The Automobile Girls at Washington; Or, Checkmating the Plots of Foreign Spies

"The Automobile Girls at Washington; Or, Checkmating the Plots of Foreign Spies" by Laura Dent Crane is a story about a group of young women, the Automobile Girls, especially Barbara Thurston, experiencing Washington, D.C., where their social lives become mixed up with mysterious foreign diplomats and spies. As the Automobile Girls arrive, they are happy to be there, and Barbara meets Peter Dillon, a fascinating man from the Russian government, making her want to know more about politics. There is also a newspaper writer who wants to write about the Automobile Girls, but their host, Harriet Hamlin, gets upset because she feels like they are taking attention away from her. As the girls learn about Washington society, the story shows how different social classes can be and how everyone wants to be liked, while hinting that the girls might be dealing with dangerous secret plots from other countries. The story blends fun adventures with serious ideas, which could be interesting to people who like stories from the past with brave female characters.