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The Little Shop of Curiosities Cursed Object 1 The Music Box - Part 1.
The Music Box - Part 1.
Despite being raised and well loved by his two adoptive fathers Harrison Ames has always felt alone. As an incredibly powerful witch he’s never come across anyone else who can do the things he can. Moving to London from Devon, he’d hoped that if he finally gathered the courage to confront the biological mother who’d given him up as a baby, he might finally have some answers.
Sam Stone, carries scars of his own, both physical and otherwise, but he’s determined to ignore them and get on with his life. But when fate drops a gorgeous prickly red haired witch in his life, he figures his luck is finally changing.
With mediums, dead drag queens, and supernatural beings as his new friends Harrison finds himself drawn into a world of magic and chaos. But amidst all the insanity that is his life, there’s Sam, his anchor when the secrets of his biological family begin to tear his life apart...
Despite being raised and well loved by his two adoptive fathers Harrison Ames has always felt alone. As an incredibly powerful witch he’s never come across anyone else who can do the things he can. Moving to London from Devon, he’d hoped that if he finally gathered the courage to confront the biological mother who’d given him up as a baby, he might finally have some answers.
Sam Stone, carries scars of his own, both physical and otherwise, but he’s determined to ignore them and get on with his life. But when fate drops a gorgeous prickly red haired witch in his life, he figures his luck is finally changing.
With mediums, dead drag queens, and supernatural beings as his new friends Harrison finds himself drawn into a world of magic and chaos. But amidst all the insanity that is his life, there’s Sam, his anchor when the secrets of his biological family begin to tear his life apart...
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 25, 2025
102 people are currently reading
62 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 - 30 of 30 reviews
January 8, 2026
With the exception of a few past events and a few new scenes, this first part retells all the stories from the last books in the Tristan and Danny story. I imagined it would be a spin-off series that would pick up where the other one left off, but that's not the case. It's a bit tiring rereading stories you've already read and know how they'll end, although I imagine it all serves as a backdrop for the second part of the story.
December 29, 2025
Oh this is so good. Harrison and Sam’s story is a long one with this being book 1 and what a fantastic start it is. There’s plenty of recaps of what’s gone on in the past adventures with Tristan, Danny and the gang but told from Harrison and Sam’s perspective. The way the story is weaved between those adventures and what is happening concurrently with these two wonderful men is beautifully done and had me turning the pages late into the night. Harrison is as prickly as ever but that doesn’t deter Sam at all, he really embraces and accepts that side of “Prickles” and very slowly earns his friendship and trust. There’s a bit of steam, some fun scenes involving Harrison’s dads and an ending involving the mystery of a cursed music box with family connections to Harrison that needs to be explored. I can’t wait for the next book which is due early 2026.
January 3, 2026
another terrific story to this universe
Rating: 4🌈
With this crossover series in the The Dead Serious Universe, two previously supporting characters are finally getting their own story and relationship series.
That’s which Harrison Ames, recently relocated to town to look for his mother. And former DI, now PI Sam Stone, with his own connections to Danny and Tris, and magical powers of his own.
Both characters have figured largely in prior stories, and author Cassidy takes many of these impactful moments and dramatic events from these novels and repurposes them here. The reader gets to see certain scenes again, only this time from either Harrison’s or Sam’s perspective.
I have to admit I loved (spoiler alert) seeing Chan meet Death all over again. I can’t get enough of this couple, so this was an enormous surprise and plus for me.
I think Sam turned out to be my favorite character, more mature and better defined character of the pair.
Or maybe it’s because Harrison spends the entire story lying to everyone around him. Sam, Tristan, Danny. Even as the mystery and investigation surrounding the magical bookstore, the portal, and other aspects of that storyline, Harrison, knowing full well he had important information and details about the events surrounding the ongoing crisis, kept quiet.
He’s not a teenager. He’s in his thirties. Not communicating highly needed information to people who consider him a friend in a time of crisis.
No, I long ago learned that I’d had enough of this type of character. Whether the author needed him to be incommunicative due too plot purposes or considered it a necessary part of his personality, either way it led to a disconnect for me.
Yes to Sam, no or maybe to Harrison. And there are things I do like about him. Like his dynamic with his dads. So funny. But everything else? No.
I’ll continue to read because all the wonderful crossover characters and scenes. Maybe Harrison will win me back over. Who knows.
A definite winner otherwise.
