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Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed #1
Dead Serious Case #1: Miz Dusty Le Frey
Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins
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.
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.
Audiobook
First published October 31, 2021
526 people are currently reading
1927 people want to read
About the author
Vawn Cassidy
27 books462 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 534 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* ❤🔥
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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.
February 11, 2025
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 apostrophes. 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 apostrophes. Yikes.
October 12, 2023
4.5 stars ...
Very fun! 😁
Very fun! 😁
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
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.
October 8, 2025
What a delightful surprise. A ghostly whodunnit with a healthy dose of British humour and absolutely lovable characters.
Was it perfect? No, the mystery part had a few minor jumps and plot twists that came out of nowhere that could have been done more smoothly. Did I care? Not one bit, because it made me smile for almost the entire time, and even made me cry towards the end (a good cry, but real tears nevertheless).
What truly made the book exceptional in my eyes was the care and love that went into developing not only the main characters, but every single side character, too.
So yes. I’ll rate it with 5 stars even if it wasn’t entirely flawless.
The book (and I guess the entire series) is about Tristan, a pathologist from London, who starts seeing ghosts after a near death experience when he choked on an ice cube.
Yes, you read that correctly.
There’s one ghost who sticks to his side like glue, and that’s the ghost of Dusty, a recently murdered drag queen. Said murder is investigated by Danny, an inspector from Scotland Yard who just recently moved to London, and who’s completely into Tristan (and vice versa).
It’s so much fun, watching them interact and being in their head (it’s written in dual pov). Dusty is one of the best side characters I’ve ever read about, and I’m beyond happy to have her in the upcoming books, too.
On top of everything, I love London and could picture a lot of the settings in my head.
And Joel Leslie as a narrator? I’m not always a huge fan of his, but here, he did an amazing job (admittedly I’ve been glad that we only get one very intense and hot Sex scene, because I’m not a fan of Joel reading steamy scenes 😆).
I’m still smiling while writing this review. Just the book I needed right now, can’t wait to jump right into the next one 💗
Was it perfect? No, the mystery part had a few minor jumps and plot twists that came out of nowhere that could have been done more smoothly. Did I care? Not one bit, because it made me smile for almost the entire time, and even made me cry towards the end (a good cry, but real tears nevertheless).
What truly made the book exceptional in my eyes was the care and love that went into developing not only the main characters, but every single side character, too.
So yes. I’ll rate it with 5 stars even if it wasn’t entirely flawless.
The book (and I guess the entire series) is about Tristan, a pathologist from London, who starts seeing ghosts after a near death experience when he choked on an ice cube.
Yes, you read that correctly.
There’s one ghost who sticks to his side like glue, and that’s the ghost of Dusty, a recently murdered drag queen. Said murder is investigated by Danny, an inspector from Scotland Yard who just recently moved to London, and who’s completely into Tristan (and vice versa).
It’s so much fun, watching them interact and being in their head (it’s written in dual pov). Dusty is one of the best side characters I’ve ever read about, and I’m beyond happy to have her in the upcoming books, too.
On top of everything, I love London and could picture a lot of the settings in my head.
And Joel Leslie as a narrator? I’m not always a huge fan of his, but here, he did an amazing job (admittedly I’ve been glad that we only get one very intense and hot Sex scene, because I’m not a fan of Joel reading steamy scenes 😆).
I’m still smiling while writing this review. Just the book I needed right now, can’t wait to jump right into the next one 💗
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!
February 21, 2025
This was a fun PNR with a side of murder mystery. Our MC has a tiny accident with an icecube and suddenly he can see ghosts. And the first one he meets is that of the drag queen whose corps been send to the mortuary where he works. There's also the hot Scotland Yard detective investigating the murder of the drag queen, and he is infatuated with our MC. This was funny and emotional and had some action. It was perfect except for the constant references to Joanne's Harry Potter, which is very questionable in a LGTBQIA book.
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 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!
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.
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.
