The Riddle of the Sands

While on a sailing trip in the Baltic Sea, two young adventurers-turned-spies uncover a secret German plot to invade England. Written by Childers who served in the Royal Navy during World War I as a wake-up call to the British government to attend to its North Sea defenses, "The Riddle of the Sands" accomplished that task and has been considered a classic of espionage literature ever since, praised as much for its nautical action as for its suspenseful spycraft.

A former British imperialist who converted to the Irish nationalist cause, Erskine Childers (1870-1922) wrote about Irish politics and military matters. His life of conspiracy, gun-running, adventure, and rebellion concluded with his court-martial and death by firing squad.

1. The Letter2. The Dulcibella3. Davies4. Retrospect5. Wanted, a North Wind6. Schlei Fiord7. The Missing Page8. The Theory9. I Sign Articles10. His Chance11. The Pathfinders12. My Iniation13. The Meaning of our Work14. The First Night in the Islands15. Bensersiel16. Commander von Bruning17. Clearing the Air18. Imperial Escort19. The Rubicon20. The Little Drab Book21. Blindfold to Memmert22. The Quartette23. A Change of Tactics24. Finesse25. I Double Back26. The Seven Siels27. The Luck of the Stowaway28. We Achieve our Double AimEpilogue