112 Mercer Street

112 MERCER STREET/ SYNOPSES
YA suspense novel: 11-16 years old

German Nazi forces have invaded France and are overtaking the rest of Europe.
It is the year before the United States enters into World War 2.

This is the setting for 112 Mercer Street, a YA suspense novel: June 14, 1940.

Because of the scientific work Benoit DeChamps was performing at the French Institute, and of its importance to the Third Reich, the DesChamps family was secreted out France by an agent of the American O.S.S.; the mysterious and resourceful Merewether before they were to be taken to Berlin. They are brought to the United States to live on Mercer Street in Princeton, New Jersey, across the street from world-renowned scientist Albert Einstein.

Benoit DesChamps began work along side Einstein at The Institute for Scientific Research on the Princeton University Campus, while Anouk, his wife, set about making the house at 115 Mercer Street, a home for her family. Their only child, François, began his long road to become an American kid.

It was not long into starting their new lives that tragedy befell the family with Anouk’s untimely death. Both Benoit and François are devastated by her loss and try to come to grips with their grief; father and son soon became estranged and silent with one another.

Unintentionally drawn into a fight at school by a bully, François, defeated, bleeding and bewildered is saved from further humiliation as Phylo Gobernache and Kit Aldrich storm through the encircling crowd to defeat Joey McVetty and send him and his cohorts on their way. A strong friendship blossoms between the three children. It is one that will carry them through some good, and some terrifying times during that eventful summer in Princeton.

François’ friendship with Einstein, which began as a curiosity, has grown into one of mutual respect, companionship and trust. Einstein teaches him chess and talks about life while François helps him pull weeds in his gardens and keeps him company. Kit and Phylo are soon included and the four spend many idyllic hours on Einstein’s front porch.

However trouble is brewing. Not too far away off Amagansett, Long Island, a German U-boat surfaces and off loads a four-man crew of Gestapo assassins. Their assignment, ordered from the highest levels of German command, is to kidnap Einstein, a longtime annoyance to Hitler, and forcibly bring him back to Germany to work on the development of a nuclear bomb for the Nazis, thus completing their quest for world domination. While in Princeton they are also to murder Benoit DesChamps and his family in retribution for escaping The Reich, an example to all those who disobey the edits of the Third Reich.

Learning of the plot through extraordinary circumstances, thin pieces of evidence and deduction: the kidnapping Einstein and the abduction of Benoit DesChamps and Kit’s mother Amelia; François, Phylo and Kit race to historic Clark House outside Princeton to confront the Nazis on their own.
What the three friends find at the Clark House will tax their abilities, their bravery and their friendship!

Will the elusive Merewether arrive in time with his force of G-men?

Can the three friends hold the Nazis assassins off from completing their evil deeds?

Will they be able save the day?

Surprises and action abound in this suspenseful page-turner-
112 Mercer Street.