For those who read my last posting on reading in 2019, I must correct by adding a major omission. John Le Carre’s Agent Running in the Field. I listened to the Audible version of this recently published spy story which Le Carre himself narrated. Often when the author narrates the book, it is a step down because he/she is not a professional narrator. However, Le Carre’s narration telling the story in the first person read as if he were actually relating past events.

This spy story is set in modern days and reflects current political realities of BREXIT and Trump. The hero is a case officer for British intelligence nearing the end of his career. Russia remains his main adversary, but the service is no longer as effective given the loss of so much expertise due to retirements. In this case, MI-6 is trying to track down a Russian mole. Le Carre, who formerly worked for British intelligence, gives a lot of insights about the tradecraft of a case officer as he tries to out the mole.

I really hated to see this book end. Despite his advancing years, Le Carre still has it. Hearing the narrator’s voice was a special treat!