Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt & Giveaway:
Dead Serious Case #2
Mrs. Delores Abernathy by Vawn Cassidy
Crawshank’s Guide to the Recently Departed, Book 2
In the business of unfinished business…
It’s been over six months since a freak accident left pathologist Tristan Everett able to see ghosts, something he has yet to confess to his boyfriend. Instead, he now has a new calling, one he’s not entirely happy about… help the dead resolve their unfinished business so they can pass into the light, sounds simple right?
Wrong…
When the spirit of a sweet old lady follows him home he has no idea how to help her. When he finds out she’s been murdered by arsenic poisoning, a curiously outdated murder weapon, he once again finds himself tangled up in a murder investigation.
For Inspector Danny Hayes of New Scotland Yard, life couldn’t be better. After moving to London and meeting Tristan he’s ready to move their relationship to the next level, but something weird is going on with Tristan, he’s acting very strangely and with a killer on the loose he’s not taking any chances. He’s determined to discover whatever it is Tristan’s hiding from him.
Surrounded by a bunch of potentially murderous old ladies and aided by his sidekick, deceased drag queen and spirit guide in training, Dusty, Tristan must unravel the mystery of Mrs Delores Abernathy’s unfinished business and find the courage to share his deepest secret with the man he loves.
From author Wendy Saunders writing as Vawn Cassidy, comes the second book in this funny and touching paranormal MM romance/dark comedy suspense series.
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“Testing, testing, one two three,” he shouts into the microphone, causing it to squeal loudly. He winces. “Sorry.” His Somerset accent makes him sound like a pirate. He blows into the microphone making it sound like a typhoon blowing through the noisy room before tapping it several more times. “Ten minutes, folks. Make sure you’ve grabbed your cuppa and bingo cards and found a seat.”
I follow along listening to the chinking of cups and teaspoons, all blanketed by a loud hum of chatter. Trudy weaves effortlessly through the crowd, greeting people and smiling in welcome. Finally, she approaches a large round table in the centre of the room where several ladies who look to be in their eighties, at least, sit.
“Ladies,” Trudy claps her hands together loudly, “we have some guests today.” She indicates two free seats at the table for Danny and me to slide into before she tucks her skirt under and sits regally. “This is Danny and Tristan,” she introduces us, “friends of Delores.”
“Every eye at the table turns towards us and I fight the urge to squirm under the intense scrutiny.
“It looks like Delores was holding out on us,” the woman sitting directly to Danny’s left states in a querulous voice. Her face is heavily made up, with snowdrifts of facial powder sitting in the deep grooves and lines. Her lips are painted with a bright pop of bubblegum pink lipstick that settles into the wrinkles around her mouth and her sparse eyelashes are liberally coated with black mascara. When she smiles coyly at my boyfriend and winks, it looks more like she has a tick in her right eyeball than a seductive overture.
“Oh for heaven’s sake, Ivy, do control yourself,” Trudy sighs. “Don’t mind her, she still thinks she’s got hormones.”
Another woman with an enormous wiry hair growing out of a chin mole cackles. “Only hormones she’s got have dried up like a week-old slice of bread.”
“Be nice, Birdie,” Trudy tuts. “What will our guests think?” She turns back to us and gives us a smile. “Danny, Tristan, welcome to the Clapham Senior Ladies Social Circle and Jam Tart Society.”
Dusty snorts loudly.
“Uh, it’s nice to meet you all,” I say hesitantly.
“Likewise.” Danny looks uncomfortable as he shoots a wary look at Ivy sitting next to him and scoots his chair closer to mine.
“You might want to watch out for Barbara Cartland over there.” Dusty nods in Ivy’s direction. “I think she might have her hands on your fella’s goodies.”
Danny gives a squeak and edges even closer to me. Honestly, if he gets any closer he’s going to be sitting in my lap.
I glance across at Dusty who winks at me. “Don’t worry, boo, I gotcha back.”
To celebrate the release of Dead Serious 2, Vawn is giving away a signed paperback of Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Deceased Book 2!
Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!
Go back to where it all began with Crawshank’s Guide to the Recently Departed, Book 1
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 crush on Scotland Yard’s brand new drool-worthy detective, Inspector Danny Hayes, who’s been assigned to Dusty’s murder. Oh, and 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….
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CHARITY Giveaway
The Prize
One winner will win the opportunity to be written into book 3 – Dead Series (Cold) Case #3 Mr Bruce Reyes. They can choose the profession of their character and whether they are living or deceased. They will also get a mention on the dedication page and receive a signed paperback copy plus a Dead Serious themed swag bag including Dead Serious Character trading cards, a DS tote, bookmarks, stickers, a keyring and a mug.
How to enter
Go to the fundraising page on True Colours and make a donation, it can be as much or as little as you’d like. The donation will act as your entry, so you need to make sure your name is on the donation or added to the comments section of the donation. (Anonymous donations will be ineligible simply because I have no way of contacting them if they are drawn as the winner.)
Anyone who would like to make a donation but doesn’t want to enter the competition can also do so, all they need to do is put N/E in the comments section of their donation.
The fundraiser is open until 31st Mar 2023 at which time a winner will be selected at random from the eligible entries.
The Charity
In the United States, 4.2 million youth experience homelessness each year, with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth 120% more likely to experience homelessness than their non-LGBTQ peers.
True Colors United is a non-profit which began in New York in 2008 co-founded by Cyndi Lauper. Through a wide array of advocacy, training & education, youth collaboration, and technical assistance programs, True Colors United implements innovative solutions to youth homelessness that focus on the unique experiences of LGBTQ young people.
Their website link – https://truecolorsunited.org
My fundraising page on True Colours – https://my.truecolorsunited.org/DeadSeriousCharacterMe
All the details are also on the events page on my website and links are on all my social media
www.facebook.com/vawncassidyauthor
www.facebook.com/groups/cassidysbayboys
www.instagram.com/vawncassidyauthor
About the Author:
Vawn Cassidy is the MM pen name of British author Wendy Saunders, she lives in the UK with her husband and children. She loves all things MM and is an avid reader herself.
As Vawn Cassidy she writes Paranormal/Dark Comedy/Mystery and Contemporary Romance and more recently is branching out into Historical & Supernatural MM/LGBTQ+ Fiction with her upcoming London Gothic series.
She also has an insane love of Lego and pop culture.
Connect with Vawn:
Website: www.vawncassidy.com
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/VawnCassidyAuthor
Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/group/cassidysbayboys
Instagram: www.instagram.com/vawncassidyauthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/VawnCassidy
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/vawncassidy
Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/profile/vawn-cassidy
Amazon: www.amazon.com/~/e/B098XMW7M1
