Cindy and Jay are former soap opera stars and formerly married during their career. They were (and still are) musically talented and provided entertainment for the masses. Sadly, when they both came out as gay and their marriage ended, so did their careers. Now they are best friends and business partners who own a movie memorabilia store in Palm Springs. While their store is struggling financially, they are working to close a deal that should save the business. However, when their main competition turns up dead, Jay and Cindy move to the top of the list of suspects. A Killing in Costumes by Zac Bissonnette is a cozy murder mystery novel packed with classic movie history and intertwined with a unique couples’ attempt to clear their names and save their business by inadvertently becoming amateur sleuths. 

Yana Tosh is a 90-year-old former movie vixen who has spent her post-career life collecting costumes and props. Now she wants to sell her collection, and Jay and Cindy are eager to close the deal and become the exclusive sellers. Their competition is a mega auction house with the resources to accompany its market size. When Dylan Redman, VP of said auction house, turns up dead from poison, the list of suspects grows. His assistant Eydie, Yan’s son Warren, and her financial advisor Ben Sinclair all have motives for their involvement in the sale and the commission. Naturally, Jay and Cindy turn into crime investigators by digging around to find out more about their fellow suspects in hopes to solve the murder. 

A Killing in Costumes is delightful and entertaining, with the added charm of movie history and nostalgia. Bissonnette created very likeable characters, whose affection for each other remarkably outlast a failed show career and marriage. The LGBTQ+ community is portrayed favorably, even if Jay and Cindy’s career heartbreakingly ended after they became true to themselves and the public outcry that followed at the time. Nevertheless, I loved the premise of having this type of character background and interpersonal relationship at the forefront. 

Bissonnette showcases his talent for writing mystery novels in his fiction debut. I legit did not catch on to who the perpetrator was until Jay and Cindy were beginning to figure it out. He clearly left the clues for the reader to follow, but he also did a great job of leading us on to other suspects as well. I also enjoyed the unique business the main characters decided to get into.

Zac Bissonnette joins us for a Cantina Conversation to talk about his experiences as a debut cozy murder mystery writer, the importance of representation, and his ideas for the next installment if he had the chance (fingers crossed). Keep an eye out for an upcoming episode of The Nerd Cantina Show podcast and preorder A Killing in Costumes, available August 9.