I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. Not my style of book. I found it misleading in the synopsis from what I read.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the arc. What a fun cozy mystery! Love visiting these cozy little towns. Author did a great job loved all the characters.
Definitely recommend!

For a debut mystery, this book held my interest, had a great storyline, and well-crafted characters.

A Killing in Costumes finds ex soap opera stars Jay Allan and Cindy Cooper with no customers at their Palm Springs movie memorabilia store and money problems. There seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel when a diva silver screen actress appears wanting to sell her costumes and props. The problem is their competition ends up dead and they become the number one suspects.

Looking forward to reading more by this author in the future.

Dang, that was good. My favorite cozy mysteries are the ones that immerse you in an interesting subculture, and A Killing in Costumes accomplishes that well for Hollywood antiques. It compelled me to keep reading not only because I wanted to know who the killer was—which was a very satisfying reveal—but because I wanted to learn more about that world.

There aren't a ton of cozy mysteries that are told from a dual perspective (besides the ones that feature a narrator and their animal companion). A Killing in Costumes features two sleuths, and it's interesting to see how they analyze the same crime from different perspectives.

Also loved the deep respect and friendship that Jay and Cindy had for each other. That, along with the positive queer representation, was a delight to read.

Love the concept of the Hollywood memorabilia store filled with great delights. When a rival is found dead, it's up to Jay and Cindy to unravel the mystery before they get locked up for it. A great start and I look forward to revisiting them. I was given a digital ARC by #netgalley and #Crookedlanebooks for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

I feel kind of bad about this review because it's clear that lots of other people liked this book, so take what I'm going to say with a grain of salt as it may be just me.

This book really did nothing for me. For starters, there were two main characters. Each shared time in the book evenly but it always seemed that if there were both of them in the scene, then the wrong one was narrating. Sexual attraction to cop? The non-attracted character is telling us how she thinks they're feeling. Someone being betrayed? The observer is the narrator, not the betrayed person. I wish the author had just picked one and made them the sole narrator. Moreover, I felt like there was a lot of lecturing about the Hollywood antiques business, which was sort of interesting, but not what I signed up for and made the plot drag. I finally realized how much I was struggling to read this when I figured out that I had picked it up several times a day for a _week_ and kept putting it down. I ended up fast skimming it just to see who did it.

Again, your experience may be different.

Enjoyed reading this one a lot. It was very fast-paced and I was never bored while reading it. The perfect little book I can read to pass the time. Would definitely recommend it.

This was a fun read! My favourite aspect of the book was definitely the banter between the main characters and the humour. I liked all the movie references included as well. I was surprised by the plot twists, and liked how it all connected at the end. My only issue was the pacing at times was a little too slow for me. Overall, an entertaining book!

A green beret worn by John Wayne in The Green Baret, a cape worn by Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra, Vivien Leigh's straw hat from Gone with the Wind are pieces that Jay and Cindy want to display at "Hooray for Hollywood Movie Memorabilia" store.

Jay and Cindy were once married to each other and were rising stars in the show-biz. But their careers got doomed when they both realized (yes both!) that they were homosexuals. Divorced but still best friends they have opened a movie memorabilia store. But all is not well in Hollywood. The business is not doing too well.

The only person that can save the business is Yana Tosh- a yesteryears actress known for her role as the temptress. Yana wants to auction her collection of memorabilia that she has collected over the years. Naturally, Jay and Cindy want her collection. But it is not that simple- there are many obstacles to overcome before the green beret worn by John Wayne or the painting from an old Agatha Christie movie can be sold at "Hooray for Hollywood". There is a competing business house, Yana's son who does not want her to sell, Yana's financial advisor who is in a hurry to sell and then there is a murder!

It is a fun read. A cozy murder mystery. The mystery is well woven and at least I could not guess the whodunnit until the "Hooray for Hollywood Movie Memorabilia Sleuths" unravel it. Jay and Cindy are likable- their characters blend well. Yana Tosh is charismatic as she is meant to be. Zac Bissonnette gets the essence of a good murder mystery- all characters are suspicious and innocent at the same time.

