First ARC i have recieved to review so I have to thank you for that. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I was utterly suprised with who the killer was and it was full of twists and turns especially at the end. It was good to get the perspective of Joe and Misty. I am really looking forward to the next book in the series. The characters were all really enjoyable and likeable.

Holly Stars once hand fed me a Party Ring at a drag show and I feel like that’s the perfect introduction to this book.

The only person that could create a book like this is the kind of person that would feed biscuits to a stranger at ungodly hours of the night. From the very first page Holly paints such a vivid picture of Misty Divine and the whole host of characters that decorate the pages of Murder in the Dressing Room that even the seediest of drags in this are given such a rich and lively characterisation that you can’t help but fall in love with them.

It’s rare that a mystery book keeps me going to the very last page but the tension just doesn’t let up in this. While it does still have its peaks and valleys, Misty always uncovers a new crumb of evidence or mystery that just forces you to keep reading. Twists and turns are aplenty in this which truly kept me guessing until the very last moment (also perfectly setting up a future release in the Misty Divine saga).


Going into the book I was preemptive, expecting the entire thing to be all glitz and glam and camp drag murders. And while that is definitely true for a lot of the book, there is so much tenderness to be found. Delving into the intricacies of gender identity, familial trauma, and, surprisingly, capitalism, a large theme underpinning the entire book of finding one’s strength in their own identity and using drag as a shield from the dangerous and scary world we can find ourselves in was a very pleasant surprise, Holly has crafted such a unique lead character that I simply cannot wait to spend more time with Misty and the patrons of Lady’s Bar.

AD/Gifted - I was approved to read an ARC of Murder in the Dressing Room on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My fed flag is also believing I could solve crime because of the amount of CSI I’ve watched 😂

Murder in the Dressing Room follows Misty Divine as she investigates the murder of her mentor and drag mother Lady Lady, after the police make it clear that the murder is not their main priority.

As Misty pieces together how Lady Lady, a stolen dress once worn by Judy Garland and a box of poisonous chocolates are all linked, we’re taken on a journey around the London drag scene, meeting some pretty suspicious characters along the way…

I had so much fun reading this book! I love a good murder mystery and have never come across a book before that combines this with the drag queens and kings, so thought this could be a really interesting combo. It definitely did not disappoint!

I have so much love for Misty! She had some really funny and endearing moments throughout the book, and the one liners were top tier!

The story kept me guessing who the murderer was until the very end, which for me is a positive sign for a good whodunnit story. If I can’t guess or keep changing my mind throughout the story then the author has done a good job in my opinion. The reveal was exactly the level of drama I would expect in a drag club as well 🤣

You follow Misty Divine on her incredible journey as she tries to uncover the suspicious circumstances around the poisonous murder of her drag mentor and friend, Lady Lady.

I loved this book from start to finish. All of the characters are beautifully developed and you can really picture them all together. There were delicious twists and turns, as you’d expect in a mystery but I can say I certainly didn’t expect some of them!

I really enjoyed seeing the duality of a drag queen, and how powerful she felt when in drag, compared to out of it. Misty is an incredible protagonist and all around bad b*tch.

This is a quick read, mainly because it’s so hard to put down. Holly Stars writing is very easy to read and had me gripping the edge of my seat at times!

Overall, a lovely story with an incredible protagonist, and a few amazing side characters too. Everything you could want in a mystery thriller, just with a bit more sparkle!

I am aware of Holly Stars and her other work which is what primarily drew me to her first novel, Murder in the Dressing Room.

Crime fiction / Murder Mysteries are not typical genres that I would usually read however this was a really enjoyable and fun quick read. The plot is fun and easy to follow without being simplistic or obvious and there are plenty of unexpected twist and turns right to the end.

Holly creates a vivd world inhabited with easy to visualise characters and the the main character of Misty / Joe is extremely likeable. Some of the secondary characters show glimmers of being really interesting and I am hoping we get to know more about them, and Misty, in more depth as the series progresses.

Follow drag queen turned amateur sleuth Misty Divine, as she investigates the poisoning of her drag mother mentor, Lady Lady.

Drag queen by night, Misty Divine is flamboyant, flaming, and fabulous. However, in the cold light of day and de-dragged, the monotony of Joe's dead-end job is crushing their soul.

With their mentors murder, Joe wants to investigate but lacks the confidence to do so. By the power of drag, Misty has no such problem and immediately starts to wade through the drama and secrets in her fabulously fantastic high heels.

The twists will keep you guessing the identity of the murderer, but the journey is anything but simple.

This is a great caper full of very real vibrant characters. Along the way, you'll experience the dichotomy of life in drag, want to punch the police inspector for his constant misgendering, feel sadness for the loss of friends, and fall in love with the drag kings and queens of Soho.

Come for the adventure, stay for the glitter!

*I received a free copy of this book from Penguin Random House via NetGalley, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review.*

This book 😍!! I absolutely adored this book, what's not to love about Drag Queens/King's, Amateur sluthes and Murder mystery. I recieved an ARC copy of this book but will 100% being buying a copy on release date to add to my bookshelf. It is such a quick easy read, I binged it in a day. I will now be recommending this to everyone, especially if you like Vera Wongs unsolicited advise for murders.