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Hello, my name's Tim. Today's story is a classic novel about spies, disguise and bare-faced lies. Are you prepared for the deception that lies ahead? Let's find out. Our story begins with Richard Hannay, a Scottish engineer who has made his fortune in Africa and now returns to London, which he finds very dull, until one night he is visited by a neighbour.
The man claims to be an American journalist called Franklin Scudder and tells Hannay, I happen at this moment to be dead. Turns out that Scudder is actually a British officer who's being chased by spies because he has uncovered a plot to assassinate the Greek Prime Minister and launch Europe into war.
The story sounds unlikely, but Hannay doesn't think Scudder is a liar. He lets him hide in his flat. Scudder spends the mornings lying in and the afternoons writing in his notebook. One night, Hannay returns to find Scudder lying on his floor, dead, with a knife through his heart.
Hannay realises that he is in great danger from the murderers themselves and from the police who will suspect him. Scudder's mission is not Hannay's responsibility, but he cannot let sleeping dogs lie, so he takes the notebook, which is written in code, and heads to Scotland to lie low. MUSIC
He finds a local inn where he can have a lie down, but two mysterious men arrive asking questions about him. Soon after, two policemen do the same. Hanay steals the policeman's car and heads for the hills to get the lie of the land. He manages to break Scudder's code and reads the secrets that lie within the notebook.
He discovers that his pursuers are part of a German spy ring called the Black Stone, who plan to steal top-secret British defence plans and start a war. There are also cryptic references to 39 steps, which Hannity can't understand.
He meets a young landowner called Sir Harry, who believes his story and writes a letter of introduction to his uncle, Sir Walter Bullivant, a senior politician. But his enemies are closing in, this time chasing him in a plane. By relying on helpful strangers and sheer luck, he manages to stay one step ahead.
Stumbling across a house which lies at the foot of a remote moor, he meets an elderly man, who initially seems to help, but turns out to be suspiciously well-informed about Hanay. Unbelievably, Hanay has walked right into the house of one of Blackstone's leaders.
Hannay lies through his teeth to try to escape, but the old man does not believe him and locks him in a store cupboard. Hannay notices explosives lying around on the shelves and uses them to blow himself free. He heads for England to find the politician Sir Walter. MUSIC PLAYS
At first, Sir Walter thinks Hannay is telling him a pack of lies, but then the phone rings and he is informed that the Greek Prime Minister has been assassinated, exactly as Scudder predicted. Hannay witnesses Sir Walter having a meeting with someone claiming to be the head of the Royal Navy, but whom Hannay recognises as a Blackstone spy.
He warns Sir Walter, but it is too late. The man has escaped with crucial secrets about British defence. They know the spy must leave the country by sea, and suddenly Hannay remembers Scudder's cryptic message. 39 steps, high tide, 1017. He realises it must refer to a location on the coast.
They locate a house with 39 steps down from the cliff to the sea, and there they find a boat crewed by German sailors. Hannay manages to capture two spies while the boat is intercepted by the police.
The secret documents are returned and when World War I breaks out, Britain's defence plans are safe. Gosh, what a thrilling tale. I hope you enjoyed it and don't forget to join us next time for another classic story. Bye. Bye.
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