43 pages • 1 hour read
John le CarréThe Spy Who Came in from the Cold
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1963A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Alec Leamas, a British spy betrayed after his network in Berlin collapses, is tasked with defecting to East Germany to dismantle enemy agent Mundt. Feigning disgrace, he sinks into a public decline, pretends to defect, and becomes entangled with a Communist librarian, Liz Gold. His mission reveals deep espionage intrigues and moral complexities amidst Cold War tensions in the novel The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. This book contains references to antisemitism and addiction.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
John le Carré’s The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is widely praised for its intricate plotting, gritty realism, and deep character development. Critics commend its suspense and moral complexity but note its bleak tone and dense narrative may not appeal to all readers. Overall, it remains a seminal work in the espionage genre.
Who Should Read The Spy Who Came in from the Cold?
Readers who relish cerebral espionage thrillers, intricate Cold War politics, and morally ambiguous characters will enjoy John le Carré's The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. Fans of Graham Greene's The Quiet American and Ian Fleming's James Bond series would find this novel compelling for its gripping realism and depth.