# The Shocker Genre in The Thirty-Nine Steps

> Theme guide for The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan.

The book self-identifies as a 'shocker'—a tale where improbable incidents march just inside the possible, emphasizing a deliberate embrace of thrilling, improbable adventure over realism.

## Where it surfaces

- [Dedication](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_thirty_nine_steps_se/chapters/dedication): The dedication explicitly defines the book as a 'shocker'—a romance where incidents defy probabilities but remain just inside the possible.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_thirty_nine_steps_se/themes/the_shocker_genre
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_thirty_nine_steps_se/themes