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A Delicate Truth

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A Delicate Truth

By: John le Carré
Narrated by: John le Carré
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About this listen

A counter-terror operation, codenamed Wildlife, is being mounted in Britain's most precious colony, Gibraltar. Its purpose: to capture and abduct a high-value jihadist arms-buyer. Its authors: an ambitious Foreign Office Minister, and a private defence contractor who is also his close friend. So delicate is the operation that even the Minister's Private Secretary, Toby Bell, is not cleared for it.

Suspecting a disastrous conspiracy, Toby attempts to forestall it, but is promptly posted overseas. Three years on, summoned by Sir Christopher Probyn, retired British diplomat, to his decaying Cornish manor house, and closely watched by Probyn's daughter Emily, Toby must choose between his conscience and his duty to the Service.

If the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing, how can he keep silent?

'No other writer has charted - pitilessly for politicians but thrillingly for readers - the public and secret histories of his times, from the second world war to the 'war on terror'' Guardian

'The master of the modern spy novel returns . . . this is writing of such quality that - as Robert Harris put it - it will be read in one hundred years. John le Carré was never a spy-turned-writer, he was a writer who found his canvas in espionage, as Dickens did in other worlds. The two men deserve comparison' Daily Mail

'A brilliant climax, with sinister deaths, casual torture, wrecked lives and shameful compromises' Observer

'With A Delicate Truth, le Carré has in a sense come home. And it's a splendid homecoming . . . the novel is the most satisfying, subtle and compelling of his recent oeuvre' The Times

John le Carré was born in 1931 and attended the universities of Bern and Oxford. He taught at Eton and served briefly in British Intelligence during the Cold War. For the last fifty years he has lived by his pen. He divides his time between London and Cornwall.

Contemporary Fiction Espionage Genre Fiction Political Spies & Politics Thriller & Suspense Fiction Scary Inspiring

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Critic reviews

I think he has easily burst out of being a genre writer and will be remembered as perhaps the most significant novelist of the second half of the 20th century in Britain. He will have charted our decline and recorded the nature of our bureaucracies like no one else has. But that's just been his route into some profound anxiety in the national narrative. Most writers I know think le Carré is no longer a spy writer. He should have won the Booker Prize a long time ago. It's time he won it and it's time he accepted it. He's in the first rank. (Ian McEwan)
No other writer has charted - pitilessly for politicians but thrillingly for readers - the public and secret histories of his times, from the Second World War to the "War on Terror"
One of those writers who will be read a century from now (Robert Harris)
With A Delicate Truth, le Carré has in a sense come home. And it's a splendid homecoming . . . Satisfying, subtle and compelling
The perfectly paced, exquisitely cynical style that is le Carré's hallmark
The master of the modern spy novel returns . . . this is writing of such quality that - as Robert Harris put it - it will be read in one hundred years
A brilliant climax, with sinister deaths, casual torture, wrecked lives and shameful compromises
John le Carré has lost none of his ability in skewering the murkier foibles of the British Establishment. A tale of deception, greed, betrayal and ultimately, revenge . . . it is not until the last few pages that the full three dimensions of the plot are thrillingly revealed
A writer of towering gifts . . . le Carré is one of the great analysts of the contemporary scene, who has a talent to provoke as well as unsettle
John le Carré takes us back to his favourite scenarios: Whitehall, the secret services, the gentleman's clubs, dodgy bankers, corrupt public schoolboys and gruesome American neo-cons . . . revelling once more in that imaginary world of secrets and lies that is le Carré's gift to us
All stars
Most relevant
I have read and listened to books by Le Carre before, of course, and found the plots, the writing and the performances by Michael Jayston for the audio books all to be excellent. He is undoubtedly not just a good but a great modern writer. However, I think this latest story stands out for a number of reasons. First, there is the the story itself and the obvious commitment of Le Carre in developing it and the implicit critiques of both state and private commercial power. His use of language and descriptive power is once again outstanding. Secondly, however, it is Le Carre's own reading that is the revelation . I was surprised to see that he was voicing this presentation not least because Jayston has been so good, but also because, frankly, I was not sure from the various interviews etc. I've seen of him whether Le Carre would be suited to this role. I need not have worried: he gives the reading a quality and tone which seem, to me, to fit perfectly to the social and political contexts and the people he describes so well, and he also manages to present convincing characterisations of all the story's actors.
Overall, I think this is one of Le Carre's best tales in terms of content and also the quality of writing, at least amongst his most recent works, and his reading on this audio version made for a truly masterly production. Highly recommended.

Masterly!

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I very much enjoyed the book. Great characterisation, complex plot well put together. Have not had great experiences with books read by the author but le Carre does a great job. He's great at all his various accents!

Wonderfully plotted, well read by le Carre

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What did you like most about A Delicate Truth?

There's no flab in the narrative and it's intelligent. If you like le Carre this is an especially good listen. Hope it becomes a film at some point.

Tight, lean and plausible story convincingly read

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To clarify up front. I am not keen on highly complex interwoven plots, flitting backwards and forwards in time. I don't want to be confused. I want to be entranced and involved with the characters in the story. This novel delivers on all that I seek, especially in spy thrillers and has the added bonus of the wonderful narrative and characterisations by the author himself. Loved it.

Compulsive and engrossing

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Have really enjoyed this book especially as John Le Carre narrated it. I will agree with other reviews though about the end it does feel like there is an epilogue to come (I do hope so)
I have become quite attached to the characters throughout and want to know more about them.

This is well worth a listen it is warm and comfortable, With a nice familiar feel to it but not repetitive

The Spymaster Speaks

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