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A Misty Divine Mystery #1
Murder in the Dressing Room
A poisoned chocolate. A stolen dress. An elusive catburglar. Drag’s not just dramatic, it’s deadly.
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.
Heartbroken by the loss, and frustrated by the clear biases of the police, Misty must solve the crime before the culprit strikes again. Among the drop-dead gorgeous lurks a cutthroat killer, and Misty Divine won't rest until she finds out who it is.
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.
Heartbroken by the loss, and frustrated by the clear biases of the police, Misty must solve the crime before the culprit strikes again. Among the drop-dead gorgeous lurks a cutthroat killer, and Misty Divine won't rest until she finds out who it is.
358 pages, Paperback
First published January 14, 2025
242 people are currently reading
15401 people want to read
About the author
Holly Stars
4 books129 followersHolly Stars is a drag stand-up comedian and writer. She is the writer of the smash-hit drag murder mystery, Death Drop, a play that has had three runs on the West End and a UK and Ireland tour. Holly has two seasons of her own television series, Holly Stars: Inspirational, produced by Froot TV and Tuckshop. She is also the producer and cohost of murder-mystery book review podcast, Read to Death, and is currently completing an accredited qualification in professional investigation, which will make her the world's first drag queen private detective.
source: Amazon
source: Amazon
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 838 reviews
January 7, 2025
Murder in the Dressing Room
is the debut novel of Holly Stars. It’s also the first book in the Misty Divine cozy mystery series. By day, Joe Brown is a somewhat shy hotel accountant bored with his job, but unwilling to give up the security of a regular paycheck. By night, they take the stage in cabaret venues as Misty Divine. When Misty’s mentor, Lady Lady, is found murdered in her dressing room at Lady’s Bar, Misty and the other performers become the prime suspects. Heartbroken and frustrated by the detective inspector’s attitude and lack of progress, Joe is determined to find the killer with the help of Misty Divine.
While Joe is unassuming, introspective, and more emotional, Misty is much stronger, loves adulation, and is more confident and outgoing. The other characters had depth and their personalities came through extremely well.
This well-plotted cozy mystery has several twists and turns. While I guessed some of it, a couple of items caught me by surprise and I enjoyed how the author twisted those plot points. Most of the book takes place during one and one-half weeks with an epilogue two weeks later. Set in London, England, the world-building worked for the story, but I wanted a little better feel that it was London and not another large city. However, it was easy to visualize the venues and the characters, and this was important to the story-line. The search for the killer moves the story forward, but there were a few spots where the pacing slowed or the story felt repetitive.
The author managed to give great insight into Misty’s and Joe’s thoughts, behaviors, and actions towards others as well as the challenges and difficulties they faced from others. Despite the serious topic, there are occasional bits of humor that lightened the story. The novel shines a light on how people judge others, lack of trust, love, greed, prejudices, and much more. My biggest quibble was that there were times when the story was more telling than showing. However, this is a good start to the series and the ending gave clues to the next book’s main emphasis.
Overall, it was suspenseful at times, heart-wrenching at other times, and kept my interest. This story comes to a satisfying conclusion. If you are looking for a cozy mystery featuring diversity and with some important looks at the dual world of Joe and Misty, then this may be the novel for you.
Berkley Publishing Group and Holly Stars provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for January 14, 2025. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 3.38 rounded to 3 stars review is coming soon.
While Joe is unassuming, introspective, and more emotional, Misty is much stronger, loves adulation, and is more confident and outgoing. The other characters had depth and their personalities came through extremely well.
This well-plotted cozy mystery has several twists and turns. While I guessed some of it, a couple of items caught me by surprise and I enjoyed how the author twisted those plot points. Most of the book takes place during one and one-half weeks with an epilogue two weeks later. Set in London, England, the world-building worked for the story, but I wanted a little better feel that it was London and not another large city. However, it was easy to visualize the venues and the characters, and this was important to the story-line. The search for the killer moves the story forward, but there were a few spots where the pacing slowed or the story felt repetitive.
The author managed to give great insight into Misty’s and Joe’s thoughts, behaviors, and actions towards others as well as the challenges and difficulties they faced from others. Despite the serious topic, there are occasional bits of humor that lightened the story. The novel shines a light on how people judge others, lack of trust, love, greed, prejudices, and much more. My biggest quibble was that there were times when the story was more telling than showing. However, this is a good start to the series and the ending gave clues to the next book’s main emphasis.
Overall, it was suspenseful at times, heart-wrenching at other times, and kept my interest. This story comes to a satisfying conclusion. If you are looking for a cozy mystery featuring diversity and with some important looks at the dual world of Joe and Misty, then this may be the novel for you.
Berkley Publishing Group and Holly Stars provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for January 14, 2025. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
--------------------------------------
My 3.38 rounded to 3 stars review is coming soon.
