MURDER IN THE DRESSING ROOM by Holly Stars

Wonderful, twisty, totally satisfying mystery, so real and intense that there were moments when I wanted to leap in and help. The descriptions built a vivid picture of places, people, costumes, and action — just begging to be a movie (and there’s a hint of a sequel at the end, yes, please).
Beyond the puzzles and suspense, this book is informative, an honest look at a way of life I didn’t know much about. The dedication, skill and style of drag queens and KINGS (Who knew? Not I) is impressive. Respect! As a retired English teacher, I appreciated reminders of respecting a person’s gender, using preferred names and pronouns. I’m getting more used to singular they, though I wish we’d managed to popularize a gender neutral singular pronoun in the ‘70s, when we brought Ms. into use. Maybe someday.
Meanwhile, travel with Misty Devine through the streets of London, in an outstanding, twisty adventure, searching for cat burglar and murderer, and finding out who their true friends are.
Warning: poison in the chocolate — a true sacrilege to chocolate lovers.

This is a great start to a new cozy mystery series. I loved the behind the scenes look at the drag scene. What really struck me was how the different identities of Misty and Joe manifested in different personalities and confidence levels.

This cover is so fun, I did expect this story to be a bit light hearted and funny, but it was definitely more serious, with moments of tremendous sadness. The disconnect between the cover and the content was surprising.

This was such a fun mystery!

I enjoyed exploring the contrast between Joe and Misty in each of their chapters. There is a shyness to Joe in their chapters that goes away when they are investigating in drag as Misty Divine. So not only did this make for an interesting dichotomy, I also liked going on Joe’s arc as they find confidence in themselves even outside of drag. Another thing I really liked was the exploration of drag culture, from Joe’s process of becoming Misty, to the dynamic between the queens as a whole.

One of my favorite things about the book was Joe’s many references to crime shows that they watch with their boyfriend (love Miles btw, hope we get more of him being the Watson to Misty’s Holmes in the future), especially Criminal Minds, because that’s EXACTLY how I would go about solving a mystery😂 #WhatWouldSpencerReidDo

The mystery itself was compelling, and there were some twists that I was able to predict, and some that I wasn’t, which I alway appreciate. I also liked how this set up the potential for future mysteries.

The only things I struggled with was how, at times, the pacing felt like it dragged a bit (pun unintended), and the killer’s ultimate confession and explanation of their motivation felt a bit rushed.

HOWEVER

I still highly enjoyed this book, and definitely hope we get to see more of Misty Divine in the future!

First thank you to Berkeley and NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis: Misty is the drag daughter of lady lady a famous drag star in London raising through the ranks. One night lady lady is murdered and misty is the last person to see her. She needs to solve this mystery before she is accused of it.

What I liked: cozy mystery and drag queens, Berkeley knows the way to my heart. This book was very fun but also good. It has the right balance of camp to seriousness. Joe is a mild manner staff account during the day but misty brings out the fierceness in them. I love how the author made sure the pronouns were correct and describe how drag changed them and gave them the freedom to do things they wouldn’t normally do. The best part is it appears misty has another case coming. I can’t wait to read it.

I loved this book so much! I was already excited about the whole concept. I follow Holly Stars on IG and I am closely involved in the drag culture (not a performer but I "tip kitten" and all of my friends are performers). And I love murder mysteries so I felt like this book was written for me!

It stands on its own as a murder mystery very solidly. It was a fantastic story, just the right amount of suspense, and I couldn't easily figure it all out. Even when I thought I had solved it, there was another twist.

But it equally shines for its representation. This was clearly written by someone in the LGBTQ+ community and the drag scene and it's so carefully and respectfully done, it's clear it was from the POV of someone in our community. This is so refreshing because although we want more representation, Own Voices matter so much. I've read a lot of queer books that talk about things the author clearly hasn't lived themselves (and it shows). That was not the case with Murder in the Dressing Room.

I will be recommending to everyone! I'm also going to review on my blog and socials and I'm telling all my drag friends. A+

A fun start to what I see will be an outrageous and entertaining series! MURDER IN THE DRESSING ROOM is definitely more character driven than plot driven for me.

**3.5 Rounded Up.

Murder in the Dressing Room is a debut novel by Holly Stars and the first in a Misty Divine Mystery series.

Joe is a thirty-something accountant, shy and destined to blend into the scenery. By night, they are six-foot-one drag queen Misty Divine. With her bouffant blonde hair, Misty does not blend in. Which makes it challenging when she tries to be sneaky and investigate the murder of her drag mother, Lady Lady.

This is a cozy mystery with lots of camp and fun. I loved the behind the scenes look into the world of drag. And, I enjoyed the insight into the dual life of a drag queen. There was a lot that I liked about this book, but I wanted to love it more than I did. It was a little slow in the middle. Since Joe/Misty was investigating, they spent a lot of time going over the details which felt repetitive. It picked up at the end, and I can honestly say I was shocked by the big reveal.

Murder in the Dressing Room is the debut novel from Holly Stars! A cozy murder mystery featuring a vibrant cast of drag performers, I never knew what was going to happen next!

