By day Joe is a hotel accountant but at night he becomes the confident and vivacious Misty Divine, working the LOndon drag scene with her mentor and friend Lady Lady but when she is found dead, she finds herself embroiled in a murder mystery. Can she solve the crime?

Oh wow this was such a great twist on the traditional murder mystery story. I loved the drag element and I think this could be such a fun series. I certainly want to read more of Misty's adventures. This is book One setting the scenes and introducing us to everyone. The plot was really clever and i love the final big reveal. I had figured out some of it but not all. I also love their relationship with Miles, it seems healthy and sweet. I hope that continues in future books. The ending was so perfect especially the final hint at further stories. I love Joe and of course Misty, I can't wait for more.

Murder! Cat-burglars! Drag queens! This book has it all. After the shock poisoning of her beloved icon of a drag mother, cabaret queen Misty Divine finds herself at the centre of the hunt for her killer—and for answers surrounding the stolen Judy Garland dress she was wearing at the time…

Despite the gruesome subject matter, this book was the most fun I’ve had reading in a long time. Written with the quick wit, snarky observations, and showbiz anecdotes that could only belong to a drag queen, it was intensely readable and I found myself flying through the pages whenever I had a spare minute. And still, the humour never detracted from the cleverly woven mystery. The twists just kept on coming, and I’m a little embarrassed to say that I thought I had the whole thing figured out at the 40% mark only to be left with egg on my face in the final pages. Things moved very quickly towards the end, so I was pleased when the epilogue let us know there were plenty more Misty Divine mysteries to come (and hopefully to prove my suspect is not innocent after all—I’m onto you!). One of my favourite aspects of the book was the distinction between bold, brassy Misty and her daytime self, enby accountant Joe; and all the places where the two overlap, with a lot to learn from each other. Alongside a cast of outrageously zany side characters, there truly was never a dull moment—or outfit—with Misty Divine.

I was immediately intrigued by the concept of a drag queen turned detective—combining cozy mysteries with the flair of Drag Race felt like the perfect match. The characters were fantastic, and the contrast between Misty and Joe was captured really well. I would have loved a bit more detail in the descriptions of the outfits, but I thoroughly enjoyed the clever red herrings that kept me guessing right until the end.

While I found the beginning a bit repetitive and had some trouble fully engaging at first, the story grew on me as it progressed. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for the next mystery Misty gets caught up in!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Joe, a 9-5 office worker by day, but by night an up and coming drag queen, Misty Devine takes over.
When Misty’s drag mentor is mysteriously killed in her dressing room, Misty and the fellow performers become suspects.
When the police don’t seem to be prioritising the case and Misty is dealing with the heartbreak of losing her drag mother, she decides to start investigating.


I really enjoyed this fun murder mystery. I liked seeing the difference between Joe and Misty, and how empowered Joe feels as Misty and she becomes unstoppable. I enjoyed having an insight into the drag scene. There were lots of twists, humour and charm!

A great debut novel and I am looking forwards to reading the next one!

Drag queens and murder mystery is such a great combination, I was hooked right away and there were so many funny moments, fantastic read overall.

This book was a fast Paced cosy mystery,
This book kept me entertained through as I never knew what twist or turn I'd see coming next


I Love how the book was written and I find the front cover is fun and definitely something I'd buy to have on my book shelf

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

Thank you to the UK publishers and Netgalley for an Advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I had a whale of a time with this book!

Anyone who likes drag or queer culture absolutely must read this book. Had me giggling so many times.

It serves cosy mystery with a good dash of humour. Not a dark and gritty thriller by any means, but it was exactly what I wanted.

Love that it looks like there will be more to hear from Misty Divine as well!

I enjoyed this book for the most part, the concept was great, the plot was well thought out but I did struggle. Which is a shame because drag queen turned detective was an enticing prospect.
The good - the characters were fabulous, a great variety of personalities and Misty/Joe had great potential, they just didn't feel fully rendered. The descriptions of the outfits were great. And I enjoyed all the red herrings in the plot, it was nicely devised.
The bad - the writing was clunky and repetitive, it just didn't work for me. Especially at the beginning, I nearly dnf'd the whole thing because I found myself getting irritated.
I felt like this could have been a fantastic book, but it just missed the mark. That is just my personal opinion.

This was simply wonderful. If you like the sound of a magical mixture of drag queens/kings, a sprinkle of Judy Garland, a measure of poison and an unhealthy amount of stalking then this is for you.It felt like nothing I’ve ever read before and I warned to Misty completely! I can’t wait for more!

Murder in the Dressing Room is a diverse, dark humoured tale of a professional drag queen turned amateur detective following the murder of her drag mother. The book had me guessing to the end and I couldn't put it down. Murder in the dressing room has a cast to root for and would be pefect for fans of Drag, Drag Race or who just like a well-written crime caper. Loved it.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style and narrative voice of this story. I also loved the way the author adeptly handled pronouns for all states of all characters! Misty was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed her realistic perspective of London with added mystery and a bit of whimsy! We definitely need more books about enby drag queens.

Lady Lady is dead, and only Misty Divine is up for the challenge of solving her murder!

This was a fun read with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and some hilarious one-liners

I really liked the contrast between shy and sensitive Joe Brown and sassy, bold Misty. It was almost like a Clark Kent/superman-esque vibe where once the drag was on, they became a completely different person, and the lovely Miles as their Lois Lane.

Throughout the story, everyone is a suspect. Though for me, the pacing was somewhat slow and didn't leave me desperate to keep reading with a need to know more.

Alas, this book was still an enjoyable read, and I hadn't a clue who the actual murderer was right until the end.

The own voices really lends itself to the characters in this story with lots of very well fleshed out characters. ( I especially loved Tess and her collection of gnomes and Disney figurines)

I look forward to Misty's next adventure!

