The Thirty-Nine Steps
John Buchan's The Thirty-Nine Steps (1915) is an adventure fiction novella. The story is set in Great Britain and 39 Steps, during Just before World War I. It features Richard Hannay. Readers will find themes of espionage, english language, fugitives from justice and intelligence service.
Open Library readers give it an average of 3.8 out of 5 from 26 ratings, and 205 more have it on their want-to-read list. It has been published in 881 editions across 8 languages.
It runs to roughly 116 pages — 2–3 hours of reading at an average pace. A free LibriVox audiobook (4 h 37 min) is available.
About The Thirty-Nine Steps
Richard Hannay has just returned to England after years in South Africa and is thoroughly bored with his life in London. But then a murder is committed in his flat, just days after a chance encounter with an American who had told him about an assassination plot which could have dire international consequences. An obvious suspect for the police and an easy target for the killers, Hannay goes on the run in his native Scotland where he will need all his courage and ingenuity to stay one step ahead of his pursuers.
Free audiobook
The Thirty-Nine Steps — LibriVox recording, 4 h 37 min in 10 sections.
Public-domain recording by volunteer readers. Listen online, download MP3s or stream from the Internet Archive.
Opening line
“I returned from the City about three o'clock on that May afternoon pretty well disgusted with life.”
Quick answers
Who wrote The Thirty-Nine Steps?
The Thirty-Nine Steps was written by John Buchan and first published in 1915.
What genre is The Thirty-Nine Steps?
It is usually shelved as Adventure.
How long is The Thirty-Nine Steps?
The median edition has 116 pages, about 2–3 hours of reading at 250 words per minute.
Is there a free audiobook of The Thirty-Nine Steps?
Yes — LibriVox volunteers recorded it; the recording runs 4 h 37 min.
What books are similar to The Thirty-Nine Steps?
Readers who like it often enjoy Clockwork Angel, The Bourne ultimatum and Rubinrot.
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