What a fun series debut! I've never read a mystery with a drag queen as the main character, and I love it. The world of drag is foreign to me (other than having been to a couple of live drag shows, but I've never watched RuPaul's show, for example, so I'm probably less familiar than many of the readers who pick this book up), and it's fascinating and fun.

Joe/Misty have their roles to play in this book, though Misty is definitely the main protagonist. They're thoughtful, scared, brave, smart, and utterly determined--the most necessary attribute of all for a cozy protagonist. Their admiration for Lady Lady and desire to get justice for them is a strong underpinning for the whole book.

The mystery's well-plotted, and the action of the book is fast-paced and a bit of a roller coaster. It's quite a ride, and I'm looking forward to the next book.

This was a fun book where murder is afoot, and the investigation will keep you on your toes. The drama was nicely executed with enough suspense to keep me intrigued throughout. I liked the ease at which the story flowed, making it comfortable to follow along. The characters were well-developed, and you got to know them for who they are, not what they do, and the pivotal roles they played in this engaging and entertaining tale. There were plenty of suspects and the clues were the dressing on the side that when put together took us closer to the killer’s identity. There were a few twists and turns that enhanced my reading pleasure and a few humorous moments that made me laugh. Overall, an enjoyable read and look forward to the second book in the series.

Misty Divine is a drag queen with a heart as big as her wig, so when her mentor Lady Lady is found poisoned (by chocolates no less!), she will stop at nothing to find the murderer. We are taken along through the drag world of London as Misty gets herself into some real pickles playing at armchair Criminal Minds investigator. Though the plot is not quite at Agatha Christie level standards, there are so many fun characters it is a treat to read and I appreciated wide variety of representation. And I mean the cover? She's stunning.

Many thanks to Berkley & Netgalley for the ARC.

If you say drag, I say where?! I’m the biggest fan of drag and love supporting queens and their art! This was such a fun book, not only is the cover GORGINA but the story is amazing!

A delightful cozy mystery in an unusual setting that was a fun read! It was full of a fun cast and well-written.

This is excellent in many ways - I loved the way that Misty/Joe is portrayed, and the way that gender works in this, and yet it is fun, silly, and even already has a secondary mystery as a through-line! I did find the final scene to feel a bit rushed, but overall, this was a solid and intriguing start to what I hope will be a long series!

Content Warnings: Transphobia (Mild), Homophobia (Mild)

This book is a cozy mystery involving murder, a cat burglar, and drag queens -- if that doesn't sell a book, I don't know what does! But, it's not exploitative in its involvement of the LGBTQ+ community, which I know is often a concern I have in detective fiction. Too often queer individuals are only the victims, only the detective, or placed in the context of cis, heteronormative space. Stars's book is exactly the opposite. Queer people, their spaces, and their lived experiences and realities are the focus, which I truly enjoyed.

Joe, the non-binary person behind drag queen Misty Divine, is our primary detective, and they feel real in their concerns and decisions, all of which are influenced by their various lived experiences and their relationships within their different communities. Their relationship with their partner, Miles, is also great. Miles is appropriately supportive and critical, concerned with keeping them both safe while also getting sucked into the investigation. Likewise, the different drag queens and kings that work at Lady Lady's have full personalities and lives that make them intriguing suspects.

I also thought Star did a great on acknowledging, and incorporating, realities facing the LGBTQ+ community in general and specifically the transphobic landscape in England to this mystery. Little things from the difficulties in getting an Uber to much larger things like treatment from the police and capitalism sucking up queer spaces are present and important to understanding why Joe/Misty pursues things as they do and the context in which this mystery occurs.

The reasons for four stars are largely personal taste. While I enjoyed the book overall, there were times where it dragged and got a little repetitive. The ending consequences, on the other hand, felt a little too quick. I also fear the potential sequel set up in the epilogue will not be able to capture what I feel made this book successful: the small stage focus on a particular community.

Overall, though, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes cozy mysteries, queer mysteries, or just a fun, queer-centric book.

_Murder in the Dressing Room_ by Holly Stars is a humorous and fast-paced LGBTQIA+ cozy mystery read. It follows Joe, who performs as Misty Divine, when their mentor Lady Lady is found dead in her dressing room. It’s apparent that she was murdered, leading to Joe’s investigation to find her killer and to prove their own innocence. Fans of easy cozy mysteries will appreciate this read.

entertainers, entertainment-scene, LGBTQIA, murder, amateur-sleuth, investigations, friendship, friends, drag-queens, shyness, family-by-choice, self-identity, self-confidence, poisons, London, verbal-humor, situational-humor, dramatic, pop-culture, homophobia, local-law-enforcement****

Misty Devine is a drag queen when they are not Joe the accountant in Soho London. When a person who is very important to them is murdered and the police are less than helpful, they put on their highest stilettoes and dig deep to unearth the poisoner and prove it to everyone. Great characters, decent investigation, lots of laughs, sneaky plot twists, and more make this a very fun read.
I requested and received a temporary advanced reader eproof from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley. Avail Jan 14, 2025

Thank you to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for this ARC!

