The Thirty-Nine Steps

Few novels have packed so much paranoia, pursuit and plain old dashing about into so few pages. The Thirty-Nine Steps is the book that effectively handed the world the blueprint for the modern thriller long before anyone uttered the phrase "spy franchise" or thought exploding helicopters were mandatory. Richard Hannay, an ordinary man with an extraordinary talent for finding trouble, stumbles into a conspiracy so improbable that the only sensible response is to sprint across Britain while being hunted by spies, policemen and anyone else who looks vaguely suspicious. It’s gloriously old-fashioned, outrageously influential and still surprisingly difficult to put down.

John Buchan wrote this classic during the First World War, proving that edge-of-your-seat suspense did not require satellite surveillance, artificial intelligence or someone whispering "we’ve been compromised" into a concealed earpiece every seven minutes. Instead, there are lonely moors, coded messages, narrow escapes, disguises that somehow fool everyone and a hero whose greatest weapon is keeping one step ahead of people determined to stop him having a quiet day.

This handsome 1993 Alan Sutton Publishing edition captures all the excitement while looking smart enough to grace any bookshelf devoted to classic literature, espionage or adventures involving large amounts of running in tweed. It serves as both a thrilling read and a reminder that countless novels, films and television dramas owe Buchan a considerable debt of gratitude—whether they admit it or not.

Condition is As New, with only slight fading to the spine. Internally it remains crisp, clean and exceptionally well preserved, making the fading little more than evidence that sunlight occasionally likes a good story too. After all, even the greatest secret agents eventually emerge into daylight.

Perfect for readers discovering Buchan for the first time, collectors of classic crime and espionage fiction, or anyone curious about where the DNA of the modern thriller truly began. Buy it today and enjoy the novel that launched generations of fictional spies, conspiracies and innocent men who really should have stayed at home. As always, from Crappy Old Books—where the books have survived the chase so you don’t have to.

Keep browsing: See more Modern Classics books Other books by John Buchan