John Buchan's hero Edward Leithen chances upon a worldwide plan for domination. With his own life and those of his friends depending on the outcome of his struggle he engages in combat the anarchic brain behind "The Power-House."

The Author, despite being very busy in Public Service, wrote over fifty books during his life but his particular talent was for writing fast-moving adventure stories. The Power-House, a good example of this genre, was published in 1916.