Everything Glittered

In this queer historical thriller from a New York Times bestselling author, society girls try to find a murderer in a city filled with secrets and stunted by shame. Perfect for fans of Last Night at the Telegraph Club.

It’s 1927 and the strict laws of prohibition have done little to temper the roaring '20s nightlife, even in the nation’s capitol. Everyone knows the booze has never stopped flowing, especially among the rich and powerful, and seventeen-year-old Gertrude and her best friends Clara and Milly are determined to get a taste of freedom and liquor, propriety be damned.

But after sneaking out of the Washington Female Seminary to visit a speakeasy, they return to discover that their controversial young headmistress, Mrs. Rose, has been murdered.

Reeling from the death of her beloved mentor, Gertrude enlists her friends in her quest to clear Mrs. Rose’s reputation, while trying to keep her own intact. But in Prohibition Washington, it’s impossible to sidestep grifters, bootleggers, and shady federal agents when investigating a murder. And with all the secrets being uncovered, Gertrude is finding it harder and harder to keep her attraction to her best friends hidden. 

A proper, upscale life is all Gertrude has ever known, but murder sure makes a gal wonder: Is all that glitters really gold?

• "Everything Glittered is more than just a page-turning mystery that will keep you guessing; it is also a story of self-discovery, and a moving look at the struggle and resilience of queer subculture in the Roaring 20s. Another must-read from Robin Talley."
  Caleb Roehrig, author of The Fell of Dark
• "Prohibition-era Washington DC springs to life in Everything Glittered, which shimmers with Gatsby-glamour and mysterious intrigue – you’ll fall in love with Robin Talley’s gorgeous, feisty girls."
  Ellie Marney, New York Times bestselling author of None Shall Sleep and The Killing Code
• "An atmospheric thriller that shines a light on the enticing underbelly of the Prohibition era and the people who found freedom within it. Robin Talley expertly cloaks a heartfelt coming of age tale in secrets, scandals, and a very sharp knife."
  Rebecca Kim Wells, author of Briar Girls
• “Talley is one of my favorites; stunning historical details, brilliant plotting - everything she touches turns to gold.”
  Lev AC Rosen, author of Lavender House and The Bell In The Fog
• "Talley (The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre) examines intense queer longing and self-discovery through a well-realized jaunt into Gilded Era high society, juxtaposing suffocatingly stiff etiquette with an undercurrent of misogyny and homophobia….tender explorations of Gertie’s burgeoning awareness of her queer identity drive this glitzy murder mystery."
   
  Publishers Weekly
• "A compelling mystery grounded in a well-developed setting."
  Kirkus
• “Talley provides a great reflection of coming of age at a time when young girls, especially those of high society, were taught and expected to become society wives, while showing hope for a new generation with new ideas about a better future…. Hand to fans of historical fiction, especially those looking for LGBTQIA+ identities in the past.”
  School Library Journal
• “Talley (Our Own Private Universe; Pulp) may be nodding to Nancy Drew with the book's girl-sleuth trio, hidden indoor spaces, and menace-oozing suspects, but unlike Nancy, Gertie is as focused on her potential love interests-slash-fellow investigators as she is on the case. Her search for justice for Mrs. Rose parallels a search of the more personal sort: for ‘people like me.’”
  Shelf Awareness
• "Readers will admire the sapphic bond between the trio as well as the importance of being an ally. A thrilling and romantic read about challenging the status quo."
  Booklist