I thought the book, however, needs a little trimming. Had the story been a little tighter it would have been a page-turner - but there it falls short. Although in the beginning, it was fun to drift down the memory lane of old cinema, after a while it induces one to skip. Cindy's over-exaggerated bottled-up emotions and Jay's over-cheerfulness become a little boring after a while.

Yet, it was a fun, light read. So hooray to Zac Bissonnette!

I received an advance copy of the book from NetGalley for my honest review. #AKillinginCostumes #NetGalley

Jay and Cindy own a Hollywood memoribilia store in Palm springs, California. When trying to secure an old Hollywood actress collection. The competing bidder does from poison. Jay and Cindy find themselves as prime suspects. In order to save their store and their lives they will need to find the killer.

I liked this book. I think this might be the first LGBTQIA cozy mystery book I've read. I enjoyed finding out their history. They were once soap stars and had a music career. Cindy was a financial advisor. I can't wait to see what these two get up to next.

Will add reviews to Goodreads, IG, and Amazon when publication date is closer.

A fun mystery about a couple who didn't work out but still remained friend that get caught up in a murder.
A fun read.
Voluntarily reviewed.

Former husband and wife Jay and Cindy, partners in their Hurray for Hollywood Movie Memorabilia business, are struggling to make a success of their business. When B movie diva Yana Tosh contacts them to possibly sell off the memorabilia she has collected, they learn their competition is a large auction house represented by Dylan Redman. Unfortunately, after Jay and Cindy meet with Redman about a possible collaboration on the sale, his secretary finds Redman dead after their departure.
To save the business and the sale, Jay and Cindy must clear their names. Possible suspects include Yana's son, her financial adviser and Redman's secretary. Jay and Cindy work well together, displaying their strengths as they investigate, A delightful read.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy.

A KILLING IN COSTUMES by Zac Bissonnette is a cute and quirky cozy mystery perfect for lovers of Old Hollywood.

I loved all of the Old Hollywood name dropping (actors & films!) as well as the LGBTQ+ representation in this book. The dual-sleuth perspective was unique, too—I’ve only read cozies with one POV.

There was a bit of depth to this one, with themes of sexual identity, grief and loss, and deep friendship. I’d compare this to Ellery Adams’s The Secret, Book, & Scone Society due to it having a little extra emotional oomph.

The beginning-middle of this dragged for me; it was a little slow and I found the characters endearing but a bit flat. But the mystery is solid and there’s a great twist at the end!

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for this eARC. I have posted my review on Goodreads and will be sharing it on Instagram and Amazon closer to the pub date.

A Killing in Costumes was a fun mystery! Perfect for a weekend escape or vacation book! I loved seeing two LGBTQIA protagonists. The relationships in this book were so sweet! If you’re a movie and mystery buff this one is for you!

Jay Allen and Cindy Cooper are having difficulty making a success of their new business.  In Palm Springs they opened Hooray for Hollywood, selling movie memorabilia and after 6 months, they are running through their start-up capital.  Then they are offered an opportunity to sell the costume collection of a retired B list movie star, Yana Tosh.   They are in competition with a large auction house represented by Dylan Redman, who meets with them to discuss a collaboration.   The meeting goes poorly and they leave him with his secretary at a posh hotel.   Later in the day, a police detective visits them to report that Redman is dead.  As the last people to see him, Jay and Cindy are suspects because he was poisoned and they had motive to want him out of the picture.   When they are publicly named as suspects they fear their business will go under because no one will want to do business with them.  The only way out they see is to solve the murder because the police investigation is going nowhere.  Their sleuthing takes them to encounters with a dodgy financial advisor, a tough-as-nails star gossip columnist and the actor's son as well as an attractive police detective who shows interest in Jay.  A bit of menace comes when an envelope of poison is delivered to Jay.  It's an exciting plot with a dramatic surprising conclusion.
This is a first-rate cozy mystery: good fast-paced story-telling with a cast of interesting characters.   The Palm Springs setting makes for great atmosphere: the movie star colony is a terrific backstory for the memorabilia business.  The two protagonists Jay and Cindy are thoughtful, intelligent people; complement each other in temperament and talents.  While they are gay, and once married to one another, this aspect does not overwhelm the story.  This is a debut mystery and the stage is set for a sequel. 
I received a complementary advance reading copy from the publisher via Netgalley for my review.