February 22, 2025
**Many thanks to Berkley and Holly Stars for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!**
If you looked at Joe during the day, you'd probably see a shy, quiet, and unassuming hotel accountant, one who comes to work, puts their head down, and keeps to themselves. But when night falls, Joe takes the stage as Misty Divine, a drag queen with a larger-than-life persona who longs to make their mentor and drag mother, Lady Lady, proud. All of these dreams come crashing down in a horrifying way, however, when Lady Lady is found dead in their dressing room one evening...leaving the cadre of drag queens who inhabit the club as suspects. Since Misty was the one to FIND Lady Lady, they find themselves in the middle of the investigation...and unfortunately, a prime suspect.
What Misty knows, however, is that Lady Lady must have been a target...and there HAS to be a bigger plan in motion. After all, Lady Lady was found with a incredibly rare and valuable Judy Garland dress in their room, and Lady Lady met their demise by poisoned chocolate: this was a carefully orchestrated death and Misty is determined to avenge Lady Lady. As such, they decide to take matters into their own hands and pursue the investigation themselves...even if it puts them square in the crosshairs of the REAL killer. But with so many suspects in play and a wholly unknown motive, can Misty find the killer BEFORE the killer finds...and silences...them?
I am always a bit wary of cozy mysteries, only because I've had such mixed experiences reading them, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't sold on giving this one a shot based on the eye-catching cover and the premise alone. When I think of drag queens, I think of Ru Paul, and BIG personalities...and of course, HUMOR, which I have always found prevalent in these shows and with these personas. But unfortunately, when it came to Murder in the Dressing Room, I was missing ALL of the sparkle, sizzle, and sass...and was left with the same sort of tired armchair investigation I've found in so many other reads: the kind that feels more like a boring, stale re-run of Law and Order than a fun and thrilling mystery.
For characters who were SUPPOSED to be larger-than-life, I spent so much time wanting them to just be FUN, or have a sense of humor...even for a minute or two! Joe/Misty was so fixated on playing detective every minute of every day that I frankly got tired of hearing "I have to solve the mystery" or some iteration of this sentiment over and over and OVER. Yes, we know you want to solve the mystery...that's obvious. I was dying just to get to know MISTY and what made them tick, made them laugh, and to get a sense of their heart because it was evident Misty had one.
I also struggle when books have too many characters, and yes, I know it's 'fun' to have lots of suspects, but I didn't get much depth from any of them either, and it left me wanting to skim more often than I'd like to admit. Sure, I had SOME desire to solve the mystery, but when 80% of the narrative revolves around sleuthing, the experience is just a bit muted for me as a reader...and sort of had me wishing for my own poison chocolates. (Okay, okay..maybe those liquor filled ones instead!) 🍸🍫
And while their loyalty to Lady Lady may have compelled Misty to explore the murder in the dressing room, I think going forward Misty might be better off perfecting their 'death' drop instead.
3 stars
If you looked at Joe during the day, you'd probably see a shy, quiet, and unassuming hotel accountant, one who comes to work, puts their head down, and keeps to themselves. But when night falls, Joe takes the stage as Misty Divine, a drag queen with a larger-than-life persona who longs to make their mentor and drag mother, Lady Lady, proud. All of these dreams come crashing down in a horrifying way, however, when Lady Lady is found dead in their dressing room one evening...leaving the cadre of drag queens who inhabit the club as suspects. Since Misty was the one to FIND Lady Lady, they find themselves in the middle of the investigation...and unfortunately, a prime suspect.
What Misty knows, however, is that Lady Lady must have been a target...and there HAS to be a bigger plan in motion. After all, Lady Lady was found with a incredibly rare and valuable Judy Garland dress in their room, and Lady Lady met their demise by poisoned chocolate: this was a carefully orchestrated death and Misty is determined to avenge Lady Lady. As such, they decide to take matters into their own hands and pursue the investigation themselves...even if it puts them square in the crosshairs of the REAL killer. But with so many suspects in play and a wholly unknown motive, can Misty find the killer BEFORE the killer finds...and silences...them?
I am always a bit wary of cozy mysteries, only because I've had such mixed experiences reading them, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't sold on giving this one a shot based on the eye-catching cover and the premise alone. When I think of drag queens, I think of Ru Paul, and BIG personalities...and of course, HUMOR, which I have always found prevalent in these shows and with these personas. But unfortunately, when it came to Murder in the Dressing Room, I was missing ALL of the sparkle, sizzle, and sass...and was left with the same sort of tired armchair investigation I've found in so many other reads: the kind that feels more like a boring, stale re-run of Law and Order than a fun and thrilling mystery.
