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Call for the Dead

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Call for the Dead

By: John le Carré
Narrated by: Simon Russell Beale
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

THE FIRST GEORGE SMILEY NOVEL

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 death, he begins his own investigation, meeting Fennan's widow to find out what led him to such desperation. On the very day 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 first book, Call for the Dead, introduced the tenacious and retiring spy George Smiley in a gripping tale of espionage and deceit.

'Intelligent, thrilling, surprising . . . makes most cloak-and-dagger stuff taste of cardboard' Sunday Telegraph

'Brilliant. Realistic. Constant suspense' Observer

'The greatest spy novelist of all time' Jake Kerridge, Daily Telegraph

©le Carré Productions 1961 (P)Penguin Audio 2024

 Amateur Sleuths Classics Espionage Mystery Spies & Politics Suspense Thriller & Suspense Exciting Carnival

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Critic reviews

'Brilliant, popular, intelligent, thrilling, suspenseful, angry, original, masterful writing. Can't be topped.' (Armando Iannucci)

'An extraordinary writer who brought literary lustre and lived insight to the spy yarn.' (Ian Rankin)

'His Smiley novels are key to understanding the mid-20th century.' (Margaret Atwood)

What listeners say about Call for the Dead

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Profile Image for CherryMc

Late to the party

I’ve been aware of Le Carre but never actually read any of his work so I’ve been very pleasantly surprised. I expected to enjoy the subject matter but didn’t anticipate the quality of rich narrative and insightful social commentary.

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Brilliantly descriptive characters within ingenious plot

Le Carre is the very best at his trade. Brilliantly descriptive characters within ingenious plot

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Clever plot, engaging and fantastically creative descriptions

Liked the pace and twists of the plot, the clever descriptions of ordinary scenes, mentioning the barely perceptible details of everyday life.

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Simon Russell Beale's narration

enjoyed the air of Weltschmerz which suffuses the story and the character of Smiley plus the post war gloom.

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Profile Image for D. Cottam

An early le Carré that I had overlooked

This is a typically intriguing and atmospheric tale.
Simon Russell Beale reads this very well but without conjuring images of Alec Guiness as Michael Jayston does in the more famous books. I enjoyed the portrait of post war Britain, the detailed descriptions and complex motivations. Wonderful stuff.

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