A lonely, convalescing 12 year-old boy and his attractive mother, who is in a loveless marriage, meet a gentleman while vacationing at a European resort. Seeking an enjoyable way to pass the time, the man schemes to seduce the woman with the unwitting help of the boy. The son, puzzled by the developing relationship, becomes increasingly isolated and suspicious as he loses his childish innocence in this gripping coming-of-age novella. This work is translated from the original German, Brennendes Geheimnis, which has also been recorded for Librivox. Stefan Zweig was one of the world's most acclaimed writers during the 1920s and 1930s. He produced novels, plays, biographies and journals. He and his second wife committed suicide in 1942. (Lee Smalley)