Holly Stars on debut novel Murder in the Dressing Room: ‘I wanted to make my story as queer as possible’

Holly Stars is a multi-talented queen you may know from numerous avenues: the Instagram sensation behind the Posh Sue monologues, a Soho Theatre comedy regular, or the writer of West End smash hits Death Drop and its sequel, Death Drop 2.

Now, she has written her debut novel, Murder in the Dressing Room, offering perhaps the campest premise in history: a drag mother murdered with a box of poisoned chocolates. But whodunnit? A Moneypenny impersonator? Comedy drag kings? A backflipping stunt queen?

Here, Holly tells Attitude about her storytelling history, her favourite books, and her dream casting for a movie adaptation. We also share our picks of the best recent reads, as well as our current favourite audiobook available on Audible.

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Congratulations on the novel. Have you always been a storyteller?

Well, I started off having fun making one-minute Instagram videos telling stories about my nightmare neighbour, Posh Sue, and all the terrible things she does to me. People started asking: “Can you tell these stories live?” “Can you do them as a comedy set?” And the next thing I know, they’ve become an Edinburgh Fringe Festival show! They’re longer these days because Sue’s only gone and got worse and done something absolutely outrageous… It’s flown, honestly, which has been fun — an adventure I was never expecting!

How did the opportunity arise to move from the stage and spotlight to the page?

Well, actually, it was the other way around — writing came first. I have been trying to get a crime novel published for years, long before I started performing as a stand-up comic and cabaret artist. My comedy and writing collided in Death Drop, which was a lovely West End success. And I thought, “Well, now I’ve done a murder mystery in the West End, maybe I should try a murder-mystery novel again, but this time it would be about the world I live in today — drag!” It’s a full-circle moment returning to my storytelling beginnings.

It’s evident that you’re a natural storyteller — what made you want to take on the challenge of a novel?

I’ve always been an avid reader, but I always preferred fictional crime to true crime. I don’t like true crime. I can’t deal with the realness of it all — the terrible things that really happened to someone. But crime fiction is fun, and I play with its ridiculousness in my novel. I’ve pushed the crime as far as it can go — a box of poisoned chocolates and a cat burglar stealing priceless gowns!

How do you keep such a well-trodden genre fresh?

Well, it’s a real murder mystery, and it’s set up like a traditional Agatha Christie novel. There’s a dramatic crime and a series of suspects. One of them did it. We don’t know who it was. In that sense, it’s very traditional. But I wanted to make my story as queer as possible, to set it within my community, because it’s not a genre where the drag community has been represented in a three-dimensional way. I wanted the reader to discover the person behind the drag queen — their relationships, their day jobs, their struggles — alongside their super-sleuthing detective powers.

You very much show us both sides of the coin with your heroine, Misty Devine…

By night, she’s the absolute Bobby Dazzler of Lady’s Bar — a super-glamorous songstress. Yet out of drag, she’s not like that at all. The person you see nailing a stage performance for 15 minutes may not be the person you meet behind the curtain. Misty out of drag is Joe, a very nervous and cautious non-binary person. They are supported by a lovely partner and parents — that was important to me, as queer life is so often happy — but they are still discovering their voice. But it’s the combination of the two personas that makes them an excellent investigator. Joe’s love of their friend drives them to find out the truth, and when transformed into Misty, they can be stopped by nobody!

It’s a really colourful cast of drag queens. Were any of them based on people readers might recognise?

I tried not to base my cast on anyone real. Instead, I challenged myself to represent the vast array of talented people I have met over the years: singers, stunt queens, fashionistas, comedy kings… Sections of the community we don’t see crossing over into the mainstream. Drag is so unique in its breadth of creativity.

Your love of drag is mirrored in your love of Soho, which features as the novel’s backdrop. Why is it such a special place in your eyes?

It’s where I began my career. I did my first solo show there. I ran a monthly cabaret at the Phoenix Arts Club. It’s where I have met so many brilliant characters, and its history is also crucial for drag and the London community more broadly. It felt like the only place to set the novel.

Were there any surprising parallels between writing and drag?

Collaboration is key. And you know, I was absolutely shocked by the number of people who are involved in writing a book. I thought I could just write a manuscript and send it off. Suddenly, there’s editors, agents, proofreaders, sensitivity readers — all giving feedback. It’s a long process and I thought I’d never finish it, that I’d never read this book again! Then they asked me to do the audiobook. Oh no! I have to go and read it out loud now!

And drag has been similarly collaborative?

Yeah, collaboration has played a big part in my drag career too. It was the performing drag community who embraced my videos and pulled me into the venues — who encouraged me. The drag scene really is a very tight community. Yes, there’s occasionally bitching and bickering, but generally, we’ve got each other’s backs. I wanted to celebrate that in the story, the way the queens come together at a time of crisis.

Recommended Reads

Human, Animal by Seth Insua

Insua’s lyrical and poignant debut novel explores tensions between generations of a dairy farming family. George, the curmudgeonly father, struggles to keep his business afloat, while Tom, his rebellious teenage vegan son, harbours a secret about his gender identity. A stunningly told tale of identity, family, and understanding.

No & Other Love Stories by Kirsty Logan

A dark and delicious collection of short stories about unconventional relationships. From a woman plagued by a buzzing sound during her wife’s pregnancy to a girl’s obsession with a butcher, Logan’s writing is intensely emotional, twisted, and utterly compelling.

Audiobook Pick

We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

A chilling horror novel that hooks listeners from the start. A lesbian couple’s peaceful new life is upended when the house’s former inhabitants arrive, asking to explore their old home. Tense, suspenseful, and dripping with psychological horror, this is an unforgettable listen.