What do you think?
Rate this book
Serial Showgirl
When a young drag queen’s best friend is brutally raped, he takes justice into his own hands.
Serial Showgirl is more than a vigilante justice crime thriller, it’s the deeply emotional story of a young gay man’s struggle to not only survive in a society of toxic masculinity, but to maintain his mental clarity when it’s so easy in the drag world for the illusion to become a delusion.
Charlie Moreno grew up in a small town in rural Michigan. He knew when he was very young that he was different. He liked the feeling of his older cousin Nicole’s strawberry-patterned romper on his skin. He felt good in his mom’s lipstick, applied in secret in the bathroom mirror. His parents knew there was something different about Charlie, but they chose to love and accept him despite the rebuke they took from their Latino Catholic family.
When he was seventeen, Charlie created a new life for himself in Boystown, Northalstead, Chicago. Now, he works at Nordstrom and spends his free time performing drag with The Sour Pussies and going clubbing with his best friend, Aimee, his platonic soulmate. The two are inseparable in every way, until the unthinkable happens... and Charlie realizes that he doesn't really know her at all.
"Serial Showgirl is a fantastic story about ingenuity and spunk, showcasing that every experience, good and bad, helps to shape us into the person that we are today. You don't have to be your circumstances, you just have to make a plan toward whatever your ultimate goal and desire is. This story shows the multi-layered days that gay men experience, from finding themselves, being the light in the room, being someone's rock and the glue to hold everything together. I've known Dan, Iowna, Monique, and all of the other personalities that rent a room in the fabulous brain behind Serial Showgirl. They're such a fantastic human, and this book helps to give a truer and more authentic snapshot to what many gay men go through."
-Frankie Schreibman-Wingle, Owner, METRA Magazine
"With a wickedly fun cast of characters and a rewardingly twisty narrative, Serial Showgirl proves you can have your cake and eat it, too." -Matthew Santia, Award-Winning Screenwriter & Director
"I love how quickly things turned! I am a sucker for a good crime thriller, and I felt like I really got to know the author from this story..." -Orion Story, Drag Performer, RuPaul's Drag Season 14
Serial Showgirl is more than a vigilante justice crime thriller, it’s the deeply emotional story of a young gay man’s struggle to not only survive in a society of toxic masculinity, but to maintain his mental clarity when it’s so easy in the drag world for the illusion to become a delusion.
Charlie Moreno grew up in a small town in rural Michigan. He knew when he was very young that he was different. He liked the feeling of his older cousin Nicole’s strawberry-patterned romper on his skin. He felt good in his mom’s lipstick, applied in secret in the bathroom mirror. His parents knew there was something different about Charlie, but they chose to love and accept him despite the rebuke they took from their Latino Catholic family.
When he was seventeen, Charlie created a new life for himself in Boystown, Northalstead, Chicago. Now, he works at Nordstrom and spends his free time performing drag with The Sour Pussies and going clubbing with his best friend, Aimee, his platonic soulmate. The two are inseparable in every way, until the unthinkable happens... and Charlie realizes that he doesn't really know her at all.
"Serial Showgirl is a fantastic story about ingenuity and spunk, showcasing that every experience, good and bad, helps to shape us into the person that we are today. You don't have to be your circumstances, you just have to make a plan toward whatever your ultimate goal and desire is. This story shows the multi-layered days that gay men experience, from finding themselves, being the light in the room, being someone's rock and the glue to hold everything together. I've known Dan, Iowna, Monique, and all of the other personalities that rent a room in the fabulous brain behind Serial Showgirl. They're such a fantastic human, and this book helps to give a truer and more authentic snapshot to what many gay men go through."
-Frankie Schreibman-Wingle, Owner, METRA Magazine
"With a wickedly fun cast of characters and a rewardingly twisty narrative, Serial Showgirl proves you can have your cake and eat it, too." -Matthew Santia, Award-Winning Screenwriter & Director
"I love how quickly things turned! I am a sucker for a good crime thriller, and I felt like I really got to know the author from this story..." -Orion Story, Drag Performer, RuPaul's Drag Season 14
273 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 25, 2022
18 people are currently reading
147 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 2, 2022
Entertaining read
Love this story! Highly entertaining. I felt like I was gossiping with my bestie. Funny and touching. All the feels
Love this story! Highly entertaining. I felt like I was gossiping with my bestie. Funny and touching. All the feels
December 6, 2023
A thriller about a drag queen who is out for revenge (AND the detective's name is Detective Jonas?!); this book was made for me.
The only thing I wasn't the biggest fan of was how abrupt the ending was. I wish it had been a little more drawn out or had a little bit more information, but I enjoyed everything else!
The only thing I wasn't the biggest fan of was how abrupt the ending was. I wish it had been a little more drawn out or had a little bit more information, but I enjoyed everything else!
March 8, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ the author of this book was the drag queen at bingo I went to in Royal Oak so I wanted to support local! This is about a drag queen who becomes a serial killer. Really interesting story! I think it’s going to screen soon too. Short & easy read!
February 16, 2023
Well written book . You get to see the characters as real people you step into thier life's and see what is really happening to them . You can picture the scenes and the people .
It sucks you in from the start and you want to find out what happens . It shows how people change when a tragedy takes place in thier lives . Do they become the villain or the hero of the story . Read the book and then you decide .
It sucks you in from the start and you want to find out what happens . It shows how people change when a tragedy takes place in thier lives . Do they become the villain or the hero of the story . Read the book and then you decide .
June 2, 2023
I appreciate the plot of this book and it was a nice quick read, but as a reader there are a few things that would have improved this experience for me with this title.
