His last complete novel, this covers a middle-aged spy who feels likely to be moved out of active service soon. Events fall into place around him (both locally and internationally), resulting in this tale.

I've seen a few of le Carré's films - The Constant Gardner most recently - but have never read his novels. I liked the prose, the details, and hints of future events. I plan to read more, probably starting at the beginning. Many say he transitioned from Cold War to Capitalism (company war?) to this novel, where the anti-Nationalist views of the main characters mirror the author.

The narrative took a while to develop. Without spoilers, the turn was predictable, though it was 180 pages in before we got to that point. Some of the groundwork was both good and necessary, but far from all. I was surprised to have only 20 pages left in the midst of the concluding operation - the ending felt VERY quick.

Rating this in genre, it is a shade over 3 stars. As I read more le Carré and discuss this novel with friends, that rating may round up to 4. Time will tell...