A cozy type of mystery set in the drag scene. It was cute, I love Misty and Miles. This type of book is just a little too cute and cozy for my taste. But it was written very well and all the characters were really great. I absolutely love the world of drag and I am so happy that this book exists.

3.5/5

Though I was really intrigued by the premise, it took me a little while to get into this one. I ended up switching to audio, which is read by the author, and enjoyed it in that format more. The plot line was unique for sure, and it was super fun to follow the drag queen scene in this way. The mystery itself was not super memorable; I found myself uninterested in guessing who might’ve done it, and semi-disengaged from the plot in general. I think some people will really like this one, but I tend to stay away from cozy, character driven mysteries like this. I enjoyed listening to it and I’m glad I read it, but I don’t think it will stand out in the long run.

I thought this was an interesting setting for a cozy mystery book, and as a fan of Ru Paul's drag race, I really wanted to love it. In the beginning, as we meet Misty Divine and the body of Lady Lady is found I was picturing the scene as the TV show skit done on the show and I think it increased my enjoyment of the story, at least for those first few chapters. While I did enjoy following Misty as they investigated the murder, at times the story was repetitive, and I just didn't click with the characters like I wanted.
Since this is the first book in the series I would be interested in reading the next one to see if I connect with the characters or plot better the second time around.

You know I love my drag queens, so of course, I jumped at a chance to read an advance copy of this book. I will admit that I picked this up expecting a campy, over-the-top drag queen murder mystery filled with sass and humor, and I was surprised to find a more grounded and serious tone. This tonal shift threw me at first, and I was a little disappointed. That said, this isn't a flaw - this is the book the author intended to write, and I can't expect them to cater to my expectations.

The story centers on Joe, a reserved, non-binary hotel accountant who transforms at night into Misty Divine, a rising star in London's drag scene. Joe's dual life takes a dark turn when their mentor and drag mother, the fabulous Lady Lady, is found poisoned in her dressing room. The police are quick to cast suspicion on Misty and her fellow performers, dismissing their concerns, pronouns, and identities with an unsettling air of disdain. Frustrated by the systemic lack of care from law enforcement, Misty decides to investigate the murder herself, channeling skills gleaned from her time spent binge-watching CSI with her husband, Miles.

The strongest aspect of this book lies in its characters, especially Misty Divine. The author - a drag queen herself - does a wonderful job capturing the nuance of a character like Joe, who is caught between their reserved daytime self and their bold, unapologetic drag persona. Misty's transformation from a performer grieving the loss of her mentor to an amateur sleuth was fun to watch. The novel's depiction of the LGBTQIA+ community's struggles with institutional bias adds an emotional weight to the story, highlighting how queer individuals are often dismissed or disrespected by those in positions of power. The author doesn't shy away from depicting these moments, which makes the novel feel authentic and resonant.

That said, while I appreciated the novel's themes and character work, the pacing left something to be desired. For a murder mystery, the plot felt straightforward and, at times, predictable. While there's nothing inherently wrong with a classic approach to the genre, I felt the narrative dragged (pardon the pun) in several places, slowing the momentum of the investigation. I also felt that the writing leaned heavily on exposition, often telling rather than showing, which sometimes made it difficult to feel fully immersed in the story.

Despite these critiques, there's plenty to admire here. The blend of the vibrant drag world with a murder mystery is a unique premise, and the story's exploration of identity, resilience, and systemic injustice elevates it beyond a simple whodunit. Misty Divine is a character who stays with you - her humor, insecurities, determination, and vulnerability shine even when the story struggles a bit.

While I didn't love it, I liked it well enough, and I'm curious to see what Holly Stars writes next. Misty Divine certainly has the potential to become a beloved amateur sleuth, and I'd love to see her in another case (which the ending alludes to) - perhaps one with a bit more camp and sparkle to match her vibrant stage presence. If you're looking for a mystery that offers more than just a clever plot - one that delves into the challenges of queer existence while celebrating the strength of chosen family - this book is worth your time.

Def a wild concept. Thrillers/mysteries aren’t my go to genre. There was a lot of repetition that was unnecessary. It got too much for me. I think there needs to be more trust in the reader that we are following.

A fabulous mystery that fully pulled me in to the investigation. I felt like I was right there running around London with Misty/Joe trying to put the pieces all together. Every character had so much depth and was clearly made with love. A must read mystery this new year!

The author's passion shines through in this book. The characters were really fun. I just didn’t connect with it like I wanted to and that's on me not the book. I wanted to give a more cozy mystery a try and I'm glad I did! It has great potential to appeal to other mystery thriller readers and I encourage others to try it out! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.

