Murder in the Dressing Room

By day, Joe is a dreary accountant in a hotel, but by night they (Stars uses “they” pronouns when mentioning Joe) are Misty Divine, one of London’s leading drag queens. Joe’s wonderful life is thanks to Lady Lady, their drag mother, who discovered them, set them up in the right sequins and heels, and pushed them out onto the stage. Until the night Joe drops by Lady Lady’s dressing room and finds her dead, sprawled out on the floor, her fingers clutching half a truffle, her mouth oozing foam. Joe’s life is upended as they and the other drag queens become the prime suspects. But unlike the other girls, Joe won’t let only the police handle the investigation, especially when it means Joe could end up behind bars. Maybe I’ll find out who did it, said a voice somewhere in the back of Joe’s mind. Maybe I could catch the killer.” So we’re off and running, despite the fears of Joe’s boyfriend, Miles, tracking down the drag queens and kings who perform at the club, and some suspicious-looking hangers on as well. There’s plenty of humor in the novel—check out a side story about a very important Judy Garland dress, as well as the continual banter between Joe and Miles—but at its essence, this is a serious work of crime fiction, wonderfully executed and leaving unanswered some important questions. It has all the makings of a great series.