100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ

Auckland Bookstore open Sunday until 5:00pm ๐Ÿ“š

The Strange Stories of John Buchan

Brief Description
To mark the 150th anniversary of Scottish author John Buchan's birth, strange fiction expert James Machin presents a new selection of the writer's best uncanny fiction, including stories from The Runagates Club.Though best known today as the author of The Thirty-Nine Steps, this new volume aims... Read More
Format: Hardback
$3999
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

A new edition of the works of a high-profile British writer, whose supernatural fiction remains relatively overlooked published to coincide with the 150th anniversary of his birth. Featuring a new introduction by Buchan expert James Machin exploring the varied life of this author and its impact on his fiction.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

To mark the 150th anniversary of Scottish author John Buchan's birth, strange fiction expert James Machin presents a new selection of the writer's best uncanny fiction, including stories from The Runagates Club.

Though best known today as the author of The Thirty-Nine Steps, this new volume aims to foreground his contribution to the early weird tale, including some of his most classic stories alongside a number rescued from rare periodicals of the early twentieth century.

Series: British Library Gilded Nightmares

View all
  • Bewitched
    Drawing from a lifetime of supernatural short-story writing, this new collection of Edith Wharton's greatest and most chilling tales showcases one of the most talented ghost story practitioners of all time at her very best. This new edition features a new introductory essay discussing Wharton's indelible influence on the ghost story genre, as well as rarely anthologised tales from the...
    Hardback
    $3999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Dead of Summer
    May Day Eve, Walpurgis Night and Midsummer Eve or the Summer Solstice. Tales of these fated days and nights, and their riotous rituals and feasts, have rung down the centuries, and yet in today's world those that observe their ancient ways are few.Setting out on a mission to re-weird this lost stretch of the ritual year, Johnny Mains returns with...
    Hardback
    $4499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Strange Stories of John Buchan
    To mark the 150th anniversary of Scottish author John Buchan's birth, strange fiction expert James Machin presents a new selection of the writer's best uncanny fiction, including stories from The Runagates Club.Though best known today as the author of The Thirty-Nine Steps, this new volume aims to foreground his contribution to the early weird tale, including some of his most...
    Hardback
    $3999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Illusions of Presence
    Pre-order
    Illusions of Presence
    Oh! Grandmamma, do tell us a story a nice, horrible ghost story. A trip to the dentist becomes a ghoulish ordeal on Christmas Eve. Blood spilt over a Christmas wedding begets a ghostly vengeance. In the dark of a mine, an elemental spirit claims its Yuletide sacrifice. The Christmas ghost story is a cornerstone of supernatural writing, with a legacy...
    Hardback
    $3999
    Pre-order
    Out 1 Sep 2026

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780712355827

Publisher: British Library Publishing

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 17 July 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: British Library Publishing

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 149.0mm

Height: 210.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 256

About the Author

John Buchan (1875-1940) was a Scottish statesman, novelist and short story writer best known for his adventure novels such as The Thirty-Nine Steps (1915). He also produced an impressive output of supernatural fiction, including tales inspired by his time in Canada in the role of governor-general.

James Machin is a researcher of British weird fiction, and editor of Handheld Press's British Weird anthology. He has worked with the John Buchan Society to promote Buchan's weird and uncanny fiction, and included a chapter on Buchan in his monograph Weird Fiction in Britain, 1880-1939.

Also by John Buchan

View all
  • The Thirty-Nine Steps
    A gripping tale of adventure that has enthralled readers since it was first published, John Buchan's The Thirty-Nine Steps is edited with an introduction and notes by Sir John Keegan in Penguin Classics. Adventurer Richard Hannay has just returned from South Africa and is thoroughly bored with his London life โ€” until a spy is murdered in his flat, just...
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Thirty-Nine Steps: Popular Penguins
    The Thirty-Nine Steps follows the thrilling story of Richard Hannay, who finds his return to England from years in South Africa to be dreadfully monotonous. This uneventful existence in London takes a dramatic turn when a murder occurs in his flat. Just days earlier, Hannay had a chance encounter with an American who revealed an assassination plot with the potential...
    Paperback
    $1599
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Thirty-Nine Steps
    The Thirty-Nine Steps features Richard Hannay, a restless hero, determined to showcase the integrity of the ordinary man who stands in defence of his country. Buchan's terrific yarn excelled as a Hitchcock movie of the same name and inspired all subsequent spy thrillers, including the much later incarnation of Fleming's suave James Bond. The book plays on fears of invasion...
    Paperback
    $2199
    Available
    Ships in 1 week
  • The Thirty-Nine Steps
    Twenty new titles in the much-loved and hugely successful Penguin English Library series. The Thirty-Nine Steps 'My guest was lying sprawled on his back. There was a long knife through his heart which skewered him to the floor.' Richard Hannay has just returned to England after years in South Africa and is thoroughly bored with his life in London. But...
    Paperback
    $1799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • John MacNab
    In 1925, John Buchan published his second most famous novel, John Macnab. Three high-flying menโ€”a barrister, a cabinet minister, and a bankerโ€”are suffering from boredom. They concoct a plan to cure it. They inform three Scottish estates that they will poach from each two stags and a salmon within a given time. They sign collectively as 'John Macnab' and await...
    Paperback
    $2499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Little Book of Trolls
    Trolls have escaped from the black lava wastes of Iceland and the dense pine forests of Scandinavia to take on a new life in the collective global imagination. They may not steal goats and eat people quite so much, but they remain disruptive and dangerous, even if their limited imaginations sometimes make them comic and even quite likeable. Emerging from...
    Hardback
    $2999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The 39 Steps
    Pre-order
    The 39 Steps
    One of the greatest adventure stories ever written, freshly repackaged for a new generation of readers and featuring an exclusive introduction from the authorโ€™s grandson. โ€˜This latest edition of the novel has been redesigned, resulting in an authentic looking cloth-bound book ... Exciting and thrilling, this should be read by all.โ€™ โ€“ The Sun โ€˜A handsome new editionโ€™ โ€“ The...
    Hardback
    $1299
    Pre-order
    Out 28 Jul 2026
  • The Island of Sheep
    The Island of Sheep is the fifth, last, and most unusual of the Hannay books. Having returned once again to a quiet life at Fosse Manor, Hannay's life is shaken a final time when the son of an old acquaintance from Africa asks for his help in finishing a feud that goes back thirty years to a hilltop in Rhodesia....
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • The Free Fishers
    When Anthony Lammas, Kirk minister and Professor of Logic at St Andrews University, sets off for business in London, little does he realise that he will soon be entangled in a web of conspiracy. But Anthony is no ordinary professor. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, The Free Fishers is classic Buchanโ€”a fast-paced tale of treason and espionage. With an introduction...
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • The Thirty-Nine Steps
    Recently returned from South Africa, adventurer Richard Hannay is bored with life. After a chance encounter with an American who informs him of an assassination plot and is then promptly murdered in Hannay's London flat, he becomes the obvious suspect and is forced to go on the run. He heads north to his native Scotland, fleeing the police and his...
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Midwinter
    The Jacobite army marches into England, and Alistair Maclean, a close confidant of Charles Edward Stewart, embarks on a secret mission to raise support for the cause in the west. He soon begins to suspect that someone close to the Prince is passing information to the Government. Just as he closes in on the traitor, his own life is put...
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • The Three Hostages
    After distinguished service in the First World War, Richard Hannay settles into peaceful domesticity with his wife Mary and their young son. However, news comes to him of three kidnappings. With no more than a few tantalisingly cryptic lines of verse as clues, he is soon on the trail of Dominick Medinaโ€”a charismatic polymath but a man 'utterly and consumedly...
    Paperback
    Sold Out

More from Uncategorised

View all
  • Gift Wrap
    Transform any book into the perfect gift with Book Hero's premium gift wrap! Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply surprising a loved one, our gift wrap adds an extra layer of excitement to your thoughtful gesture. Features: Elegant Design: Our gift wrap features a timeless design that complements any book, making it ideal for birthdays, holidays, or any...
    From Free
    (3)
  • Shadows of Navarre (Fourth Wing) Bookmark
    Rebecca Yarros reignited the romantasy genre with the release of Fourth Wing (2023), the first book in her Empyrean series. Centered around 20-year-old dragon-rider recruit Violet Sorrengail, the series defies traditional fantasy tropes by offering readers a female hero who is both formidable and deeply human.
    Miscellaneous print
    $795
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Tell Your Life Story
    Everyone has a life story. This is your chance to share yours. The Official Hear Your Story Collection Everyone has a life story. This is your chance to share yours. Leave a legacy with this guided journal to sharing your cherished memories, hard-earned wisdom, and proudest achievements. From bestselling creator of the Hear Your Story series Jeffrey Mason, Tell Your...
    Paperback
    $2099
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Hunger Code
    From the author of the multi-million-copy bestseller The Obesity Code comes The Hunger Code. For generations, we've accepted the story that weight loss never lasts - that as soon as you go off your diet or stop taking your medication you will revert to your old self and regain weight, and the dieting journey will start all over again. But...
    Paperback
    $3200
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • My First Ikura
    A gentle and powerful story that reclaims the sacredness of a girlโ€™s first ikura (period) through a Mฤori lens โ€” celebrating connection, ceremony and whakapapa. Rooted in te ao Mฤori, My First Ikura and the reo Mฤori translation Taku Ikura Tuatahi is abeautifully illustrated childrenโ€™s book that follows a young girlโ€™s first period, guided by the support of her whฤnau....
    Hardback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $2999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Shadows of Navarre (Fourth Wing) Midi Lined Hardcover Journal
    Rebecca Yarros reignited the romantasy genre with the release of Fourth Wing (2023), the first book in her Empyrean series. Centered around 20-year-old dragon-rider recruit Violet Sorrengail, the series defies traditional fantasy tropes by offering readers a female hero who is both formidable and deeply human.
    Hardback
    $3295
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Kara-ori (Japanese Kimono) Bookmark
    Showcasing silk dyed with beni (the pigment extracted from safflower petals) and lacquered in gold, this kimono design dates to the Edo period (1615โ€“1868), when it was used as a costume for the theatrical style known as Noh. Kara-ori refers specifically to the exquisitely embroidered women's kimono that traditional Noh theatre was known for.
    Miscellaneous print
    $795
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Dazzas Cooked
    This book is a celebration of Darrenโ€™s biggest hits, the recipes that put Ashby Pies on the map. Inside Dazzaโ€™s Cooked you will find chapters including: โ€“ Pies: beef cheek and cheese, roast lamb and rosemary, smoked fish pie.โ€“ Corner Bakery: bacon, beer and cheese scones, cinnamon buns, apple turnovers.โ€“ Snacks: sticky chicken nibbles, fish crudo, lamb ribs.โ€“ Meat: pork...
    Hardback
    $4499
    Elsewhere:
    $4999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Magic of Wicked (Wicked Collection) Bookmark
    Miscellaneous print
    $750
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Kim A Journey Between Worlds
    Born Mฤori (Ngฤtikahungunu), raised Pakeha, Kim Rangiaonui Logan's father was commander in D Company, 8th Mฤori Battalion, but returned from war a damaged man, unable to cope with his children. But this is no misery memoir. Kim climbed away, literally - Everest, Aorangi Mt Cook, anywhere, to love and contentment, and in the process reconnected with his Whakapapa. Now living...
    Paperback
    $5500
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • 2025 New Zealand Cricket Almanack
    The 78th edition of the New Zealand Cricket Almanack, and the 43rd under the current editors, covers a year of almost non-stop activity for New Zealand teams. The Black Caps were involved in 36 matches during that period, with the historic 3-0 test series win in India being the undoubted highlight. They also took part in series in Sri Lanka...
    Paperback
    $3999
    Elsewhere:
    $5500
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • What We Did to Survive
    A vacation in paradise turns deadly when four teens' sailing charter hits stormy seas in this propulsive new thriller from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Megan Lally! What We Did to Survive follows Hannah, who can't wait to spend spring break with her best friend, Emmy, and her family. A week at a resort in Mexico is...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.