Wow. This book truly was a treat!

Following the events of her drag mother's, Lady Lady, murder, Misty Divine learns that things are not what they seem within her inner circle. When it turns out the Lady Lady was wearing a stolen dress that was last seen in the hands of the infamous Kensington Catburglar, Misty and her boyfriend Miles decide to take the investigation into their own hands to finally get justice for Lady Lady, and to save the drag bar that has become a safe space for all.

I loved the relationship between Miles and Misty/Joe. In a lot of murder mysteries, the SO of the MC is often cast aside and neglected, but Joe truly loves and supports their partner and vice versa. I loved all of the side characters and everything wrapped up so so nicely. I loved how the ending opened the possibility for a sequel!!! Which I am REALLY hoping for. The comedy and seriousness was impeccable and I loved the drag king rep as well!

I appreciated how Holly Stars didn't shy away from the fact that homophobia is a huge thing that queer people face from people in authority. I appreciate that Misty got to spit in the face of the DI. I cannot wait for the next one! (IF there is one!)

"Holly Stars' 'Murder in the Dressing Room' whisks readers away to a vibrant world brimming with intriguing characters previously shrouded in mystery. The story unfolds with the shocking murder of the illustrious drag queen Lady Lady in her own club, casting a shadow of suspicion on her protégé, Misty. As the narrative weaves through the investigation, readers are granted a dual perspective of the characters' lives, both onstage and off. This debut novel serves as an accessible primer to the flamboyant drag scene, crafted to guide newcomers into the fold. Despite its role as an introductory tale, the book stumbles in certain critical aspects such as plot progression, character depth, and narrative style. Nevertheless, the writing captivates with its theatrical flair. However, the reliance on exposition over demonstration in storytelling left me yearning for a more immersive experience.

This book was so much fun! It felt very much like a Hallmark mystery but queer and with drag queens. We have desperately needed light hearted books with the queer experience that are fun and playful. While this was the first book in the series, it felt a little beginner level introduction to the drag scene at the beginning to help an outsider understand what it looks like. I would love to see where the next book takes us!

This book features things I love- drag queens and murder!

It’s a new series.

It’s set in England so that’s always fun and the main character uses they/them pronouns. I enjoy learning/experiencing more in that way of thinking in novels— especially when it’s not the focus of the novel.

"By day, Joe is a hotel accountant, invisibly sitting behind their desk and playing by the rules. By night, donned in sequins, they take to the stage as Misty Divine, a star of the London drag scene.

But when Misty’s drag mother, Lady Lady, is found dead in her dressing room beside a poisoned box of chocolates, Misty and her fellow performers become the prime suspects."

Very fun read! It’s short and kind of light and I did figure out the killer but it’s a fun look at this world. I’ll def check out the next one in the series.

Murder in the Dressing Room by Holly Stars introduced me to a new world with interesting characters I knew nothing about. When drag queen Lady Lady is murdered in her club, Misty, her protege is accused of her murder. In the process of finding out the real murderer we are introduced to both sides of their lives. This is a well written introduction to the Drag world and the lives of the people inhabiting this world. I hope there are many more Misty Devine books to come.

The premise was fun, but the writing completely threw me off while reading and made it not very enjoyable. It felt very flat, full of unneeded descriptions and more telling than showing. I will say though that I liked the slightly over dramatic, campy tones that were used at times.

It seems like this is set up to be a series and I'd be interested to see how the author's writing improves, but I can't say I'm necessarily anticipating the next book.

On the other hand, I really loved that the main character was non-binary! Gender and drag have complex nuances - it's not always just gay men dressing up as women. There are so many levels to it and I'm really glad the author chose to include a non-binary drag queen, as well as drag kings as side characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the eARC!

This book is an absolute showstopper! The blend of glamorous drag culture and clever mystery is pitch-perfect, with a twisty plot that’s both entertaining and deeply engaging. If you’re looking for a five-star read that’s both dazzling and full of intrigue, this is your ticket to an unforgettable ride.

The premise and the characters of the book were intriguing and the setting is attention grabbing but the plot was flimsy and the writing lacked any sophistication. I liked the characters, but they need to be better developed.

We loved the idea of a Drag Queen solving a murder and having a deeper glimpse into drag culture.
While it was a good read, it fell flat in a few key areas; plot flow, character personality and writing style. I want to note that I enjoyed the dramatic and campy flow of the writing style, what I did not love was how much was told and not shown to us. I felt like we didn't get enough characters speaking in the book. Onto the character personality of Misty, they didn't feel fully complete to me. They felt like they lacked some personality and were more of the eyes of the reader than a main character should.

All in all, it was a good read, if it becomes a series I do feel like this book will be my only venture into it.

I know that I read this (because it is marked as read on my shelf), but I honestly have no memories of reading this one. I'm sure it was great, but it just didn't stick for me.

At first I felt like this campy cozy was a bit over the top. Then I realized that Drag is all about being over the top, larger than life, and full of life. That made it perfect.

#murderinthedressingroom
#hollystarr
#mistydivine
#cozymysteryseries
#slayqueen
#netgalley