The Stratemeyer syndicate used the pseudonym Victor Appleton when writing several series for boys including Tom Swift. Edward Stratemeyer did the original outlines for the series, which was published between 1910 and 1941. Tom Swift was a genius inventor. He specialized in technology especially related to transportation. Later the series was followed by the Tom Swift Jr. series. In this first Tom Swift book Tom buys a motorcycle and immediately begins to modify it. Tom volunteers to transport his father's revolutionary turbine design plans across the country roads to Albany. Tom is unaware of the corporate investors who want to steal the invention until he unsuspectedly falls into their trap.