(spoiler-free-review) This is a brilliant novel, an extraordinary continuation of the spy-thriller canon established by John le Carre. His son, Nick Harkaway, has written a story that on a timeline sits after ‘The Spy who came in from the Cold’ but before ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’. However, the author is excellent at filling in the backstories so there is no need to read the preceding novels.

We meet again that most unlikely of spymasters, George Smiley, and his colleagues in British secret intelligence, the Circus. Smiley is left devastated after the outcomes in ‘Spy’ and his left the Circus so he can attempt to sustain his marriage to Ann. However, he is persuaded back for ‘one last job’. This is to find the missing Hungarian Banati, ostensibly a literary agent living in London, who has disappeared. Is he a covert Russian agent? Can Smiley find him and extract vital intelligence?

Accompanied by Susanna Gero, a colleague of the missing Banati, Smiley goes to Berlin and Vienna looking for Banati’s missing son, Leo, in the belief that Leo will lead them to his father.

This is a story of mundane, everyday spying. The novel captures vividly the analogue world of 1963 where all information is captured on paper and the most sophisticated electronic communication is the telex. This is spying as a grim dull reality, miles away from the thrills and spills of a James Bond caper. The brilliance of the writing is that it portrays this everyday grinding reality while at the same time engaging the reader through characters shown with real depth and nuance.

Le Carre won no literary awards in his lifetime because he disdained them and refused any nominations. This novel is certainly capable of being nominated for any of the big prizes and it would be good to see this author accepting an award in his father’s memory.

I am grateful to NetGalley for making available a complimentary copy of this novel so that I might make an honest review.

Set between the Spy Who Came in from the Cold and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Smiley has left the Circus but is pulled back in when a Russian agent sent to kill a man has a change of heart and turns himself in and his target is missing. Susann, a Hungarian émigré who worked for the assassins target is pulled into the web of intrigue and spies.

As a lifelong Le Carre fan I was a little hesitant before reading this novel; however, I thoroughly enjoyed it. There is plenty of action as well as all the familiar faces and although this could have felt forced or false it didn't. I would recommend that anyone who has been debating on reading this novel to give it a go; you won't be disappointed.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fine addition to the George Smiley cold war spy novels. The plot, storytelling and general feel hit the right note, and fans will be happy to be reimmersed in this universe.

The book is a sequel by another hand (in fact it is set at a time between the originals) with the interesting twist that the author is John le Carré son. I think he's done his forebear proud.

My only small grumble is that I lost track a little too often; for example who is talking, and had to go back and reread a little which interrupted the flow. On the other hand it could be me as I had a cold at the time.

- The arctic murder drama book 3 out of 5 stars
This is an enjoyable country house murder mystery, except that the country house is an airship on a maiden luxury voyage to the North Pole. It's also set in contemporary times with references to Instagram and other modernities.

The plot is enjoyable though I did guess the culprit a bit too early. The story is executed well and it's an easy read, though there's a lot of switching back and forth between characters. A light but enjoyable read.

Harkaway honours his father’s legacy with his recreation of mood, tone and style. I’m not a big Le Carre follower so I’m not able to do a forensic dissection and go into the differences. I have read some of Haraway's other books though an can discern the change in style and tone than the one used in this one. For example he is much more snarky and sarcastic in his books.

Within the spy story, Karla’s Choice gives us character studies, a fast plotline which sags a little in the middle –but which also gives impetus to the characters and brings out more and more facets of the characters in study.

Life is a game played by the rules. The rules are made by life itself and also by those in power who rule the borders, the internal government within the borders and the economic distribution within. So, we play the game which in some instances can tear us apart but underlining all we remain human with our loves and our hates and our choices.

An ARC kindly provided by author/publisher via Netgalley

In the absence of a Mick Herron thriller this year, Karla's Choice is my absolute favourite (spy or fiction, in general) novel for 2024. It fills a hole in my heart I didn't know existed. Ever since seeing Gary Oldman play George Smiley in the 2011 Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, I've had a bit of a crush on the ever restrained George, and vowed to read all his novels. That idea survived contact until I faced down The Honourable School and lost. It takes a person with vast amount of patience to get through that tome so I had no chance. Schoolboy alone ended my quest. So now, with Nick Harkaway's stellar novel, my heart's desire of learning more about George and seeing him deploy trade craft has finally been fulfilled. I am over the moon!

