Dead Serious Case #4 Professor Prometheus Plume (Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed) by Vawn Cassidy

We are back with Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed with case #4. Tris & Danny are in need of a much needed break too bad things never really go to plan for them and now they land in DEAD SERIOUS CASE #4: PROFESSOR PROMETHEUS PLUME to solve.

From the blurb:

Inspector Danny Hayes has something very important to ask his boyfriend Tristan Everett. Over the past six months they’ve survived reapers, chaos monsters, and biblical storms, not to mention averting an apocalypse. So, what’s left to do but pop the big question?

Tristan is ready for a break from world-saving, spectral crises, and most definitely from ghosts. He wants some one-on-one time with his boyfriend, preferably horizontally. So when their Boxing Day celebrations result in a drunken booking of a romantic New Year’s getaway at a quiet little hotel near the wilds of the north Yorkshire moors, Tristan can’t wait.

But as usual nothing ever goes according to plan. Snowed in during an unexpected murder mystery weekend at what turns out to be one of the most haunted hotels in Northern England is not what they had in mind, but when one of the actors turns up really dead not just fake dead, they once again find themselves caught up in another investigation.

With only one night to figure out who the killer is while wrangling a multitude of overly helpful ghosts, Tristan begins to wonder if romance really is dead…

Molly Otto's Review:

A murder mystery unlike any other, and that is what makes Vawn Cassidy the unique and amazing author that they are.

We are back with Tris, Danny, and the rest of this motley crew of a perfectly imperfect found family that makes you smile, laugh, cry, and be in suspense at times as well. Each cast member is just as important as the last to make this story the true brilliance that it is.

It's time for the holiday season once again, and all Danny wants is that perfect moment, too, yeah. Guess what? With this group, good luck in that front. That is what makes Dead Serious Case #4 work. The chaos is just beautiful, and the love these characters share in their found family is everything you could hope for.

Cannot wait to see what Vawn brings us next from this world and hopefully some fun spin-offs! 

Unrated under the new system.

Sheena's Review: 

This is the fourth outing for Tristan and Danny, and this really is best read as part of the series - there's an established relationship and threads reaching through the series, it would be best enjoyed in order.

A new adventure for Tristan, Danny and Dusty is always something I really look forward to and I wasn't disappointed here. This one is a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, to be honest. It made me both happy and sad, weepy and laughing, yet always entertaining. There's the ongoing thread of Tristan and his Dad, plus Danny with his family and then trying to propose to Tristan all through the book, (that's not a spoiler as we find this out very early on), with Tris being gloriously oblivious to that fact. Add in a drunkenly booked holiday to the most haunted hotel in the middle of Yorkshire with a band of the nuttiest ghosts and guests, an inadvertent murder mystery weekend and you have the recipe for a gloriously nutty romp with an outrageous cast of characters, which honestly is all I'd expect and want from a Dead Serious story.

I loved the whole thing, and while the ending made me a little sad, it also served to make me more than a little curious, and as ever I want more from this found family of eccentric characters. Simply wonderful.

Jacqueleen the Reading Queen's Review:

Well, that was quite the wacky ride!! I loved catching up with Danny and Tristan. Those two are always a good time and there never seems to be a dull moment in their lives, even when that is exactly what they are aiming for. Those poor guys. All they wanted was a romantic weekend away from ghosts and murder, so of course they end up staying at one of the most haunted hotels in driving distance. Not to mention, said hotel is hosting their first annual Murder Mystery weekend event. I sure bet they didn't bargain for it to end up as realistic as it did!

I loved Ellis, the sweet and sunshiney host at the hotel. He was just an energetic ball of light and you couldn't help but adore him. I really hope he somehow makes his way into more books. Then we have all the crazy AF ghosts who haunt the hotel. They are quite the mischevious lot, I'll tell you that. We also meet the nephew of a certain inspector and, like Tristan, I am wondering if we are going to be seeing sparks fly in the future with the newest member of their motley crew.

The ending of this one is both hilarious at one point and then shocking the next. This next case is definitely going to be a tough one, in more ways than one. We're headed back to London and I'm already on the edge of my seat wondering what in the heck is going to happen next!

Alyssa P's review:

Dead Serious Case #4 Professor Prometheus Plume quickly became my comfort read, as I was reading it I couldn’t help but be enthralled. This book has a “whodunit” vibe where the audience is constantly questioning who they think it is. Vawn Cassidy did a fantastic job writing this book, the humor and mystery felt so natural. The humor throughout the story certainly kept me laughing. Even though it was fun, there were some sad parts as well, but they made the story more substantial. I feel so bad for Tristan as it is clear that he won’t have much time with his Dad. Danny trying to propose to Tristan through the story made this story even more endearing.

This book did end on a sort of cliff hanger though; I can’t wait for the next book! I wonder how long this series will be!

Dead Serious Case #4 Professor Prometheus Plume is available to buy as an ebook or to read with Kindle Unlimited subscription.