It would be an international crime to reveal too much of the jeweled clockwork plot of Le Carré's first masterpiece, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. But we are at liberty to disclose that Graham Greene called it the "finest spy story ever written," and that the taut tale concerns Alec Leamas, a British agent in early Cold War Berlin. Leamas is responsible for keeping the double agents under his care undercover and alive, but East Germans start killing them, so he gets called back to London by Control, his spy master. Yet instead of giving Leamas the boot, Control gives him a scary assignment: play the part of a disgraced agent, a sodden failure everybody whispers about. Control sends him back out into the cold--deep into Communist territory to checkmate the bad-guy spies on the other side. The political chessboard is black and white, but in human terms the vicinity of the Berlin Wall is a moral no-man's land, a gray abyss patrolled by pawns.

Le Carré beats most spy writers for two reasons. First, he knows what he's talking about, since he raced around working for British Intelligence while the Wall went up. He's familiar with spycraft's fascinations, but also with the fact that it leaves ideals shaken and emotions stirred. Second, his literary tone has deep autobiographical roots. Spying is about betrayal, and Le Carré was abandoned by his mother and betrayed by his father, a notorious con man. (They figure heavily in his novels Single & Single and A Perfect Spy.) In a world of lies, Le Carré writes the bitter truth: it's every man for himself. And may the best mask win. --Tim Appelo


From AudioFile
Michael Jayston's narration brings Alex Leamas alive for any listener who wants to delve into the early days of Cold War Berlin and Britain's inscrutable Service. This title and Call For The Dead, also narrated by Jayston, provide a delightful re-aquaintance with George Smiley for his many fans. Jayston captures le CarrŽ's brilliance in this classic espionage tale which ages yet never seems to age. With steady pacing, a fine command of nuance for the characters' voices and impeccable diction, Jayston is outstanding. R.F.W. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine


Review
J. B. Priestley Superbly constructed, with an atmosphere of chilly hell.


Book Description
In this classic, John le Carré's third novel and the first to earn him international acclaim, he created a world unlike any previously experienced in suspense fiction. With unsurpassed knowledge culled from his years in British Intelligence, le Carré brings to light the shadowy dealings of international espionage in the tale of a British agent who longs to end his career but undertakes one final, bone-chilling assignment. When the last agent under his command is killed and Alec Leamas is called back to London, he hopes to come in from the cold for good. His spymaster, Control, however, has other plans. Determined to bring down the head of East German Intelligence and topple his organization, Control once more sends Leamas into the fray -- this time to play the part of the dishonored spy and lure the enemy to his ultimate defeat.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In this classic, John le Carré's third novel and the first to earn him international acclaim, he created a world unlike any previously experienced in suspense fiction. With unsurpassed knowledge culled from his years in British Intelligence, le Carré brings to light the shadowy dealings of international espionage in the tale of a British agent who longs to end his career but undertakes one final, bone-chilling assignment.

When the last agent under his command is killed and Alec Leamas is called back to London, he hopes to come in from the cold for good. His spymaster, Control, however, has other plans. Determined to bring down the head of East German Intelligence and topple his organization, Control once more sends Leamas into the fray -- this time to play the part of the dishonored spy and lure the enemy to his ultimate defeat.

FROM THE CRITICS

Gale Research

Many of the qualities in le Carre's writing that are most praised by critics were first displayed in Spy. One of these is an authenticity and realism not usually found in espionage fiction. "Here is a book, " Anthony Boucher writes in the New York Times Book Review, "a light year removed from the sometimes entertaining trivia which have (in the guise of spy novels) cluttered the publishers' lists." A reviewer for theTimes Literary Supplement believes that, in Spy, "the technicalities of [spy] network organization carry a stamp of authenticity seldom found in stories of this nature, " although the critic decries the "basically sensational" subject matter.

AudioFile - Robin F. Whitten

Michael Jayston￯﾿ﾽs narration brings Alex Leamas alive for any listener who wants to delve into the early days of Cold War Berlin and Britain￯﾿ﾽs inscrutable Service. This title and Call For The Dead, also narrated by Jayston, provide a delightful re-aquaintance with George Smiley for his many fans. Jayston captures le Carr￯﾿ﾽs brilliance in this classic espionage tale which ages yet never seems to age. With steady pacing, a fine command of nuance for the characters￯﾿ﾽ voices and impeccable diction, Jayston is outstanding. R.F.W. ￯﾿ﾽAudioFile, Portland, Maine

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