Richard Hannay finds a corpse in his flat, and becomes involved in a plot by spies to precipitate war and subvert British naval power. The resourceful victim of a manhunt, he is pursued by both the police and the ruthless conspirators. The Thirty-Nine Steps is a seminal chase thriller, rapid and vivid. It has been widely influential and frequently dramatised: the film directed by Alfred Hitchcock became a screen classic.
Download and start listening now!
"I'm not usually a fan of political thrillers, but I enjoyed this one. I found it to be exciting and suspenseful. 3.5 stars, but deserves to be rounded up rather than down. " — Evangeline (4 out of 5 stars)
"I'm not usually a fan of political thrillers, but I enjoyed this one. I found it to be exciting and suspenseful. 3.5 stars, but deserves to be rounded up rather than down. "
" Despite its alleged importance in setting the template for various kinds of adventure fiction, I thought this was a tedious yarn with an irksomely smug central character. "
" I really loved this when I was about 12. It seems a bit non-PC now, but for old times' sake ... "
" Maybe because I have seen three or four film versions, but there was not much tension for me while reading the book. Still three stars. The book is well written and now - at last - I know the real ending. "
" I bought this book when I saw the play on Broadway several years ago. It is a fast and active read, fun and well written. I'd like to read more by Buchan. "
" pretty exciting but the ending didnt match all the buildup. I was kinds of surprised at the abrupt ending. "
" One of my favourite books of all time. "
" One of the first books in the spy genre, and it's a neat one. Reads like a contemporary book despite being written in 1914. "
John Buchan (1875–1940) was educated at Glasgow University and Brasenose College, Oxford. He became a barrister, member of Parliament, soldier, publisher, and governor general of Canada. Of the over one hundred books he published during his lifetime, he is best remembered for his adventure and spy stories, especially The Thirty-Nine Steps, which was made into a movie by Alfred Hitchcock.
James Fox has narrated numerous audiobooks, including titles by John Buchan and John le Carré.
Audiobooks Were Restored to Your Cart
[ShoppingCartItemsAddedOnMerge] audiobook(s) were left in your cart from a previous visit, and saved to your account for your convenience. You may view or remove these audiobooks on the shopping cart page.