted by Vawn Cassidy’s wonderful writing. I am really looking forward to book 2!
September 2, 2024
New to me author and I enjoyed it mostly. I feel like my review isn't going to reflect that but as a whole, I did enjoy the setup and that it is going to me a series.
I love paranormal and was excited when this came across my feed. Problem, I picked this up at an insanely busy time, with very little reading time. Worse, even though I liked the story, there was something missing for me, and even with some reading time, I wasn't dying (haha) to pick this back up. As you can see, it took me FOREVER to finish.
The mystery was totally unsolvable by the reader and honestly, I didn't feel like anyone even wanted to solve it.
The investigation was done horribly. Maybe Danny had a lot of other cases he was working on but there didn't seem to be a real investigation. I don't know. This was just off to me. If you are going to have a series with a police detective, well, he would need to be an actual detective.
Tristan is a doctor but seems like he's not. Maybe it is different across the pond, but here, a pathologist, well, it comes across a little more serious here. His position seemed sort of casual.
And then there is the romance. While I loved their cuteness with each other, which makes sense when you meet someone new that you are interested in, it turned in to so much more without much why or substance. And that sex scene? Holy Moly! It was so freaking destructive and I was so distracted by that! Odd!
I am 99% sure I'm going to continue the series, just not one right after the other as I'm known to do. I need something that is going to grab me and I'm just afraid book 2 won't.
I will revisit, maybe closer to Halloween when I'm always on the search for something a little spooky.
I love paranormal and was excited when this came across my feed. Problem, I picked this up at an insanely busy time, with very little reading time. Worse, even though I liked the story, there was something missing for me, and even with some reading time, I wasn't dying (haha) to pick this back up. As you can see, it took me FOREVER to finish.
The mystery was totally unsolvable by the reader and honestly, I didn't feel like anyone even wanted to solve it.
The investigation was done horribly. Maybe Danny had a lot of other cases he was working on but there didn't seem to be a real investigation. I don't know. This was just off to me. If you are going to have a series with a police detective, well, he would need to be an actual detective.
Tristan is a doctor but seems like he's not. Maybe it is different across the pond, but here, a pathologist, well, it comes across a little more serious here. His position seemed sort of casual.
And then there is the romance. While I loved their cuteness with each other, which makes sense when you meet someone new that you are interested in, it turned in to so much more without much why or substance. And that sex scene? Holy Moly! It was so freaking destructive and I was so distracted by that! Odd!
I am 99% sure I'm going to continue the series, just not one right after the other as I'm known to do. I need something that is going to grab me and I'm just afraid book 2 won't.
I will revisit, maybe closer to Halloween when I'm always on the search for something a little spooky.
July 5, 2023
3.5⭐️ This was a cute PNR. The murder mystery was decent and the characters were interesting. Spice was good. It just wasn’t funny enough for me. I didn’t laugh once. I kept comparing it to Alice Winters, and it just does not live up to her Medium Trouble series.
October 4, 2022
4/10/22 - re-read in preparation for book 2 (can't wait!). Loved it as much as the first time, but this time I also listened to the audio, and Joel Leslie just took it to the next level!! An excellent author/narrator combination!
*********************
Dead Serious is the first in a new series by new to me author, Vawn Cassidy. After finishing a somewhat heavier book, I was looking for something light and funny. This one seemed to fit the bill, and to be honest, I wasn’t expecting much more than an enjoyable fluffy read. I never suspected this book to be a little hidden gem!
Dead Serious is funny. It is light. It is also low angst, and while it is a slow burn, it is very romantic, and there is plenty of steam once things do heat up! Dead Serious also has at its heart a murder mystery that kept me guessing until the end.
I loved the characters this author created. Without overshadowing his personality, Danny provides stability to the socially awkward and nerdy Tristan. They just fit well together. Dusty, of course, was larger than life, and she added another layer of humour.
