The copy I have is read by Michael Jayston, who does a very good job.

I've never read any le Carré before, and this wasn't really what I was expecting, but reading other reviews suggests that this book isn't typical of his work.

Magnus Pym is an interesting central character. When the book starts, he has disappeared following the death of his father. There are suspicions that he may have been working for the Czechs and has now defected. In fact, he has taken himself off to a boarding house that no-one else knows about, where he writes letters and memoirs.

The book tells the story of Pym's life, his recruitment into the Secret Service, and how he becomes a double agent, working for the Czechs. It tells how suspicions about Pym grew, and the search for him after he disappears.

The narrative jumps around in time rather a lot. It also switches between a third person perspective and being told by Pym (who refers to himself in the third person). This all means that it can be confusing and difficult to follow at times, though this is probably more of an issue with the audio book. It's worth the effort, though. It's a good, thought-provoking book, filled with interesting characters.