Margo dresses in costumes as her every day attire. Diane Vallere has chosen a favorite clothing era and wears it with flair. She also likes stuffed animals, particularly teddy bears. It seems natural that teddy bears would have a supporting role in this book. The festival with a game theme would be fun to attend. Diane described it so well that I felt as if I were there. Yes, there is a murder to solve. Margo has an entertaining way of obtaining the clues and getting into trouble. A little romance, some past history, and robbery also add to the fun. Another delightful addition to the series.

I'm wondering why I haven't read the other books in this series yet, I loved this book! I thought this was a fun story, with an interesting idea and great characters. I was quickly drawn into the story and couldn't put it down. The mystery kept me guessing, especially when there were a few twists thrown in. The town of Proper City, Nevada sound like a great place to visit, I look forward to reading more in this series - particularly the previous two books in this series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. My review has been voluntarily submitted.

I love Margo, her dad, and the cast of characters. Once again, Margo finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. She tries to stay out of it, but circumstances beyond her control keep sucking her back in. Diane Vallere writes excellent books, and Dressed to Confess kept my attention throughout. I love that the characters are multifaceted, and this book makes me feel like I'm there experiencing what they're going through. The descriptions of the outfits and scenery are an added bonus. This is a great book, and I highly recommend it! I can't wait for the next book in this series!

Only the genius of Diane Vallere can make a dusty Nevada town so inviting and downright charming. Margot Tamblyn is completely likeable, insecurities and all. The rest of the town's characters are delightful and fodder for an expert mystery, great humor and tentative romance. Visit Prosper, you will love it too!

Dressed to Confess: A Costume Shop Mystery
By Diane Vallere
Berkley
August 2017

Review by Cynthia Chow

As a town that reinvented itself throughout the decades, it only makes sense that Proper City, Nevada would celebrate extended holidays through ever-changing costumes. For the annual Spring Sagebrush Festival the town is hosting a family-friendly week of board game-themed events, a counter to the more lascivious Las Vegas casinos. Having taken over her family’s costume shop Disguise DeLimit, Margo Tamblyn is commissioned with providing the appropriate costumes for the working volunteers along with the headlining act. It’s been nearly fifty years since the Domino Divas last performed, and while the six dancers have their fans there’s a reason they broke up in the first place. The cracks immediately appear with a dress rehearsal between Jayne Lemming and troupe organizer Ronnie Cass, whom Margo discovers murdered in the star’s trailer.

The show must go on, especially when the mayor is obsessed with promoting Proper City on his ambitious path towards the White House. Before Margo can be talked into substituting as a “Double D,” she must prove the innocence of her father’s best friend and fellow conspiracist, Don Digby. He and Ronnie shared a past together, one that extended back to a notorious bank robbery at the same time of the Domino Divas’ last performance in 1968. While Detective Nancy Nichols is exasperated with Margo’s repeated involvement in police matters, she’s not about to let the detective ignore other avenues of investigation. The completely self-involved, attention-hungry Ronnie alienated more than her share of Proper City residents, who include her own daughter, the dance troupe she cheated out of profits, and the hearts she broke and left behind. Vandalized teddy bears offer more clues to the crimes, and it will take Margo’s unique costume and sewing skills to lead her to the murderer.

There is so much to love about this series that it’s difficult to know where to begin. Margo having grown up in a costume store means that she wears costumes unselfconsciously and almost unknowingly, with the rest of the town accepting it with barely a second glance. After all, who wouldn’t want to create a new identity every day? Margo is in a tentative relationship with a Japanese-American Hawaiian, and it’s not their cultural differences but his job search that could be the greatest stumbling block. As entertainingly and very funny the mysteries become, the humor never makes light of serious topics or death. Diane Vallere continues to showcase herself as one of the emerging authors to watch, one whose writing grows stronger with each new novel. By avoiding both clichés and characters who are Too Stupid to Live, she delivers a completely unexpected and yet logical conclusion. Murder has never been so creative or as much fun as in any of these fashion-themed mysteries.