Sorry for that lengthy intro meant to illustrate my keen devotion to George and The Circus. But, does Karla's Choice hold a candle to his father's masterful spy works? Utterly and completely. I am amazed at how immersive this novel is. It took me back to the cold war, the communist threat which kept Berlin split for so long and the brave agents risking it all to gain intel or any advantage over the USSR. The language, the descriptive skill, the essence of the novel are powerful, of that era and, while dovetailing nicely with the original novels, still have a unique quality that makes it fresh.

I loved it entirely and if I didn't have a stack of books awaiting my attention I would dive back in again to pick up the finer points I may have missed. Karla's Choice felt, to me, like attending a 20 year school reunion and being utterly delighted by all the faces and names you recognise and learning what they've been up to. It was like coming home...if I was a spy out in the cold. Genius, original, brilliant. More, please.

Maybe there was too much hype but I found this a let down! Often confusing, there were long passages that were practically twee .. the set up to get Smiley in .. who I almost couldn't recognise (Alec Guiness wouldn't fit for this Smiley .. hmm) .. was not credible .. for one thing .. I did not believe he was much resistant. In fact did he allow himself to be dragged in again for a reason ? It wasn't discernible.. when they get closer inevitably to other Brits, it starts to work better .. I sighed with relief .. so .. I am one of the few who just didn't fall for this ..it all felt kinda' tedious...

Le Carre series tale written by his son Nick Harkaway. It probably works for that reason, unlike some continuation novels this is recognisably Le Carre style and voice without seems forced. We follow George Smiley as he is pulled back into the Circus having considered a life outside. Whether you are familiar with Le Carre's work or not this is great read and a period novel that is recommended.

It’s been a long time since I read a John Le Carre novel so it was with interest I picked by Nick Harkaway’s novel. The son of John Le Carre picks up the George Smiley character and sets a story that takes place after the events of The Spy who came in from the Cold’.
I enjoyed the novel and found the characters authentic in line with Le Carre novels. For me, George Smiley is Alec Guinness and I pictured him in this novel, a spy fighting a dirty war in a civilised manner.
A worthy addition to the series.

A Masterful Homage to John Le Carre

Nick Harkaway’s Karla’s Choice is a mesmerising journey into the shadowy world of espionage, echoing the cerebral intensity of John le Carré which one would not expect even though Harkaway ios Le Carre’s son. As a longtime admirer of le Carré and George Smiley’s intricate moral landscapes, I approached this book cautiously. Could anyone truly follow in the master’s footsteps? Harkaway not only rises to the challenge but carves out a fresh, gripping narrative that stands tall in its own right.

The plot revolves around the enigmatic Karla, the legendary Soviet spymaster, who faces an impossible dilemma as his empire crumbles. When an unlikely operative uncovers a secret that could tilt the balance of power, loyalties are tested, and the hunter becomes the hunted. Harkaway’s storytelling draws us deep into the ethical gray zones of espionage, where personal and political stakes collide in breathtakingly unexpected ways.

The pacing is pitch-perfect, blending intricate plotting with taut suspense. I felt like I was reading an early le Carré novel, with its dense layers of intrigue and flawed, compelling characters. Every twist felt earned, and the emotional undercurrents added depth without slowing the action.

Fans of Le Carre’s moral quandaries will either love or hate this new perspective on Smiley, but I loved it. Harkaway captures the melancholy and moral complexity that made le Carré’s world so unforgettable while infusing it with his own energy and insight.

More novels like this, please! For fans of the genre—or anyone who craves intelligent, gripping storytelling—Karla’s Choice is an absolute must-read.

I am grateful to Netgalley and Viking for an early sight of this book.
Nick Harkaway takes on the mantle of his father, John le Carré in creating adventures for George Smiley and the Circus.
This story of an attempt to unmask Karla, the chief KGB hood and bring him on board is set between The Spy Who Came in from The Cold and Tinker Tailor. Of course once one has read the latter the outcome of that cannot be unread so one knows who is the villain and who has betrayed whom.
Nevertheless this book reads just like a le Carré: the slow build up, the patient preparations and the burst of activity. Smiley is written as the perfect spy: skilled, knowledgeable and a master of psychology; but flawed and not as successful as he ought to be - but we know why. Don’t we?
The book is well written with just the right amount of obscurity, accurate time and place setting and credible characters.