Joe Brown is a shy, kinda reserved hotel accountant. He’s bored with his job but needs the financial security. By night, though, Joe becomes Misty Devine, a rising star in the London drag scene. When Misty discovers her mentor, Lady Lady, dead, Misty decides she absolutely needs to solve the murder.

Ok, so this book was very well written! The plot was interesting and there were a good amount of twists and turns to keep things fun. The setting is in London and I was never unsure about where things were happening.

Where this book really shines is the cast. It came be hard to write a book with so many big personalities but Holly Stars has done an excellent job. I never felt like the characters were unbalanced and the banter was great! Who doesn’t love a read!

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves drag, cozy mysteries and vibrant casts!

Thank you to Berkley and Holly Stars for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

While I enjoy drag shows in person, I have not been watching Drag Race or any other drag related television and didn't know who Holly Stars was before reading this book. I still really don't other than she wrote a really good cozy! With a Clark Kent / Superman type main character in Joe / Misty, the murder of an iconic drag mother is investigated. I loved reading the changes between Joe and Misty. I felt it perfectly encapsulated how drag is a completely different person. It made so much sense! I also loved the twists and turns during the course of the investigation. I can't wait to see what trouble Misty uncovers next!

I’m so here for this book! It was such a fun read and I’m really hoping there will be more to come. I’m definitely feeling the cozy mystery vibe. Joe/Misty Divine were so loveable. I found some of the story a bit repetitive but overall I still enjoyed the story.

As far as kickoffs for a new cozy mystery series can go, this one scores super high marks! Begin with a drag queen, working tirelessly at clubs just to get by. Give her a mentor, and one who drops dead at the hand of someone else. Surround this queen with great friends, pesky rivals, a great cast of suspects, and just enough dramatic flair that you can understand why a lot of people would want the victim dead. Misty Divine is a heroine you want to root for, as much a figurehead for the modern day drag queen as she is quite the crafty little detective. Author Holly Stars could dial up the humor even more in future installments of the series, because of the glimmers of it here really make the cozy mystery even more engaging. But I loved seeing a positive, wholly enjoyable read with a crime solving drag queen at the center. This is a great launching pad to (hopefully) many more Misty Divine mysteries.

Rating: 5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for access to this e-ARC. All thoughts are my own.
From the first page to the last, this book held my attention firmly in it's clawed grasp. First off, I need to state that as an LGBTQ+ person, the representation throughout this book made my heart swell. I loved the mystery and suspense throughout the book, it had me eager to keep reading and find out the who dunnit of it all, and I was not disappointed! And even being a part of the queer community myself, I learned a lot more about drag from this book, which I'm so thankful for. And I loved learning all the side characters and how their little found family works. I am definitely going to be reading the rest of the books in this series, and can't wait to see what's in store for Misty next!

Being someone who has been to a couple drag shows, I was instantly transported to Lady’s Bar in SoHo, London. Misty Divine, our main character makes her way to the stage for the end of the night applause. She notices that her drag mother, Lady Lady is not acting her usual self and is acting in a hurry to leave. She also observes that she seems very uncomfortable in the dress she is wearing, as she is not wearing her usual dress but something that appears to be vintage. While everyone is starting the process of de-dragging, Misty Divine decides to go check on Lady Lady to see why she was acting strangely and if she is alright. She heads to her dressing room, and finds her laying on the floor dead with what looks like a box of poisoned chocolates. From that moment on, we as readers are sent on a wild ride as we find out the dress was stolen by the infamous Kensington Catburglar, and was worn by Judy Garland. Where did the dress come from? Why was Lady Lady wearing it? Is Lady Lady the Catburglar? Who would want to kill Lady Lady, and why? One thing is for sure, Misty Divine is going to find out and everyone is a suspect.

The character development of Misty Divine was great. We learn that by day, they are Joe, a hotel accountant but they feel stronger as a person when they are Misty Divine. Misty Divine is more bold with her actions and determined to figure out what just happened with the sometimes hesitant but always supportive boyfriend, Miles. There are sketchy scenarios that have you worried for Misty, and a true mystery of who really did it. I thought I had it all figured out but a few twist caught me by surprise.

This would be a great book for anyone who enjoys a good mystery, and is also a fan of RuPaul’s Drag Race. It was absolutely fun to read, and the ending leaves us with a new character interaction with what I hope will be another mystery for us to solve with Misty in the future.

This is more than a murder mystery. The cast of characters are perfectly imperfect and the details pull you into the drama! The story follows a drag queen as they attempt to find their drag mother's killer. It takes you into the subculture and brushes on some adversities. The mystery draws you in, but the depth of the story keeps you there!

Misty Divine had finished their performance and went backstage to find Lady Lady. Lady Lady was their drag mother, their mentor, and the one who had encouraged Misty to try singing on the stage. It had been a big leap for Misty, as in her daily life as Joe Brown, they were too scared to quit their job at a hotel, even after appearing as Misty often and becoming a popular performer.

