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Call for the Dead

By John le Carré
Penguin Classics
Series: Penguin Modern Classics – Crime & Espionage
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3.85 goodreads logo

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Check link for latest rating. ( 45,543 ratings, 3,152 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Call for the Dead by John le Carré introduces George Smiley, a British intelligence officer. After a routine security check leads to an unexpected suicide, Smiley delves into the case, uncovering layers of intrigue and deception within the spy world. It's a gripping start to le Carré's espionage series.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're intrigued by intricate spy thrillers blended with detective fiction, featuring deep character studies and unexpected plot twists. John le Carré's storytelling craft shines through in his clever, suspenseful narrative.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

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 could have led him to such desperation. But on the very day that Smiley is ordered off the enquiry, he receives an urgent letter from the dead man. Do the East Germans—and their agents—know more about this man's death than the Circus previously imagined?

Le Carré's debut novel, Call for the Dead, introduced the tenacious and retiring George Smiley in a gripping tale of espionage and deceit.

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Call for the Dead by John le Carré is praised for its intricate plot and masterful development of suspense. Reviewers commend le Carré's introduction of George Smiley, highlighting his depth as a character. The novel is noted for its insightful exploration of espionage and human nature.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241639214

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 13 July 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 9.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 134g

Pages: 176

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Best Sellers at Book Hero Classic Fiction Crime & Thriller Fiction General Fiction In Stock Books In-Stock Fiction Books John le Carré New Release Fiction Penguin Books Penguin Classics Penguin Classics: Crime & Thriller Series: Penguin Modern Classics – Crime & Espionage

About the Author

John le Carre was born in 1931. After studying at the university of Bern and Oxford and teaching at Eton, he began a short career in British Intelligence (MI5&6). He published his debut novel, Call for the Dead, in 1961 while still a civil servant, and acclaim swiftly followed, consolidated by The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, and his trilogy Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Honourable Schoolboy and Smiley's People. At the end of the Cold War, le Carre widened his scope to explore an international landscape including the arms trade and the War on Terror. He died on 12 December 2020.

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