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book via Netgalley.

I absolutely love Misty Devine and what a cast of characters! This was just a fun camp cosy mystery and I absolutely loved it. No thoughts head empty. So. Much. Fun.

'Drag's not just dramatic, it's deadly'.

This book is exactly what it promised to be. Poisoning, glamour, stolen dresses, and a lot of drag!

Joe, by day, is a hotel accountant and by night they transform in Misty Divine, a star of the London drag scene!

Misty's drag mother is murdered in her own dressing room. Following Lady-Lady's death, Misty is thrown into an adventure of amatur sleuthing, lies, police biases and danger!

This is a fun, inclusive murder mystery, unlike anything else I've read!

I loved reading from Misty/Joe's pov, they provide a unique perspective that I haven't experienced much of in literature! They had a beautiful character development, gaining confidence and kicking ass throughout the story.

The setting and concept was so glamorous, full of secrets, massive personalities and immersive shows!

I struggled a little bit with the writing, though that could change when the final copy is published!

Definitely pick this one up for a fun and inclusive murder mystery!

Published: February 6th

Thank you netgalley for the proof copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion

By day, Joe is a shy hotel accountant and by night she is Misty Divine, an upcoming star on the drag scene. Misty Divine finds Lady Lady, a much loved drag queen and the co-owner of a drag bar poisoned. Misty is frustrated with the police as they seem to care more about the dress Lady Lady was wearing as opposed to actually finding her killer. Misty decides to take matters into her own hands to try and solve the case.

I am a massive fan of drag and this is the cosy mystery I have been waiting for! I thoroughly enjoyed this one and thought it was an absolutely brilliant debut!

It was light and easy to read yet the plot had a good amount of complexity to it. The main plot and the side plot of the dress work well together in the story. I loved the characters and I learnt a little about drag kings!

I read this book physically but I am tempted to do a re read through audio as Holly Stars narrates it!

It’s set up in a way that I need book 2 now! I wouldn’t say it’s a cliffhanger per se but there is an air of unfinished business to the story.

Drag Queen Misty happens upon the body of her mentor who has been poisoned and makes it her mission to find the culprit. We meet the rest of her friends and fellow drag queen and kings whilst they deal with the fall out.

A great premise for a novel, I went into this quite excited. I loved being introduced to all the different characters and the pacing was good. I felt like we could have learnt more about the main characters or even. Some of plot was repetitive and I did find myself skimming but overall a cosy read.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

Recommended for: Fans of cosy mysteries with a twist, drag culture, and a dash of glamour.

Holly Stars’ Murder in the Dressing Room introduces a fresh amateur sleuth in Misty Divine, a drag queen with a sharp wit and a strong sense of justice. By day, Joe is a shy hotel accountant, but by night, they transform into the glamorous Misty Divine, a rising star on the London drag scene. When Misty’s mentor, the legendary Lady Lady, is found dead in her dressing room, Misty is drawn into a mystery that’s as glitzy as it is suspenseful.

While the premise is promising, the execution falls a little flat. Misty’s investigation follows a rather formulaic path, relying heavily on logical deductions rather than any particularly creative or compelling sleuthing. This made the investigation feel more like a checklist than an intriguing mystery, and I found myself wishing for a more dynamic or unpredictable approach to the case.

The characters are vibrant, especially the drag queens, who are described in rich detail, making it easy to visualise their larger-than-life personalities. However, I was disappointed by the lack of description of some of the other characters, particularly Miles and the drag kings. They felt a little underdeveloped, which left me wanting more depth and insight into their personalities and motivations.

I also felt that the drag humour, which could have been a standout feature, was somewhat restrained. While there were some witty lines, I couldn’t help but wonder if the humour had been toned down for a broader, mainstream audience. There’s definitely room for more of the sharp, irreverent humour that’s synonymous with drag culture, and I think this could have added a lot more flair to the narrative.

That said, the novel does shine in its sense of place. The interiors, especially the drag club where much of the action takes place, are evocatively described, creating a vivid atmosphere that adds a lot to the story. The world of drag is beautifully captured, with plenty of heart and humour, and it’s clear that Stars has a deep appreciation for the culture.

Ultimately, Murder in the Dressing Room is an enjoyable debut, but it doesn’t quite reach the heights I was hoping for. The mystery itself is solid, but the investigation could have been more engaging, and the character development of some key figures left me wanting more. Still, it’s a fun read for fans of cosy mysteries with a touch of glamour, and I’ll be curious to see how Misty Divine evolves in future instalments.

Thanks to NetGalley and Holly Stars for this ARC!

I really enjoyed this but I think I would’ve enjoyed it even more if I felt like it wasn’t trying to cater for the masses. In trying to establish fundamental parts of queer culture for those who aren’t a part of it, I feel like it lost its confidence of voice. I did enjoy seeing drag culture and murder mystery intermingled, but I think if it had a bit more of a “show not tell” approach then I think it could’ve been an absolute showstopper. Though any introduction is a good introduction for those who need more exposure to queerness in their books, so I do want to give credit where credit is due. It was a really easy read that had a fine balance of keeping me interested whilst being a relaxing read.

A wonderful book from a new author, hopefully the first in a series. I thought it was a great start, I look forward to more!

Misty Devine is a drag queen, and when she discovers her drag mother Lady Lady dead, she resolves to find her murderer. Can Misty and her boyfriend Miles find The killer before they strike again?

The book is full of vibrant characters, and fabulously described settings. There are lots of characters to meet, but all are introduced in the perfect way and I hope to see most of them in the next book. It's a well written, easy to read mystery, I didn't figure out whodunit until Misty herself twigged! I really liked how the book covered the "behind the scenes" of drag, and wasn't all glossy and covered up.