In mid-1944, a half-million German prisoners of war are working in U.S. factories and fields because military enlistments and the draft have caused labor shortages. Two hundred PWs are billeted in an old Civilian Conservation Corps camp on Muskrat Island in the Minnesota River at New Bonn. Twelve-year-olds, Frank Warner, Jack Steiner, and Skeeter Stark stake out the PW camp from an abandoned cabin along the river. Frank's and Jack's dads are serving with the 3rd Infantry Division in Italy. Skeeter's brother is an Army Ranger in France. Frank and Jack are Boy Scouts, and fluent in Morse Code; however, a series of mysterious radio messages intercepted in that format baffles them. The boys build a raft and land on the island. They encounter a PW who drops a matchbook cover, on the back of which are printed the following strange words and numbers: KAISER BRIGHTMAN 082314. Frank and Jack witness the shooting death of a PW in the camp. When news of the killing is not made public, Frank approaches a U.S. Army lieutenant from the camp. His name is William Brightman, and he was born on August 23, 1914. The boys decipher the Morse Code messages, which reveal a Nazi conspiracy of murder and sabotage that imperils many lives, including theirs. Other Novels by Michael Springer... The Bootlegger's Secret "A page- turning mystery that begs to be read in a day! A fantastic 5-star read...all ages would enjoy!" ---Readers Favorite "I give The Bootlegger's Secret a five-star rating...definitely a great book." ---Charlotte Ratcliff for RebeccasRead Mark Penn Goes to War, Sequel to The Bootlegger's Secret "If you love stories that take you back to the good old days, reminiscent of Mayberry or Tom Sawyer, you're going to love this book..." ---Brenda Casto, kittycrochettwo "Another home run; no, a grand slam." ---Mary James .

Winner of the 2012 Readers Favorite Book Award for Best Action Fiction.