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Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed
Blue Thunder
A Dead Serious 80’s Novella
Set in the Dead Serious Universe, this novella is set in London, 1986 at the Blue Thunder bar in Soho.
Set in the Dead Serious Universe, this novella is set in London, 1986 at the Blue Thunder bar in Soho.
- GenresM M RomanceHistoricalGay
117 pages, ebook
First published May 14, 2024
1 person is currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Vawn Cassidy
27 books463 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 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 12, 2025
Gobbled up in a day. We got to meet Anthony and Bryan at Martin's funeral, and this was their back story, which was far more interesting than I expected.
I really like Anthony and Bryan, the grit and grime of 80s London and having getting to know some familiar faces in their younger days. This book also brought back a certain sense of nostalgia for me, as I grew up in the 80s, though I might not remember at least half of that decade as I was probably too young during the first half.
I love all these little look in snippets that Vawn is dropping occasionally, and though I thirst desperately for more of the full length novels in the main series, these will have to do to satiate me in the meantime.
And they actually do help, to a certain extent.
I really like Anthony and Bryan, the grit and grime of 80s London and having getting to know some familiar faces in their younger days. This book also brought back a certain sense of nostalgia for me, as I grew up in the 80s, though I might not remember at least half of that decade as I was probably too young during the first half.
I love all these little look in snippets that Vawn is dropping occasionally, and though I thirst desperately for more of the full length novels in the main series, these will have to do to satiate me in the meantime.
And they actually do help, to a certain extent.
July 24, 2024
This was in an anthology from last year and has now been expanded. It does stand alone, but if you’ve read Vawn’s dead serious books you will recognise some of the characters, which was brilliant. Martin and Alice ❤️❤️❤️
I really enjoyed reading about the 80’s, the ending being particularly poignant of the era but both the MC’s were such characters and can’t wait to read more in the future.
I really enjoyed reading about the 80’s, the ending being particularly poignant of the era but both the MC’s were such characters and can’t wait to read more in the future.
July 23, 2024
Aww Blue Thunder was a bit of an emotional read for me. If like me, you've read the rest of Dead Serious series before this book you'll understand! It was great seeing Bruce and Martin again however briefly and Anthony and Bryan were great MC's. Great book although I'm extremely bereft now I've read all the books in the series😭😭
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November 5, 2024
If you read the main series first, I think you can disregard my review completely. 🙈 (as I'm writing this review as a reader who has not idea what the main series is about) In the end I decided not to rate this novella until I read more of the series 👀
So I am not sure if starting the series with this novella was the right decision. But I was wondering basically the whole time - why am I reading this? And I mean it in a genuinely curious way.
The world-building was amazing. I was completely immersed, and I felt like I am with the characters in their squat house, scraping by.
The characters were well-developed, just enough unique and I am interested in continuting the series... but I was also confused. The tone seems to be at odds with what I've heard about the rest of the series. I actually think this novella might work better if read later on, as a way to enhance understanding of the world and add depth to the main series. But it is listed at the author's website as the first so I gave it a go. I think that I cannot appreciate the characters enough because I do not know how important they are.
What I did not enjoy were two things: the miscommunication trope, and "forced" jealousy to make the characters realize their feeling. The miscommunication did not work for me because we know both MCs thoughts... (I think that miscommunication works in single-person POV which makes the tension believable.) And Jeff?... sorry my guy, I liked you, until I did not. I do not want to spoil anything so I will leave it at that.
So I am not sure if starting the series with this novella was the right decision. But I was wondering basically the whole time - why am I reading this? And I mean it in a genuinely curious way.
The world-building was amazing. I was completely immersed, and I felt like I am with the characters in their squat house, scraping by.
The characters were well-developed, just enough unique and I am interested in continuting the series... but I was also confused. The tone seems to be at odds with what I've heard about the rest of the series. I actually think this novella might work better if read later on, as a way to enhance understanding of the world and add depth to the main series. But it is listed at the author's website as the first so I gave it a go. I think that I cannot appreciate the characters enough because I do not know how important they are.