For characters who were SUPPOSED to be larger-than-life, I spent so much time wanting them to just be FUN, or have a sense of humor...even for a minute or two! Joe/Misty was so fixated on playing detective every minute of every day that I frankly got tired of hearing "I have to solve the mystery" or some iteration of this sentiment over and over and OVER. Yes, we know you want to solve the mystery...that's obvious. I was dying just to get to know MISTY and what made them tick, made them laugh, and to get a sense of their heart because it was evident Misty had one.
I also struggle when books have too many characters, and yes, I know it's 'fun' to have lots of suspects, but I didn't get much depth from any of them either, and it left me wanting to skim more often than I'd like to admit. Sure, I had SOME desire to solve the mystery, but when 80% of the narrative revolves around sleuthing, the experience is just a bit muted for me as a reader...and sort of had me wishing for my own poison chocolates. (Okay, okay..maybe those liquor filled ones instead!) 🍸🍫
And while their loyalty to Lady Lady may have compelled Misty to explore the murder in the dressing room, I think going forward Misty might be better off perfecting their 'death' drop instead.
3 stars
June 7, 2025
CAMP!!!
this book was so up my alley: a drag queen finds another drag queen dead in her dressing room, and all the suspects are drag queens!!!! honestly... everything I want in a book and more.
had a lot of fun with this and was engaged the whole time, it was just a little too on-the-nose for me in most parts. blantant virtue signalling was REALLLL in this. we get it babessssss. I feel like this book was written for straight people who don't understand lived experience as a queer person, but the book is so inherently queer that OBVIOUSLY the audience is going to be predominantly queer, so to act as if we dont know that drag queens have trouble getting ubers was a bit of an eye roll.
still a really good job and a great debut. it's a very easy read. unfortunately losing a star because I felt like the explanation from the killer was literally so random. they just decided to ~admit it and scream every detail that happened infront of 30 news outlets~
like............... that's a little too convenient for me honeyyyyy.
so, I'm saying 3.5 stars, rounding up to a generous 4!
can recommend
this book was so up my alley: a drag queen finds another drag queen dead in her dressing room, and all the suspects are drag queens!!!! honestly... everything I want in a book and more.
had a lot of fun with this and was engaged the whole time, it was just a little too on-the-nose for me in most parts. blantant virtue signalling was REALLLL in this. we get it babessssss. I feel like this book was written for straight people who don't understand lived experience as a queer person, but the book is so inherently queer that OBVIOUSLY the audience is going to be predominantly queer, so to act as if we dont know that drag queens have trouble getting ubers was a bit of an eye roll.
still a really good job and a great debut. it's a very easy read. unfortunately losing a star because I felt like the explanation from the killer was literally so random. they just decided to ~admit it and scream every detail that happened infront of 30 news outlets~
like............... that's a little too convenient for me honeyyyyy.
so, I'm saying 3.5 stars, rounding up to a generous 4!
can recommend
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2025
Pride Month 2025 #7
I still don't love cozy mysteries (go figure), but I enjoyed the drag rep. Drag queens get a lot of publicity these days, but the first time I saw a drag king on TV was on a food doc I can't remember now. It doesn't matter. Anyway, rep abounds here, with drag queens, kings, and non-binary people.
Non-binary Joe is a hotel accountant by day. At night, they are reborn as Misty Divine. When their drag mother, Lady Lady is found dead, Misty decides to take it upon themselves to solve the murder. They're not great at it. Maybe it's the amateur sleuthing I hate about cozies. But I love Agatha Christie. Or some of it. Idk?
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
I still don't love cozy mysteries (go figure), but I enjoyed the drag rep. Drag queens get a lot of publicity these days, but the first time I saw a drag king on TV was on a food doc I can't remember now. It doesn't matter. Anyway, rep abounds here, with drag queens, kings, and non-binary people.
Non-binary Joe is a hotel accountant by day. At night, they are reborn as Misty Divine. When their drag mother, Lady Lady is found dead, Misty decides to take it upon themselves to solve the murder. They're not great at it. Maybe it's the amateur sleuthing I hate about cozies. But I love Agatha Christie. Or some of it. Idk?
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
January 16, 2025
It’s been a while since I’ve read a cozy mystery, and this one was such a fun, hilarious, campy ride. Joe, an accountant by day and fabulous drag star Misty Divine by night, is thrown into a dramatic murder mystery when they find Lady Lady, their beloved drag mother, dead in her dressing room.
This book was a delightful change of pace for me. It was cozy, campy, and packed with twists and turns that kept me entertained and guessing. It also had a tremendous amount of heart. I loved reading about how empowered Joe felt when they took on the role of Misty Divine. Misty is an absolute force to be reckoned with—no one is going to stand in Misty’s way of solving this case.
