Summary
In the tumultuous crucible of World War I, identity fractures and allegiances are tested as Louis and August Siever, fraternal twins of mixed heritage, find their paths diverging violently. Louis, a staunch American, endures a year of bureaucratic purgatory in wartime Berlin, desperately asserting his citizenship, while August, swayed by his paternal German roots, enlists in the Kaiser's forces. A brutal confrontation between the brothers culminates in August's brazen theft of Louis's passport, facilitating his escape to New York City alongside Gerda Anderson, a cunning German operative. Coincidentally, Louis also manages to return stateside, only to be drawn into a lavish Long Island weekend soiree hosted by his affluent friends, the Waynes. Unbeknownst to him, August and Gerda, having established a nearby base, orchestrate their own sinister 'mystery' party, ensnaring the Waynes' guests. The women are swiftly incarcerated, their captors dispatching chilling ransom demands via carrier pigeon to their distraught husbands. As Shirley Wayne, a woman of remarkable resolve, and Louis embark on a perilous quest to uncover the abductors, they too fall victim to the nefarious plot. The narrative's tension escalates, but the eccentric, perspicacious amateur sleuth, Mortimer Eddington, masterminds an ingenious scheme to trace the pigeons back to the kidnappers' lair. Just as the peril for Shirley and Louis reaches its apex, law enforcement descends upon the Germans' hideout, demanding their unconditional surrender, thus averting a potentially tragic conclusion.
Synopsis
Louis and August Siever, twin sons of a German father and American mother, are traveling through Europe when war breaks out. August joins the Kaiser's army, while Louis, a loyal American, is trapped in Berlin for a year while he tries to prove his citizenship. After a violent confrontation with Louis, August steals his brother's passport and leaves for New York City with Gerda Anderson, a German spy. Louis also returns to the U.S., and sometime later is invited to a weekend party on Long Island by his wealthy friends, the Waynes. When August and Gerda learn of the event, they rent a nearby house and invite all of the Waynes' guests, including Louis, to a "mystery" party. Upon their arrival, the women are held prisoner and ransom notes are sent to their husbands via carrier pigeon. Shirley Wayne and Louis track down and are captured by the kidnappers. Meanwhile, Mortimer Eddington, an amateur detective, devises a method to trace the pigeons back to the house. Before Shirley and Louis come to harm, police officers arrive and demand the Germans' surrender.
