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Crime of Fashion #11
The Masque of the Red Dress: A Crime of Fashion Mystery
Behind the Mask of Murder
Who wants a beautiful crimson gown with a bad reputation? Everybody!
Seeking inspiration for her Crimes of Fashion column, Lacey Smithsonian attends the D.C. theatre world’s annual garage sale, but things at the prop-and-costume bazaar don’t go quite according to script. All because of the tantalizing, ruffled, ruby-red frock from a Russian émigré theatre. It was famously worn in a production of The Masque of the Red Death by the actress who played Death--and who died on closing night.
Under the crimson costume’s spell, Lacey’s fellow reporter LaToya Crawford practically comes to blows with another woman. But LaToya suffers a bad case of buyer’s remorse and shoves it into Lacey’s hands for safekeeping. Can Lacey with her ExtraFashionary Perception divine whether the dress is safe to wear?
Safe? This gown is not safe to even hang in the closet, much less to wear. Assaults, burglary and murder follow it wherever it goes.This is one garnet-hued garment with secrets and someone wants it enough to kill for it. Lacey’s conspiracy-crazed friend Brooke Barton is convinced that Russian spies must be afoot. The theatre is a world of illusion, and spycraft and stagecraft have much in common. Shadows and deceptions lead Lacey and the red dress into a macabre dance with an assassin—and a masquerade with death.
Who wants a beautiful crimson gown with a bad reputation? Everybody!
Seeking inspiration for her Crimes of Fashion column, Lacey Smithsonian attends the D.C. theatre world’s annual garage sale, but things at the prop-and-costume bazaar don’t go quite according to script. All because of the tantalizing, ruffled, ruby-red frock from a Russian émigré theatre. It was famously worn in a production of The Masque of the Red Death by the actress who played Death--and who died on closing night.
Under the crimson costume’s spell, Lacey’s fellow reporter LaToya Crawford practically comes to blows with another woman. But LaToya suffers a bad case of buyer’s remorse and shoves it into Lacey’s hands for safekeeping. Can Lacey with her ExtraFashionary Perception divine whether the dress is safe to wear?
Safe? This gown is not safe to even hang in the closet, much less to wear. Assaults, burglary and murder follow it wherever it goes.This is one garnet-hued garment with secrets and someone wants it enough to kill for it. Lacey’s conspiracy-crazed friend Brooke Barton is convinced that Russian spies must be afoot. The theatre is a world of illusion, and spycraft and stagecraft have much in common. Shadows and deceptions lead Lacey and the red dress into a macabre dance with an assassin—and a masquerade with death.
364 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 16, 2017
32 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Byerrum
24 books323 followersEllen Byerrum was a Washington, D.C., news reporter, now a novelist and playwright. In the interest of research, she also earned a Virginia private investigator's registration. She has written comic mysteries, a thriller, a middle grade mystery, and a children's rhyming picture book.
Most recently, she published the 1940s prequel to her Crime of Fashion Mysteries, THE BRIEF LUMINOUS FLIGHT OF THE FIREFLY, starring Mimi Smith, a young woman from out west who goes to Washington, DC to do her part for the war effort.
Her Crime of Fashion mysteries star a savvy, stylish sleuth: Lacey Smithsonian, a reluctant fashion reporter in Washington D.C., "The City Fashion Forgot."
Lacey would rather be working "hard news," but her nose for nuance, eye for a great story, and talent for getting into trouble make her the right reporter for the Crimes of Fashion beat. In her vintage suits and killer heels, she trips over fashion clues, fabulous shoes, dangerous women, drop-dead men, and of course the occasional corpse (who wouldn't be caught dead dressed like that).
Most recently, she published the 1940s prequel to her Crime of Fashion Mysteries, THE BRIEF LUMINOUS FLIGHT OF THE FIREFLY, starring Mimi Smith, a young woman from out west who goes to Washington, DC to do her part for the war effort.
Her Crime of Fashion mysteries star a savvy, stylish sleuth: Lacey Smithsonian, a reluctant fashion reporter in Washington D.C., "The City Fashion Forgot."
Lacey would rather be working "hard news," but her nose for nuance, eye for a great story, and talent for getting into trouble make her the right reporter for the Crimes of Fashion beat. In her vintage suits and killer heels, she trips over fashion clues, fabulous shoes, dangerous women, drop-dead men, and of course the occasional corpse (who wouldn't be caught dead dressed like that).
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 10, 2019
I just could never get into this book. Someone who is interested in fashion and the theater would probably like it better. The story revolves around a fancy red dress that has a curse on it, whoever wears it will die. Is this the truth or it is just bad luck. I won this book on Goodreads.
February 22, 2018
This is the last book that I am reading of ellen byerrum! She is obsessed with hating Trump and couldn't stop herself from inserting her political left wing lunacy into this book. It turns out that Hillary and Obama were the ones colluding with Russian..ha! Who does she think voted Trump into office? A lot of her fans, that's who! Well, cut your nose off to spite your face!