Cover design by Natasha Snow
Crawshanks Guide to the Occult:
The Little Shop of Curiosities Cursed Object 1 The Music Box
Connected series:
The Dead Serious Universe,
Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed (6 book series)
Crawshanks Guide to Mischievous Spectres & Spirits(2 book series)
The Grim Adventures of Death & Chan Vol 1-3 (on the author’s website)
Rating: 4🌈
With this crossover series in the The Dead Serious Universe, two previously supporting characters are finally getting their own story and relationship series.
That’s which Harrison Ames, recently relocated to town to look for his mother. And former DI, now PI Sam Stone, with his own connections to Danny and Tris, and magical powers of his own.
Both characters have figured largely in prior stories, and author Cassidy takes many of these impactful moments and dramatic events from these novels and repurposes them here. The reader gets to see certain scenes again, only this time from either Harrison’s or Sam’s perspective.
I have to admit I loved (spoiler alert) seeing Chan meet Death all over again. I can’t get enough of this couple, so this was an enormous surprise and plus for me.
I think Sam turned out to be my favorite character, more mature and better defined character of the pair.
Or maybe it’s because Harrison spends the entire story lying to everyone around him. Sam, Tristan, Danny. Even as the mystery and investigation surrounding the magical bookstore, the portal, and other aspects of that storyline, Harrison, knowing full well he had important information and details about the events surrounding the ongoing crisis, kept quiet.
He’s not a teenager. He’s in his thirties. Not communicating highly needed information to people who consider him a friend in a time of crisis.
No, I long ago learned that I’d had enough of this type of character. Whether the author needed him to be incommunicative due too plot purposes or considered it a necessary part of his personality, either way it led to a disconnect for me.
Yes to Sam, no or maybe to Harrison. And there are things I do like about him. Like his dynamic with his dads. So funny. But everything else? No.
I’ll continue to read because all the wonderful crossover characters and scenes. Maybe Harrison will win me back over. Who knows.
A definite winner otherwise.
Cover design by Natasha Snow
Crawshanks Guide to the Occult:
The Little Shop of Curiosities Cursed Object 1 The Music Box
Connected series:
The Dead Serious Universe,
Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed (6 book series)
Crawshanks Guide to Mischievous Spectres & Spirits(2 book series)
The Grim Adventures of Death & Chan Vol 1-3 (on the author’s website)
January 6, 2026
The Little Shop of Curiosities was an ok story and I did enjoy it overall, in spite of the first person present tense narrative. Harrison is aptly nicknamed "Prickles" and I really liked both him and Sam in the Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed series. I was wholly looking forward to seeing them actually together in a new series.
I had hoped that this series would pick up where the Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed series left off, but it doesn't. The entirety of this story takes place concurrently with that series so if you've read it, especially recently, The Little Shop of Curiosities will sometimes feel a bit repetitive, especially in conversations. Thankfully, Harrison and Sam aren't involved in everything that happened in the previous series so there is still quite a bit of original material, so that was a good thing at least. And much of it is suuuuper creepy.
I also wanted more actual romance and relationship development than we get. There was definitely a good start, with flirtations and even a kiss or two, but then Harrison and Sam are separated for months and when Sam is back we get smexytimes! While Sam was away we're told they text or talk every day, but we don't get more than a little bit of it and I missed the feeling of them really falling for each other. There was one really sweet bedtime story by video, though. Not dirty at all, but sweet.
I would not say that The Little Shop of Curiosities ends on an HFN as they've barely gotten together. I hope we see more romance and relationship development in the next book!
I do enjoy this universe quite a lot and I hope we continue to see Tristan, Danny, Dusty, Chan, and Death in future books.
I had hoped that this series would pick up where the Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed series left off, but it doesn't. The entirety of this story takes place concurrently with that series so if you've read it, especially recently, The Little Shop of Curiosities will sometimes feel a bit repetitive, especially in conversations. Thankfully, Harrison and Sam aren't involved in everything that happened in the previous series so there is still quite a bit of original material, so that was a good thing at least. And much of it is suuuuper creepy.
I also wanted more actual romance and relationship development than we get. There was definitely a good start, with flirtations and even a kiss or two, but then Harrison and Sam are separated for months and when Sam is back we get smexytimes! While Sam was away we're told they text or talk every day, but we don't get more than a little bit of it and I missed the feeling of them really falling for each other. There was one really sweet bedtime story by video, though. Not dirty at all, but sweet.
I would not say that The Little Shop of Curiosities ends on an HFN as they've barely gotten together. I hope we see more romance and relationship development in the next book!
I do enjoy this universe quite a lot and I hope we continue to see Tristan, Danny, Dusty, Chan, and Death in future books.