Lady Lady was the co-owner of the club and host of the nightly drag show, and when Misty had gone to look for her, they found Lady Lady dead on the floor of her dressing room. Misty called the police and thought back through the night to try to think if they’d noticed anything different about Lady Lady. She had been wearing a dress that was unusual for her. Usually, Lady Lady had worn a handmade gown, but that night she’d been in a vintage gown. Misty had noticed but hadn’t thought anything of it until her mentor had died eating a poisoned chocolate.

Misty couldn’t imagine who would have anything against Lady Lady, but clearly someone did. And when they start poking around to try to figure out who might have killed her, they find themselves in the line of fire as well. The dress Lady Lady had been wearing was actually stolen, one of several pieces stolen by the Kensington Catburglar, and the police are focusing on finding the burglar. Misty is more concerned with finding the killer. But Misty’s amateur investigation puts them not just in the sights of the killer but under the microscope of the police as well. And when Misty is arrested for murder, they are stripped of all of Misty’s bravado and become Joe, afraid and alone in a cell.

But Misty still has friends, and their partner Miles, and an attorney they were smart enough to hire, so hey can still fight. They can still prove their innocence. They can still catch a murderer. And they can make sure that Lady Lady’s death is avenged.

Murder in the Dressing Room is a cozy mystery set in the world of London’s drag, with all the glamour and attitude that entails. Author Holly Stars is a drag queen, comedian, and writer in London, so she can describe the community from the inside. She brings compassion and understanding to this story, which I think highlights the challenges Joe faces in his daily life verses the confidence that comes out as Misty.

I am big fan of cozy mysteries with an unusual twist, and Murder in the Dressing Room embodies that. It’s creative and clever and invites readers into a universe that most of us do not usually get a chance to see. Misty Divine is a strong character with a natural curiosity and a determination to find answers, so they are the perfect character to go after a killer, and I was all in every step of the way. I hope that there are more mysteries coming with Misty Divine, because I will be wanting to head back to this universe again in the future.

Egalleys for Murder in the Dressing Room were provided by Berkley through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Is it right that a mystery be so much fun?

I loved the character of Joe - quiet, shy, introverted, but then they transform into Misty, who is loud, confident, extroverted… in most ways, the opposite of Joe. What a complex, & memorable amateur sleuth! & what a debut.

The mystery is well laid-out & has the expected twists & turns. A few reveals did catch me by surprise & overall it was a really well-written story, full of important lessons into character, prejudices, trust & judgement. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a heavy-handed morality book - but there are some important lessons learned along the way.

I’m really looking foward to (hopefully) a sequel so that we get to spend more time with Joe/Misty!

* Thank you to the publisher, Berkley Publishing Group, for providing me with an ebook via Netgalley for review purposes.

ARC Review

Thank you to Holly Stars, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! It was intriguing and I was shocked by the ending! The writing was fun and funny! I will definitely be reading the next Misty Divine mystery!

I will be posting a review on Instagram in the next few days under @readsinhyperspeed

3.5⭐️

This was such a fun read. A drag murder mystery written by a drag queen? Yes please!

After Misty Devine finds her drag mother Lady Lady murdered in her dressing room and realizes that the lead investigator is a bigot who was more concerned about the stolen dress Lady Lady was wearing than her murder, she decides to take a crack at solving the murder herself.

Outside of drag Joe is an accountant for a hotel and therefore has zero investigative experience other than watching every episode of CSI and Criminal Minds. This lands them in some pretty crazy situations. I know that not everyone can be Sherlock Holmes and Joe’s bumbling was probably pretty accurate but I felt myself wishing they’d listen to their boyfriend Miles a little bit more. Miles was a calming voice of reason to Joe’s impulsiveness and Misty’s bold confidence in their ability to solve this case.

The book started off a little slow but really picked up and by the end I couldn’t read or fast enough trying to see if my guesses about the murdered were right. There were definitely some unexpected twists and turns. Things have been set up nicely for a second book and I can’t wait for more details.

✨ARC Review✨

How freaking good was this?! Very.

I love a good murder mystery and Holly Stars serves it up in this story of a celebrity drag queen murdered in her dressing room.

Misty Divine, an up-and-coming drag performer, goes to her drag mother’s dressing room and finds Lady Lady dead, froth spilling from her mouth.

Of course, the police come, but the primary detective can’t even get anyone’s pronouns right (nor does he want to), so what’s Misty to do but solve this thing herself?

Misty and her sweet, level-headed boyfriend, Miles, begin the path to solve the murder and end up with a whole lot more than they bargained for.

This was such a good mystery, but more than that, it was a wonderful story about coming into your own and living out loud.

Totally recommend this if you’re into mysteries.

I was given this eARC via #netgalley and @berkleypub. All thoughts are mine alone.

#books #contemporarymystery #murdermystery #murderinthedressingroom #hollystars #bookreview #bookrecs #bookstagram

I really enjoyed everything about this book. I absolutely loved Misty and the lengths that she went to solve the murder of Lady Lady. As I was reading I couldn't wait to see what happened next and I found myself flying through this book! I was constantly guessing on who the killer could be and I was surprised when I found out who did it! I definitely can't wait to see what comes next for Misty Devine! If you're looking for a fun new mystery book this one's for you!