What we know
What we know: Writer Nick Harkaway expands his father John le Carré's spyverse in new thriller 'The Taper Man'
Compiled Nov 7
What we know
- "The Taper Man" is a new spy thriller set in John le Carré's world, written by his son Nick Harkaway
- The novel sends George Smiley to the U.S. in 1965, chasing a Soviet agent
- It is published this week in the U.K. and Nov. 17 in the U.S. by Viking
- It is Harkaway's second le Carré novel since his father's death in 2020, following 'Karla's Choice' in 2024
- Harkaway is the youngest of four sons of David Cornwell, who wrote under the pen name John le Carré
- Harkaway is writing 'at least one more' Smiley book, again set in the 1960s
What we don’t know yet
- No future authors have been chosen to possibly expand the le Carré world beyond Harkaway
- It's unclear whether writing in his father's uncomfortable chair has anything to do with the book's le Carré spirit, per the article's own phrasing
Open questions
- Who might be chosen as a future author to continue the le Carré world?
- What specific plot details unfold once Smiley reaches California?
- How will the upcoming 'Legacy of Spies' TV series connect to Harkaway's novels?
- What made Harkaway decide now was the time to write a second Smiley book?
Drawn from the Associated Press report. “What we don’t know” lists only what the reporting itself flags as unresolved.