The Mystery, Crime, and Thriller Group discussion

This is the thread for discussing The 39 Steps by John Buchan. I will be your moderator. I look forward to seeing your thought on the book. It's one I've read a few times. I've set up a separate thread for spoiler comments.

Some initial thoughts / info on The Thirty-Nine Steps and its author, John Buchan.

John Buchan was the 1st Baron Tweedsmuir, born in 1875 and died in 1940. He was born in Scotland and died in Montreal Quebec. He was Canada's 15th Governor General and purported to have been very popular in Canada. During his life he managed to write a few books as well, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of.... Too many to list, but he wrote fiction, non-fiction, etc.

However related to this discussion, in 1915, he published The Thirty-Nine Steps, a spy / adventure, featuring a character to whom he would return a number of times, that being Richard Hannay. In all, Hannay appeared as the main character in five novels; The Thirty-Nine Steps, Greenmantle, Mr. Standfast, The Three Hostages and The Island of Sheep. Hannay also appeared as a minor character in two other stories.

Hannay can be somewhat larger than life but he is always entertaining. Alfred Hitchcock used Buchan's first story for an excellent adventure with Robert Donat as Hannay, a movie I've watched many times.

Well, there you go an intro to get you started. I hope you enjoy reading the book. I look forward to your thoughts.

There are four movies based on The Thirty-Nine Steps. But the 1935 Alfred Hitchcock is my favorite as well. And I think it’s because of Robert Donat. He died at a young age—53—and there’s a certain lost/sadness to all his parts. I also like Hitchcock’s earlier movies.

I look forward to discussing this little book.

Patty wrote: "There are four movies based on The Thirty-Nine Steps. But the 1935 Alfred Hitchcock is my favorite as well. And I think it’s because of Robert Donat. He died at a young age—53—and there’s a certain..."

I saw the more current one, Patty and hated how they turned it into a action - packed thriller. It is no doubt an adventure, but nothing like that version.

I will be joining you all in this discussion. This will be the first discussion for me in this group. I haven't yet read the book - I know, it's a classic, but I never got around to it.

I am joining for this discussion! I picked up the book on Amazon a few days ago and look forward to reading and chatting about it.

It's a quick read, 10 chapters, but a lot happens.

In Chapter 1, you get to meet the main character, Richard Hannay, and the character that will lead him down the path of the following chapters. Looking forward to your thoughts on it.

I'm in. But it's going to be a week or so before I get started.

This will be my first Buchan. He was often cited as a favorite author of Graham Greene.

RJ wrote: "I'm in. But it's going to be a week or so before I get started.

This will be my first Buchan. He was often cited as a favorite author of Graham Greene."

That's ok, RJ. I hadn't heard that before. Interesting.

I read that the story was first serialized in the August and September issues of Blackwood’s Magazine in 1915. In October if the same year, Blackwood Publishers publishes the book.

Patty wrote: "I read that the story was first serialized in the August and September issues of Blackwood’s Magazine in 1915. In October if the same year, Blackwood Publishers publishes the book."

I read that as well, Patty. I think many books were published in serialized form back in the day.

I just finished this.

This was a fun read and I think John Buchan did an impressive job telling this story in just 170 pages.

Richard Hannay is one heck of a character. I think I may have missed what he was doing in South Africa before he returned to London so I'm not sure if he had background in this spy business before. But from what I gathered he didn't? So being a random citizen pulled into this crazy plot he handled and adapted to the situation remarkably well.

I am interested in watching the movie adaptations now. Sounds like I should choose the one with Robert Donat.

Bill, I was just amazed at the quickness of it all!

Shanequa wrote: "I just finished this.

This was a fun read and I think John Buchan did an impressive job telling this story in just 170 pages.

Richard Hannay is one heck of a character. I think I may have missed..."

Shanequa, if I recall correctly the next book in the series, Greenmantle, delves a bit more into Hannay's life in Africa.

I agree with you about how quickly Buchan gets into the story and how much he packs into a relatively short novel.

I would try the Donat movie. It does add a strong female element that isn't in the book. Just makes the movie more entertaining.

Patty wrote: "Bill, I was just amazed at the quickness of it all!"

Pattty - Not a lot to ponder in the book, just a fast - paced entertaining adventure in my mind.

I'll try to be in. I just need to try to finish two other books before. So, probably a week or so for me. I'm intrigued and have been wanting to check out the Hitchcock version of this book.

Franky wrote: "I'll try to be in. I just need to try to finish two other books before. So, probably a week or so for me. I'm intrigued and have been wanting to check out the Hitchcock version of this book."

The discussion goes on for awhile, Franky. Good luck with your other books.

I had read the book before, and had seen at least two of the movie adaptations. I had forgotten how short it is, but there is a lot packed into it. Given that it was published in 1915, when Britain was awash with anti-German sentiment, it is not surprising who the villains are working for. Indeed, you might expect the anti-German sentiment to be stronger. It rattles along, with a new adventure in almost every chapter. But a lot seems to depend on Hannay receiving unquestioning help in unlikely places. And Buchan discovers new talents in his hero at the drop of a hat whenever the plot requires it. For all that, it remains an entertaining story.

