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