The Thirty-nine Steps - John Buchan

This classic thriller or 'shocker' by John Buchan is famous for its action packed plot and gripping cliff hangers. There are surprises around every corner as our hero, Richard Hannay flees to Scotland to escape a conviction for a murder he did not commit. The murder victim is Scudder; a secret agent who dug a little too deeply and found he couldn't hide well enough from the Prussian agents in hot pursuit. The agents will stop at nothing to accomplish their mission...unless Richard Hannay can outwit them and blow their cover. Hannay's travels take him into the Highlands, desperately trying to stay hidden from the Police and the ...  Read the complete review

I was recommended this book by my grandfather, who read it as a boy back in the 1920s. He told me that it was his favourite book for years, and I decided to take him up on his proposal when I found it on sale in £1 classics. Well, I did enjoy this book. My father collects old boys' annuals from around the turn of the century; spiffing tales of derring-do and whipping johnny hun, all that sort of thing. I found Buchan's book to be very much in the same vein. I should not reveal the story too much, but I will say that it concerns a young colonial who, returning to England, is caught up in a vast and nefarious plot to undermine the entire British Empire after ...  Read the complete review