In THE DETROIT ELECTRIC SCHEME, the company known as Detroit Electric is on the verge of a breakthrough; it’s 1910 and they’ve produced an electric car that can run far longer that other cars of its type. But Will Anderson, son of the company’s owner, isn’t joining in the celebration, having been under a cloud for years since his fiancée Elizabeth Hume left him. Will’s gloominess vanishes one night when he comes to the car factory after hours, summoned by Elizabeth’s new fiancée John Cooper with the message that Elizabeth is in trouble. What Will discovers at the factory is Cooper’s body crushed in a machine press. All signs point to Will as the killer, yet Will can’t afford to argue for his innocence while in custody. He has to uncover the threat to Elizabeth, the woman he still loves.
Fortunately for Will, some friends in the right places offer to help him with the near-impossible tasks of rescuing Elizabeth and unmasking the real killer. Edsel Ford, son of the automotive magnate, sends investigators out to see what they can find, and an indefatigable entertainer named Wesley McRae offers Will protection. Still, the police are determined to pin the crime on Will—and when more bodies turn up, the evidence against him becomes overwhelming.
This surprisingly sure-handed and accomplished debut is set against the fascinating backdrop of the burgeoning electric car industry and is filled with strong historical detail and dozens of real-life characters.
Fortunately for Will, some friends in the right places offer to help him with the near-impossible tasks of rescuing Elizabeth and unmasking the real killer. Edsel Ford, son of the automotive magnate, sends investigators out to see what they can find, and an indefatigable entertainer named Wesley McRae offers Will protection. Still, the police are determined to pin the crime on Will—and when more bodies turn up, the evidence against him becomes overwhelming.
This surprisingly sure-handed and accomplished debut is set against the fascinating backdrop of the burgeoning electric car industry and is filled with strong historical detail and dozens of real-life characters.