This novel tells of a Richard Hannay who lives a monotonous routine life, which is suddenly disrupted by his neighbour who takes refuge in his apartment. This man, namely Franklin P. Scudder, has documented and investigated the plan of a pan-European war, and he holds the information to prevent it, yet untimely he is murdered in Hannay's apartment, and Hannay flees from the accusing police. It is now his duty to prevent the war, but first he has to decipher Scudder's scribbled notebook that he left behind.

Being of Scottish descent, and having spent a fair amount of his life in the African Wild, he heads for the Scotland wilderness where he feels he can escape the police. The problem lies in the fact that he is also wanted by an organisation named The Black Stone, which is the organisation who have plotted to kill Karolides and initiate...