August 7, 2025
2.5
Let's better not talk about the mystery part of this book or if Danny is fit to be a a inspector. You like to read it as a cozy ghost whisperer story with an innocent and a little awkward pathologist getting roped into the drag scene. Having that 'cosy' in mind you certainly will enjoy the mostly kind stereotypes used for that scene and you might be able to ignore Danny's repeated surprise that Tristan isn't his usual type. There are some lengthy parts with too detailed descriptions and little inconsistencies between some characters and their actions but it can be taken as a nice read even while it's tame which even the extraordinary Ms. Dusty can spice up.
I would have been fine with an Dusty-is-going-into-the-light ending - after all it's the usual ghost whisperer ending – and I understand why there is the odd epilogue twist but I didn't like it.
Let's better not talk about the mystery part of this book or if Danny is fit to be a a inspector. You like to read it as a cozy ghost whisperer story with an innocent and a little awkward pathologist getting roped into the drag scene. Having that 'cosy' in mind you certainly will enjoy the mostly kind stereotypes used for that scene and you might be able to ignore Danny's repeated surprise that Tristan isn't his usual type. There are some lengthy parts with too detailed descriptions and little inconsistencies between some characters and their actions but it can be taken as a nice read even while it's tame which even the extraordinary Ms. Dusty can spice up.
I would have been fine with an Dusty-is-going-into-the-light ending - after all it's the usual ghost whisperer ending – and I understand why there is the odd epilogue twist but I didn't like it.
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.
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.
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 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 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
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
November 2, 2021
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
Dead Serious is the first book in the new Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed series (so named after a book Tristan finds that helps him navigate his new ghost interaction skills). I absolutely loved Vawn Cassidy’s contemporary Suddenly Beck, so when I heard about this book, I decided to pick it up. I was a little unsure what to expect from the blurb, but I am so glad I gave it a try. This was a great story and Tristan and Danny are just fabulous together.
First off, I’ll say that while this is officially a murder mystery, this is definitely not a hard core investigation or suspense story. Dusty’s death and the attempt to find her killer sort of simmers on the back burner for a lot of the book, though things do get quite exciting at the end.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
Dead Serious is the first book in the new Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed series (so named after a book Tristan finds that helps him navigate his new ghost interaction skills). I absolutely loved Vawn Cassidy’s contemporary Suddenly Beck, so when I heard about this book, I decided to pick it up. I was a little unsure what to expect from the blurb, but I am so glad I gave it a try. This was a great story and Tristan and Danny are just fabulous together.
First off, I’ll say that while this is officially a murder mystery, this is definitely not a hard core investigation or suspense story. Dusty’s death and the attempt to find her killer sort of simmers on the back burner for a lot of the book, though things do get quite exciting at the end.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
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.
December 9, 2023
There are so many people who liked this book, sadly I am not one of them.
My biggest pet peeves:
- Present Tense Narrative. Why?
- Too much description of clothes, rooms, etc.
- Endless cultural references.
- Editing.
I had this book on my TBR list since it came out and I was really looking forward to reading it.
It was a struggle, but I finished it, even if turned out to be somewhat of a disappointment.
1.5 stars
My biggest pet peeves:
- Present Tense Narrative. Why?
- Too much description of clothes, rooms, etc.
- Endless cultural references.
- Editing.
I had this book on my TBR list since it came out and I was really looking forward to reading it.
It was a struggle, but I finished it, even if turned out to be somewhat of a disappointment.
1.5 stars
November 7, 2021
A sweet endearing MC, his love interest, and his new best friend star in this light-hearted paranormal murder mystery. Well-written, snappy dialog, some emotional fleshing out but nothing too heavy. This was an entertaining read and I loved the characters.
June 30, 2024
2.5 stars.
It was an okay book.
The plot didn't hold my interest all that much and the characters were very flat and they started to get on my nerves after awhile.
The romance was cute but very rushed.
I can see why people like this so much but for me it just didn't hit.
It was an okay book.
The plot didn't hold my interest all that much and the characters were very flat and they started to get on my nerves after awhile.
The romance was cute but very rushed.
I can see why people like this so much but for me it just didn't hit.
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