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Writer Nick Harkaway expands his father John le Carré's spyverse in new thriller 'The Taper Man'
Compiled Nov 7
What happened
"The Taper Man" is a new spy thriller set in John le Carré's world, written by his son Nick Harkaway
The detail
The novel sends George Smiley to the U.S. in 1965, chasing a Soviet agent
The detail
It is published this week in the U.K. and Nov. 17 in the U.S. by Viking
The detail
It is Harkaway's second le Carré novel since his father's death in 2020, following 'Karla's Choice' in 2024
How it unfolded
as a child: Harkaway first heard George Smiley's voice when his father read aloud passages from works in progress · two years after 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold': 'The Taper Man' is set, taking Smiley to California · 1965: Smiley is sent to the U.S. to chase a Soviet agent in the novel's plot · 2020: John le Carré (David Cornwell) dies · 2024: 'Karla's Choice,' Harkaway's first le Carré continuation novel, is published · this week (U.K.) / Nov. 17 (U.S.): 'The Taper Man' is published
By the numbers
1965 year · 2020 year · 2024 year · four sons · 90 minutes-2 hours daily listening time
Still unresolved
No future authors have been chosen to possibly expand the le Carré world beyond Harkaway