October 17, 2017
EThe best yet.
I just read this book straight through. Even though we are in crisis mode here, I couldn't put it down. The story is fast paced and intriguing. It is full of spies and secrets. It is also full of Byerum's signature humor and twists. Her characters are larger than life and best of all believable. I had so much fun reading this. I have read and reread all of her books and this is the best yet. Just buy it , it's worth it.
I just read this book straight through. Even though we are in crisis mode here, I couldn't put it down. The story is fast paced and intriguing. It is full of spies and secrets. It is also full of Byerum's signature humor and twists. Her characters are larger than life and best of all believable. I had so much fun reading this. I have read and reread all of her books and this is the best yet. Just buy it , it's worth it.
June 7, 2018
Crimes of Fashion is one of my favorite mystery series, though I was disappointed that in this installment, the author made repeated references to real-life politics. I read mysteries to escape from the daily onslaught of bad news, and hope that references to same will be left out of future books in the series.
I was also disappointed that we saw little of Stella, Brooke, and Damon after the beginning chapters, and not once did Lacey open Aunt Mimi's trunk and select a new pattern to be made into a fabulous dress or suit. There may just be a magazine or newspaper clipping inside the trunk with a photo of a fabulous vintage wedding dress, or something that could be interpreted into a fabulous wedding dress. Maybe some lace that could be used for a veil? Perhaps Aunt Mimi contemplated a marriage proposal, or had a friend who married and gave her a photograph to remember the day? Let's hope in the next book in the series, we find out! And Jasmine and Lily Rose would make lovely flower girls. :)
I was also disappointed that we saw little of Stella, Brooke, and Damon after the beginning chapters, and not once did Lacey open Aunt Mimi's trunk and select a new pattern to be made into a fabulous dress or suit. There may just be a magazine or newspaper clipping inside the trunk with a photo of a fabulous vintage wedding dress, or something that could be interpreted into a fabulous wedding dress. Maybe some lace that could be used for a veil? Perhaps Aunt Mimi contemplated a marriage proposal, or had a friend who married and gave her a photograph to remember the day? Let's hope in the next book in the series, we find out! And Jasmine and Lily Rose would make lovely flower girls. :)
March 4, 2020
Been awhile since I visited Lacey Smithsonian, fashion editor of the Washington Eye newspaper, in Washington DC, the land that fashion forgot. This time around, she's doing a story on a community sale of old theater costumes (it seems that DC has an active theater scene, who knew?). A co-worker falls in love with a dramatic read dress and purchases it. Unfortunately, a fight breaks out when the stage manager from the theater tries to get the dress back. It seems that it's rather famous, local actresses wear it to the Helen Hayes (the local Tony's) each year and it should not have been sold. The fight that ensues leads LaTonya, the new owner, gives the dress to Lacey to 'remove the voodoo' with her EFP: Extra Fashionary Perception. The dress proves to carry many secrets. the company that sold it is run by Russian Emerges, which forces Lacey to call in her 'friend' Kepelov, his sister Olga, and his fiance, the psychic Marie. Together, they realize the dress leads to some dangerous places, especially after the bodies start falling.
July 31, 2020
So I really began liking this book but couldn’t give it more than 1 star... reason being her need to shove her politics down her readers throats. Personally and despite my political stance I would be turned off if it was the other way around as well. I don’t read books to read about the authors political view whatever that may be. This was not a non fiction factual book, it’s fiction with made up characters so it should’ve been kept that way. I’ve always loved this series and am very disappointed by this and since it would seem that the author is now self publishing, my advice would be to not turn away and alienate any of your readers especially the ones that have been with you since the beginning. Unfortunately this is the end of Lacey for me, a series I’ve always gone out of my way to recommend to others.
January 30, 2022
It kills me a little bit to give a Crime of Fashion book a 2 star rating. I've loved this series for ages, and although the earliest novels were the strongest (Designer Knockoff and Raiders of the Lost Corset are both amazing), this one is certainly the weakest of the the series.
The premise for the story is engaging- a theatrical red dress of death connected to-well, real-life death. Sounds promising. But this novel needed some seriously strong editing. The first few chapters featured flashbacks that all ended with the same event, the introduction to the infamous red dress, however, the reader doesn't realize they are flashbacks until the red dress is mentioned. Moving forward in the story, it makes it difficult to know where in the timeline events are taking place. There were also pacing issues where characters suddenly jump from one scene to another with no warning (ex: when attending an event with Stella, one second Lacey is having her hair and makeup done, the next she has a snow cone and is confronting another character.) There are also a number of typos and awkwardly written sentences that the reader has to go over multiple times in order for the story to make sense.
