The Honourable Schoolboy
John Le Carre
532 pages
published in 1977

This is the sequel to Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and should definately only be read after having read that novel, because The Honourable Schoolboy contains massive spoilers for that novel.

In The Honourable Schoolboy Smiley goes on the attack against Karla, the Russian spymaster responsible for the events in the previous novel. A Russian sleeper agent is discovered in Hong Kong and to goad him in action, Jerry Westerby, the honourable schoolboy of the title is recalled from retirement and sent into the field. There he comes into contact with the Russian agent's mistress and falls in love with her.

This is as much a psychological novel as a thriller. Like the previous Le Carre novel I read, the action is understated and far removed from the James Bond school of spy novels.