Title: Call for the Dead
Author: John le Carré
Rating:
4 stars out of 5Publisher: Scribner
Copyright: 1961
Pages: 160
Keywords: thriller, mystery
Reading period: 1–3 July, 2009
Le Carré's very first novel,
Call for the Dead introduces his most famous character, George Smiley.
After a harmonious meeting with Smiley to review his security clearance,
Samuel Fennan goes home, writes a letter complaining of harrassment,
and commits suicide.
But little things don't add up and Smiley starts investigating,
only to be nearly murdered himself.
A strong debut, and amazingly short at 160 pages.
Call provides some background about Smiley's very bad war,
undercover in Nazi territories, and his rocky marriage.