Absolutely fabulous

John Le Carre's latest novel is up there with his finest: a sweeping look at 50 years of espionage through the eyes of Indian-born Brit Ted and radical German firebrand Sasha.

Having met in 1960s West Berlin as fellow revolutionaries, they go on to form a double-agent partnership of mesmerising complexity. Brought together again in the present day, they face the new threats of the War On Terror (about which Le Carre makes no attempt to hide his contempt).

It's rare to find a book that is so hard to put down: this is a master storyteller at the height of his powers.