Body of Opinion

Stacey, a name adopted by the British authors of Goodbye, Nanny Gray and A Knife at the Opera , here offers a third novel featuring the endearing Superintendent Bone. A widower settled in a country town with his daughter Charlotte (Cha), Bone enjoys the company of good friends as he recovers from the tragic loss of his wife and launches an investigation into a murder at the mansion of rock star Ken Cryer. During a party, one of Cryer's numerous guests shot Alix Hamilton, a seductive ``woman'' later revealed to be transvestite Alex Hervey. Also involved is the theft of a priceless religious object, possibly--Bone theorizes--by a born-again fanatic outraged by Cryer's ownership of a sacred symbol. Tracking suspects, the superintendent stumbles on second murder victim, slain to avenge cruel tricks played by Alex in his female role. Bone solves these cases in his own quiet way in a mystery that doubles as a touching tale of Bone's discovery of new love. (Feb.)