January 13, 2026
I liked it a lot, but somehow it was all too much Tristan for me - don't get me wrong, I like Tristan -, and too little Harrison. It was a half retelling of volume 3, Harrison was an afterthought in his own story and it stops in the middle of it.
None of the secrets have been revealed, we have only a lot of teasers and hardly any answers...
I'm not directly disappointed, but somehow I expected more. Especially from the music box that appears in the subtitle. Come on, which is only mentioned in the last 10-20 pages and stuffed into a tresor... Harrison drinks tea most of the time, has 1 or 2 interesting scenes, a lot of melt downs, there are quite a few time jumps and actually you can only make sense of all the Tristan moments when you have read his series. Harrison doesn't manage to achieve any of his goals, he simply ignores them completely. So, I would be more involved if I couldn't sleep anymore, barely knew anything about my magic and there would be a woman near me who could maybe or maybe not answer everything...
3 stars read for me, and I hope that volume 2 focuses more on the mmc, which are really what this is about. Because Harrison and Sam deserve more...
None of the secrets have been revealed, we have only a lot of teasers and hardly any answers...
I'm not directly disappointed, but somehow I expected more. Especially from the music box that appears in the subtitle. Come on, which is only mentioned in the last 10-20 pages and stuffed into a tresor... Harrison drinks tea most of the time, has 1 or 2 interesting scenes, a lot of melt downs, there are quite a few time jumps and actually you can only make sense of all the Tristan moments when you have read his series. Harrison doesn't manage to achieve any of his goals, he simply ignores them completely. So, I would be more involved if I couldn't sleep anymore, barely knew anything about my magic and there would be a woman near me who could maybe or maybe not answer everything...
3 stars read for me, and I hope that volume 2 focuses more on the mmc, which are really what this is about. Because Harrison and Sam deserve more...
January 8, 2026
Prequel?
This book doesn't really have it's own plot. It introduces Harrison as he leaves Devon for London, and ends while Triston and Danny are at the haunted hotel murder mystery. Harrison and Sam flirt a bit, and there is one sex scene at the end.
I found this book pretty unsatisfying, as there's no central conflict that is resolved at the end. Conflicts include: Sam and Harrison's relationship (it progresses, but they aren't boyfriends at the end), Harrison's mysterious magical destiny, Harrison's bad dreams tied to Constance Crawshanks, and some unusually strong cursed items. Harrison hasn't really confided in anyone, despite having many people willing to listen.
There is a music box, but it only shows up at the end. It doesn't do anything, and nothing happens around or because of it. It's maybe a clue.
Four stars because it was interesting seeing things from Harrison's perspective, and I love all these guys.
This book doesn't really have it's own plot. It introduces Harrison as he leaves Devon for London, and ends while Triston and Danny are at the haunted hotel murder mystery. Harrison and Sam flirt a bit, and there is one sex scene at the end.
I found this book pretty unsatisfying, as there's no central conflict that is resolved at the end. Conflicts include: Sam and Harrison's relationship (it progresses, but they aren't boyfriends at the end), Harrison's mysterious magical destiny, Harrison's bad dreams tied to Constance Crawshanks, and some unusually strong cursed items. Harrison hasn't really confided in anyone, despite having many people willing to listen.
There is a music box, but it only shows up at the end. It doesn't do anything, and nothing happens around or because of it. It's maybe a clue.
Four stars because it was interesting seeing things from Harrison's perspective, and I love all these guys.
January 6, 2026
Loved it💜
This is a book I have been eagerly awaiting. It follows the same timeline as the Dead Serious books but now we get to read it from Prickles and Sam’s point of view and the budding relationship that we had only guessed about.
The author also takes us back in time to Harrison’s roots and we go right back to 1850 in Crowscroft Asylum, Spitalfields, where we meet Cordelia Crawshank, a very powerful witch with a very big grudge. This part was a very difficult read, the things she endured, that all the patients incarcarated against their will endured was awful but Cordelia having a will that wouldn’t be broken and unfortunately being Dr Ignatius Whyte’s favourite made her last seven years intolerable.
I loved this book and as always Vawn’s writing is excellent. I can’t wait to read part 2.
This is a book I have been eagerly awaiting. It follows the same timeline as the Dead Serious books but now we get to read it from Prickles and Sam’s point of view and the budding relationship that we had only guessed about.
The author also takes us back in time to Harrison’s roots and we go right back to 1850 in Crowscroft Asylum, Spitalfields, where we meet Cordelia Crawshank, a very powerful witch with a very big grudge. This part was a very difficult read, the things she endured, that all the patients incarcarated against their will endured was awful but Cordelia having a will that wouldn’t be broken and unfortunately being Dr Ignatius Whyte’s favourite made her last seven years intolerable.
