Do you love a good mystery? Me too! You'll love The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan. And more that likely, it's a book than you have never heard of before. It was written a long time ago.
Imagine talking to friends, telling them about a really great mystery you just read. They'll be green with envy because you know something that they don't.
The thing is this, there are lots of really great mysteries that were written decades ago. And you'll never learn about them, unless someone like me tells you!
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All the images in this post are clickable! And by the way, if you're looking to hone your problem solving skills, reading mysteries will help you.
Five Big Ideas from The Thirty-Nine Steps
- It's okay to be fearful, but don't let it prevent you from taking action.
- Think things through, then decide.
- It's possible to lead others who are senior to you.
- Things are seldom the way they seem. Dip below the surface.
- Don't overthink things and allow them to prevent you from taking decisive action.
Let Me Introduce You to The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan!
The Thirty-Nine Steps 
by John Buchan was written in 1915 during World War I. The detective genre was still emerging, and Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle, who created the Sherlock Holmes stories influences John Buchan. He mentions his mentor in the book. The Thirty-Nine Steps is the first book in a series of five, less than 90 pages, and is often among the lists of best novellas.
What is The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan About?
The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan is narrated by 37-year-old Richard Hannay, who has recently returned to the United Kingdom after being away for a long time. He is bored and is thinking that he will give the place another day. And if nothing happens, he is going to leave.
That very evening, as he is about to enter his flat, a man who lives in the building approaches him. Mr Scudder is acting strange and wants to speak to Hannay inside his flat. Scudder, an American from Kentucky, spins an unusual dark tale to Hannay.
Scudder uncovers a plot to assassinate Constantine Karolides, a politician who will travel to the UK. Through a series of disguises, he arrives in the United Kingdom and has been living in the same building as Hannay.
Scudder stages his own death to deter those who want to see him dead because of what he knows. Hannay believes what Scudder has told him and allows him to stay in his flat. He notices Scudder is always writing in a little black book.
Four days later, in the evening, when Hannay returns to his flat, he finds Scudder stabbed to death. And skewered to the floor. He knows that if he stays, the police will blame him for the murder. And the killers will assume that Scudder has disclosed what he knows. The place has been ransacked. So the killers were searching for something.
Hannay remembers the little black book and begins a search. When he is not really looking, he finds it in his tobacco jar. Scudder writes in code, and Hannay has to find the cypher to crack the code. He is confident that he’ll be able to do that. The next morning, after spinning a tale to the milkman, he leaves wearing some of the milkman’s clothing.
After hours of trying, he finally cracks the code and can read what Scudder has written. At that point, he learns Scudder wasn’t completely honest with him. And that the situation is more dire. Scudder was the quintessential lone wolf, and wouldn’t be completely transparent with anyone, wanting the glory for himself.
As the story unfolds, we see a series of people who assist Hannay, whether they do so unwillingly, willingly and unknowingly. In The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan, the police are close to capturing him. But he escapes into the hands of the killer,
“those eyes, cold, malignant, unearthly, and most hellishly clever. They fascinated me like the bright eyes of a snake.”
While locked away in a cold storeroom, Hannay devises his escape by relying on his skills. He is fearful, but doesn’t allow his fear crippling him. Hannay finds some Lentonite in the storeroom. But he cannot remember how much to use to blow up the room. He has fought in wars and has also worked in a role as an engineer. The reader cannot help but admire Hannay, because he thinks things through, then decides. Inaction is not a part of his fabric.
One person who is helpful to Hannay is Sir Harry, who sends a letter of introduction to his godfather, Sir Walter Bullivant. When Hannay finally gets to Sir Walter, because of the introduction, the way has been paved and he can tell the man all that has transpired. He shows him the little black book.
During their conversation, Hannay learns he is no longer a suspect because Scudder had written to Sir Walter to protect Hannay in the event of his demise. Sir Walter is not convinced of what he reads in the little black book because Scudder is prone to exaggeration. However, he receives a call and learns that Constantine Karolides has indeed been assassinated and realizes that he has to take what is written in the little black book as the truth.
What I like about John Buchan’s The Thirty-Nine Steps is Richard Hannay’s ability to work through problems by reasoning. He is also a leader, who can lead those more senior than he is. As a reader, we learn things are not always as they seem.
And we shouldn’t overthink things too much and get off the correct track because we doubt the decisions that we have made. The book is short, but is filled with mystery, and allows us to test our problem-solving skills. Buchan’s use of language allows him to get his point across to the reader in a minimum number of words.
Should You Buy The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan?
I recommend The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan. What can you expect from The Thirty-Nine Steps:
- The book is filled with mystery and intrigue.
- If you want to hone your problem-solving skills, this book is for you.
- If you love a good mystery, this book is for you!
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Have you read?
Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay, Book Review
If someone clicks on a link and buys something from Amazon, the company will pay me a small commission. First published in October 2013.
