Call for the Dead

A very early le Carré, but a great insight into how to construct a tightly wrought spy thriller. The scars of the war are evident in this short novel, but what is more interesting is the early development of the character of George Smiley, as well as the development of his backstory (Guillam and Mendel also feature). For any le Carré fan, Call for the Dead is therefore essential reading. Smiley/le Carré's insights into the almost Hobbesian nature of the world are also evident here. Much of what one would regard now as archetype from this author finds its seeds/genesis here. 8 out of 10.

By John le Carré