A lifelong Le Carré fan, I opened this book with no little trepidation - and if I as a reader felt the weight of expectation, what must the writing of this have been like for Nick Harkaway! But with pages I was pulled back into a familiar and gripping world. Harkaway captures the mood perfectly, and some characters, Susanna in particular, benefit from a 2024 lens. Mission accomplished.

I am grateful to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. 

‘Karla’s Choice’ is a book by Nick Harkaway, son of the well-known author John Le Carré, who passed away a few years ago. The book is written in the style of Le Carré’s Cold War spy novels and includes several well known characters from those books including the much-loved George Smiley who plays a leading role. The story takes place in the decade between two of Le Carré break-out works; ‘The Spy Who Came in from the Cold’ and ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’. For anyone who has enjoyed Le Carré’s spy novels, this book is an unexpected treat. An opportunity to revisit with some well-known and much loved characters.

During the period after ‘The Spy Who Came in from the Cold’ , George Smiley, who I expect will be familiar to most readers of this new book, returns from retirement to assist the UK Intelligence Service, MI-6, (also known as The Circus) in what he hopes is one final operation. These are Cold War years, the 1960s, inhabited mostly by men and some women who’s characters and world-views have been formed by the events of WW II. The subsequent separation of Europe into a Soviet-dominated Eastern Block and a Democratic-leaning Western Block adds the backdrop to a story of disrupted, damaged lives and relationships.

The early chapters of the book provide the background. A grey and cold London inhabited with emigrés from Eastern Europe. People are not always as they appear and when one emigrée suddenly goes missing around the time a Soviet assassin arrives in London, naturally the Circus takes an interest. And of course, nobody knows this world better than the recently retired MI-6 officer George Smiley. Coincidentally in East Berlin, arrests, accusations and nefarious activities are taking place and these may in some way be related to events in London.

The plot, taking place in various European locations and places more distant, develops slowly, introducing the colourful cast of characters we have come to expect in these novels. The author captures the 1960s atmosphere nicely, especially London and the Circus office which seem to have changes little since WW II. European locations are clearly ‘continental’ and almost unknown from the European cities of today

Readers who have enjoyed Le Carré’s spy novels and characters will enjoy revisiting old Circus ‘friends’. Familiar names play large and small roles in this book, including Esterhase, Hayden, Prideaux , Guillam and the magnificent Connie, in her prime as the holder of knowledge not found in the Circus filing system. Smiley uses all these sources to join the dots and formulate a plan. Smiley’s nemesis, the Russian Karla, plays a role in these events of course. Also Smiley’s wife Ann, once again playing an influential character albeit largely in background to the main plot.

The author helpfully provides a recap of events from ‘The Spy Who Came in from the Cold’, which assists the reader as the plot slowly unfolds. The War is still a major presence in the minds of many of the characters as another War, not necessarily Cold, unfolds. Doctrinal differences between East and West influences events and human frailty plays an outsized role in how events play out. The author employs many of the characteristics explored in his father’s books. Deceit, betrayal, loyalty, self interest, self preservation. As in many of Le Carré’s books, private lives involving wives, girlfriends and families influence events and outcomes.

This is the world that George Smiley has re-entered and along with former colleagues and acquaintances, he takes on the challenge to put things in order, or at least to minimise damage.

Readers will enjoy some of the new Circus characters introduced, such as the several strong female characters in or around the fringes of the Circus. New aspects of older characters are revealed such as Smiley’s inherent kindness and loyalty. When a deceased former colleague is to be buried, he ensures the body has warm comfortable shoes for the funeral.

“I didn’t want him to be cold…he did a lot of standing around, waiting…”

The plot is complex, multi-faceted and compelling. Events unfold; the morals and methods of problem solving by the Circus and Moscow Centre are compared. All of which leads to a dramatic climax, even involving a car chase ! The conclusion is, as is commonplace in the better spy novels, a little ambiguous, morally dubious for some, sadly unfortunate for others.

I enjoyed this book, the familiar characters and locations, the slow moving and ultimately dramatic plot with an ending leaving the reader wanting more. In this case, we know from Le Carré spy novels, what happened next ! Nevertheless I do have some reservations. At the time of Le Carré most successful books, the Cold War was an ever-present phenomena. Berlin, indeed Europe was divided and the Soviets were clearly the untrusted and aggressive enemy. Spy activity was a reality in the cities of Europe. Le Carré’s books seemed contemporary, urgent and authentic. I loved them. Today I’m an older, hopefully more mature reader and while this new book is not bad, neither is it a wonderful new Circus novel.

