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A Perfect Spy  By  cover art

A Perfect Spy

By: John le Carré
Narrated by: Michael Jayston
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Publisher's summary

Magnus Pym, counsellor at the British Embassy in Vienna, has suddenly vanished, believed defected. The chase is on for a missing husband, a devoted father, and a life-time secret agent.

Pym’s life, it is revealed, is entirely made up of secrets. The race is on to find the perfect spy.

©1986 David Cornwell (P)2014 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd.

What listeners say about A Perfect Spy

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The Best

This is by far my favourite of le Carre's books.Although not a spy story as such,it is a story about the making and breaking of a spy.
A story about love,friendship and a tormented man,living in so many different worlds,balancing within himself conflicting characters.
His analysis of Pyms character,as to what goes into making him a perfect spy is riveting.
Ricki Pym,the father,is an enchanting rogue,love and hated,and there is a superb cast of supporting characters,Musspole,Perce Loft,and many others,all vividly alive.
For a novel where so much of the plot is background and family history,and so little takes place in the present,my attention was held from the start.The writing is superb.
Even though I knew the ending I was spellbound as to the depth of the authors sympathy and understanding of his tortured,confused,loyal and traitorous hero.
I have read the book several times and shall listen to this audibook again and again.
Michael Jayston is excellent,as ever

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good story, but not one of le Carre's great ones

Would you listen to A Perfect Spy again? Why?

Don't think so, its a nice read/hear but not significant enough for a re-read

Any additional comments?

Made a very nice reading for my daily commute

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Masterpiece

In my view, his best work. Certainly on a par with Tinker Tailor. The slow unwrapping of the Character with constant flashbacks, the layering, the atmosphere, are the work of a master story teller still at the top of his game. Micheal Jayston as always reads absolutely superbly. Unturnoffable!!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Masterpiece

In my view, his best work. Certainly on a par with Tinker Tailor. The slow unwrapping of the Character with constant flashbacks, the layering, the atmosphere, are the work of a master story teller still at the top of his game. Micheal Jayston as always reads absolutely superbly. Unturnoffable!!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Perfect Spy Story

Pym father and son, conman and spy, the Court and the Lovelies, Axel, Brotherhood, the Czechoes and the Firm, make for a complicated but wonderful book. The story is less important than the character studies and Le Carre’s disdain for most of them and the institutions they work for. Michael Jayston’s reading is Five Star if you forgive the occasional American accents.

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