Regarded by many critics as one of the best spy-novels ever written, The Riddle of the Sands was so true to life at the time of its first publication in 1903, that it actually altered British naval thinking. The tale involves two young Englishmen of the late 1890s: Arthur Davies, and accomplished yachtsman, and his friend, Carruthers, a clerk in the Foreign Office. Ostensibly on a sailing holiday in the North Sea, they discover strange German naval activity off the coast of the Frisian Islands. The plot thickens as the two friends become suspicious about the Germans' intentions and set about foiling the Prussian designs. Notable for its suspense, intrigue, spine-tingling events and breath-taking climax, the novel has long held special place in the hearts of spy novel fans who admire its richness of technical detail about inshore sailing, its sympathetic major characters, and unsurpassed narrative style. Includes and informative introduction by Norman Donaldson, an authority on detective and suspense fiction of the era.