This book was brimming with sass and hilarious one-liners. I’m excited to see where the author takes us with the next installments. This was such an enjoyable, fun read. Solid four-star book! You should read this book if you love:
-Cozy Campy Vibes
-Mystery with an Amateur Detective
-Non-Binary Main Character
-Light Blub Moment
-LGBTQIA+ Mystery
Thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a delightful change of pace for me. It was cozy, campy, and packed with twists and turns that kept me entertained and guessing. It also had a tremendous amount of heart. I loved reading about how empowered Joe felt when they took on the role of Misty Divine. Misty is an absolute force to be reckoned with—no one is going to stand in Misty’s way of solving this case.
This book was brimming with sass and hilarious one-liners. I’m excited to see where the author takes us with the next installments. This was such an enjoyable, fun read. Solid four-star book! You should read this book if you love:
-Cozy Campy Vibes
-Mystery with an Amateur Detective
-Non-Binary Main Character
-Light Blub Moment
-LGBTQIA+ Mystery
Thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 18, 2025
While the premise was interesting and the representation of a non-binary drag queen and the drag scene is exciting, unfortunately this book is just poorly written. There’s no variance in sentence length or structure, not enough descriptors, and constant reuse of the same thoughts. The book could have taken out these rehashings but itd probably be 100 pages shorter.
This is an actual line from the book that I feel encapsulates the issues of the novel: “She felt frustrated, like she could burp with frustration at any second.”
This is an actual line from the book that I feel encapsulates the issues of the novel: “She felt frustrated, like she could burp with frustration at any second.”
June 26, 2025
This should’ve been a knockout. Agatha Christie through a drag lens? Sign me up. But it ended up feeling bland and repetitive. It reads like a debut, and the novelty of the premise isn’t enough to outshine that. As promising as the twists were, by the time they hit, I was too checked out for them to land the way they should have. There’s definitely an audience for this, I’m just not it.
February 7, 2025
I wanted to like this book more than I ended up liking it. I loved the drag club for a setting and the cast of queer characters was amazing. I thought the mystery moved very slowly and Joe/Misty was an awkward amateur sleuth. I did like the mystery itself and thought it was quite interesting. I do see potential in this one for a series and I am hopefully optimistic that the future books would move a little quicker. Misty Divine’s drag mentor Lady Lady is murdered one night after a show and the head cop in charge seems to care more about a stolen dress than he does the death of a drag queen. Misty is determined she will figure out who murdered her friend even though she has zero murder solving skills or experience and it is clear someone doesn’t want her to figure it out. Overall I gave this one 3.5 stars rounded up because the cast of characters was truly divine.
December 27, 2024
Audiobook/Book Review 🔪💄💋🍫
thank you so much @berkleypub @prhaudio for the free book and audiobook. #Berkleypartner #Berkley
Murder in the Dressing Room
by Holly Stars
narrated by Holly Stars
About the book 👇🏽
A poisoned chocolate. A stolen dress. An elusive catburglar. Drag’s not just dramatic, it’s deadly.
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.
Heartbroken by the loss, and frustrated by the clear biases of the police, Misty must solve the crime before the culprit strikes again. Among the drop-dead gorgeous lurks a cutthroat killer, and Misty Divine won't rest until she finds out who it is.
🍫 My thoughts:
OMG infinite stars! This was ridiculously fun and I couldn’t help but completely devour this. I requested the audiobook in case I had a lot to do around the house (the holidays) but I actually read 85% of it and only listened to the last 15% (approximately)! I loved both versions equally and would recommend both! What’s really great about the audiobook is that it’s actually read by the author, which made this all that much better because switching from physical book to audiobook was seamless! It’s fun, it’s cozy, and reminds us that there’s someone beneath the lady on stage. AND was that a set up for a book two?! 🤞🏽 I can totally get behind this as a series!! PLEASE let this be a series… I’d love to see more of Misty Divine. If you’re looking for a cozy mystery with a refreshing character, you need to get your hands on Murder in the Dressing Room… it hits shelves 1/14/25!!
Happy reading 💋🍫
thank you so much @berkleypub @prhaudio for the free book and audiobook. #Berkleypartner #Berkley
Murder in the Dressing Room
by Holly Stars
narrated by Holly Stars
About the book 👇🏽
A poisoned chocolate. A stolen dress. An elusive catburglar. Drag’s not just dramatic, it’s deadly.
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.
Heartbroken by the loss, and frustrated by the clear biases of the police, Misty must solve the crime before the culprit strikes again. Among the drop-dead gorgeous lurks a cutthroat killer, and Misty Divine won't rest until she finds out who it is.
