Richard Hannay, a mining engineer on holiday from the African colonies, finds London socialite life terribly dull. Yet it’s more than he bargained for when a secret agent bursts into his room and entrusts him with a coded notebook, concerning the impending start of World War I. In no time both German agents and the British law are chasing him, ruthlessly coveting the Roman numerals code, which Hannay believes he must personally crack.

In London, a diplomat accidentally becomes involved in the death of a British agent who’s after a spy ring that covets British military secrets.

Richard Hanney has a rude awakening when a glamorous female spy falls into his bed – with a knife in her back. Having a bit of trouble explaining it all to Scotland Yard, he heads for the hills of Scotland to try to clear his name by locating the spy ring known as The 39 Steps.