(4.5⭐️) What a debut! This murder mystery was tense, campy, cozy, and twisty.

I really loved the main character Misty, and appreciated how layered her character was. The exploration of her identity and the differences between Misty and Joe was interesting, and the growth in their confidence as Joe was heartwarming. I also loved the chemistry between them and Miles, and how supportive they were of one another. The other characters added so much to the book as well, and I enjoyed how distinctive each person was.

The mystery plot of this story had a bit of a slow start, but then had me turning pages as quickly as I could. There were so many twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting, and this felt like one of those cases where anyone was a suspect. Every time I thought I had something worked out, the story would change course and I’d be back to having no idea. The ending leaves off on a perfect cliff hanger for the sequel, and I already can’t wait to read it!

This novel brings a new meaning to Slay I absolutely loved it. Cozy mysterious are my favorite genre of book to read and they can be so hard to do. Holly Stars takes their experience and brings the cozy mystery to a world I love, which is the world of drag!

As a queer person it can be so hard to find queer media that isn't in a niche (mostly masculine) format. So it a genre that should be about all outsiders, it typically only focuses on a certain demographic. This was such a fun break from the typical queer and even typical cozy mystery setting. I need a 10 book series starring Misty immediately.

I was laughing out loud in some moments and getting teary eyed in others. In our current political climate, this was exactly what I was needing.

Murder Mystery
Drag Community
London LGBTQ Community
Nonbinary rep
LGBTQIA+
This cozy mystery had me locked in from the beginning! You get a good feel of the characters & the reality of a regular person trying to solve a murder. Misty was not undercover at all but she got the information she needed! It was really fun to follow along to attempt* to solve the murder before Misty did!
Misty had my heart! Another reality you’ll see is how the police don’t treat the drag community like human beings. This was a topic that was frustrating to read because of how true it is. DI Davies and some strangers blatantly showed their distaste towards Misty. The case was not looked into properly and the priority was NOT the murder. However, it was refreshing to see Misty’s partner, Miles, be supportive through all of this. Not only Miles but both of their families as well are supportive. This is also a good read for those who aren’t familiar with the drag community! You’ll learn a bit about the behind the scenes of their shows, what drag means to them, and how dear they hold each other. For Misty, drag allowed them to be daring, to do things they normally wouldn’t do. Outside of drag, Misty becomes Joe and you see the difference and change drag does for Joe.

Finally, a cozy mystery that I actually liked! Drag queens, murder, black mail, burglary, decade long feuds! The only thing missing from this tale is the overly sappy and unsolvable element that I LOATHE in a mystery. Stars portrays moments of genuine sentimentality without trying to milk the audience for sympathy points, and the mystery can be solved if you're reading closely enough, but it isn't obvious either. Stars has found an impossible balance, and I'll be a fan forever because of it. I cannot wait to read the sequel, and every book that follows. I'd recommend this to cozy mystery readers and anyone looking for more queer representation in the mystery section.

Joe is a thirty something year old accountant by day, but at night he transforms into Misty Divine, who is a rising star in the London drag community. His mentor, Lady Lady, runs the club that Misty works at and had taken him under her wing to show him the ins and outs of the drag world. But when Lady Lady is found dead in her dressing room, Misty and the other drag queens (and kings) find themselves in the middle of a murder investigation as the prime suspects. The police are not taking the investigation seriously, so Misty decides to look into what happened to her beloved mentor herself.
This was campy and simple and while there was lots of insight into the behind the scenes of the drag world, it also felt repetitive at times with some of the plot points being reinforced more than necessary which messed with the pacing.
Overall though, if you’re looking for a LGBTQ murder mystery, this is the book for you.

Murder in the Dressing Room by Holly Stars is a dazzling and suspenseful whodunit set against the glamorous backdrop of London’s drag scene. By day, Joe leads a quiet life as a hotel accountant, but by night, they transform into Misty Divine, a fabulous performer caught in a murder mystery when their beloved drag mother, Lady Lady, is found poisoned. With sharp wit, glittering performances, and the bonds of chosen family at its core, the story balances humor and heartbreak while unraveling a gripping mystery. Misty’s determination to uncover the truth exposes both the beauty and dangers of life under the spotlight. This vibrant and twisty tale is a must-read for fans of clever, character-driven mysteries.

3.5/5

Thank you NetGalley and Berkeley for the ARC!