🍫 My thoughts:
OMG infinite stars! This was ridiculously fun and I couldn’t help but completely devour this. I requested the audiobook in case I had a lot to do around the house (the holidays) but I actually read 85% of it and only listened to the last 15% (approximately)! I loved both versions equally and would recommend both! What’s really great about the audiobook is that it’s actually read by the author, which made this all that much better because switching from physical book to audiobook was seamless! It’s fun, it’s cozy, and reminds us that there’s someone beneath the lady on stage. AND was that a set up for a book two?! 🤞🏽 I can totally get behind this as a series!! PLEASE let this be a series… I’d love to see more of Misty Divine. If you’re looking for a cozy mystery with a refreshing character, you need to get your hands on Murder in the Dressing Room… it hits shelves 1/14/25!!
Happy reading 💋🍫
January 30, 2025
Thank you Berkley for a free copy in exchange for my honest feedback! 4.5 stars rounded up
This book is absolutely fabulous. I loved the setting of the Drag scene and the drama and the dynamics between the characters.
I found this book to be wildly entertaining and so camp. I loved the humor weaved in with distressing moments. I think this book would make a wonderful movie and I need more Misty Divine books immediately.
Loved the LGBTQIA+ rep. It was just such a ridiculous, witty, fun time. The ending also gave me whiplash, it was over the top in the best way - I loved it 4.5 stars
Video: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT22GfDRv/
This book is absolutely fabulous. I loved the setting of the Drag scene and the drama and the dynamics between the characters.
I found this book to be wildly entertaining and so camp. I loved the humor weaved in with distressing moments. I think this book would make a wonderful movie and I need more Misty Divine books immediately.
Loved the LGBTQIA+ rep. It was just such a ridiculous, witty, fun time. The ending also gave me whiplash, it was over the top in the best way - I loved it 4.5 stars
Video: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT22GfDRv/
January 22, 2025
This is a solid 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 to me. The bottom line, don't judge a book by its cover.
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 to me. The bottom line, don't judge a book by its cover.
February 25, 2025
A murder mystery with Drag kiss and guts
Everything from Wigs to shoes and poison chocolates so funny and pride friendly.i could not put it down something different in crime,
Everything from Wigs to shoes and poison chocolates so funny and pride friendly.i could not put it down something different in crime,
July 10, 2025
all detectives should be drag queens, I don't make the rules 🤷♀️ on top of that, make the FBI and CIA consist of only drag queens. in general, drag queens should be in positions of power 😤
July 21, 2025
This was decent.
Drag queens, a murder mystery, and much talk about the process of drag and all the backstage drama.
If you can suspend rolling your eyes at the foolish things Misty does, it is a really fun story.
Much love to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing Group for my copy.
Drag queens, a murder mystery, and much talk about the process of drag and all the backstage drama.
If you can suspend rolling your eyes at the foolish things Misty does, it is a really fun story.
Much love to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing Group for my copy.
June 10, 2025
For the love of god, how can a book about murder and drag queens be so boring?
December 3, 2024
*I received a copy via the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
By day, Joe is a shy, thirty-something hotel accountant, but by night, he turns into Misty Divine, a rising star of the London drag scene. Joe lives for the moment when he can don his wig, pull on his tights and padding, and embrace his true self, thanks to his drag mother/mentor, Lady Lady. She saw potential in Joe and didn't hesitate to take Misty under her wing and show her the ins and outs of the scene. When Lady Lady is found dead in her dressing room, Misty and her fellow drag queens find themselves the prime suspects in the police investigation. But their half-hearted attempts frustrate Misty, so she decides to take it upon herself to find out what happened to her beloved mentor before it's too late.
I've been a massive fan of drag queens since watching To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar when I was young, so this immediately caught my eye. I mean, a drag queen investigating a murder? Sign me up. I was expecting a campy time, and while it was, I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped. The writing was simple, repetitive, and lacked the dazzle I wanted. Nothing about it felt engaging. I did enjoy Misty as a main character, but I just wanted more out of the whole thing. I thought the premise was great, but the execution needed some work.
By day, Joe is a shy, thirty-something hotel accountant, but by night, he turns into Misty Divine, a rising star of the London drag scene. Joe lives for the moment when he can don his wig, pull on his tights and padding, and embrace his true self, thanks to his drag mother/mentor, Lady Lady. She saw potential in Joe and didn't hesitate to take Misty under her wing and show her the ins and outs of the scene. When Lady Lady is found dead in her dressing room, Misty and her fellow drag queens find themselves the prime suspects in the police investigation. But their half-hearted attempts frustrate Misty, so she decides to take it upon herself to find out what happened to her beloved mentor before it's too late.
I've been a massive fan of drag queens since watching To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar when I was young, so this immediately caught my eye. I mean, a drag queen investigating a murder? Sign me up. I was expecting a campy time, and while it was, I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped. The writing was simple, repetitive, and lacked the dazzle I wanted. Nothing about it felt engaging. I did enjoy Misty as a main character, but I just wanted more out of the whole thing. I thought the premise was great, but the execution needed some work.
