Published in 1909 under the pseudonym Matull, this is part of a huge German pulp series about the adventures of Lord Lister, a British aristocrat and secret agent. This particular story sends him across the Channel to the Netherlands.

The Story

Lord Lister, agent '0119', is dispatched by his clandestine bureau to investigate a strange series of deaths in a quiet Dutch town. Several respectable citizens have died peacefully in their sleep. The only clue? Each victim confided in someone about having a horrifying, recurring dream just before they passed. The local authorities are baffled, writing it off as tragic chance.

Lister digs deeper and discovers the victims were all connected to a discreet philosophical club calling itself 'The Society of Dreamers.' This group met to discuss the nature of dreams and consciousness. As Lister infiltrates the society, he realizes this isn't about philosophy—it's about a dangerous experiment. Someone has found a way to weaponize sleep itself, using suggestion and fear as a lethal weapon. The race is on to uncover the method and the murderer before the next dreamer is chosen.

Why You Should Read It

What grabbed me was the fantastic premise. For a book written over a century ago, it plays with ideas about psychic violence and psychological terror that feel surprisingly modern. Lord Lister is a classic pulp hero—brilliant, resourceful, and always a step ahead—but the mystery he faces is uniquely eerie. The atmosphere is great; you can feel the foggy Dutch streets and the tension in those quiet, paneled rooms where the society meets. It's less about fistfights and more about the battle of wits and nerves.

It's also a fascinating time capsule. You get the formal manners of the Edwardian era colliding with this almost sci-fi concept. The explanation for the 'howdunit' is pure pseudoscience of its day, which is part of the fun.

Final Verdict

This is a gem for readers who love vintage mysteries and early speculative fiction. It's perfect for fans of Arthur Conan Doyle's more supernatural-leaning stories, or anyone who enjoys a 'tec in a trenchcoat facing the unexplainable. The pacing is quick, the central idea is brilliantly creepy, and it offers a wonderful escape into a world of gaslight and shadowy conspiracies. Just be prepared for a climax that owes more to inventive fantasy than forensic science, and you'll have a blast.