The Three Hostages

By John Buchan

It is some time after the First World War, and spy-catcher Richard Hannay is now married to his sweetheart Mary Lamington and living peacefully in the Cotswolds. When the kidnapping of three young children interrupts his quiet, rural life, Hannay finds himself on the trail of Dominick Medina, a cultivated and academic con man who charms everyone he meets. With a few lines of verse and the help of his friend, Dr. Tom Greenslade, Hannay must catch Medina and reveal the villain’s involvement in an international plot to corrupt young minds using hypnotism and blackmail.

Revisiting the memorable characters from The Thirty-Nine Steps, The Three Hostages is the fourth of five Richard Hannay novels written by John Buchan. The Thirty-Nine Steps and its four sequels established Buchan as an original thriller writer, and a pioneer of espionage fiction.

HarperPerennial Classics brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and celebrating reading in all its forms. Look for more titles in the HarperPerennial Classics collection to build your digital library.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Apr 2, 2013
• ISBN: 9781443420518

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 Three Hostages

[leslie398 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

While a few aspects of this 4th installment in the Richard Hannay series show their age (this was first published in 1924), most of it is surprisingly still relevant. The use of propaganda to get fanatics or troubled youngsters to stir up trouble is something we can see today.The only thing that really holds me back from a 5 star rating is the abruptness of the ending. I would have liked one or two more pages although in reality, there was nothing more that needed to be said.

[antiquary_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the fourth in the RIchard Hannay series. It is after World War 1, and Richard Hannay is asked to hep find three people who have been kidnapped as part of a plot having a links t the *rish nationalist movement (which Buchan evidently disliked). THe villain turns out to be a man who had been a friend of his and a member of the Runagates Club. I wonder if he is influenced by people like Sir Roger Casement and Erskine Childers who had very much part of that English heroic caste until they joined the Irish revolution.

[daftboy1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Sorry but I know this book is a classic and I respect that this was written in 1924/25 but this book wasnt for me. Found it confusing the way it keeps jumping from how the hero Dick Hannay unravels the clues. It was to far fetched and full of posh upper class twits for me. Probably in the day this book was really cutting edge and exciting but its so dated now.

[figgles_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

More brave men and strong women thwarting a plot for world domination. Richard Hannay, Sandy Arbuthnot and Archie Roylance all feature. A love of wild places overlays all.