Call for the Dead

George Smiley, Book 1

By: John Le Carré

Narrated by: Simon Vance

After an unremarkable interview, Circus agent George Smiley determines the subject of a standard security check—a civil servant in the Foreign Office named Samuel Fennan—poses no threat, nor presents any reason for suspicion of espionage.

Hours later, Samuel Fennan is found dead by suicide. Suddenly finding himself under intense scrutiny, Smiley realizes the Circus intends to blame him for Fennan's death. Rather than remain idle, Smiley begins his own investigation into the nature of the man's demise. What he finds is a tangled web of secrets that connects not only to East German activity in Britain, but also his own past.

The beginning of a body of work that The New York Times calls extraordinary in its breadth, consistency, generosity and wit, John le Carré's 1961 debut introduces one of the most esteemed and iconic spies in the literary canon: George Smiley.

©2012 John Le Carré (P)2024 Dreamscape Media

Excellent story telling

John LeCarre’s novels are excellent spy stories from 1940’s and 1950’s. Reading them today shows the connections in the world between WW II and today.

Great mystery & intrigue

Good stores, good narration. Started slow but kept we listening with its eventual tale of murder, espionage.

An Understated Adventure that keeps you wondering.

I really appreciate Lecarre’s conversational style of weaving a tale. His descriptions are captivating and make me feel like I am right there in the milieu.

Too confusing

Loved the narrator. Story was slow and very complicated in the end. I started over several times. His later books are great. Skip this one.

Great story.

The story was great. The narrator was perfect for the book. Nicely done all around.