The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan

“Contrary to general belief, I was not a murderer, but I had become an unholy liar, a shameless impostor, and a highwayman with a marked taste for expensive motor-cars.” (John Buchan, The Thirty-Nine Steps, p.70)

This fast pace, action-filled novel will leave you not wanting to put it down the moment you start reading. Although only a short story, the narrative couldn’t be packed with more sub-plots that keep you on the edge of your seat as the narrative unfolds. When I first read this short story I was instantly hooked, the combination of thriller and action genres not typically something I would go for, but this was the text that completely changed the way I feel.

The Thirty-Nine Steps follows protagonist Richard Hannay as he is chased from the bustling city of London to the remote peaks of Scotland. Hannay takes up multiple disguises to blend into the setting around him as The Black Stone (made up of German spy’s) chase him down to stop him from foiling their plans to invade.

Although this story is completely fictional, it is set in the time where World War 1 is imminent, conveying the very real anxiety within Britain about the likeliness of war, which is shown through the theme of surveillance, boubly displayed through Hannay being on constant patrol of his surroundings and of the opposition’s discrete movements to follow him across the country.

Overall, I fully recommend The Thirty-Nine Steps as a Winer pastime read. It’s the perfect story to cosy up and get into while it’s cold outside. I hope you enjoyed my recommendation and let me know your thoughts on this book. Additionally, the 1935 film by Alfred Hitchcock is a great adaptation to watch alongside the book.

- Mary

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References:

John Buchan, The Thirty-Nine Steps, (London, Penguin Classics: 2004)