One of the most enduring and endearing espionage characters in the history of literary fiction, George Smiley, is back. This time his reappearance marks a resuscitation of his original creator, the inimitable John le Carré. Karla’s Choice a George Smiley novel is penned by le Carré’s youngest son Nick Harkaway (a pseudonym chosen by Nicholas Cornwell) and covers the hiatus in Smiley’s celebrated life between 1963 (year of the publication of The Spy Who Came in From the Cold) and 1974 (Smiley’s return to the Circus fold following the release of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy).  Karla’s choice is an unabashed and unashamed tribute to the mastery of John le Carré. The late author’s imprimatur permeates every page of this compelling book and marks the beginning of yet another instance of ‘extension’ novels following in the footsteps of Eric van Lustbader taking over the reins of Robert Ludlum, Sebastian Faulks attempting a revival of the inimitable Jeeves etc.

A prosaic Hungarian émigré literary agent plying his wares out of a non-descript office based in Primrose Hill, and advertising under the name of Bánáti & Clay, suddenly does a disappearing act. When a Soviet hit man named Miki manifests himself at the doorstep of Mr. Bánáti’s office, only to be overcome by an overwhelming episode of grief and religious guilt, Bánáti’s 23-year-old assistant, Szusanna, approaches law enforcement into whose hands, a remorseful Miki turns himself in. This episode sets the Circus in motion and Control in a show of absolute obstinacy summons Smiley, demanding that the latter take on the case. A non-plussed Smiley still reeling from the untimely and monstrously tragic death of fellow agent Alec Leamas, is forced to come out of his self-imposed reclusion and solve the mystery of the missing literary agent.

Investigations reveal Bánáti” to be a former Soviet agent, Ferencz Róka. The motivation for Róka to go incognito leads Smiley to territories new and old. Ably assisted by his usual entourage that includes Peter Guillam, Toby Esterhase, Jim Prideaux etc in addition to the grumpy and untrustworthy German Statsi Mundt, Smiley navigates the streets of Berlin, Vienna, Budapest and Lisbon in his effort to track and trace Róka. Szusanna is also unwittingly appropriated as an agent, receiving trainings in the nuances of spy craft on the fly.

Smiley and team realise that the elusive Róka is battling against time to save his estranged son, Léo, the product of a feisty affair involving a beautiful Hungarian poet, Iren. Léo’s fate hangs in the balance as the Stasi in Berlin have got their hands on the boy. When it becomes evident to Smiley that Róka would go to any extent, howsoever dangerous or daft to protect his son, the team from Circus embark on a frighteningly uncertain and risky mission to try and save Róka and his family. Standing in the way of this mission is a ruthless and remorseless Soviet agent operating from Moscow. Simply named Karla, he is a force to reckon with and will stop at nothing to further the cause of the Soviet Union.

Whether Smiley and his intrepid team would succeed in prying away Léo from the barbaric Stasi hands and in the process giving a new lease of life to Róka and Iren, not to mention the acquisition of a precocious “asset” to the Circus, or whether Karla would succeed in thwarting Circus’ mission forms the bulwark of the book.

Karla’s Choice reads and feels like John le Carré. Nick Harkaway makes a stupendous effort to maintain, honour and preserve his father’s famed legacy. Here’s hoping that the Smiley saga will continue to enthrall readers for a long time to come!