I wonder what Le Carré would make of it. Possibly he would think it was a project worth doing and the results a somewhat successful one-off novel. I expect George Smiley, either old or young, could be written into numerous ‘new’ Circus books. I hope not. Perhaps he should be allowed to retire quietly and spend more time with his academic books. And of course his soulmate Ann. We have never really come to know her very well. Perhaps that is best. Some secrets should remain private; even in the grey world of lamplighters, scalp hunters, pavement artists and of course Control, on the top floor of the Circus, in a darkened, wood-panelled room.

Great. True to the le carre narrative. Settle back into Smiley's world and don't come out until it's over

When John Le Carre died he was keen to see his literary legacy live on. He specifically asked his family to do so, leading to a number of successful TV adaptations of his work and the publication of his letters (A Private Spy). Based on this wish, the family asked Nick Harkaway, Le Carre’s youngest child, if he would be interested in writing a book in Le Carre’s Circus continuity and featuring spy George Smiley. Harkaway is an established author in his own right, although he has mainly stayedd away from espionage, working successfully in new weird (The Gone Away World, Angelmaker) and crime (Titanium Noir). In the introduction to Karla’s Choice Harkaway says that he felt daunted but honoured to be asked and has delivered a fitting entry into this well loved series.
Karla’s Choice is set in the period between The Spy Who Came in from The Cold and the ‘Karla trilogy’ which starts with Tinker, Tailer, Soldier Spy. George Smiley has retired from the Circus (MI6) and is living a bucolic life with his wife Ann. But the head of the Circus, Control, has other ideas and when a Hungarian émigré comes in with a story of a Russian hitman who has had a change of heart and his missing target, her Hungarian boss, he asks Smiley to come in and help. Thus begins a hunt for the missing man who is also being sought after by a Russian agent known only as Karla and Smiley is back in the game.
While it is not true to say Karla’s Choice is pastiche it is written in a style that it reminiscent of this earlier phase of Le Carre’s work the 1960s and 70s. It is an espionage story in the classic vein – slow and methodical until there are short bursts of action. All of the characters from the existing canon are back but this is really Smiley’s book. That and an origin story for his ultimate nemesis, Karla. Harkaway has well and truly fulfilled the brief here. Providing a narrative that fits neatly into the existing continuity, delivering an insight into the missing years of the Smiley biography, and leaving the door open for more.

An excellent pastiche which could almost be mistaken for the genuine article.

Well written, plotted and credible, this was an excellent and exciting read which has whetted my appetite to go back and re-read all the originals.

Thank you.

I approached this book with nervous anticipation. A return of Smiley is something I would not have believed could happen. But a book written by the son of one of the greatest writers in the genre?
There is a huge caveat in the introduction to the book that aims to address such matters and any likely criticism. Taking everything into account, I think it has been written with the right intentions.
It took me some time to read the book. A mixture of savouring the story and, I suppose, not wishing to reach the last page.
Plugging into a gap in Smiley’s history is a good move. It allows further development of characters and the introduction of a couple more. It also sets the scene for further books which I truly hope will now appear.
I won’t spoil the story but it was good to find out more about Karla’s background. It will be interesting to see if this does continue as a theme in future books or if more standalone stories are explored. I think that it would be a good move to have Smiley work on other things that are perhaps inching towards the denouement that is Tinker Tailor.
I wasn’t disappointed with this book which is perhaps a relief and requires a tip of the hat to Nick Harkaway. Looking forward to more.
Note : An advance copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review of the book.
This review was posted to Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.co.uk on 28 October 2024. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Karlas-Choice-John-Carr%C3%A9-Novel/product-reviews/0241714907/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_show_all_btm?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews

I did worry about this. It is now fifty years since I read my first Le Carre, 'The spy who came in from the cold' and I recall being simultaneously exhilarated and upset at the finish. I subsequently read every novel Le Carre wrote and enjoyed them all, even if there was something of a decline in his latter years.

So now his son, Nick Harkaway, takes up George Smiley and offers the reader a tale set just after the events of 'The Spy who came in from the cold', and featuring all the characters from the Circus, as well as Karla's rise to power in Moscow. There is a big risk here of disappointment. But there is also the promise of something every George Smiley fan would want, more to read.

