The Riddle of the Sands

<p><strong>The Riddle of the Sands</strong> by <strong>Erskine Childers</strong> (1903) is one of the earliest spy novels combining adventure mystery and political intrigue.</p><p>The story follows <strong>Carruthers</strong> a bored British civil servant who accepts an invitation from his friend <strong>Davies</strong> to go sailing in the North Sea. What begins as a simple boating holiday soon turns into a thrilling investigation when Davies reveals his suspicion that the Germans are planning a <strong>secret invasion of England</strong> through the Frisian Islands.</p><p>As the two men navigate dangerous waters and uncover coded clues they risk their lives to expose the plot. The novel's realistic detail of sailing and geography made it famous and influential in both spy fiction and British naval awareness before World War I.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p>