Set against the newly erected Berlin Wall, Alec Leamas stages a risky undercover gambit after his last field agent is killed. Posing as a disgraced ex-agent, Leamas becomes bait in a covert plan to unmask an East German intelligence figure, while George Smiley observes the operation from headquarters.

The novel probes duplicity, sacrifice and the ethical compromises of espionage. Its spare, unsentimental tone emphasizes psychological tension, tradecraft and the bleak atmosphere of divided Europe.

Paperback, National Geographic Books, 248 pages (2013). Recommended for readers interested in Cold War history, spycraft, and character-driven political thrillers.

• Setting: Berlin, Cold War
• Themes: deception, revenge, loyalty
• Format: paperback, 248 pages

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