The time is 1918. American troops are fighting in Europe, but German saboteurs have brought the war to the streets of New York City. Craig von Bell is a German agent trained to disrupt, damage or destroy American warships, supply ships, munitions warehouses. His weapon of choice is arson.

Federal, state and city law enforcement officials are convinced that no German agents are operating in New York City. They all refuse to admit that the wave of arson fires plaguing the city’s waterfront and warehouses could be sabotage.

All except Wes Causey, one of the FDNY’s few arson investigators. Causey knows the fires are the work of a German saboteur who will eventually strike terror into the hearts and souls of the people of New York City.

Now all Wes has to do is find the terrorist.

With a wonderful appreciation of New York City’s and FDNY’s history and with precise attention to the details of actual firegrounds, Paul Hashagen’s The Twelfth Hour is a novel of the past that touches our present in very, very important ways.