Red Rover

A Nazi soldier is rumored missing from a Minnesota prisoner of war camp in RED ROVER, Michael Springer's long-awaited sequel to KAISER BRIGHTMAN 082314. RED ROVER is the fourth in a series of World War II adventure novels starting with THE BOOTLEGGER'S SECRET and MARK PENN GOES TO WAR. It's the summer of l945 in New Bonn, Minnesota. Thirteen-year-olds Frank Warner, Jack Steiner, and Skeeter Stark are hanging out along the river across from an abandoned German prisoner of war camp on Muskrat Island. One PW was reported missing at final muster. The boys spot something red moving on the island, think it's the escaped PW, and raft over. While they search, their raft is set adrift, and they find a warning note signed, "Red Rover." A series of harassments follow, but Red Rover eludes them. Frank's and Jack's dads have fought the enemy through Italy, France, and Germany, and now after V-E Day are stationed with the Seventh Army in Austria. They expect to participate in the upcoming invasion of Japan. Skeeter receives a posthumous letter from his war-hero brother, Buck, which directs him to a treasure map he found before going overseas. The letter was passed on to Skeeter by Buck's Ranger buddy, Wayne Hill, who helps the boys unscramble the bizarre map. After several near-misses, the boys confront Red Rover, whose identity and background are more bizarre than the map. Risking their lives, they solve the secret of the map, and discover that the word treasure has more meanings than they imagined. World War II ends as Japan surrenders. Frank's and Jack's dads come home for discharge from the Army. Life in New Bonn returns to normal. Or does it?