Paul wrote: "I had read the book before, and had seen at least two of the movie adaptations. I had forgotten how short it is, but there is a lot packed into it. Given that it was published in 1915, when Britain..."

Sometimes you have to suspend disbelief. In the later books, we find that he has even more talents.. :)

Hi all!

I just started today and am already almost a quarter of the way in! It's a very riveting book. I will admit that I have had to look up some of the military campaigns that Hannay references so as to give me a sense of the time period (I should have looked up the publication date).

Buchan's descriptions of the Scottish countryside are really wonderful. I'm not used to such pastoral descriptions from a spy novel. It's very good.

The Richard Donat version will have to wait until I'm done with the book. Normally, I try to read the book before I see the movie. Times when I've done it the other way round have sometimes led to confusion because you're seeing the 'Director's' version of the story and not necessarily the 'Author's' version.

I’m somewhat at a loss as to what the purpose of the first five chapters are about.

He’s deciphered the code book. And now he’s running around the Scottish countryside, disguising himself, and outmaneuvering his pursuers.

Did I miss something? Is he going somewhere?

Patty,

Near as I can tell,the only way he can clear his name regarding Scudder’s murder in his home and to foil the assassination is to stop it himself.

The book is pretty fast paced and the author didn’t spend a lot of time on Hannay’s thought process.

Hope that helps.

Bobbie

Patty wrote: "I’m somewhat at a loss as to what the purpose of the first five chapters are about.

He’s deciphered the code book. And now he’s running around the Scottish countryside, disguising himself, and ou..."

Probably spoiler comments below -

In his mind, Patty, (view spoiler)[he's trying to bide his time until the event in question takes place. He doesn't want to alert the authorities before hand as he thinks that will provide a warning to the enemies and they will just change their plan. He thinks that it's better to catch them in the act, so he's trying to keep in hiding so he can avoid death. At least that's how I've understood it. (hide spoiler)]

Roberta wrote: "Hi all!

I just started today and am already almost a quarter of the way in! It's a very riveting book. I will admit that I have had to look up some of the military campaigns that Hannay references..."

I agree. It's always preferable to read the book first if you can. I didn't realize this was a book until I'd seen the movie a couple of times. I do think they are both pretty good.

I know there’s a plot—I’ve also finished the book—but he’s not really doing anything but running from the police and The Black Stone through chapter Six. He’s not looking for clues, following clues, picking up dames, etc. But he is running into people he knows. The purpose 60% of the book is a tour of Scotland.

Patty wrote: "I know there’s a plot—I’ve also finished the book—but he’s not really doing anything but running from the police and The Black Stone through chapter Six. He’s not looking for clues, following clues..."

There is that. I guess he figured out the code pretty well (although he hadn't figured out the 39 Steps until later), but he is trying to avoid the police and Black Stone as you say and await the moment when he can report to the police.

I know I have read this more than once, but did not have it recorded on GR. So, once again into the breach. Got an omnibus with first three of Buchan’s Richard Hannay books. Have also seen the movie a few times.

Kim wrote: "I know I have read this more than once, but did not have it recorded on GR. So, once again into the breach. Got an omnibus with first three of Buchan’s Richard Hannay books. Have also seen the movi..."

Look forward to your comments.

By chance I've started another of the Richard Hannay stories, The Three Hostages. Enjoying it very much.

I started and finished this in one setting I found it so enjoyable and entertaining that I really couldn't stop reading until I found out how it ended. Really engaging read. I think this has a little bit of everything this--spying, decoding messages, mystery, aliases, disguises, frantic running away from impending doom, treacherous old men-- and I thought it was very clever and loved the way it is told through Hannay's perspective. I'm interested in reading the second in the series, and will be watching the Hitchcock film very shortly.

Bill, thanks for the heads up on another one in this series.

So, do you have to read these in order? Has anyone gone on and read Greenmantle?

Franky wrote: "I started and finished this in one setting I found it so enjoyable and entertaining that I really couldn't stop reading until I found out how it ended. Really engaging read. I think this has a litt..."

It's not critical if you read them in order but they do follow a time sequence and Hannay's life changes throughout so if that's important, I'd suggest reading the in order. I've read Greenmantle and enjoyed. It's set during WWI and finds Hannay behind enemy lines in Turkey. The only one I've not read (finished) is The Three Hostages and there is one other where Hannay appears but isn't a major character, that I have also and not yet read; The Courts Of The Morning.

I've just found this group and, having seen and enjoyed several of the movie versions, I am excited to see The 39 Steps here. So, though I'm extremely late to the party, I'm joining in and using your prompt to get to a book I've been meaning to read for ages. Thanks for the nudge.

Sara wrote: "I've just found this group and, having seen and enjoyed several of the movie versions, I am excited to see The 39 Steps here. So, though I'm extremely late to the party, I'm joining in and using yo..."

It's never too late, Sara. I look forward to your comments when you get a chance to read the story.