Reimagining John Buchan’s 1915 thriller “The 39 Steps” was a really enjoyable creative challenge, which gave me a deeper appreciation for what made it groundbreaking. The original novel pioneered many elements of the modern thriller: the innocent man wrongly accused; the cross-country chase; and the amateur spy thrust into an international conspiracy. These were all elements I wanted to preserve.
The original’s pre-WWI setting captured a unique historical moment of rising tensions, something not so dissimilar to today, and I wanted to maintain the spirit of Buchan’s work while making it relevant for today’s readers. The original novel’s plot hinges on elements that wouldn’t work in our tech-connected world but our reliance on digital connection is just as problematic. The mechanics of avoiding technology in modern Britain, and in current espionage, is difficult to say the least.
Buchan’s tight pacing and escalating tension taught me a lesson in narrative construction. The original moves with remarkable efficiency, introducing the initial mystery then rapidly pushing the protagonist into flight and survival. It balances the hero’s internal thought process with external action. His psychological experience of being hunted creates tension even in quiet moments and even though I opted to write in the third person (Buchan wrote in first person) this was still important to my plot.
Those familiar with any of the four film versions of the story may be surprised to learn that there was no romantic interest in the original book. That was something I had to include! This was about more than updating an old story because the book was ‘of its time’ and today would be considered mysonginistic, racist and anti-semitic. Not a great combination for a modern reader. So it’s been an exploration of how storytelling conventions evolve while human emotions remain constant. Effective adaptation requires understanding of what made the original work successful in its time, then finding authentic contemporary parallels.
I hope I’ve done it justice.
Book Title: The 39 Steps: A Contemporary Reimagining
Author: L M Somerton
Publisher: Totally Entwined
Cover Artist: Claire Siemaszkiewicz
Release Date: May 20, 2025
Tense/POV: third person, present tense
Genres: Contemporary MM Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Tropes: Peril, self-sacrifice, accidental hero
Themes: Saving the world
Heat Rating: 4 flames
Length: 50 955 words
It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.
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First for Romance | Pride Publishing
Blurb
Oberon Wycherley never thought his dull London life could take a deadly turn—until a frantic neighbour, American journalist Art Carew, claims to have uncovered an international conspiracy. A Greek industrialist is marked for assassination by a shadowy cabal called the Black Stone and that’s only the beginning.
When Carew is found dead in his flat, Oberon finds himself the prime suspect—and the only one who can stop the plot. Fleeing to the rugged Scottish Highlands, Oberon must decipher Carew’s cryptic notebook while dodging assassins and evading the police. Along the way, he forms an unlikely partnership with the enigmatic Syd Whatten, a man whose charm is matched only by his secrets.
As the Black Stone’s sinister plan accelerates, Oberon and Syd race against time to unmask the conspirators. From explosive escapes to a high-stakes standoff on a storm-battered coastline, every step brings them closer to the truth—and deeper into danger.
Will they foil the plot in time? Or will Oberon become another casualty of a deadly game?
A gripping blend of espionage, danger, and unexpected alliances, The 39 Steps will leave you breathless to the last page.
“Well, that’s me royally screwed.” Oberon stared at the body and the blood seeping into cracks in the varnished floorboards. He was instantly ashamed that his first thought was a selfish one. Art was on his back, staring at the ceiling, eyes wide open. “He was being careful, paranoid, so what the hell happened?” It wouldn’t have been difficult for a killer to get past the security desk. They would have waited for the guard to take a break and walked right past. “No cameras in the lobby either.” Talking out loud helped. Oberon couldn’t see if there were wounds on Art other than the obvious one and thanks to a lifetime of viewing thrillers, he knew better than to approach the body. He debated a stiff drink but he’d already had half a bottle of wine with dinner. “Need to keep a clear head. Think.” He went to examine the front door to see if there was any sign of a forced entry, but there wasn’t. “So he let his killer in himself. Why did he open the door?” Oberon checked the time. It was gone eleven. He wasn’t going to get any answers from Art and calling the police wasn’t an option.
He searched the flat to make sure no one was hiding, which in retrospect he should have done sooner. “I’m not very good at this. Definitely wouldn’t survive the next Scream movie.” The killer was apparently long gone. Oberon closed all the curtains and put the chain on the door. Taking action, even something so mundane, helped clear his head and Oberon figured he had until the next morning to work out his next move. There was a possibility the killer might return but he didn’t think that was likely.
I’m fucked. Well and truly fucked. Any doubt Oberon had about Art’s story was gone. The proof was lying dead with a knife through his heart in the corner of the room. “Whoever was after you because of what you knew, caught up with you, didn’t they, you poor sod?” Why am I talking to a corpse? Someone had made sure of Art’s silence. Oberon’s problem was that Art had been staying with him for four days. It would be safe to assume that Art’s enemies would think he had told Oberon something to gain his trust and use of his spare room. “So that makes me next on the hit list.”
Lucinda lives in a small village in the English countryside, surrounded by rolling hills, cows and sheep. She started writing to fill time between jobs and is now firmly and unashamedly addicted.
She loves the English weather, especially the rain, and adores a thunderstorm. She loves good food, warm company and a crackling fire. She’s fascinated by the psychology of relationships, especially between men, and her stories contain some subtle (and some not so subtle) leanings towards BDSM.
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