Dead Serious was exactly what I needed. It was hilarious, with great characters, no angst, and it was a light and relaxing read. While it was light, it wasn't superficial. It had quite a few serious and emotional moments, especially near the end, where I needed a tissue at one stage! Most importantly, it had a beautiful HFN ending, leaving it open for the second book in the series (but no cliffhangers, the story is complete).
Personally, I think this remarkable book is not getting anywhere near the attention it deserves. It is a breath of fresh air. The romance and the mystery blend together to form an effortlessly delightful and satisfying whole. I'm really, really looking forward to the second book in the series!
All my reviews can be found on my blog: The Word Nerd Reviews
Follow Me: Facebook , Twitter & Instagram
*********************
Dead Serious is the first in a new series by new to me author, Vawn Cassidy. After finishing a somewhat heavier book, I was looking for something light and funny. This one seemed to fit the bill, and to be honest, I wasn’t expecting much more than an enjoyable fluffy read. I never suspected this book to be a little hidden gem!
Dead Serious is funny. It is light. It is also low angst, and while it is a slow burn, it is very romantic, and there is plenty of steam once things do heat up! Dead Serious also has at its heart a murder mystery that kept me guessing until the end.
I loved the characters this author created. Without overshadowing his personality, Danny provides stability to the socially awkward and nerdy Tristan. They just fit well together. Dusty, of course, was larger than life, and she added another layer of humour.
Dead Serious was exactly what I needed. It was hilarious, with great characters, no angst, and it was a light and relaxing read. While it was light, it wasn't superficial. It had quite a few serious and emotional moments, especially near the end, where I needed a tissue at one stage! Most importantly, it had a beautiful HFN ending, leaving it open for the second book in the series (but no cliffhangers, the story is complete).
Personally, I think this remarkable book is not getting anywhere near the attention it deserves. It is a breath of fresh air. The romance and the mystery blend together to form an effortlessly delightful and satisfying whole. I'm really, really looking forward to the second book in the series!
All my reviews can be found on my blog: The Word Nerd Reviews
Follow Me: Facebook , Twitter & Instagram
February 8, 2022
Unsatisfying mystery, okay romance
The romance part of this book was OK, I guess, but as a mystery it left a lot to be desired. I mean you’ve got a murder victim’s ghost who basically lives with the main character 24/7, appears solid and can carry on conversations. They aren’t communicating by Ouija board or whatever. So the question is asked, "What do you remember about the night you died?"
"Nothing, but you really have to find out who killed me!" (Paraphrase)
Then later the police come up with a question about an entry in the victim’s diary. Dozens of pages after that, the main character finally asks the ghost, and the answer is kind of like, "Oh, you mean the person who was STALKING me?!" (Duh!)
Was there any time in the previous, oh I don’t know, HUNDRED or so pages that preceded this that the ghost might have said, "Well, you might look into the person I was being stalked by"?
I would recommend that if the author wants to continue the series and market it as a mystery, she create a puzzle that couldn’t be solved by one of the characters just stating the bleeding obvious! In this case the book would have been about 3 chapters, but the reader wouldn’t be frustrated by the police who don’t actually seem to do much, a main character who claims to want to solve the murder but doesn’t ask basic questions, and a victim who doesn’t give important information for seemingly no good reason, other than to prolong the book.
Look, I get it. The real interest here is the romance, so you have to drag the plot out so the characters can meet cute, hem and haw around each other, make cow eyes, and finally do the deed. But if your method of drawing things out is to make it a mystery, don’t make the puzzle something easily solved by the main characters not being complete dunderheads!
And I agree with a previous reviewer who said there seemed to be some confusion here between Drag Queens and Transsexuals, or at least in the case of Dusty and other prominent characters things needs to be clarified. Is Dusty a gay man (in which case male pronouns are appropriate) who dons women’s clothes to be an entertainer, or is she transgender?
