'The Thirty-Nine Steps'

Always One Step Ahead: 
a review of 'The Thirty-Nine Steps' by John Buchan

John Buchan's 'The Thirty-Nine Steps' is a terrific spy story. Fast-paced, characterful, atmospheric and well-written, this classic is the exemplar for genre thriller writing. The plot device is that the central character, somewhat a dilettante in the spying game but no blunderer, always seems one step ahead of his pursuers, if by chance or accident as much as skill.

There is an interesting paradox in that the characters and story are quintessentially English, yet most of the real action is set in Galloway and the central character 'Richard Hannay' (clearly modelled after Buchan himself) is a Scotsman brought-up in South Africa. I loved the beautiful, evocative way in which Galloway is described. It is clear this is a part of the world that Buchan loves. I also admire the refreshing succinctness of this novel: at just over one hundred pages, it's relatively short and can be read in one sitting.

Just one word of warning about the Penguin Popular Classics edition that I read: what could mar the experience slightly for a first-time reader is that the blurb on the back cover of this edition does give the game away somewhat.

T. T. Rogers