The last 20 or so pages gave me a bit of whiplash going from 1st person to 3rd person omniscient narrative voice - Charlie wouldn’t know what other characters are doing when they aren’t together unless he was stalking them (which honestly would have been great and added to the serial killer vibes). If the moments at the end were supposed to be those other characters acting according to Charlie’s plan, then the “plan” should have been revealed through Charlie prior for him to say something along the lines of “this person is doing/would be doing this at this time, just like I planned” (ex: Kurt checking Aimee’s apartment the last time).
The prose was good in some places, but felt very disjointed throughout, which if done intentionally coupled with some very intense killings (more time spent on the obsession/planning/carrying out of a kill), would have made the serial killer title more believable. It seemed like the murders and body disposal were more glossed over, which is not something a serial killer would do - serial killers like to kill, it’s something they take their time with and enjoy, savoring every moment. Killing for a serial killer is an obsession, an impulse they give into to satisfy the craving, like an addiction - this was more of the main character having a vigilante justice streak for a hot minute. I would have loved to see Charlie/Nicole having extremely vivid memories of killings, while struggling to keep grasp of the innocent persona (making the “personal life” scenes the ones that are glossed over and decreased in frequency throughout as the serial killer loses interest in anything outside of killing); Charlie losing to the darkness.
The last 20 or so pages gave me a bit of whiplash going from 1st person to 3rd person omniscient narrative voice - Charlie wouldn’t know what other characters are doing when they aren’t together unless he was stalking them (which honestly would have been great and added to the serial killer vibes). If the moments at the end were supposed to be those other characters acting according to Charlie’s plan, then the “plan” should have been revealed through Charlie prior for him to say something along the lines of “this person is doing/would be doing this at this time, just like I planned” (ex: Kurt checking Aimee’s apartment the last time).
The prose was good in some places, but felt very disjointed throughout, which if done intentionally coupled with some very intense killings (more time spent on the obsession/planning/carrying out of a kill), would have made the serial killer title more believable. It seemed like the murders and body disposal were more glossed over, which is not something a serial killer would do - serial killers like to kill, it’s something they take their time with and enjoy, savoring every moment. Killing for a serial killer is an obsession, an impulse they give into to satisfy the craving, like an addiction - this was more of the main character having a vigilante justice streak for a hot minute. I would have loved to see Charlie/Nicole having extremely vivid memories of killings, while struggling to keep grasp of the innocent persona (making the “personal life” scenes the ones that are glossed over and decreased in frequency throughout as the serial killer loses interest in anything outside of killing); Charlie losing to the darkness.
December 27, 2022
Holy shit, bitch!
This book is fucking amazing! I haven’t loved a book in a long time and I read A LOT of books. I rarely leave reviews and only 5 stars if they blow me away. I’m truly speechless.
The way you’re sucked in from the first couple paragraphs to how you’re longing for more at the end is a talent in itself. This book kept me on my toes, I couldn’t figure it out from the very beginning as I do with so many others and for that I’m so thankful. I think you’ve reignited my lust for fantastic books and I can’t wait for more from you! Thank you and so many congratulations, you’re truly amazing. I can’t wait to hear more from Charlie Moreno!
This book is fucking amazing! I haven’t loved a book in a long time and I read A LOT of books. I rarely leave reviews and only 5 stars if they blow me away. I’m truly speechless.
The way you’re sucked in from the first couple paragraphs to how you’re longing for more at the end is a talent in itself. This book kept me on my toes, I couldn’t figure it out from the very beginning as I do with so many others and for that I’m so thankful. I think you’ve reignited my lust for fantastic books and I can’t wait for more from you! Thank you and so many congratulations, you’re truly amazing. I can’t wait to hear more from Charlie Moreno!
January 9, 2023
Loved this book! I've had the privilege to see Daniel AKA Monique Madison perform a couple of times and I was so excited to get my hands on this book.
I took my time reading it because I wanted it to last! The plot twists and turns had me on my toes and when it finally hit - WOWZA!!
Definitely recommend to anyone looks for a good crime book that keeps you guessing.
Can't wait for more books starring Charlie Moreno!!
I took my time reading it because I wanted it to last! The plot twists and turns had me on my toes and when it finally hit - WOWZA!!
Definitely recommend to anyone looks for a good crime book that keeps you guessing.
Can't wait for more books starring Charlie Moreno!!
March 16, 2023
Amazing Page Turner with a Compelling Storyline! It's Emotional, Funny and Thrilling Read!
The author immerses you into the main characters souls, their very essence with every descriptive detail and in a funny quirky way that you can't help but keep reading! Can't wait for the next book!
The author immerses you into the main characters souls, their very essence with every descriptive detail and in a funny quirky way that you can't help but keep reading! Can't wait for the next book!
January 1, 2026
This one stressed me out. I felt oddly sad for Charlie being consumed with Aimee's death and revenge beyond just her. And that drop of blood! I did enjoy that Charlie was from Burr Oak, as I went to school there, so I understood that aspect completely.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2023
Fantastic Story, Dexter is a Drag Queen.. Quick read, I couldn't put it down. Just a small disappointment the end was short and rushed; that's just my thought. I am hoping for a "sequin" sequel.
December 12, 2023
this book was so good
June 28, 2024
So so good. If you enjoyed the movie, Promising Young Woman, you will love this novel.
September 19, 2024
DNF. Got half way and still uninterested.
January 1, 2025
I need to read the 2nd book ASAP
November 27, 2025
Loved it and looking forward to the next. Bravo!
December 5, 2023
A delightfully fun read that surprised me with its poignancy. Can't wait for the sequel.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews