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The Thirty-Nine Steps

Audiobook
0 of 1 copy available
Wait time: About 2 weeks
0 of 1 copy available
Wait time: About 2 weeks

Perhaps more than any other book The Thirty-Nine Steps has set the pattern for the story of the chase for a wanted man. And, of the many writers who have attempted this kind of thing since Buchan, only a very few, like Graham Greene, have managed to sustain the tension in the same way. The story's extended chase scene inspired Alfred Hitchcock's movie of the same name.

The Thirty-Nine Steps, Buchan's best-known thriller, introduces his most enduring hero, Richard Hannay—who, despite claiming to be an "ordinary fellow," is caught up in a dangerous race against a plot to devastate the British war effort.

It begins calmly enough with a rather boring trip to London. Returning to his flat, Richard is shocked to find his neighbor dead on the floor with a knife in his back. Near the deceased is a small black notebook containing cryptic notes about the "thirty-nine steps" and a black stone. As the situation escalates, Hannay is mistaken for a secret agent by the police. Now he must run for his life across the Scottish highlands, thinking his way through narrow escapes while trying to decode the thirty-nine steps.

With wit and flair, this old-fashioned roller coaster ride offers soaring suspense with a comic touch.

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  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from February 22, 2010
      A full cast delivers a gripping performance of John Buchan's classic tale of espionage and intrigue. When Richard Hannay discovers a dead body in his apartment, he's dragged into a dark and dangerous world of global politics, secret societies, and undercover agents. Accused of murder and with the fate of the British fleet resting in his hands, Hannay must elude the police and
      foreign spies, decode a cryptic notebook, and convince the enigmatic Sir Walter Bullivant to believe his incredible tale. David Robb dazzles as Hannay, delivering a gritty, nuanced performance of a man living a nightmare, and with the addition of dramatic music and a host of pitch-perfect sound effects, this audiobook is highly enjoyable and highly recommended.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      When he's speaking as protagonist Richard Hannay, David Thorn does a fine job. He captures the tension, focus, and self-doubt of a man accidentally caught up in a spy caper. During these sections, it's easy to understand how this became a classic Hitchcock thriller and it's a pleasure to listen to. It's this narrative voice that sustains listeners through a plot that's a bit too clever and melodramatic to believe in--Thorn makes us cares about Hannay and the England that produced him. However, when he shifts accents, the results are uneven. Those close to an English accent, such as Scots, are adequate, but his Kentucky accent is so far off it detracts markedly from the listening experience. G.T.B. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
    • AudioFile Magazine
      This classic in espionage fiction has been dramatized by everyone from Alfred Hitchcock to "Masterpiece Theatre" and is tailor-made for a full-cast adaptation. Music swells, skilled performers deliver dramatic portrayals, and production values shine. Even the plot is classic: An innocent man is caught up in a nightmare of mistaken identity that ratchets up the tension with one near disaster after another. Ordinary guy Richard Hannay searches desperately for someone who'll believe he's not a murderer and help him unravel a secret notebook before it's too late for all of Britain. This well-directed group of actors brings just the right over-the-top bravado to the production. D.G. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:1000
  • Text Difficulty:5-7

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