The Thirty-Nine Steps: A Spy Thriller
Richard Hannay
He is the main character of the story. Living in London, he finds his life quite boring, convinced that nothing exciting will ever happen. However, his mundane existence takes a sharp turn when he encounters a peculiar visitor named Scudder.
Franklin P. Scudder
An American man who reveals a thrilling tale to Hannay. He speaks of spies, an impending murder planned for June 15th, and the potential outbreak of a catastrophic war if the plot succeeds. The target is none other than the Greek Prime Minister.
The Three Spies
These are the antagonists of the story, shrouded in mystery and lacking individual names. The reader knows them simply as “the spies.” One is tall, another is fat, and their leader is an old man with incredibly sharp eyesight, often described as having eyes like a hawk. Their actions and demeanor suggest they are German.
Sir Walter
Hannay’s sole ally, Sir Walter is the only one who believes his story about the spies and the planned assassination. He proves instrumental in assisting Hannay’s quest to track down and apprehend the spies.
The Story
Richard Hannay leads a monotonous life in London until Franklin Scudder’s visit. Scudder recounts a captivating story about a plot to assassinate the Greek Prime Minister and the dire consequences if a group of spies known as “Blackstone’s” succeed. Initially skeptical, Hannay discovers Scudder’s murdered body in his flat days later, presumably killed by the German spies. Thinking quickly, Hannay recalls Scudder’s black book, containing coded information about the plot. Realizing the spies will connect him to Scudder, Hannay escapes his flat with the help of a milkman, disguised in the milkman’s clothes.
Hannay heads to the train station, taking a train south. Midway through the journey, he disembarks, gives his ticket to a boy, and purchases a new ticket heading north. Overwhelmed by fear, he jumps off the train before reaching his destination, finding himself in the middle of a moor. His escape continues on foot, his only goal to remain hidden until June 15th, when he can warn the Greek minister.
He encounters a man fishing on a bridge near a hotel. The man reveals himself as the hotel owner, confessing his desire to be a writer and his love for stories. Intrigued, he offers Hannay a room after hearing his tale. After a few hours of sleep, Hannay is awakened by the arrival of a car belonging to the spies searching for him. The quick-thinking hotel owner covers for Hannay, sending the spies away. Knowing they will return, Hannay instructs the owner to contact the police the next morning, revealing the spies as Scudder’s murderers.
As expected, the spies return the following morning. As they enter the hotel, Hannay makes a daring escape through a window, stealing their car and continuing his journey south. Hearing an airplane overhead, he suspects it’s either the spies or the police. Deciding to abandon the car, he crashes it and flees into the woods. After spending a night in the moor, he realizes he is surrounded, the road being the only escape route. Spotting a road worker, Hannay learns the man is exhausted but must continue working due to an impending inspection. Hannay offers to take his place, an offer the man gratefully accepts. Disguised as the road worker, Hannay passes through the spies'”enemy lin” unnoticed. He continues working until the evening, allowing the real road worker to return and continuing his journey after the inspector passes.
He eventually stumbles upon a small farmhouse with a tower. An old man sits outside, and Hannay approaches him. However, he makes a grave mistake – the old man is the leader of the two spies. Trapped, Hannay is taken to the backroom and interrogated. He feigns ignorance, but while alone, he discovers explosives. Using them to blow a hole in the wall, he makes a run for the woods, narrowly escaping the spies’ sight. He spends the afternoon hiding in the tower, hoping to avoid detection.
Under the cover of night, Hannay descends from the tower and disappears into the woods. The sound of the spies’ plane overhead reminds him to remain vigilant. He spends the next few days navigating the moor and woods.
Reaching a small village, he encounters his first and only ally, Sir Walter. Hannay recounts his entire experience, from Scudder’s murder to his escape from the farmhouse. He entrusts Sir Walter with the black book, now deciphered. Despite the unfortunate news of the Greek Prime Minister’s assassination that morning, they still have time to prevent the spies from escaping to Germany with stolen military secrets. The mystery lies in deciphering the secret of the thirty-nine steps. Working together, they uncover the secret – the steps belong to a house on the northern coast, significant for its location at half-tide precisely at 10:17 AM. Armed with this knowledge, they set off for the village where the spies are suspected to be hiding.
Upon reaching the village, Hannay identifies the house with the thirty-nine steps. Contacting the police, they surround the house but await final confirmation. Hannay remains uncertain, as the three occupants appear more like ordinary vacationers than hardened spies. To confirm their identities, he enters the house. The police wait outside for his signal. Inside, Hannay is invited to play cards, their surprisingly normal behavior adding to his confusion. As they play, he questions his judgment, wondering if he’s made a mistake. But then, he notices the old man’s eyes, their hawk-like intensity a chilling reminder of their previous encounter. With a blow of his whistle, signaling the police, the lights go out. A struggle ensues as the spies attempt to escape, but the police apprehend them all. They successfully prevent the military secrets from leaving England, but the outbreak of war becomes inevitable. Two weeks later, the first World War begins.