The Honourable Schoolboy
John Le Carré Audio Book

Following on from the hugely successful Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Honourable Schoolboy is the second of John le Carre’s trilogy of novels and this time George Smiley of MI6 is going head to head with his KGB counterpart and nemesis, Karla.

After the events of ‘Tinker Tailor’, Smiley faces the task of rebuilding the ‘Circus’ (MI6) as its Chief. In doing so he must unravel the duplicitous actions of the mole that was uncovered at the heart of the Secret Intelligence Service, predict and undermine the actions of Karla, while also heading off intense political pressure on the home front.

It’s a globe-spanning spy thriller that sees Smiley and his spy colleagues travel to Hong Kong, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand in a bid to get to the bottom of a massive money laundering operation. Chief among them is the daring reporter-come-spy Jerry Westerby, the ‘honourable schoolboy’ of the title.

This dramatisation brings le Carre’s characters and gripping plot twists and turns to life. Featuring a full cast, top names in this taut espionage thriller include Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Steed and Simon Russell Beale as George Smiley. It’s a powerful audio performance that does full justice to the novel, and succeeds in communicating the tensions of an unforgettable spy thriller.