Additionally, Lacey just seems miserable during a large portion of the book. Her character has always had a snarky wit, which I personally enjoy, but in this book it goes beyond that. Her friends have always had kooky tendencies, but the way she thinks about them in this book you wonder why she's friends with them at all. Stella and Brooke also play a much smaller role in this novel than previous one, and coupled with the negative feelings Lacey has about them, I felt that a winning trio had been thrown out of the formula. The tone picked up around thirty chapters in, but if you aren't a dedicated fan of the series, that's probably twenty-something chapters too late.
Without giving away too many spoilers, I also felt that towards the end of the book, the plot began to feel a little too far-fetched, even for a cozy mystery about fashion crimes. I'm willing to give this the benefit of the doubt given the fact that it was written in the maelstrom of 2017 and takes place in Washington DC, and all the context that implies; for all I know, the experience of reporters during that time was similar to the fears that Lacey and the team at The Eyestreet Observer experienced. However, as a layman it read as an over-the-top conclusion that was potentially leading up to at least one more book, or even a series, following a similar theme. Given how lackluster I feel about this particular offering, all I can say is: please, no.
The premise for the story is engaging- a theatrical red dress of death connected to-well, real-life death. Sounds promising. But this novel needed some seriously strong editing. The first few chapters featured flashbacks that all ended with the same event, the introduction to the infamous red dress, however, the reader doesn't realize they are flashbacks until the red dress is mentioned. Moving forward in the story, it makes it difficult to know where in the timeline events are taking place. There were also pacing issues where characters suddenly jump from one scene to another with no warning (ex: when attending an event with Stella, one second Lacey is having her hair and makeup done, the next she has a snow cone and is confronting another character.) There are also a number of typos and awkwardly written sentences that the reader has to go over multiple times in order for the story to make sense.
Additionally, Lacey just seems miserable during a large portion of the book. Her character has always had a snarky wit, which I personally enjoy, but in this book it goes beyond that. Her friends have always had kooky tendencies, but the way she thinks about them in this book you wonder why she's friends with them at all. Stella and Brooke also play a much smaller role in this novel than previous one, and coupled with the negative feelings Lacey has about them, I felt that a winning trio had been thrown out of the formula. The tone picked up around thirty chapters in, but if you aren't a dedicated fan of the series, that's probably twenty-something chapters too late.
Without giving away too many spoilers, I also felt that towards the end of the book, the plot began to feel a little too far-fetched, even for a cozy mystery about fashion crimes. I'm willing to give this the benefit of the doubt given the fact that it was written in the maelstrom of 2017 and takes place in Washington DC, and all the context that implies; for all I know, the experience of reporters during that time was similar to the fears that Lacey and the team at The Eyestreet Observer experienced. However, as a layman it read as an over-the-top conclusion that was potentially leading up to at least one more book, or even a series, following a similar theme. Given how lackluster I feel about this particular offering, all I can say is: please, no.
May 31, 2018
A catfight over a stunning red evening gown at the Washington, D.C. theatre world’s annual garage draws Lacey Smithsonian into her latest murder case. Lacey’s fellow reporter LaToya Crawford wins the fight, and asks Lacey to take the dress home for a few days to “psychically cleanse” it of its bad juju and make it safe to wear. Turns out a bunch of people are interested in that dress, including the stage manager who mistakenly put it in the sale and several Russian emigres (who may or may not be spies). The stage manager ends up dead, and Lacey’s friends and co-workers rope her into getting involved in solving the case.
This is one of my most favorite mystery series. It reminds me of an updated “Thin Man,” right down to the fast pace, great clothes and snappy dialogue. This particular story has a good balance of current events, day-to-day living, newsroom politics, behind-the-scenes theater goings on, mystery, friendship, and romance.
Over the years, I have become very attached to these characters. It’s been a pleasure to see the relationship between Lacey and Vic Donovan, a former sheriff turned security expert, grow. I like how he supports her in her work and investigations, rather than poo-pooing her efforts or discouraging her. I also enjoy the wacky supporting characters. And with each book I read, I learn something new about vintage fashion, a passion of mine, as well as fashion in general.
As usual, I do think these are better read in order for maximum enjoyment. You could read them out of order, because Byerrum does a nice job of weaving in pertinent details from previous stories, but I find the experience richer by reading them in order. I like the feeling of being an insider, and hanging out and catching up with old friends who are having a much more interesting, exciting life than I am.
This is one of my most favorite mystery series. It reminds me of an updated “Thin Man,” right down to the fast pace, great clothes and snappy dialogue. This particular story has a good balance of current events, day-to-day living, newsroom politics, behind-the-scenes theater goings on, mystery, friendship, and romance.
