Stranger in Vienna

An American researcher for a bestselling author of stage histories, Veronica Kent goes to Austria to dig up information on the Backhendlzeit in Viennese theater. Before she even recovers from jetlag, however, she is entangled in the murder of a prominent local lawyer. Frantic, she flees and adopts a series of disguises. A subplot involves Jason Foxe, a prime suspect (and total stranger) who falls in love with the missing Veronica, basing his attraction on a few photographs and diary entries uncovered during the investigation. Later he falls in love with Nicca Montcalm, one of Veronica's alter personas. Before the story is resolved, the mysterious Veronica assumes yet more identities, including that of a bashful young boy. Despite the resulting confusion, the story, which offers random tidbits of Viennese history, comes to a happy closeonce the sordid murder, involving powerful aphrodisiacs and teen sexploitation, is solved. (February)