August 10, 2025
J'ai aimé la prémisse, les personnages, le monde du drag londonien, mais mon dieu que c'est répétitif. J'avais quasiment l'impression de lire un feuilleton tellement chaque chapitre commençait en récapitulant ce qui se passait dans le chapitre d'avant, et tout ce qu'on savait so far. Le livre aurait clairement plus faire 75 pages de moins si un travail éditorial plus serré avait été fait.
March 13, 2025
actual rating: 3.5/5 stars
read for reading anticipated releases reading vlog: coming soon
murder in the dressing room is a quirky, campy mystery that blends drag culture, gossip, and a murder that’s anything but ordinary. the premise is fun — joe, a quiet, shy character by day, takes on the task of solving the murder of lady lady, a drag queen and mentor to joe’s drag persona, misty divine. while joe initially doubts their detective skills, misty steps in with confidence and charisma, and together they make for an interesting team, though one that still has some kinks to work out.
the best part of the book is definitely the characters — especially misty. i loved seeing joe gradually embrace some of misty’s confidence by the end. the contrast between joe’s quiet self and misty’s bold, larger-than-life personality was a great dynamic, and it really helped to flesh out both characters. the drag club setting was another highlight, and the diverse cast of queer characters brought a lot of life to the story.
the mystery itself was interesting, but the pacing definitely slowed down in the middle for me. part of the issue was that i didn’t feel like i knew the characters well enough to start guessing motives, so i was left kind of drifting through the middle sections. some of the reveals were pretty obvious, especially with the tell-not-show writing style, but the final twist still caught me off guard, which was a nice surprise.
i think this book would be great for readers who enjoy the ride of a cozy mystery without needing to get super invested in character depth. it’s light on the complexity of the characters, and while i wish we could’ve gotten to know them a little more, especially misty, the story is still fun and dramatic. there were a few moments where i felt like the dialogue could’ve had a bit more humor or wit, but overall, it’s a lively, entertaining read.
this first installment shows a lot of promise for future books in the series, though i do think the pacing and character development could improve. i’m definitely curious to see where the series goes next, especially with the teaser for the next mystery at the end. murder in the dressing room is a campy, charming start to what could be a fun series, and i’m looking forward to seeing how misty divine grows as a detective in future books.
thank you to berkley publishing group, holly stars and netgalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
read for reading anticipated releases reading vlog: coming soon
murder in the dressing room is a quirky, campy mystery that blends drag culture, gossip, and a murder that’s anything but ordinary. the premise is fun — joe, a quiet, shy character by day, takes on the task of solving the murder of lady lady, a drag queen and mentor to joe’s drag persona, misty divine. while joe initially doubts their detective skills, misty steps in with confidence and charisma, and together they make for an interesting team, though one that still has some kinks to work out.
the best part of the book is definitely the characters — especially misty. i loved seeing joe gradually embrace some of misty’s confidence by the end. the contrast between joe’s quiet self and misty’s bold, larger-than-life personality was a great dynamic, and it really helped to flesh out both characters. the drag club setting was another highlight, and the diverse cast of queer characters brought a lot of life to the story.
the mystery itself was interesting, but the pacing definitely slowed down in the middle for me. part of the issue was that i didn’t feel like i knew the characters well enough to start guessing motives, so i was left kind of drifting through the middle sections. some of the reveals were pretty obvious, especially with the tell-not-show writing style, but the final twist still caught me off guard, which was a nice surprise.
i think this book would be great for readers who enjoy the ride of a cozy mystery without needing to get super invested in character depth. it’s light on the complexity of the characters, and while i wish we could’ve gotten to know them a little more, especially misty, the story is still fun and dramatic. there were a few moments where i felt like the dialogue could’ve had a bit more humor or wit, but overall, it’s a lively, entertaining read.
this first installment shows a lot of promise for future books in the series, though i do think the pacing and character development could improve. i’m definitely curious to see where the series goes next, especially with the teaser for the next mystery at the end. murder in the dressing room is a campy, charming start to what could be a fun series, and i’m looking forward to seeing how misty divine grows as a detective in future books.
thank you to berkley publishing group, holly stars and netgalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 16, 2024
Murder in the dressing room is a fabulous debut by Comedian and Drag artist Holly Stars. I confess I never heard of her and do not watch shows like Drag race UK. But I was enthralled by this book.
Joe is a reserved hotel account, who just wants the quite life. But by night he is Misty Divine. An upcoming drag artist in The London scene. When he visits his Mentor Lady Lady in her dressing room just before a show. She finds her dead, Dead! She was poisoned.
The Police arrive to discover the body, but they were more concerned about the dress she was wearing than Lady lady’s life. So, Misty Divine takes it on herself to find out who wanted Lady Lady dead.