I loved this book and as always Vawn’s writing is excellent. I can’t wait to read part 2.
January 9, 2026
4.5/5. I am HERE for this new branch of this world. Like, so present and eager to be ensnared. Seeing the past events through fresh eyes is amazing, and added so much to all of the characters and the mechanics—and tons to backstory, which more details are forever everything to me, so yay. I already love Sam more than I did, and I like Harrison now. (Previously, I was just ehh about him and had no lasting opinion.) I am overly invested in the Crawshanks messiness, the magic, the mystery… It’s all there and I’m loving every minute of it. I almost hate that the book was split into two parts because now I have to sit and wait when I don’t want to. I started this right before midnight, and barely stopped until I was finished.
December 27, 2025
Wow! Well what can I say. In this first book I do know what happens as I’ve read the previous books centring on Tristen and Dusty, but this first book tell those events from Harrison’s and Sam’s point of view. At first I thought it might be boring, like some other books I’ve read where it’s been repetitive but this was really interesting and really did keep me hooked. We also got a lot more back story which answered a few more of the unanswered questions from Tristens story. So this book set the scene and it was brilliantly done.
The next part, will follow on to around the time the previous story finishes and I’m very excited to read it.
The next part, will follow on to around the time the previous story finishes and I’m very excited to read it.
December 28, 2025
Worth the Wait
Like all Vawn Cassidy fans I've been eagerly waiting on this book release and was a bit worried I would end up disappointed by setting my expectations too high. Not a chance. The story developing Prickles and Sam's journey is in the same timeline as the Dead Serious series but fills in the gaps from their viewpoint. But, it also goes way back to Cordelia's story which was an unexpected bonus and added a bit extra. The author's humour is always a joy to read and her character development, fantastic. Can't wait for part 2 - go Vawn, I know there were delays with the book but you are seriously talented!
Like all Vawn Cassidy fans I've been eagerly waiting on this book release and was a bit worried I would end up disappointed by setting my expectations too high. Not a chance. The story developing Prickles and Sam's journey is in the same timeline as the Dead Serious series but fills in the gaps from their viewpoint. But, it also goes way back to Cordelia's story which was an unexpected bonus and added a bit extra. The author's humour is always a joy to read and her character development, fantastic. Can't wait for part 2 - go Vawn, I know there were delays with the book but you are seriously talented!
January 3, 2026
My reviews are my own. If you liked this book or not, I respect your opinion. This is merely my opinion, so let's keep it courteous. My review is honest and voluntary.
I believe it is incredibly unfair to new readers and absolutely assholly for authors to expect people to read 300 books to understand a book ONE in a new series. This is what you can expect on this one. The idea is great, but you need to read the previous series to fully understand this one. I won't bother to continue; I hate this lazy cut-and-paste from other books to milk yet another story.
On to my next adventure, Happy Readings!!!
I believe it is incredibly unfair to new readers and absolutely assholly for authors to expect people to read 300 books to understand a book ONE in a new series. This is what you can expect on this one. The idea is great, but you need to read the previous series to fully understand this one. I won't bother to continue; I hate this lazy cut-and-paste from other books to milk yet another story.
On to my next adventure, Happy Readings!!!
December 31, 2025
3.9 stars. I love Harrison and Sam so much and was highly anticipating this release. It’s an interesting and fairly unique concept to do a series over again but from a different character’s perspective. I assumed this book would pick up after the last book and just involve a lot of flashbacks, so I was a bit surprised to start from the beginning. There were a couple of parts where I was a little bored, because I’ve read some of these lengthy scenes before in Dead Serious, but mostly I really enjoyed this. Excited for Part 2 in February!
January 6, 2026
Loved this book! I love the original series so to have a spinoff for one of my favorite characters was wonderful. For the author to go backwards and let us see one of the original storylines from this character's point of view was brilliant and very well written without messing up the original book. I think Harrison is fascinating and I cannot wait to learn more about his connection to the past and future. This author knows how to spin a tale weaving in all the quirky character personalities without losing site of the plot.
January 11, 2026
Harrison moves from Devon to London and takes over a local occult store.
He meets Tristan and the gang. This story looks in the background of Cordelia.
Only thing was this book was originally planned for Jan 25 release and so parts of it would have been new news but the 5th book in the series was published before and so alot of what was still to be found by the characters in this book we the readers already knew the results of.
However, I am enjoying Sam and Harrison and will read further books.
He meets Tristan and the gang. This story looks in the background of Cordelia.
