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slferg 's review for:
The 39 Steps
by John Buchan
A marvelous spy story. Just reread for the 3rd or 4th time. I think it is one of the first thrillers written.
Richard Hannay has come home from living in South Africa since he was six. He is totally bored with London and considering going back to South Africa if London doesn't produce some excitement. That night he founds a neighbor from another floor at his elbow when he prepares to enter his apartment. Scudder, as he calls himself, is afraid for his life and looking for a place to stay safe. People have been watching him and he must stay alive until June 15th, because something really, terribly awful is going to happen. Karolides, the head of the Greek parliament will be assassinated and that will be the start of the conspiracy between Germany and Russia and capitalists and others who plan to start a war and take advantage of the chaos for monetary and power gains. He wishes to prevent the assassination, or so he tells Hannay. Then, Hannay comes home one day and finds Scudder dead in his study, a knife driven through his chest pinning him to the floor - and his flat has been ransacked. He knows he needs to leave or be accused of the murder, but it seems the people watching Scudder are watching him now. He has to get away and warn the government. He finds Scudder's notebook that contains information about the plot - the one the bad guys did not find, though they searched desperately. So he sets out, relying on his wits, health, gut instincts and quite a few kindly people he finds along the way. An exciting book.
Richard Hannay has come home from living in South Africa since he was six. He is totally bored with London and considering going back to South Africa if London doesn't produce some excitement. That night he founds a neighbor from another floor at his elbow when he prepares to enter his apartment. Scudder, as he calls himself, is afraid for his life and looking for a place to stay safe. People have been watching him and he must stay alive until June 15th, because something really, terribly awful is going to happen. Karolides, the head of the Greek parliament will be assassinated and that will be the start of the conspiracy between Germany and Russia and capitalists and others who plan to start a war and take advantage of the chaos for monetary and power gains. He wishes to prevent the assassination, or so he tells Hannay. Then, Hannay comes home one day and finds Scudder dead in his study, a knife driven through his chest pinning him to the floor - and his flat has been ransacked. He knows he needs to leave or be accused of the murder, but it seems the people watching Scudder are watching him now. He has to get away and warn the government. He finds Scudder's notebook that contains information about the plot - the one the bad guys did not find, though they searched desperately. So he sets out, relying on his wits, health, gut instincts and quite a few kindly people he finds along the way. An exciting book.