John Macnab

 John Macnab (1925) by John Buchan

The great lawyer/politician Sir Edward Leithen is feeling a bit under the weather, so he goes to see his friend and doctor who gives him the worst news possible. There's nothing wrong with him--at least not physically. But if that's the case, then what's a man filled with ennui and who doesn't feel like doing anything to do? His friend jokingly suggests doing something a bit dangerous and slightly illegal...something that will get the old adrenaline pumping. Of course, that would be an absurd thing for such an eminent man to do...

Then Leithen goes to his club where he finds two of his friends, the banker John Palliser-Yeates and Charles Lamancha, a nobleman and fellow politician, in the same boat. They've all lost the zest of life. None of them feel like doing any of the things they're supposed to do. And then...a fourth friend, Sir Archie Roylance--war hero and rising aspiring politician--comes along and tells them about the legend of Jim Tarras, a man who was bored in the Scottish Highlands and sent anonymous notes to local landowners warning them that he planned to poach on their land on certain days. The thrill of doing what he wasn't supposed to do and trying to evade the gamekeepers provided him with enough excitement to knock him out of his ennui.

The men are thrilled with the idea and talk Rolance into inviting him to his Scottish estate where they will play the same game with some of his neighbors. They decide to send the challenges out under the nom de plume John Macnab. The rest of the book revolves around the antics of the men as they scope out the land and the response of the local landowners to their challenge.

John Macnab strikes me as a cross between Jerome K. Jerome (of Three Men in a Boat fame) and pretty much any P. G. Wodehouse book. We have three bored gentlemen doing a fair amount of fairly ridiculous things to achieve their ends. And on the other side we have equally determined landowners hiring navvies and going to other great lengths to prevent them  It's fun to watch. And along the way Buchan gives us the most amazing character sketches and charming interplay between the various characters. The characterization is the best part of this one. 

My previous experience with Buchan is The 39 Steps. And this definitely is not that. It's far more farce than adventure...and there's even less mystery. The biggest mystery is whether the men will be caught or not and, if so, how. But it is a lot of fun and a nice, comfortable read. ★★★

First line: The great doctor stood on the hearth-rug looking down at his friend who sprawled before him in an easy-chair.

Last line: Below four signatures were engraved--Lamancha, Edward Leithen and John-Palliser-Yeates, and last, in a hand of surprising boldness, the honoured name of Benjamin Bogle.

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Deaths = two natural

*Finished on 12/22/25