"The Thirty-Nine Steps" is an adventure novel by Scottish author John Buchan, featuring Richard Hannay, an all-action hero with a miraculous knack for getting himself out of tricky situations. The novel has been adapted many times, including several films and a long-running stage play. The story follows Hannay's adventures as he tries to foil an anarchist plot to destabilize Europe, beginning with a plan to assassinate the Greek Premier, Constantine Karolides, during his forthcoming visit to London. Hannay's adventures continue in four subsequent books, two of which were set during World War I, and the other two in the postwar period. The novel is one of the earliest examples of the "man-on-the-run" thriller archetype, subsequently adopted by filmmakers as a much-used plot device. The 1935 black and white film directed by Alfred Hitchcock is regarded by many critics as the best film version. The novel has also been adapted for radio, television, and digital media. The play, based on Buchan's novel, is strongly influenced by Hitchcock's 1935 film adaptation and has won several awards.
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