A Daughter of Fair Verona

Launching a new series based on an alternate ending to Romeo and Juliet, Dodd (Point Last Seen) spins an entracing story of an ill-fated wedding engagement. It’s narrated by the star-crossed couple’s oldest daughter, Rosie, who tells of how her parents survived their suicide attempt 20 years earlier. After Romeo and Juliet insist Rosie wed the “cruel and lustful” Duke Leir Stephano, whose third wife has just died under mysterious circumstances, she’s smitten by the better-looking Lysander at her betrothal ball. During the party, Stephano is found stabbed to death, and some guests accuse Rosie of his murder. Prince Escalus, who attempted to resolve the feud in the original play, attests to Rosie’s innocence, and as the body count rises, Rosie determines to unmask the killer while holding out hope for romance with Lysander. Rosie is an amiable and witty narrator (“Brace yourself for a recap, and don’t worry, it’s interesting in a My God, are you kidding me? sort of way”) and Dodd’s roller-coaster plot careens all the way to the cliffhanger ending. It’s a strong start. (July)