In this classic, John le Carré's third novel and the first to earn him international acclaim, he created a world unlike any previously experienced in suspense fiction. With unsurpassed knowledge culled from his years in British Intelligence, le Carré brings to light the shadowy dealings of international espionage in the tale of a British agent who longs to end his career but undertakes one final, bone-chilling assignment. When the last agent under his command is killed and Alec Leamas is called back to London, he hopes to come in from the cold for good. His spymaster, Control, however, has other plans. Determined to bring down the head of East German Intelligence and topple his organization, Control once more sends Leamas into the fray -- this time to play the part of the dishonored spy and lure the enemy to his ultimate defeat.

上次軍情科出手至今事隔幾載？那光榮的時光已經停滯太久了。如今軍情科接到了任務！根據不甚明確的證據顯示，蘇聯飛彈已移防德國邊界附近，關鍵的底片卻不翼而飛，快遞也命喪黃泉。軍情科必須找來老手探究乾坤。孚烈德•萊澤爾祖籍波蘭，歸化英國籍，熟諳德語，曾擔任合格無線電操作員，現在從事汽車修護，上級希望徵召他回籠，重披戰袍，派他前進東德...... 《金融時報》：「本書文力萬鈞，至為罕見」 《紐約前鋒論壇報》：「摒除虛華型間諜的迷思，記錄了人性化間諜之事跡，震垮人心﹐讀來悲哀。」 《出版家週刊》：「文筆鋒利淒苦，登峰造極。」