The Black Bag

"The Black Bag" by Louis Joseph Vance is an early 20th-century novel where American artist Philip Kirkwood, facing hardship in London after a San Francisco disaster, navigates isolation and then plunges into adventure. After a visit from a concerned friend, Kirkwood is offered a suspicious opportunity by the puzzling Mr. Calendar to return to America for some form of service. In a world of cryptic meetings and a dangerous undercurrent, the young artist also meets a young woman named Dorothy Calendar. Surrounded by secrets, Kirkwood embarks on a journey with peril everywhere, setting the tone for a thrilling tale.