THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS: JOHN BUCHAN

I am not sure what motivated me to read this thriller, written in 1915.  Maybe because it was one of the first ever spy novels and has been made into a motion picture three times, first i 1939 by Alfred Hitchcock.  It's set just before WWI, seems prescient in its plot, the attempt of the Germans to steal plans from the British before starting a war in Europe.  Fortunately, the South African roustabout, Richard Hannay is there to foil the plot.  He's made aware of the plot by an American spy named Scudder, who fearing for his life, trusts Hannay and tells him about  a group called the Black Stone, who have plans to assassinate the Greek prime minister, using it as a pretext for starting the war, reminding me of how WW I started, with an assassination in Sarajevo.

Shortly after, Scudder is found murdered and the police with the help of German spies in the British government, blame it on Hannay who is staying in the same hotel. Hannay flees north, to Scotland, to avoid both police and the Black Stone.  Much of the story revolves around his meeting up with people who take him in, believe his story, and help him, eventually to get to the authorities.  After much discussion, they believe his story and amazingly, put him in charge of foiling the plot, capturing the spies, and making sure the secret documents never get to the Nazis.  If you want to know how he does it, read the book, see the movie.  By the way, this is only the first of five Richard Hannay novels.  A short read, worth reading for its importance as one of the first spy thrillers.  Other than that, a bit silly but well written.