The 39 Steps

Written by John Buchan

Narrated by Cathy Dobson

When Richard Hannay returns to London after an action-packed life in Rhodesia, he finds life unbearably dull. He is on the point of leaving the city in search of adventures, when mystery and intrigue turns up at his door in the shape of Franklin Scudder, Hannay’s neighbour, who turns out to be a spy trying to escape the clutches of a shady international organisation, bent on sparking a European war.

When Scudder is mysteriously murdered and all the evidence seems to point to Hannay himself, he escapes to Scotland, bearing Scudder’s cryptic coded notebook, which he struggles to decipher. Hannay manages by cunning, skilful disguise and sheer pluck to keep one step ahead of his ruthless pursuers…and eventually works out the cipher to read Scudder’s mysterious notes, which refer to the 39 steps and the enigmatic Black Stone. But can Hannay solve the puzzle, thwart the criminals, and clear his name before Europe is plunged into turmoil?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Red Door Consulting
• Release date: Feb 4, 2013
• ISBN: 9781467668668

John Buchan

John Buchan was a Scottish diplomat, barrister, journalist, historian, poet and novelist. He published nearly 30 novels and seven collections of short stories. He was born in Perth, an eldest son, and studied at Glasgow and Oxford. In 1901 he became a barrister of the Middle Temple and a private secretary to the High Commissioner for South Africa. In 1907 he married Susan Charlotte Grosvenor and they subsequently had four children. After spells as a war correspondent, Lloyd George's Director of Information and Conservative MP, Buchan moved to Canada in 1935. He served as Governor General there until his death in 1940. Hew Strachan is Chichele Professor of the History of War at the University of Oxford; his research interests include military history from the 18th century to date, including contemporary strategic studies, but with particular interest in the First World War and in the history of the British Army.

Reviews for The 39 Steps

[Mark Maciel · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Cathy Dobson - Your voice is impossible to listen to.