THE PUZZLE PALACE PLOT SUMMARY: Echoes of the Iranian hostage crisis reverberate when one of the historical ghosts from the abortive attempt to rescue 52 American diplomats arises to illustrate the hysteria which took place in the Pentagon following the mission's failure. A rogue group in the Operations Directorate of the Department of the Army, sanctioned to conduct secret covert operations beyond the oversight of civilian Department of Defense officials, operates totally out of control. Newly promoted brigadier general Ken Grainger, preferring to serve in the field with troops, but compelled to accept a posting at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., is assigned to the Operations Directorate. He finds that senior Army leadership has authorized and financed secret operations in the Directorate that far exceeded expectations and in the process place Grainger's career and even his life in jeopardy. When it becomes clear that hundreds of millions of dollars are being diverted from legitimate Army programs and used for illegal activities, Grainger enlists the aid of some old Army buddies to expose the involvement of the outlaw group and the senior Army leaders who have failed to meet and maintain their moral leadership responsibility.