A great debut cozy mystery that will make for many an interesting conversation over coffee, drinks, or at book club meetings. Old Hollywood nostalgia is on full display throughout this delightful story. It brought back many fond memories for this reader who often curled up with the latest Rona Barrett’s Hollywood magazine back in the day. The murder mystery is clever, and the author does a fine job of hiding the killer’s identity from readers—I didn’t catch on until the protagonists, Cindy and Jay did. The main characters are unique, and likeable, smart, and savvy about their Hurray for Hollywood Movie Memorabilla business—they just simply need buyers and irresistible inventory.

I really liked the book cover for this novel. The LGBT community was clearly and positively portrayed. I foresee several more entertaining novels in the Hollywood Treasures series future!

I honestly reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books. All opinions are my own.

This was a very fun and engaging fiction debut. The Investigation into the murder was compelling, and the name dropping and factual tidbits about Hollywood memorabilia sprinkled throughout the story added just the right amount of zest. I look forward to learning more about the characters in future installments, and liked the dual point of view, something you don’t often see in cozies.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The first in a new cozy mystery series that centers around two best friends that own a Hollywood memorabilia store in Palm Springs! Cindy and Jay used to be married (they got divorced when they both came out as gay), are still best friends, and now are partners in their Hollywood memorabilia business. The business is struggling, but luck might be turning their way when an elderly classic Hollywood starlet wants to have them sell her collection of costumes on commission. However, their rival for the commission ends up dead, and they end up suspects. They have to solve the crime before one of them is next!

This was a really cute cozy mystery. I loved the characters, and their dynamic. I was not able to predict whodunit but all the clues made sense! I look forward to more in this series.

There is a nostalgia for the golden era of cinema; the larger than life characters, the illustrious plots and offscreen dramas which this book lovingly pays homage to.

Jay and Cindy, as our protagonists, have as much character and history as any 50s film, being entirely unique characters that play off each other so well I found their conversations and banter to be enjoyable. The relationship between them was really one of the cores of this book and bled into the plot and environment.

The setting was superb for the plot, becoming as much as a character in the novel as any other person, with the mystery being a bit on the nose (if this type of plot is your cup of tea and you’re used to it) but I think the joy of the case was not in the answers but in the problem solving; the way in aching both characters utilized their strengths and weaknesses to pull themselves out of the mud.

There is romance, which was not at the center but played a part in the book and it was a sweet addition, but the main star was the platonic love shown between the characters and how deep it ran. I think the thoughts and ideas exhibited in this novel concerning love, loss and remembering was greatly intertwined.

I often found myself wanting to be shown more than told things, being more of an active participant than a listening bystander but the writing style worked for the narrative.

I do think the aspect of old Hollywood and memorabilia was one of the my favorite aspects. It was done with such heart and depth that it was always enjoyable watching our protagonists be interested and invested in it, whether or not I knew anything at all.

I enjoyed this book, a nice read that can breeze by easily and keep you invested not for the mystery, but for the characters.

P.s - I really enjoyed the afterwards of the interview with a founder of a memorabilia auctions house. The same heart and whimsy displayed from that interview was seen in the characters modeled after this world.

Zac Bissonnette writes an entertaining cozy mystery with a wonderful setting for the novel to take place in.