UK Book Club discussion

So for August we'll be reading Espionage or Spy Fiction and Non Fiction.

This is a genre I have a soft spot for. I love John Le Carrè's Smiley books, particularly Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. I'm also a Graham Greene fan, especially The Human Factor. For Non Fiction, Ben Macintyre is excellent, I admired both Agent Zigzag: A True Story of Nazi Espionage, Love, and Betrayal and A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal.

This time around I'll be reading my second novel by Alan Furst (pun unintended!) Dark Star is the second in his Night Soldiers series.

What will you be reading?

Well, it has to be a return to an old favourite Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John Lewis Carré

I read Ashenden by Somerset Maugham earlier this year ( I had read many of his other books but this one was new to me ) I LOVED IT . Heartily recommend . I am going to read Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy ( I had a great aunt who was a huge fan of Le Carré so look forward to reading this)

I have Ashenden on my bookcase somewhere, I will have to dust it off, Mary!

Enjoy Tinker Tailor :)

Thanks Liz! Tinker is coming from our local library ( I’m trying to limit my book purchases (for now … lol! )

I will also read dark star. Furst was recommended by a dear late friend.

Sounds like my kind of books! I will look for library copies right away, thx.

I'm reading The Big Payoff by Janice Law (Anna Peters #1) which is a kind of commercial espionage... so far anyway.

My review... https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... 2.5 stars

I hope I can squeeze in one more this month. I have been wanting to read Slow Horses since it came out. But will I have time, especially given all the decorating I'm doing...?

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
I can't remember how many times I have read this, it never fails to deliver even when I know what is coming. The best spy novel of all. Finished

it's brilliant 👏

I've just started reading Agent Zigzag: A True Story of Nazi Espionage, Love, and Betrayal which I've been apprehensive about but I'm a few pages in and its an easier read than I was expecting. So far so good.

It's really good, Kate. I hope you enjoy it.

I'm really enjoying Slow Horses: great characters....

Slow Horses was a great read. While it includes all the ingredients you'd expect from a spy novel, it avoids cliche. The characters are good, particularly the flatulent Jackson Lamb and the descriptions of the shabby side of London are spot on. Very entertaining. I will definitely read more in the series.

Dark Star has just arrived at the library...