Death of a Diva: From Berlin to Broadway

The murder of a prominent Broadway actress and international movie star in 1941 New York City drives Goldstein’s suspenseful whodunit. Austrian immigrant Stella Berger, acclaimed for her portrayal of Desdemona, was, ironically, strangled in her dressing room during a run of Othello. Suspicion falls on the empathetic narrator, Misia Safran, a premed college student who considered Stella a mentor and a hero for her outspoken opposition to the Nazi regime. On the fatal afternoon, Misa let a street musician who played the violin opposite the theater’s entrance into the building shortly before Stella was murdered. With no solid evidence against Misia, the police release her, but keep her under surveillance. Aided by her boyfriend, law student Curtis Wolff, the future doctor does her best to learn the truth about Stella’s death. Flashbacks from the perspective of violinist Viktor Erdos, who knew Stella in Europe, enhance the mystery plot en route to a satisfying surprise resolution. [em](BookLife) [/em]