Agent Running in the Field by John le Carre

Agent Running in the Field by John le Carré
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb: Nat, a 47 year-old veteran of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, believes his years as an agent runner are over. He is back in London with his wife, the long-suffering Prue. But with the growing threat from Moscow Centre, the office has one more job for him. Nat is to take over The Haven, a defunct substation of London General with a rag-tag band of spies. The only bright light on the team is young Florence, who has her eye on Russia Department and a Ukrainian oligarch with a finger in the Russia pie.

Nat is not only a spy, he is a passionate badminton player. His regular Monday evening opponent is half his age: the introspective and solitary Ed. Ed hates Brexit, hates Trump and hates his job at some soulless media agency. And it is Ed, of all unlikely people, who will take Prue, Florence and Nat himself down the path of political anger that will ensnare them all.


Read as an audio book.

This is the first book I've read/listened to by le Carre. I've watched the 2010's version of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy numerous times and enjoy it immensely. I love the complexity, the subtleties, the cerebral-ness of the plot. The whole British spy bit is fascinating to me. I don't know why it took me so long to go pick up one of his books.

Agent Running in the Field had the same complexity, subtlety, and thinking aspect that I enjoyed from the TTSP movie. What this story lacked for myself was any surprising turn of events within the overall plot. And having only read this singular book by le Carre, maybe that's how his books are structured? I found this to be a story where I could observe the set up, watch the plot unfold, and then sit back and enjoy how everything is resolved. This is a thinking book, not an action book.

The author doesn't hold back on his viewpoint on the current political climate in the US, UK and Europe. Current meaning Brexit and the Trump presidency.

I could ramble on about the main character approaching retirement after working abroad for years and how that affected his family relationship, but you can read it instead. I could discuss the internal workings of British Intelligence, but again, you can read about it instead. And badminton - I think this the first time I have ever read a book or watched a movie where badminton was the sport of choice. Badminton! Go read about it!

When all was said and read, I enjoyed this and will look into reading - or listening to on audio book - more of le Carre's works. Recommended if you like British spy novels.


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