Undoubtedly one of the world's greatest living spy thriller/espionage novelists, John Le Carré (aka David Cornwall) has a critically acclaimed and hugely popular body of work that has spawned celebrated screen adaptations, ranging from The Spy Who Came in From the Cold to Tinker Tailor Solider Spy and, more recently, A Most Wanted Man.

Wootton looks at Le Carré's own fascinating life (including a stint as a real life spy), his glittering career and the many classic filmed versions of his books. He also describes his own experiences meeting and interviewing Le Carré.