John Le Carre's London

• About the book

This guide explores the London of John le Carre and his most famous creation - master spy George Smiley. We map his haunts and trail him through foggy streets to the pubs and safe houses frequented by colleagues and rivals from 'The Circus' of British Intelligence. Here, the real and fictional overlap; le Carre (David Cornwell) was a former spy, and he brought that knowledge and attention to detail to his writing - along with discreet references to the real world of espionage. His exacting approach makes it possible to pinpoint locations across the capital, all drawn from his classic Circus novels: Call For The Dead, The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, The Looking Glass War, The Honourable Schoolboy, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Smiley's People, The Secret Pilgrim and A Legacy Of Spies - as well as key locations from the writer's own experience. Rigorously researched and meticulously plotted, this is an essential companion for fans of spy fi ction and a window into a secret world of dead