John Buchan is best known for The 39 Steps, made into a movie by Alfred Hitchcock. This is the story Hitchcock wanted to do but Buchan wanted too much money. Like 39 Steps, this is a man-on-the-run thriller starring Richard Hannay, who nevertheless hardly ever goes by this name in the story.

Set in Europe and Asia Minor in 1914. Hannay and 3 compatriots are assigned the task of discovering the meaning of a cryptic message that seems to have grave implications for the Allies in the inevitable war to come. Buchan gives the reader a vivid picture of what it's like mentally and physically to be a spy. I was looking forward to the part of the story that took place in Istanbul, but that turned out to be the least interesting part. The ending was weird. I don't have it figured out yet.