The Thirty-Nine Steps, an early spy thriller, was published by Scottish author John Buchan in 1915. It was the first of five books to feature protagonist Richard Hannay. Alfred Hitchcock adapted the story to film in 1935, emphasizing the thriller elements and changing most of the secondary characters. A theatrical version, which drew from Hitchcock’s movie but restored the comedic tone of Buchan’s novel, ran in London’s West End for 10 years. Buchan’s story of a young man who does his best to serve his country while caught up in intrigues beyond his control has proved enduringly popular.

This study guide refers to the 2022 e-book edition published by Dreamscape Media.

Plot Summary

Thirty-seven-year-old mining engineer Richard Hannay has recently returned to London from the British colony of Rhodesia in southern Africa. Just as he is feeling bored by the monotony of life in town, he is approached by an upstairs neighbor, Franklin P. Scudder, who tells him about a plot to send the world into war by assassinating Greek politician Constantine Karolides and stealing British naval plans. Though Scudder expresses antisemitic views and eccentric theories, Hannay feels inclined to believe him.

A few days later, Scudder is murdered inside Hannay’s apartment. Fearing both that the people responsible for the murder will come after him and that British authorities might blame him for the murder, Hannay flees to Scotland. For three weeks, he is pursued by the police as well as the German spies who killed Scudder. Along his journey, he deciphers Scudder’s encoded notebook, which contains details about an espionage group called the Black Stone and repeated mentions of “39 steps.”

The stakes begin to rise when Hannay meets a key member of the Black Stone whom Scudder had warned him about. The man traps Hannay in a storeroom, but he uses knowledge from his work as a mining engineer to blast his way out. Hannay is injured in the explosion, but he escapes.

Hannay then finds Scudder’s ally Sir Walter at his country home. They discuss Hannay’s recent experiences and the Black Stone’s involvement. Sir Walter thinks Scudder’s fears were exaggerated. He is proven wrong, however, when Karolides is assassinated. Knowing this will destabilize geopolitical relations and that the Black Stone also want to steal British naval secrets, Sir Walter and Hannay return to London.

Sir Walter meets with a French spy and a few other British officials. Hannay realizes their meeting was infiltrated by a disguised member of the Black Stone. Their only hope to stop the plans from getting out is to find the port where the Black Stone members will try to depart England. Hannay realizes he had the answer in Scudder’s notebook from the beginning, a coastal landing in Kent accessible by 39 steps.

Hannay and a Scotland Yard deputy go to the location. As they scout and infiltrate a seemingly normal English summer house, Hannay worries he has the wrong men. He remembers, though, that they are masters of disguise. In a climactic moment, Hannay blows a whistle, and reinforcements arrive. The youngest member of Black Stone seems to escape, but when the old man thinks he is victorious, Hannay reveals that their getaway yacht has been under English control for several hours. The story quickly concludes with Hannay taking pride in his service and stating that he joined the British army when World War I started a few weeks later.