Nat, a 47 year-old veteran of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, is nearing retirement. He’s assigned to The Haven, a minor substation in British Intelligence.
Nat is not only a spy, he’s a passionate badminton player. One day, a young man named Ed challenges Nat to a match. Nat wins, but the much younger Ed pushes him to the limit. The two men play every week or two. Ed hates Trump and lashes out at Brexit.
Then Ed commits an act that involves Nat’s agency. Nat has to decide how to juggle national security and friendship.
I listened to the audiobook version of Agent Running in the Field because I’ve listened to John Le Carre narrate some of his other novels. Le Carre brilliantly carries off the story telling and makes it easy to listen to 8 CDs. Are you a fan of John Le Carre and spy novels? GRADE: B+
I’m a fan of spy novels although I haven’t read LeCarre for quite awhile. My favorite writers in the field include Eric Ambler, Len Deighton, Alan Furst, Robert Littell, Olen Steinhauer and Charles Cummings. I have never been able to get through an audiobook. I either keep having to go back because I start thinking about something else or I fall asleep.
Steve, for the past month, Diane and I have been listening to Ron Chernow’s GRANT. It’s 38 CDs. We’re on Disc 15 with a long day to go. We listen to about half a disc during lunch. We figure we’ll be done with GRANT in June.
As Bill Deeck used to say, I can’t keep up with double agents and triple crosses! I’ve read very few spy books!
Bob, there’s no doubt that spy novels feature a lot of treachery and lies. Kind of like working in the Trump White House.
Or the Clinton Foundation.
No audiobooks here either. I used to read Le Carre but haven’t in years. I’d add Brian Freemantle’s Charlie Muffin series and Philip Kerr and Charles McCarry.
Jeff, I have a stack of Philip Kerr waiting to be read.
It was LeCarre who made me a big fan of spy novels and they were a major part of my reading for around thirty years, and I read all the usual suspects. Then in the late 80s/early 90s I just seemed to lose interest in them. The last LeCarre novel I read was “The Night Manager”. I think the primary factor in my loss of interest was the end of the Cold War, which had been a major element in nearly all the spy novels I really liked. Just to throw in one extra tidbit, I think the best spy novel that virtually nobody seems to have read is “The Private Sector” by Joseph Hone, published in the early 70s. It’s out of print but available if you want to pay for it.
I’m not into audiobooks for the same reason Steve mentioned.
Michael, if I can’t find my copy of THE PRIVATE SECTOR by Joseph Hone, I’ll track down a copy. Thanks for the recommendation!
I’m not a big fan of spy fiction, though I did read some of the early LeCarre. I have listened to some audiobooks, but I seem to get sidetracked, as Steve mentioned. I do have some on the computer I could listen to, if I was motivated to do so.
Rick, the narrator is the key to listening to audiobooks for Diane and me. If we don’t like the voice, we bail out.
Happy Earth Day, George.
Rick, the Earth greeted us with snow this morning. And, more is on the way for tomorrow! It’s more like February than April here!
Maybe not a spy novelist, but I really liked Alistair MacLean. I love audio books, but with the new subaru, I find it a bit frustrating not being able to rewind a bit. I have to go back to the beginning of the track. I always have one on in my car. The good thing about the shut down was library due dates were cancelled. The bad thing is I only had 3 un “read” and was on the last track of one of them. I’m over 1/2 way thru a louise penny 11 disc one and have a PGWodehouse one that is probably 5-6 discs left. sigh
I don’t recall reading lecarre, but have enjoyed the movies I’ve seen. I’ve enjoyed other authors, whose names escape me now.
Maggie, we listened to the HARRY POTTER books on CD. Jim Dale might be the best narrator ever! Bill Crider was a big Alistair MacLean fan, too.
Agree even though I had read the books, I’d heard about him and listened to them He rocked it.
I can listen to a straight novel on audio, but not crime or spy. I lose track of it.
Patti, spy novels specialize in twisty plots. I know what you mean by losing the thread of story listening to an audio book. Like Maggie, I have to go back and replay parts to regain my footing.
I do enjoy spy novels but I don’t read Le Carre.
I don’t think I’m smart enough for his books. I find them REALLY hard to follow.
That being said, I loved the series on PBS.
Beth, same here. The PBS series cleared up a lot of the (deliberate?) confusion in the Le Carre novels.
Best audio book self-reader was Frank McCourt reading ANGELA’S ASHES. And it showed me how the words were meant to be pronounced!
Jeff, yes! I forgot about how good a reader Frank McCourt was. I love the lilt in his voice!
I have fond memories of meeting him at the LA times book fair. There was probably a mile long line for michael Crichton and he was at the top of the hill looking down at it. Scott saved my place and I went up to him to tell him how much I enjoyed angelas ashes and he asked what the line was for. I explained and he was gobsmacked. He was sooo nice and friendly