Murder in the Dressing Room

British playwright and drag queen Stars debuts with a witty murder mystery centered on budding London drag star Misty Divine. A fearless glamazon when she’s onstage at the legendary Lady’s Bar in Soho, Misty reverts to being average Joe Brown by day, working a dreary hotel job and binge-watching crime shows. One night, Misty’s mentor, Lady Lady, is poisoned in her dressing room after appearing onstage in a dress believed to have been worn by Judy Garland and valued at nearly a quarter-million pounds. When the police arrive, they’re less interested in finding Lady’s killer than in determining how the stolen garment made it from a boutique in South Kensington to a drag club. Realizing the cops are unlikely to conduct much more than a perfunctory investigation, Misty resolves to take matters into her own hands, putting her skills as a couch detective to use within the backstabbing world of London drag. With lovable characters, lively dialogue, and dry humor (“It was a Wednesday night, hence the title of the chapter”), Stars concocts a winning formula. It’s a glittering good time. Agent: Hayley Steed, Janklow & Nesbit UK. (Jan.)