Only thing was this book was originally planned for Jan 25 release and so parts of it would have been new news but the 5th book in the series was published before and so alot of what was still to be found by the characters in this book we the readers already knew the results of.
However, I am enjoying Sam and Harrison and will read further books.
December 27, 2025
Boy do I love Prickles. I’m so happy to be in this universe again with all of my guys and queens! I was really hoping this new series would start where the other books left off but whatever, I truly didn’t mind reliving these events from Harrison’s POV. If you’re not up to date with everything Dead Serious, you can start here and still have a good time. Although, I think reading Dead Serious start to finish before this would allow for a much better experience.
January 20, 2026
This is kind of a side step from the main series, but I enjoyed it. I like Harrison and Sam, and I definitely enjoyed their growing relationship. The paranormal aspects were intriguing and entertaining, as well. My main issue here is that Cassidy is basically writing the two series simultaneously, so the story cuts out now and then because (I'm guessing) she doesn't want to 'spoil' the other one, and that was annoying. Still, I enjoyed it and will pick up the next one too.
December 28, 2025
OMG! This book was just so good! That first chapter will just suck you in to the story and not let you put it down until you’ve finished. I honestly think I liked this book better than the original series that it is spun off from. Overall, two enthusiastic thumbs up, and I can’t wait for the next installment in the series!
December 30, 2025
Now the fun begins
Following in the footsteps of her wonderful her wonderful series 'Dead Serious', Vawn yet again hits gold with this new series. It's wonderful to meet old friends and get to see how Harrison and Sam finally find each other. I'm looking forward to reading her next books in this series.
Following in the footsteps of her wonderful her wonderful series 'Dead Serious', Vawn yet again hits gold with this new series. It's wonderful to meet old friends and get to see how Harrison and Sam finally find each other. I'm looking forward to reading her next books in this series.
December 29, 2025
Another outstanding installment
I loved this book. The fresh perspective of a story already told, but also how it then peers off into another direction his author can do not wrong. These are my current go to books when im looking for some comfort.
I loved this book. The fresh perspective of a story already told, but also how it then peers off into another direction his author can do not wrong. These are my current go to books when im looking for some comfort.
January 6, 2026
Great book, worth the wait
I loved these two characters since they were introduced in Tris and Dusty's books and have been waiting for this to come out for ages. It was worth the wait, and I'm looking forward to the next installment in February.
I loved these two characters since they were introduced in Tris and Dusty's books and have been waiting for this to come out for ages. It was worth the wait, and I'm looking forward to the next installment in February.
January 9, 2026
Wonderful!
This was a wonderful story full of action and magic. The characters were perfect, the action intense and the love was super sweet. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of this series! Highly Recommended
This was a wonderful story full of action and magic. The characters were perfect, the action intense and the love was super sweet. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of this series! Highly Recommended
January 10, 2026
Great addition to the universe Vawn Cassidy has created!!
Great read and will definitely get the next book when it comes out. Can’t wait to continue their story and find out more about the mystery!!
Great read and will definitely get the next book when it comes out. Can’t wait to continue their story and find out more about the mystery!!
January 16, 2026
Fabulous!
Wow! I loved this book. Getting to know Harrison and Sam better was fabulous and their story was wonderful. It’s full of intrigue, magic, and terrific characters that we’ve met in previous stories. I can’t wait for the next book and highly recommend this first part.
Wow! I loved this book. Getting to know Harrison and Sam better was fabulous and their story was wonderful. It’s full of intrigue, magic, and terrific characters that we’ve met in previous stories. I can’t wait for the next book and highly recommend this first part.
January 17, 2026
totally magically awesome
Very fast and fun read, love all the characters and the tie in with the previous books and all the fun stuff that goes along with it and really wonder how this is gonna end up in the next book
Very fast and fun read, love all the characters and the tie in with the previous books and all the fun stuff that goes along with it and really wonder how this is gonna end up in the next book
December 29, 2025
loved this book
January 1, 2026
Can I just say that I kept looking for the dang "music box" to show up... grrr
January 6, 2026
I enjoy this world overall. This story was basically a retelling of the main series from a different vantage point. There was some more background, but it seemed more like an introduction.
January 10, 2026
Story is about events that have already occurred but from the POV or Harrison (mostly) and Sam. It was interesting to know more about both of them and I'm looking forward to the next installment.
January 10, 2026
3.5 stars
January 16, 2026
This was so good! I loved seeing Harrison & Sam's POV. You absolutely have to read the Dead Serious series with Triston, Dusty and Danny first otherwise you're missing out on a lot.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews