"The Thirty-Nine Steps" by John Buchan is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story follows the main character, Richard Hannay, who becomes caught up in a thrilling conspiracy after a mysterious man named Franklin P. Scudder arrives at his flat. Scudder claims to be a hunted man with vital information that could alter the fate of Europe.

At the beginning of the book, we meet Richard Hannay, an expatriate who feels disillusioned with life in London after returning from South Africa. His dull existence is disrupted when he encounters Scudder, who believes he possesses knowledge that could prevent an imminent assassination plot against an important politician, Konstantine Karolides. 

Scudder tells a bizarre tale of underground political maneuverings involving anarchists and conspirators, but he is brutally murdered in Hannay's apartment. This event thrusts Hannay into a desperate race for survival as he becomes a fugitive, seeking both refuge and the truth behind the assassination plot. This gripping opening sets the stage for an intense adventure filled with intrigue, danger, and espionage, leaving the reader eager to uncover what lies ahead for Hannay.