★Stars, Holly. Murder in the Dressing Room. Berkley. (Misty Divine, Bk. 1). Jan. 2025. 368p. ISBN 9780593816714. pap. $19. M

DEBUT This first novel by drag artist Stars is a witty, fast-paced cozy mystery that fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race will find entertaining. Misty Divine is a 34-year-old drag queen whose mentor is the famous Lady Lady, owner of Lady’s Bar, a cabaret club in London’s Soho neighborhood. Misty is the one to find Lady Lady dead, having been killed by poisoned chocolates. The detective inspector assigned to the case is disrespectful and clearly biased against Lady Lady, forcing Misty to take the investigation into her own hands. The chapters are short, and the plot moves quickly, while still featuring vividly created characters and taking the time to discuss police bias against LGBTQIA+ people. The novel’s depiction of Misty as powerful and headstrong, both in drag and out of drag (where Misty becomes Joe, a shy nonbinary hotel accountant), is particularly well done. Characters span a broad range of ages and include drag kings and nonbinary drag artists alongside the drag queens. VERDICT Stars’s drag-themed cozy mystery debut is a must-purchase. Give it to fans of Kitty Murphy, Rob Osler, and Frank Anthony Polito.