Rosalie Knecht has not written a traditional spy novel for her 2nd published book. Instead, Who is Vera Kelly? is an empathetic character study. As a girl in 1957, Vera is misunderstood and beaten by her mother, and rejected by her first crush. She takes her family’s car intending to run away, and instead is caught and sent to juvenile detention and reform school. With her family ties severed, Vera is free but rootless, in the closet but still seeking relationships with women, and due to her work in electronics, catches the attention of the CIA. On her first infiltration mission in Argentina, playing another role puts the role she plays in her “real” life in sharp focus.