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Cover of Rogue Male by Geoffrey HouseholdRogue Male
Classic · Fiction, Classics, Adventure

Rogue Male

by Geoffrey Household
1939 · 210 pages · Fiction
Critics' pick
≈ 5 hours to read · about 10 days at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

In the 1930s, a professional hunter in an unnamed Central European country gets a vicious dictator in his sights before security catches him. Imprisoned and tortured, he makes a harrowing escape across enemy territory.

Why it's worth reading

It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's a classic chase thriller.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

It's relentless.

By the numbers

65.7Must-Read Score
  • Readers59 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

On the lists
Guardian 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read

Reads as

Adventurous, Gripping, Dark

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →

Quick answers

Is Rogue Male worth reading?

Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #1,895 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.7 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Rogue Male about?

In the 1930s, a professional hunter in an unnamed Central European country gets a vicious dictator in his sights before security catches him. Imprisoned and tortured, he makes a harrowing escape across enemy territory.

How long does it take to read Rogue Male?

About 5 hours (210 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Rogue Male?

If you liked it, try Greenmantle by John Buchan, The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth or The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John le Carré.