The romance part of this book was OK, I guess, but as a mystery it left a lot to be desired. I mean you’ve got a murder victim’s ghost who basically lives with the main character 24/7, appears solid and can carry on conversations. They aren’t communicating by Ouija board or whatever. So the question is asked, "What do you remember about the night you died?"
"Nothing, but you really have to find out who killed me!" (Paraphrase)
Then later the police come up with a question about an entry in the victim’s diary. Dozens of pages after that, the main character finally asks the ghost, and the answer is kind of like, "Oh, you mean the person who was STALKING me?!" (Duh!)
Was there any time in the previous, oh I don’t know, HUNDRED or so pages that preceded this that the ghost might have said, "Well, you might look into the person I was being stalked by"?
I would recommend that if the author wants to continue the series and market it as a mystery, she create a puzzle that couldn’t be solved by one of the characters just stating the bleeding obvious! In this case the book would have been about 3 chapters, but the reader wouldn’t be frustrated by the police who don’t actually seem to do much, a main character who claims to want to solve the murder but doesn’t ask basic questions, and a victim who doesn’t give important information for seemingly no good reason, other than to prolong the book.
Look, I get it. The real interest here is the romance, so you have to drag the plot out so the characters can meet cute, hem and haw around each other, make cow eyes, and finally do the deed. But if your method of drawing things out is to make it a mystery, don’t make the puzzle something easily solved by the main characters not being complete dunderheads!
And I agree with a previous reviewer who said there seemed to be some confusion here between Drag Queens and Transsexuals, or at least in the case of Dusty and other prominent characters things needs to be clarified. Is Dusty a gay man (in which case male pronouns are appropriate) who dons women’s clothes to be an entertainer, or is she transgender?
March 15, 2024
I absolutely loved DEAD SERIOUS CASE #1 and I can't wait to have more Tristan and Danny in future books! This was a perfect blend of murder mystery, paranormal ghosts, and swoony romance and I couldn't be happier. Tristan was a total delight and as a fellow introvert who gets anxious in big crowds I related to his character so much. I loved the way Danny embraced Tristan for exactly who he was and they were so tender and sexy together. They're both such compassionate characters and that comes through so clearly in the writing and the way they treat those around them. We're not just told they're nice, we see it in every interaction.
Vawn Cassidy had such a poignant way of writing the struggles of her characters that I felt it deep down in my bones. The scene with Tristan's dad was breaking my heart and if I didn't already love Danny's character I would have fallen based simply on how he handled that moment. The blurb had me expecting some fun ghost crime fighting and I got that in spades, but I also got a beautifully emotional read about loneliness, found family, and learning to accept yourself.
And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the wonderfully funny and scene stealing drag queen Dusty. I loved her character so much and she was a great ghostly addition that I hope to see lots more of in future books.
Content Warning: on page funeral and grief; Tristan's dad has dementia and lives in a care facility (on page scene); Danny is estranged from his family after coming out
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Favorite Quotes:
He isn't my Tristan yet...or maybe he is, because one thing I sure as hell know is that in that moment as he'd kissed me, he'd fucking owned me in a way no one else ever had.
Vawn Cassidy had such a poignant way of writing the struggles of her characters that I felt it deep down in my bones. The scene with Tristan's dad was breaking my heart and if I didn't already love Danny's character I would have fallen based simply on how he handled that moment. The blurb had me expecting some fun ghost crime fighting and I got that in spades, but I also got a beautifully emotional read about loneliness, found family, and learning to accept yourself.
And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the wonderfully funny and scene stealing drag queen Dusty. I loved her character so much and she was a great ghostly addition that I hope to see lots more of in future books.
Content Warning: on page funeral and grief; Tristan's dad has dementia and lives in a care facility (on page scene); Danny is estranged from his family after coming out
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Favorite Quotes:
He isn't my Tristan yet...or maybe he is, because one thing I sure as hell know is that in that moment as he'd kissed me, he'd fucking owned me in a way no one else ever had.
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