The year is 1913. The disgraced and formerly penniless aristocrat Sir Everard Dominey returns from German East Africa a reformed and wealthy man, determined to take his place in English society. But is he Sir Everard or the German spy, Baron Leopold von Ragastein? Educated at Eton and Oxford with Sir Everard, the baron bears a striking resemblance to the Englishman and was often mistaken for him at school. After a chance encounter in Africa, one of them has returned — but which one?
Originally published serially in Harper's Bazaar, The Great Impersonation ranks among the most acclaimed espionage novels. For the past hundred years, readers have been captivated by the fast-moving plot, the descriptions of life among English aristocrats before the Great War, and the bold cast of characters, which includes a host of dukes, duchesses, ambassadors, German agents, and harebrained young Englishmen. This vivid, convincing thriller is one of the first great achievements of the spy genre.