El. knyga: Spies of the Kaiser: Plotting the Downfall of England

A wildly paranoid tale, first published in 1909, in which patriotic British heroes battle German secret agents who are plotting the invasion of Britain. Historian Nicholas Hiley's introduction describes the novel (which Le Queux believed to be factually- based) as pivotal to the formation of M15, Britain's counter- espionage organization, which instigated a nationwide hunt for a non-existent enemy. Paper edition (unseen), $16.95. Distributed by ISBS. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Le Queux was the first and most prolific of all British spy writers, but Spies of the Kaiser was not just another tale of scheming foreigners and plucky British heroes, for this paranoid tale of German secret agents plotting the invasion of Britain played a major part in the formation of MI5, Britain's counter-espionage organisation. In his introduction, intelligence historian Nicholas Hiley explains how Le Queux's powerful blend of fact and fiction inspired a whole generation of British secret service officers, and led MI5 in a nation-wide hunt for a non-existent enemy.