Richard Hannay, Buchan's hero in this 1915 thriller, stumbles across a terrorist plot to destabilize Europe. A British spy in the mold of James Bond, Hannay is an action man with a polished veneer. After a series of murders, Hannay takes up the cause when he has to go on the run. A thrilling series of events come to an exciting conclusion.

Table of Contents

Chapter 01: The Man who Died

Chapter 02: The Milkman Sets Out on his Travels

Chapter 03: The Adventure of the Literary Innkeeper

Chapter 04: The Adventure of the Radical Candidate

Chapter 05: The Adventure of the Spectacled Roadman

Chapter 06: The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist

Chapter 07: The Dry-Fly Fisherman

Chapter 08: The Coming of the Black Stone

Chapter 09: The Thirty-Nine Steps

Chapter 10: Various Parties Converging on the Sea

John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir (1875–1940) was a Scottish novelist, short story writer, biographer and diplomat.

The son of a minister, Buchan was born in Perth, Scotland. Buchan won a scholarship to Oxford and received several writing awards while studying classic literature. After traveling the world in diplomatic circles, Buchan spent time running for political office, publishing a magazine and writing spy thrillers.

After success in many arenas and impressing many with his contributions during WWI, Buchan was appointed Governor General of Canada, where he served until his death. Upon his appointment, King George V, made him a peer.