The is a fabulous cosy murder mystery with lots of twists and turns and lots of humour in it too, this had lots of great characters and like how the story differentiated between the drag artist and the real person inside. The person underneath all that Glitz and Glamour have real feelings too.
This is a great debut from this author, and I will look forward to more from them. 5 stars from me.
Joe is a reserved hotel account, who just wants the quite life. But by night he is Misty Divine. An upcoming drag artist in The London scene. When he visits his Mentor Lady Lady in her dressing room just before a show. She finds her dead, Dead! She was poisoned.
The Police arrive to discover the body, but they were more concerned about the dress she was wearing than Lady lady’s life. So, Misty Divine takes it on herself to find out who wanted Lady Lady dead.
The is a fabulous cosy murder mystery with lots of twists and turns and lots of humour in it too, this had lots of great characters and like how the story differentiated between the drag artist and the real person inside. The person underneath all that Glitz and Glamour have real feelings too.
This is a great debut from this author, and I will look forward to more from them. 5 stars from me.
January 22, 2025
A fun concept with rough writing. LOTS of telling instead of showing. It doesn’t allow the reader to infer or piece together any information making the book feel amateurish.
February 17, 2025
Thank you Berkley for my copy! All thoughts are my own.
I am a huge fan of Ru Paul’s drag race, which was one of the first pieces of media that introduced me into the beauty of drag, so when I saw this title in my inbox I had to read it. And it was so much fun! I switched from the e-copy to the audio and loved it so much. I found it so much fun, engaging, and entertaining. It also touches on identity, the beauty of true expression, and vulnerability. All things that drag really celebrates!
Synopsis:
“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.Heartbroken by the loss, and frustrated by the clear biases of the police, Misty must solve the crime before the culprit strikes again. Among the drop-dead gorgeous lurks a cutthroat killer, and Misty Divine won't rest until she finds out who it is.” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
The Mystery—I really didn’t see the twist coming at the end! Which I feel like is the mark of a successful mystery.
The Characters—I loved getting to know all the characters. I was particularly moved by Miles and Joe’s relationship and the inner relationship between Misty and Joe. These are the books people need to read to understand people who are different from them.
The Audio Production—It was SO good! The author reads it and the personal connection is so special.
What Didn’t Work For Me:
The Pacing—I switched to the audio and found it much more engaging than the e-book reading experience!
Character Authenticity: 4/5 Overall Rating: 4/5
Content Warnings:
murder, death, transphobia, homophobia, grief
I am a huge fan of Ru Paul’s drag race, which was one of the first pieces of media that introduced me into the beauty of drag, so when I saw this title in my inbox I had to read it. And it was so much fun! I switched from the e-copy to the audio and loved it so much. I found it so much fun, engaging, and entertaining. It also touches on identity, the beauty of true expression, and vulnerability. All things that drag really celebrates!
Synopsis:
“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.Heartbroken by the loss, and frustrated by the clear biases of the police, Misty must solve the crime before the culprit strikes again. Among the drop-dead gorgeous lurks a cutthroat killer, and Misty Divine won't rest until she finds out who it is.” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
The Mystery—I really didn’t see the twist coming at the end! Which I feel like is the mark of a successful mystery.
The Characters—I loved getting to know all the characters. I was particularly moved by Miles and Joe’s relationship and the inner relationship between Misty and Joe. These are the books people need to read to understand people who are different from them.
The Audio Production—It was SO good! The author reads it and the personal connection is so special.
What Didn’t Work For Me:
The Pacing—I switched to the audio and found it much more engaging than the e-book reading experience!
Character Authenticity: 4/5 Overall Rating: 4/5
Content Warnings:
murder, death, transphobia, homophobia, grief
June 14, 2025
Well goodness gracious this was a rollercoaster!
January 15, 2025
3.5 rounded up
I thought this cozy Drag Queen murder mystery had a great cast of queer characters that are devasted when one of their own turns up dead after ingesting poisoned chocolates. What follows is an equally funny and tender story about Joe, accountant by day also known as Misty Devine by night, who is determined to solve his mentor, Lady Lady's murder in the face of police discrimination. Great on audio read by the author, Holly Stars, a UK drag queen and comedian, this is the first in a new series and I'm excited to see what happens next. Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
I thought this cozy Drag Queen murder mystery had a great cast of queer characters that are devasted when one of their own turns up dead after ingesting poisoned chocolates. What follows is an equally funny and tender story about Joe, accountant by day also known as Misty Devine by night, who is determined to solve his mentor, Lady Lady's murder in the face of police discrimination. Great on audio read by the author, Holly Stars, a UK drag queen and comedian, this is the first in a new series and I'm excited to see what happens next. Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
January 28, 2025
This book was fine, but I'm disappointed.
I was so excited for this one. A drag queen amateur detective who investigates a murder that happens at the drag bar she works at? Come on, that is such a fun premise!
