Twentieth century detective Isaac Bell takes on the world of warfare when America’s naval research and development experts begin to die one by one in this #1 New York Times -bestselling historical action adventure.

1908 marks a year of ever-escalating international tension as the world plunges toward war. And with America on the brink, it comes as a devastating blow to learn of the apparent suicide of one of the United States’ most brilliant battleship-gun designers. The death becomes a media sensation, and the man’s grief-stricken daughter turns to the legendary Van Dorn Detective Agency to clear her father’s name. Van Dorn puts his chief investigator on the case, and Isaac Bell soon sees that the clues point not to suicide, but to murder. As Bell notices more suspicious deaths among the nation’s sharpest technological minds, he begins to suspect the work of an elusive spy somehow connected to a top-secret project called Hull 44.

But that is just the beginning. As the intrigue deepens, Bell will find himself pitted against German, Japanese, and British spies, in a mission that encompasses dreadnought battleships, Teddy Roosevelt’s Great White Fleet, Chinatown, Hell’s Kitchen, and the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Isaac Bell has certainly faced perilous situations before, but this time it is more than the future of his country that’s at stake—it’s the fate of the world. **

From Publishers Weekly

Set in 1908, bestseller Cussler and Scott's action-packed third adventure featuring Isaac Bell, head operative of the Van Dorn Detective Agency, leaves behind the railroad theme of the first two books ( The Chase and The Wrecker ), focusing instead on the espionage-riddled world of warship and armament manufacturing in the buildup to WWI. Someone is murdering the leading lights of America's naval research and development. When the indefatigable Bell looks into the supposed suicide of chief gun designer Arthur Langner, he uncovers a succession of possible international suspects, all of whom are attempting to disrupt America's development of a fleet of dreadnought battleships. Bell clashes with old enemies and new until the climactic battle, where he must stop a massive submarine attempting to sink the navy's newest battleship. The expanded area of interest will attract new readers to this exciting series in the Cussler franchise. (June)
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From Booklist

Cussler, who made a name for himself more than 30 years ago with his Dirk Pitt thrillers, has lately been working with a variety of coauthors. With Scott, he wrote the second Isaac Bell thriller, The Wrecker (2009), which followed The Chase (2007). The Bell series has constituted a definite comeback for Cussler, whose previous novels were starting to feel a bit lethargic. This latest Bell adventure, set in 1908, continues the hot streak. Bell, the private investigator who bears more than a passing similarity to Sherlock Holmes (he's a master of disguise with a keen intellect and a knack for seeing the truth behind the misdirection), is called in to consult on a case involving the apparent suicide of a top designer of military weapons. The dead man's daughter suspects foul play, and soon Bell is convinced she's right, but can he unmask the villains and keep himself alive? Well, of course he can, but the fun is in seeing how he does it—and Cussler and Scott provide us with a ton of fun. This is a fine thriller, rich in character, period detail, and suspense. --David Pitt