A review by nincrony1
Call for the Dead by John le Carré

mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

A cracking little Cold War spy mystery, with a great central hook and intriguing narrative. It’s easy to see how La Carre would continue to hone his craft as the premier espionage author. His debut is tight and to the point with plump, balding and jaded George Smiley standing in sharp contrast to Britain’s other famous literary spy. My only criticism of Call for the Dead is that it is brief and I wished some of the side characters had more time to breath. Looking forward to the reading the rest of the Smiley books (this read came about as I got a chapter into The Spy Who Came In From the Cold and realised it was the third book in the series)