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| 4 out of 5 stars |
Halloween Bingo 2021
Write what you know goes the old advice, and it is obvious that Le Carre knows a thing or two about snooty boarding schools. Everyone I've ever spoken to who has gone to one has horror stories to tell. Not your optimum environment for students or instructors.
This is a George Smiley novel, but there's no espionage. Unless you count Smiley using his everyman façade to infiltrate this school on behalf of the police to assist with their murder investigation. Which he wouldn't have heard of if a former service contact wasn't concerned about it. Going to this community puts him back into his ex-wife's old stomping grounds, something he's not keen on.
This is a decent murder mystery, but I have to say that I prefer Le Carre's espionage novels and I'm glad that he wrote more of those. He could have succeeded in the mystery genre but he was masterful writing spy novels. George Smiley is an inspired creation, so able to blend into the crowd and be overlooked. What better quality in a spy or an investigator? I truly must read more Le Carre and Smiley.
This book was a twofer—a side read for a reading group and a Bingo selection as well. Double duty.
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