Which brings me to my main issue: WHERE WAS THE CAMP?
Drag queens are entertainers. They're charismatic, funny, theatrical, the whole nine yards. And that's why we love them. But we don't get that in this book. Not with the writing style, not with the story progression, not even with our protagonist Misty. She had her moments, but you could swap both her and the setting with any of the thousand everyday cozy mysteries and nothing would have changed. I just wish the author leaned into the campiness that a story like this calls for instead of trying to force it into cookie cutter murder mystery dimensions. Honestly (I say this with love), the funniest part about this book was how awful Misty was as a detective. I genuinely started to feel bad for her because she was making ALL the wrong choices 😂
Also the ending is very abrupt. It teases potential for a sequel, which I may check out because it's not like I disliked this book, but my expectations will be much lower for the next installment.
I was so excited for this one. A drag queen amateur detective who investigates a murder that happens at the drag bar she works at? Come on, that is such a fun premise!
Which brings me to my main issue: WHERE WAS THE CAMP?
Drag queens are entertainers. They're charismatic, funny, theatrical, the whole nine yards. And that's why we love them. But we don't get that in this book. Not with the writing style, not with the story progression, not even with our protagonist Misty. She had her moments, but you could swap both her and the setting with any of the thousand everyday cozy mysteries and nothing would have changed. I just wish the author leaned into the campiness that a story like this calls for instead of trying to force it into cookie cutter murder mystery dimensions. Honestly (I say this with love), the funniest part about this book was how awful Misty was as a detective. I genuinely started to feel bad for her because she was making ALL the wrong choices 😂
Also the ending is very abrupt. It teases potential for a sequel, which I may check out because it's not like I disliked this book, but my expectations will be much lower for the next installment.
June 23, 2025
Secret MLB draft pick solves murder after murder has already been “solved”😂
But really this story was great. I didn’t guess the killer until the end and the plot clues were perfect, not giving anything away!
But really this story was great. I didn’t guess the killer until the end and the plot clues were perfect, not giving anything away!
January 14, 2025
Famed UK drag queen, playwright, and comedian, Holly Stars, can add author to her more than impressive resume. Her debut novel, Murder in the Dressing Room, introduces readers to Misty Divine, a fabulous drag queen and amateur sleuth. When Misty’s beloved mentor and boss, Lady Lady, is found poisoned to death after a performance at her nightclub; Misty takes it upon herself to track down the killer. Besides being nosey, indignant, and angry, she needs to clear her own name because it is starting to look like she is the police’s number one suspect. It also appears that the detectives are more focused on what Lady Lady was wearing (a stolen dress that once belonged to Judy Garland) rather than finding who murdered her, and that doesn’t sit right with Misty, not at all. Superbly narrated by the author herself, Holly Stars brings her years of drag queen experience to the microphone with terrific results. Her vivacious narration is spirited, witty, and a delight to listen to. Verdict: This cozy mystery promises to be the start of a fabulous new series, readers will find themselves cheering on Misty and her clumsy detecting. Filled with more than just laughs, this mystery has some good twists and some truly heartfelt moments. For fans of witty and diverse cozy mysteries.
September 2, 2025
love it. need 16 more.
January 31, 2025
4.5 STARS!
A camp fun time x
A camp fun time x
June 17, 2025
3.5 🌟 will be back with the second one!
December 19, 2024
Received an arc via Netgalley, it did not affect my review, etc etc
Dull, flat, uninspired prose that doesn’t come CLOSE to conveying the glamour/presence/vivaciousness of a court of drag queens! The dialogue is awful and there are clumsy infodumps everywhere, and I can’t believe the description is so plain and minimal when the glorious outfits are at LEAST half the appeal.
Great idea, but the execution is seriously lacking. This doesn’t even have the fun, punchy readability of a beach read, and for all that Misty/Joe’s world revolves around drag, I couldn’t feel ANY of that passion, just kept being told it was there, instead of experiencing it.
But what it comes down to is: this author doesn’t have the skill to convey what they’re trying to, and so Murder in the Dressing Room fizzles instead of sizzles. Seriously disappointing!
Dull, flat, uninspired prose that doesn’t come CLOSE to conveying the glamour/presence/vivaciousness of a court of drag queens! The dialogue is awful and there are clumsy infodumps everywhere, and I can’t believe the description is so plain and minimal when the glorious outfits are at LEAST half the appeal.
Great idea, but the execution is seriously lacking. This doesn’t even have the fun, punchy readability of a beach read, and for all that Misty/Joe’s world revolves around drag, I couldn’t feel ANY of that passion, just kept being told it was there, instead of experiencing it.
But what it comes down to is: this author doesn’t have the skill to convey what they’re trying to, and so Murder in the Dressing Room fizzles instead of sizzles. Seriously disappointing!
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