What I did not enjoy were two things: the miscommunication trope, and "forced" jealousy to make the characters realize their feeling. The miscommunication did not work for me because we know both MCs thoughts... (I think that miscommunication works in single-person POV which makes the tension believable.) And Jeff?... sorry my guy, I liked you, until I did not. I do not want to spoil anything so I will leave it at that.
October 25, 2025
I'm not usually a fan of novellas, but I loved this. Great sense of time and place (London in the 80s!). I liked that it fit really well in the series, but is also largely a standalone. I think that's really difficult to do, and the author pulled it off really well.
May 18, 2024
Such a great story in the Dead Serious universe. Can I say how much it pained me to tag this novel set in the 80s as historical?
July 11, 2024
Am I crying?
Maybe I am, okay.
This made me so emotional.
Maybe I am, okay.
This made me so emotional.
November 4, 2025
SO many memories.
September 21, 2025
'Blue Thunder' by Vawn Cassidy
I guess this might be classified as a short story? Not sure... I found this through the author's website and acquired it through Book Funnel.
It's a bitter-sweet MM love story that takes place in the 1980s, featuring a current abandoned-apartment building squatter, who is a creative fashion designer, Anthony (aka, Honey) and who also works at a Soho (London) bar called 'Blue Thunder'.
One night he stumbles into a vicious back alley scenario where one guy (Bryan) is getting robbed and the crap beaten out of him by three thugs! Scaring them off, Honey finds Bryan is in bad shape, plus having newly arrived in London has nowhere to live, or a job. And the thugs have stolen all his hard-earned money, along with his duffle-bag containing all his earthly possessions.
So Anthony takes Bryan back to the abandoned apartment building where he, along with several other characters, are squatting...all the while trying to "fly under the radar" to evade police so they all don't get busted. He's trying to take care of this stranger, who seems in bad shape.
Chaos ensues! Amid a sweet, albeit confusing but burgoing romance between the two MCs, there are some side stories unfolding as well.
Sometimes funny, sometimes sad and tragic, this well-written storyline is always interesting.
TW: abuse, violence, drug use, sexual situations
FYI: there's a fun playlist that goes along with this storyline, with hit songs from the 80s, from singers and bands like: Madonna, Pet Shop Boys, a-ha!, Wham!, Pat Benetar, Tina Turner, Van Halen, David Bowie, and lots more!
I really liked this story! It's from one of my fave authors, Vawn Cassidy, who also writes the 'Dead Serious' ("I see dead people") series, among others.
Two thumbs up! 👍👍
I guess this might be classified as a short story? Not sure... I found this through the author's website and acquired it through Book Funnel.
It's a bitter-sweet MM love story that takes place in the 1980s, featuring a current abandoned-apartment building squatter, who is a creative fashion designer, Anthony (aka, Honey) and who also works at a Soho (London) bar called 'Blue Thunder'.
One night he stumbles into a vicious back alley scenario where one guy (Bryan) is getting robbed and the crap beaten out of him by three thugs! Scaring them off, Honey finds Bryan is in bad shape, plus having newly arrived in London has nowhere to live, or a job. And the thugs have stolen all his hard-earned money, along with his duffle-bag containing all his earthly possessions.
So Anthony takes Bryan back to the abandoned apartment building where he, along with several other characters, are squatting...all the while trying to "fly under the radar" to evade police so they all don't get busted. He's trying to take care of this stranger, who seems in bad shape.
Chaos ensues! Amid a sweet, albeit confusing but burgoing romance between the two MCs, there are some side stories unfolding as well.
Sometimes funny, sometimes sad and tragic, this well-written storyline is always interesting.
TW: abuse, violence, drug use, sexual situations
FYI: there's a fun playlist that goes along with this storyline, with hit songs from the 80s, from singers and bands like: Madonna, Pet Shop Boys, a-ha!, Wham!, Pat Benetar, Tina Turner, Van Halen, David Bowie, and lots more!
I really liked this story! It's from one of my fave authors, Vawn Cassidy, who also writes the 'Dead Serious' ("I see dead people") series, among others.
Two thumbs up! 👍👍
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews