John le Carré

A gripping new novel set in the universe of John le Carré's most iconic spy, George Smiley, written by acclaimed novelist Nick Harkaway. It is spring in 1963 and George Smiley has left the Circus. With the wreckage of the West's spy war with the Soviets strewn across Europe, he has eyes only on a more peaceful life. And indeed,...

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré was Le Carre's breakthrough work of 1963; an award-winning number one global bestseller that brought him international renown. It redefined the spy story as a gritty and terrible tale of men who are caught up in politics beyond their imagining. Alex Leamas is tired. It's the 1960s, and...

A beautifully designed new Clothbound Classic of le Carré's masterpiece, published to celebrate the novel's 50th anniversary. A mole, implanted by Moscow Centre, has infiltrated the highest ranks of the British Intelligence Service, almost destroying it in the process. And so former spymaster George Smiley has been brought out of retirement in order to hunt down the traitor at the...

The third and final novel of John le Carré's acclaimed 'Karla Trilogy', Smiley's People, published in Penguin Modern Classics for the first time, transports readers into the intricate world of espionage and Cold War intrigue. When a former agent is found murdered, George Smiley, retired but ever-observant, finds himself pulled back into the shadowy operations of the Secret Service. Despite...

The much-anticipated publication of John le Carré's last complete novel is now available in paperback. Julian Lawndsley has renounced his high-flying job in the City for a simpler life running a bookshop in a small English seaside town. But after only a couple of months into his new career, Edward, a Polish emigré, shows up at his door with a...

In le Carré's first post-Cold War novel, a night manager at a Cairo hotel helps British Intelligence penetrate the secret world of ruthless arms dealers. At the start of it all, Jonathan Pine is merely the night manager at a luxury hotel. But when a single attempt to pass on information to the British authorities—about an international businessman at the...

George Smiley becomes tangled in a case of suicide and espionage in le Carré's first novel. After a routine security check by George Smiley, civil servant Samuel Fennan apparently kills himself. When Smiley finds that Circus head Maston is trying to blame him for the man's death, he begins his own investigation, meeting with Fennan's widow to find out what...

In le Carré's first post-Cold War novel, an ex-soldier helps British Intelligence penetrate the secret world of ruthless arms dealers. At the start of it all, Jonathan Pine is merely the night manager at a luxury hotel. But when a single attempt to pass on information to the British authorities—about an international businessman at the hotel with suspicious dealings—backfires terribly,...

The Honourable Schoolboy, the second book in John le Carré's revered 'Karla Trilogy' and a distinguished addition to Penguin Modern Classics, delves deep into the shadowy world of espionage with its gripping and intricate narrative. In the aftermath of a shocking betrayal, the once-mighty British Secret Service is left in shambles, and the responsibility of reviving it falls to George...

A hardback series for le Carre collectors The Cold War is over and Ned has been demoted to the training academy. He asks his old mentor, George Smiley, to address his passing-out class. There are no laundered reminiscences; Smiley speaks the truth - perhaps the last the students will ever hear. As they listen, Ned recalls his own painful triumphs...

Innocents abroad are drawn into the darkest recesses of the financial world in this urgent and electrifying thriller, now in the giftable hardback series. An English couple, Perry and Gail, are taking an off-peak holiday on the Caribbean island of Antigua. By seeming chance they bump into a Russian millionaire called Dima who owns a peninsula and a diamond-encrusted gold...

A novel of tremendous political relevance now in the giftable hardback series A half-starved young Russian man in a long black overcoat is smuggled into Hamburg at dead of night. He has an improbable amount of cash secreted in a purse round his neck. He is a devout Muslim. Or is he? He says his name is Issa. Poignant, compassionate,...

John le Carré takes on counter-terrorism in this furiously paced story of moral dilemma, bold action and unexpected love, now in the giftable hardback series. A counter-terror operation, codenamed Wildlife, is being mounted in Britain's most precious colony, Gibraltar. Its purpose is to capture and abduct a high-value jihadist arms buyer. Its authors are an ambitious Foreign Office Minister and...

Le Carre shows espionage at its best and worst in this novel, new to Penguin Modern Classics. When the Department—faded since the war and busy only with bureaucratic battles—hears rumour of a missile base near the West German border, it seems like the perfect opportunity to regain some political standing in the Intelligence market place. The Cold War is at...

Le Carré's post-Cold War masterpiece, filled with suspense, betrayal, desire and drama. The Cold War is over and retired secret servant Tim Cranmer has been put out to pasture, spending his days making wine on his Somerset estate. But then he discovers that his former double agent Larry—dreamer, dissolute, philanderer and disloyal friend—has vanished, along with Tim's mistress. As their...

A collection of letters from John le Carré, one of the greatest British novelists of our time, and a fabulous letter writer, spanning decades from his childhood to the Cold War to his final years. John le Carré was one of the greatest novelists of his generation but also had an extraordinary life, from his childhood with a con man...

A Perfect Spy by John le Carré is widely considered a masterpiece of the spy genre and a cornerstone of contemporary British literature, now proudly featured in Penguin Modern Classics. Le Carré's eleventh novel tells the intricate tale of Magnus Pym, a high-ranking diplomat who mysteriously disappears, sending shockwaves through the intelligence community. The novel follows Magnus Pym's sudden disappearance,...

In A Murder of Quality by John le Carré, readers are drawn into a gripping mystery that reveals the dark underbelly of a prestigious British public school. When Stella Rode, the wife of a respected teacher at the exclusive Carne School, is brutally murdered, George Smiley is called upon to investigate. What appears to be a straightforward case soon unravels...

The Constant Gardener by John le Carré is a masterfully crafted tale of love, loss, and the quest for justice, set against a backdrop of political intrigue and corporate corruption. This gripping narrative begins with the brutal murder of Tessa Quayle, a passionate and determined humanitarian, on the remote shores of Lake Turkana in Northern Kenya. The enigmatic circumstances surrounding...

In John le Carré's thrilling novel, Agent Running in the Field, the greatest chronicler of espionage weaves a gripping tale set against the backdrop of a nation in turmoil. Nat, a seasoned veteran of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, is poised to settle into a less volatile phase of his career, only to be thrust back into the fray by MI6....

A collection of letters from John le Carré, one of the greatest British novelists of our time, and a fabulous letter writer, spanning decades from his childhood to his final years. A Private Spy spans seven decades and chronicles not only le Carré's own life but the turbulent times to which he was witness. Beginning with his 1940s childhood, it...

A gripping new novel set in the universe of John le Carré's most iconic spy, George Smiley, written by acclaimed novelist Nick Harkaway. It is spring in 1963 and George Smiley has left the Circus. With the wreckage of the West's spy war with the Soviets strewn across Europe, he has eyes only on a more peaceful life. And indeed,...

Our Game, John le Carré's post-Cold War masterpiece, is filled with suspense, betrayal, desire, and drama. The Cold War is over, and retired secret servant Tim Cranmer has been put out to pasture, spending his days making wine on his Somerset estate. But then he discovers that his former double agent Larry—dreamer, dissolute, philanderer, and disloyal friend—has vanished, along with...

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy finds George Smiley facing his greatest challenge yet: unmasking a Soviet double agent at the heart of the British establishment. George Smiley, a troubled man of infinite compassion, is also a single-mindedly ruthless adversary as a spy. The scene he enters is a Cold War landscape of moles and lamplighters, scalp-hunters and pavement artists, where men...

As we publish all of le Carré's work for the first time, a special look for the books featuring his iconic character, George Smiley. The Honourable Schoolboy is the sixth Smiley novel, where George Smiley, now chief of the battered British Secret Service, seeks revenge for the betrayals of a Soviet double agent.

The extraordinary memoir from one of the world's greatest living novelists, now in the giftable hardback series. The Pigeon Tunnel, John le Carré's memoir and his first work of non-fiction, is a thrilling journey into the worlds of his 'secret sharers'—the men and women who inspired some of his most enthralling novels. From terrifying meetings with Yasser Arafat in war-torn...

The latest title from the bestselling author John le Carré to come into Penguin Modern Classics. The Tailor of Panama follows Harry Pendel, the charismatic proprietor of Pendel and Braithwaite Limitada of Panama, through whose doors everyone who is anyone in Central America passes. Andrew Osnard, mysterious and fleshly, is a spy. His secret mission is two-pronged: to keep a...

The Secret Pilgrim is the final novel featuring Smiley, John le Carré's most enduring character, and it is a gripping feat of narrative brilliance. The Cold War is over, and Ned has been demoted to the training academy. He asks his old mentor, George Smiley, to address his passing-out class. There are no laundered reminiscences; Smiley speaks the truth—perhaps the...

Le Carre's singular story of a cautious man plunged into recklessness, published in Penguin Modern Classics for the first time. Aldo Cassidy is the naive and sentimental lover. A successful, judicious man, he is wrenched away from the ordered certainties of his life by a sudden encounter with Shamus, a wild, carousing artist, and Helen, his nakedly alluring wife. Cassidy,...

A complex, psychological novel about familial loyalty, new to Penguin Modern Classics. A corporate lawyer from the House of Single & Single is shot dead in cold blood on a Turkish hillside. A children's entertainer in Devon is hauled to his local bank late at night to explain a monumental influx of cash. A Russian freighter is arrested in the...

The British Secret Service turns their attentions to a linguistic prodigy in the Congo in this espionage thriller, new to Penguin Modern Classics. At a top-secret meeting between Western financiers and Congolese warlords, an interpreter finds his conscience re-awakening. Bruno Salvador has worked on clandestine missions before. A highly skilled interpreter, he is no stranger to the Official Secrets Act....

Enthralling and thought-provoking, The Little Drummer Girl is le Carré's only spy novel set in the Middle East, and is now published in Penguin Modern Classics for the first time. Charlie, a brilliant and beautiful young actress, is lured into 'the theatre of the real' by an Israeli intelligence officer. Forced to play her ultimate role, she is plunged into...

A gripping tale of espionage and deceit from the master of the spy novel, new to Penguin Modern Classics. After a routine security check by George Smiley, civil servant Samuel Fennan apparently kills himself. When Smiley finds Circus head Maston is trying to blame him for the man's death, he begins his own investigation, meeting with Fennan's widow to find...

Le Carré exposes the ugly face of international relations in this spy thriller, new to Penguin Modern Classics. West Germany, a simmering cauldron of radical protests, has produced a new danger to Britain—Karfeld, the menacing leader of the opposition. At the same time, Leo Harting, a Second Secretary in the British Embassy, has gone missing—along with more than forty Confidential...

A Murder of Quality is Le Carré's ingenious mystery, featuring his most famous recurring character, George Smiley. Stella Rode has twice disturbed the ancient cloisters of Carne School—firstly by being the wrong sort, with her doyleys and china ducks, and secondly by being murdered. George Smiley, who has his own connection with the school, is asked by an old Service...

A novel of tremendous political relevance, A Most Wanted Man was adapted into a critically-acclaimed film starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and is new to Penguin Modern Classics. A half-starved young Russian man in a long black overcoat is smuggled into Hamburg at dead of night. He has an improbable amount of cash secreted in a purse round his neck. He...

The story of two friends whose dubious relationship spans West Berlin in the 1960s through the Cold War to the age of present-day terrorism is new to Penguin Modern Classics. The friends of the title are Ted Mundy, a British soldier's son born in 1947 in a newly independent Pakistan, and Sasha, the refugee son of an East German Lutheran...

Our Kind of Traitor by John le Carré is a riveting espionage thriller that captures the nuances of contemporary global politics. Set against a backdrop of lush Caribbean landscapes, the story follows an English couple, Perry and Gail, who are enjoying a relaxing off-peak holiday on the sun-drenched island of Antigua. Their serene getaway takes an unexpected turn when they...

In A Delicate Truth by John le Carré, readers are thrust into the intricate world of international espionage, where the lines between duty, loyalty, and conscience blur dangerously. The narrative centres on a top-secret counter-terrorism operation, codenamed 'Wildlife,' which takes place in Gibraltar, one of Britain's most cherished colonies. The mission's aim is to capture a high-value jihadist arms dealer,...

John le Carré’s The Russia House is a masterful blend of espionage, romance, and political intrigue, set against the backdrop of the Cold War's most human of moments. The protagonist, Barley Blair, is far from your typical spy. A disillusioned and self-destructive small-time publisher, Barley’s real passions lie in whisky and jazz, not international espionage. During a drunken evening at...

For the first time in over 30 years, John le Carré returns to the compelling landscape of the Cold War in this thrilling masterpiece. A Legacy of Spies brings back some of the most memorable characters from his celebrated novels, including Peter Guillam and the enigmatic George Smiley. Peter Guillam, a loyal colleague and disciple of George Smiley from the...

The Pigeon Tunnel is John le Carré's captivating memoir and his first foray into non-fiction, offering readers an intimate glimpse into the espionage-infused world that inspired his best-known works. This enthralling collection delves into le Carré's personal experiences and the real-life figures who shaped his legendary spy novels. The narrative is a richly woven tapestry of historical engagement and vivid...

The classic Cold War thriller, available as a Penguin Essential for the first time. The Cold War is at its most chill. Alec Leamas, a seasoned British Intelligence officer whose entire East German network has been arrested or shot, leaves West Berlin for London, believing his career is over. But his master, Control, knows that Leamas is good for a...

A hardback series for le Carré collectors. Stella Rode has twice disturbed the ancient cloisters of Carne School—firstly by being the wrong sort, with her doyleys and china ducks, and secondly by being murdered. George Smiley, who has his own connection with the school, is asked by an old Service friend to investigate. As Smiley probes further beneath Carne's respectable...

From the master of spy thrillers, John le Carre's The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is a gripping story of love and betrayal at the height of the Cold War, published as a beautiful Penguin Clothbound Classics edition for the first time Alec Leamas is tired. It's the 1960s, he's been out in the cold for years, spying...

A hardback series for le Carré collectors The Russia House follows Barley Blair, who is not a Service man but rather a small-time publisher and a self-destructive soul whose only loves are whisky and jazz. One drunken night at a dacha in Peredelkino during the Moscow Book Fair, Barley befriends a high-ranking Soviet scientist who could be the greatest asset...

As we publish all of le Carré's work for the first time, the Smiley Collection offers a special look for the books featuring John le Carré's most iconic character – George Smiley. The Cold War is over and Ned has been demoted to the training academy. He asks his old mentor, George Smiley, to address his passing-out class. There are...

All cats are alike in the dark. At the height of the Cold War, disillusioned British spy Alec Leamas is persuaded to stay out ‘in the cold’ for one last risky operation against the powerful leader of the East German Secret Service. But Leamas has committed a cardinal error: he’s fallen in love. After a lifetime of deception and betrayal,...

A magnificent exploration of the new world order from New York Times bestselling author John le Carré, one of the most compelling and elegant storytellers of our time. When Tessa Quayle—a young, beautiful woman and Justin's beloved wife—is gruesomely murdered in northern Kenya, Justin sets out on a personal odyssey to uncover the mystery of her death. But what he...

Penguin Readers is a graded reading series for English Language Teaching (ELT) markets, designed for teenagers and young adults learning English as a foreign or second language. With carefully adapted text, new illustrations, language practice activities and additional online resources, the Penguin Readers series introduces language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content. Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction,...

In this classic novel—adapted into an Academy Award-nominated film in 2011 and new to Penguin Modern Classics—George Smiley faces his greatest challenge yet. George Smiley, who is a troubled man of infinite compassion, is also a single-mindedly ruthless adversary as a spy. The scene which he enters is a Cold War landscape of moles and lamplighters, scalp-hunters and pavement artists,...

A complex, psychological novel about familial loyalty, now publishing in gift hardback. A corporate lawyer from the House of Single & Single is shot dead in cold blood on a Turkish hillside. A children's entertainer in Devon is hauled to his local bank late at night to explain a monumental influx of cash. A Russian freighter is arrested in the...

As we publish all of le Carré's work for the first time, a special look for the books featuring his iconic character, George Smiley. A department of ageing British spies will break any rule for the glory of launching a secret agent into communist East Germany, in the fourth novel featuring George Smiley. The Looking Glass War dives into the...

In Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, John le Carré masterfully crafts a tale of espionage and intrigue set against the dark and shadowy backdrop of the Cold War. With unparalleled skill, le Carré draws readers into the labyrinthine world of British Intelligence, known as "The Circus." The seasoned and much-revered intelligence officer George Smiley is called out of bitter retirement for...

A beautiful 60th anniversary special edition of the novel that introduced the world to George Smiley, now with a new introduction by John le Carré. After a routine security check by George Smiley, civil servant Samuel Fennan apparently kills himself. When Smiley finds Circus head Maston is trying to blame him for the man's death, he begins his own investigation,...

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré is a gripping, intense novel set against the backdrop of the Cold War. The story follows Alec Leamas, a British intelligence officer, who has just witnessed the collapse of his East Berlin espionage network. Facing the demoralising prospect of being pulled back from the field, Leamas is given...

The British Secret Service turns its attention to a linguistic prodigy in the Congo in this espionage thriller, now available in a giftable hardback series. At a top-secret meeting between Western financiers and Congolese warlords, an interpreter finds his conscience re-awakening. Bruno Salvador has worked on clandestine missions before. A highly skilled interpreter, he is no stranger to the Official...

A special look for the books featuring his iconic character, George Smiley. After a routine security check by George Smiley, civil servant Samuel Fennan apparently kills himself. When Smiley finds Circus head Maston is trying to blame him for the man's death, he begins his own investigation, meeting with Fennan's widow to find out what could have led him to...