Book Review – A Legacy of Spies

A Legacy of Spies by John Le Carré (Penguin) ISBN: 978-0-241-30855-4

Pierre (or Peter to his former colleagues) is retired from a long forgotten life of espionage and enjoying the tranquillity of his country farm in Brittany. After an intimidating summons back to London he is forced to confront his former covert career.

Young lawyers in a new and imposing fortress on the Thames are determined to unearth secrets of the Cold War with the sole purpose of protecting the reputation of Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

Peter is reluctant to revisit and attempt to explain the world of the Cold War to a new generation immersed in a different political agenda. How much can he reveal, without incriminating himself? How can he possibly justify such a foreign era? And most of all, where is his superior, that infamous icon of the Circus – George Smiley?

John Le Carré is undoubtedly the master storyteller of the Cold War. In A Legacy of Spies, Le Carré resurrects not only the intrigue of an age of espionage but his most celebrated literary character.

A Legacy of Spies is a scintillating read from John Le Carré and I was thrilled to re-encounter George Smiley again after so many years.

Wayne Bouwer
5/5