The Pawns Count - E. Phillips Oppenheim

During World War 1, English officer John Lutchester was injured. He is employed by the Secret Service as an "inspector of explosives". He is meeting a scientist in a club/restaurant in London when the scientist is kidnapped and the recipe for a potent new explosive is taken. Pamela Van Teyl, a wealthy American girl who does enigmatic tasks for her country, frequents the same eatery. Baron Sunyea, the Japanese envoy, and Mr. Fischer, a German American millionaire, are also in attendance. In addition to seeking secrets, the soldiers also seek love. In this book, the action takes place in the spring of 1916. Germany is doing everything it can to maintain US neutrality and prevent them from joining the conflict. Japan is viewed as a future force that may oppose or aid Germany's aspirations for world dominance. In the story, German American merchants scheme to keep America neutral or undermine its capacity to aid the English and the French. American lawmakers are bought off, and industries are set on fire. The narrative makes extensive use of the Battle of Jutland, which occurred at the end of May 1916. While the war was still raging in Europe, the book was released in March 1918.