Over the years, I have become very attached to these characters. It’s been a pleasure to see the relationship between Lacey and Vic Donovan, a former sheriff turned security expert, grow. I like how he supports her in her work and investigations, rather than poo-pooing her efforts or discouraging her. I also enjoy the wacky supporting characters. And with each book I read, I learn something new about vintage fashion, a passion of mine, as well as fashion in general.
As usual, I do think these are better read in order for maximum enjoyment. You could read them out of order, because Byerrum does a nice job of weaving in pertinent details from previous stories, but I find the experience richer by reading them in order. I like the feeling of being an insider, and hanging out and catching up with old friends who are having a much more interesting, exciting life than I am.
April 30, 2022
While I loved this series for the most part, I tolerated Lacey's ignorance regarding conspiracy theories: According to a CIA dispatch (released under FOIA), the CIA weaponized the term "conspiracy theory" to keep people from questioning official narratives by turning them on each other. Throughout the series, the conspiracy theorists are presented as caricatures...but I was able to suspend my disbelief because of other positives in the series. In Masque of the Red Dress, however, Byerrum unabashedly refers to the Russia hacked the election CONSPIRACY THEORY (despite the fact that the FBI admitted from the very beginning that they were never given access to the supposedly hacked DNC servers, and the servers were then confiscated by Fusion GPS, which is connected to HRC and the DNC). That would have been fine...everyone has their own beliefs and all. But Byerrum just couldn't leave it alone. The book is imbued with her political bitterness, and she even splits hairs between acceptable conspiracy theorists versus right wing conspiracy theorists. Meanwhile, the Durham case and the PRIMARY SOURCE documents show that HRC and the DNC conspired to fabricate the hacking charges against Trump. The ignorance in the book would have been more acceptable had there not been so much vitriol.
May 18, 2019
Lacey Smithsonian finds herself neck deep in Russian spies, apartment break-ins, murdered women and a gorgeous red ball gown costume that links all these events together. The dress, a costume from a twelve-year-old production of "The Masque of the Red Death," is sold at a theatrical props sale to one of Lacey's newsroom colleagues. Then the stage manager from the same theater company dies under questionable circumstances. The dress it turns out, was worn in the Poe production by an actress who died from a fall on the final night of the show. Are the two deaths connected somehow? Is the dress good luck or bad luck? Why was her colleague's apartment broken into but nothing was taken? Before she knows it, Lacey is interviewing Russian dancers, Russian costume designers, Russian artistic directors and Russian playwrights. With Vic and his surveillance devices by her side, what could go wrong?
October 30, 2017
Red Dress, Red Masque, Red Spies!
Another winner in the Crimes of Fashion series! It’s a well plotted story filled with intrigue & suspense as our intrepid crimes of fashion reporter, Lacey Smithsonian, tries to solve the mysterious history of the Red Dress. So riveting I absolutely could not put it down. And the ending - incredible! So topical with all that’s occurring in Washington right now with Russian intrigue & “fake news”!
Another winner in the Crimes of Fashion series! It’s a well plotted story filled with intrigue & suspense as our intrepid crimes of fashion reporter, Lacey Smithsonian, tries to solve the mysterious history of the Red Dress. So riveting I absolutely could not put it down. And the ending - incredible! So topical with all that’s occurring in Washington right now with Russian intrigue & “fake news”!
April 22, 2018
I've enjoyed all the Crime of Fashion books, this is probably the best yet. The characters are all interesting, the setting in a small newspaper office is intriguing, and the plot works well. Best of all, Ellen Byerrum writes well - it's always a relief to read a "cosy" mystery that I'm not constantly re-editing as I go.
October 22, 2017
Fun, exciting, and clever! And, good, clear writing. One does not find such a combination often. I do recommend reading the Crime of Fashion series in order, because there is character development and plot twists that are best enjoyed in the order intended.
December 8, 2017
Blood runs red...
This was one of the BEST Lacey Smithsonian mysteries. The plot was fantastic. The theatre, Russian spies, and loads of help from a ragtag team of friends. And some of the best style advice from Lacey yet! Overall, a pleasant romp!
This was one of the BEST Lacey Smithsonian mysteries. The plot was fantastic. The theatre, Russian spies, and loads of help from a ragtag team of friends. And some of the best style advice from Lacey yet! Overall, a pleasant romp!
June 26, 2019
Fun!
Always love keeping up with Lacey and her friends. She never disappoints. You never know what new crazy situation she’ll find herself in next, but she always triumphs with the help of her crew.
Always love keeping up with Lacey and her friends. She never disappoints. You never know what new crazy situation she’ll find herself in next, but she always triumphs with the help of her crew.
August 28, 2018
This story was really great. It has theater and crazy Russians. I enjoyed the book and thought it was a pretty solid story.
October 27, 2021
Fascinating, intricate mystery with a juicy plot and lots of wonderful fashion and theater details!
May 10, 2024
My favorite out of the series! Great peek into theatre world! Love the ending! Waiting for #12.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews