THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS

This classic in espionage fiction has been dramatized by everyone from Alfred Hitchcock to “Masterpiece Theatre” and is tailor-made for a full-cast adaptation. Music swells, skilled performers deliver dramatic portrayals, and production values shine. Even the plot is classic: An innocent man is caught up in a nightmare of mistaken identity that ratchets up the tension with one near disaster after another. Ordinary guy Richard Hannay searches desperately for someone who’ll believe he’s not a murderer and help him unravel a secret notebook before it’s too late for all of Britain. This well-directed group of actors brings just the right over-the-top bravado to the production. D.G. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2010]