Murder in the Dressing Room is a murder mystery led by a drag queen, Misty Divine.
I loved the drag culture in this book. The author—a drag artist themself—showed so much love for the industry. Basic concepts were explained well, and never in a way that felt like an awkward exposition dump.
I also enjoyed the gender exploration within the book. Out of drag, Misty Divine (aka Joe), is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, while also using she/her pronouns in drag.
However, the actual mystery investigation in the story was extremely annoying to me. Misty/Joe rarely stops to think rationally about the investigation, instead jumping from one vague hint to another without thinking about how the dots might connect. There were so many obvious red herrings, but the characters never stopped to question them.
They act solely on impulse and don’t consider consequences (or face them, for that matter). One would think that chasing a strange man down a dark alley would be terrible idea, and it ground my gears that no one made a bigger deal out of it. Also, how the hell was Misty investigating in full drag and not getting more attention?
This book could’ve been much shorter if Misty/Joe had actually used some common sense. It was slow paced and there were some repetitive parts that didn’t feel necessary (i.e. the same thing happening multiple times but never really affecting the story).
A final issue that I had with this book was the lack of grief over the murder that Misty/Joe is investigating. They lose their mentor, their drag mother, but never show any major emotion. I would’ve liked to see a little more of the emotional effects while Misty/Joe was hunting down the killer.
The drag aspect was the main thing that made this book worth it. But it was not my favorite mystery.

CW: murder; death; queerphobia; misgendering; stalking

While I appreciate the opportunity to read and review this book, I won't be submitting feedback. I like the characters and the drag theme is one I haven't encountered before, however, I'm struggling with the writing style. I know there's an audience for this book out there, but it's not for me. Thank you again for granting me an ARC, even if it wasn't for me.

Murder in the Dressing Room was such a fun read. I loved that Misty Divine and Joe had vastly different personalities. There are very few mysteries that I don't guess the ending of the book before it happens and this was one of them! The only reason I didn't rate it as 5 stars is that I wish we could have experienced more of Misty's big personality. I felt like I was hearing about her personality second hand instead of experiencing it.

I loved the premise of this book but I am sad to say it just didn’t work for me. I struggled to get through this and eventually gave up at 30%. By that point, the same things had been repeated over and over; it just got to be too much for me. It was the same for the inner monologues; I know Joe/Misty are investigating but rehashing the same points every time got to be too much. I did learn so much about how the drag scene works and there my favorite parts of the book. I do hope the issues are worked out and the writing is polished for the next one.

This was such a fun cozy mystery. It had so many fun elements. I loved the drama of the drag queens and their big personalities when in drag. The transformation for the characters to go from their daily lives to their drag persona was really fun to read about. All the characters were just so well done, and I enjoyed them so much. I loved getting behind the scenes look into the drag world. Misty was such a kindhearted character. She is the type of person I look for in my friends. Just such a sweet person. The plot of this one was really entertaining. I loved how Misty stepped up to find out what happened when the police weren’t that interested. The pacing was nice and fast, which helped hold my interest throughout.

If you’re looking for a fun cozy mystery, then check this one out.

✨ Drag Queens & Kings
✨ Murder Mystery
✨ Non-binary rep
✨ Found Family
✨ Who-did-it?

👏AND TO START REAL QUICK: If you are reading this, please for the love of all things drag, GENDER MISTY/JOE CORRECTLY. They state early on they are non-binary, and they use they/them pronouns throughout the entire book. For all of you who continue to mis-gender them in your reviews, did you even read the book?

Onto the review.

This book was exactly and nothing like I expected. There was murder (obviously) and drama and drag queens and tension and love and kindness and secrets and it was *chefs kiss*. There *is* a ton of transphobia, and a bit of homophobia, and a lot of me wanting to punch one specific character repeatedly, so if that is a tough spot for you I would put this on your shelf for a bit, but it's something that happens to us every single day (I am also a non-binary trans person), so if you're a straight person, read it, feel it, and understand that this is our reality, and it isn't comfy.

Holly Stars debut has me on the edge of my seat wanting to read more, so thank you for letting me start here.

⭐TLDR: If you're looking for a cozy murder mystery following an incredible non-binary drag queen who has watched too many true crime and tv crime shows, this is your book.

Thank you to Berkley and Holly Stars for letting me read this one early in exchange for my review!

Holly Stars has written a delightful, fun cozy mystery full of twists and turns, big personalities and lovable drag queens/kings. The story rolls along quickly as Misty and Miles play detectives to find out who killed Misty's beloved mentor, Lady Lady, but also manage to get themselves into a bit of trouble along the way. I'm thrilled that this appears to be the first in a new series!! It's about time that a unique cozy mystery series finally came along!!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.