I have to say: I enjoyed this immensely. It is not simply a homage to John Le Carre's novels, but a worthy addition. An opportunity to bask in nostalgia, Harkaway not only constructs a narrative as oblique and unsettling, but captures dialogue, characterisation and philosophy as convincing as his father. It is as though you are reading a newly discovered Le Carre novel, almost. There are a few new characters to add to the mix, which adds interest. There is a suggestion there will be more stories to follow. I would welcome that very much!

Smiley defines what he is trying to do as an attempt to fight a war with rules and some form of civilised decency. Karla, his opponent, must choose between that sort of war, or absolute ruthlessness.

A long-awaited return visit to the Circus

When it was announced that a son of the late, great literary spymaster, John le Carre was going to write the ‘missing’ George Smiley novel, it was met with a mixture of excitement and scepticism. Would he be able to follow those enigmatic pen strokes of his father? Would he be able to capture the comradeship and antics of those lovable characters of the Circus - the headquarters of le Carre’s secret department in London? And what of Karla himself? A man who Smiley actually met once, and who since that meeting had held onto George’s personally scribed lighter, a present from his estranged wife, Ann, like a teasing trophy, and from then on, was always lurking in Smiley’s shadow, a Soviet spymaster behind it all since Alec Leamus met his death at the Berlin Wall in The Spy Who Came In From The Cold then the exposure of the Circus’s surprise bad apple in Tinker,Tailor Soldier Spy to Smiley’s triumph in Smiley’s People.
Karla’s Choice has turned out to be the novel that Smiley fans have long awaited for - the void between the aftermath of Leamus then Smiley’s faceless battle with his Soviet nemesis. From the opening chapter featuring the revelations of a defecting assassin and the sudden disappearance of his target, a dissident Hungarian publisher, the scene is set for George to enter stage right and take control to not only track him down but give him the opportunity for a game of oneupmanship with his old Russian sparring partner, bringing in all those familiar names and welcoming new ones, along the way. Harkaway’s approach and style has more than just hints of his late father, and as I read the lengthy descriptive narratives and the mesmeric dialogue, I could easily hear le Carre’s melodious voice in my head as if he was on stage reading out an extract from it. However, let’s not take it all away from the writer of Karla’s Choice. His son, Nick has approached it all by giving it his own personal flair, executing it in a way that I feel will bring a whole new set of Smiley readers to the fold. For the aficionados, the le Carresque elements which made the Smiley novels so believable in spy genre are all there. There’s the intrigue, the tradecraft, the twists and the turns, all eloquently captured and entwined giving the iconic images, thoughts and feelings of the Cold War.
I wouldn’t say that Karla’s Choice is a real page-turner, but this is a good thing, it’s a novel which you can dig deep into, savouring the plot’s complex structure like a decent malt whisky. As you finish reading that final paragraph, fans will know there’s a lot more to the Smiley story that could lead up to Tinker Tailor… spurning the idea that maybe Mr Harkaway could be returning to the Circus again in the not too distant future.

It is spring in 1963 and George Smiley has left the Circus. With the wreckage of the West’s spy war with the Soviets strewn across Europe, he has eyes only for a more peaceful life. And indeed, with his marriage more secure than ever. But Control has other plans. A Russian agent has defected, and the man he was sent to kill in London is nowhere to be found. Smiley reluctantly agrees to one last simple interview Szusanna, a Hungarian émigré and employee of the missing man, and sniff out a lead. But, as Smiley well knows, even the softest step in the shadows resounds with terrible danger. Soon, he is back there, in East Berlin, and on the trail of his most devious enemy’s hidden past.
I love The George Smiley novels so was intrigued to read this, especially as who better to write than the son of the books. Afterall another son has carried on his father’s books & they are so good. I thoroughly enjoyed it & was drawn in from the start & found it hard to put down. It fits seamlessly into the Smiley series & found it hard to believe that the original author hadn’t written it. A complex story with lots of twists & turns that had me hooked.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

Eager to read this because I so enjoyed the Smiley novels written by Nick Harkaway’s father, John le Carré, I was bemused by a Smiley who indulged in a frivolous purchase for his wife whilst in a dangerous situation, in anticipation of some conjugal joy. Nor had I expected that Smiley could drive. Having said that, Harkaway has produced a complex thriller in the style of his father, with some excellent asides and rhetoric. The era is finely drawn, as are the international tensions, and the momentum galloped towards the end of the book. I shall be interested to see where the author and his elegant writing takes the sequel(s).