John Hay Beith (1876–1952)

So I picked up this book mostly because it looked like Alfred Hitchcock married Nancy Drew--two faves of mine, but also because its "classic" mystery, a genre I hadn't explored outside Agatha Christie novels. Overall, it was an intriguing tale, filled with lots of disguises, intense pursuits, and cryptic messages. A word of caution for you English majors out there: the characters are extremely underdeveloped and the plot moves at an almost inhuman pace (an entire adventure in less than 150 show more pages?!?), two things I found really annoying when reading this book. But keep in mind that the author meant for this book to resemble American "dime store" novels, which is probably why it feels so superficial. Ultimately, this is an entertaining book, and one you could easily read on a snowy afternoon when classes are canceled. show less

Far-fetched and with that 1930s sort of unreality that no modern film can get away with, The 39 Steps is enormously enjoyable, especially the scenes where Donat and Carroll are handcuffed together. For all the serious nature of the situation Donat finds himself in--an accused murderer on the run--with its brisk running time of just 87 minutes, it is played almost for laughs. Ashcroft is great as a woman who helps Donat on his journey to find the bad guy.

Ian Hay (Major John Hay Beith, MC, CBE) was a novelist and playwright with a humourous and eccentric outlook. He was a friend and collaborator of P G Woodhouse.
During WW1 he served with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, going to France in 1915 as part of Kitchener's New Army - the First Hundred Thousand.
His eponymous book was based on his experiences at that period. Whilst undoubtedly a piece of propaganda, it bears his trademark humour and wry observation, as such it goes beyond mere show more propaganda. Published in English, American and Canadian editions in several printings, it was a tremendous success.
The author writes from first hand experience and captures the mood and humour of the times - the latter being a much needed defence mechanism required to survive in the horror of the trenches. It is worth revisiting in today's cynical age for the view it provides of how the war was seen by its willing (they were all volunteers at that stage) participants. But it is also a damned good read. show less

C+ (Okay).

A woman doesn't know her husband is involved in a terrorist plot.

It's effective, with plenty of bold Hitchcock style - as long as its about bombs and/or murder. There's a love interest subplot that demonstrates how inept Hitchcock was with that sort of thing.

(Mar. 2026)