Product Description

Harry Pendel is the charismatic proprietor of Pendel and Braithwaite Limitada of Panama, through whose doors everyone who is anyone in Central America passes; Andrew Osnard, mysterious and fleshly, is a spy. His secret mission is two-pronged: to keep a watchful eye on the political manoeuvrings leading up to the American handover of the Panama Canal on 31st December 1999; and to secure for himself the immense private fortune that has until now churlishly eluded him.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #670006 in Books
• Published on: 1997-05-22
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Brian Morton in Times Educational Supplement
'Arguably his best book since The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. A masterful portrayal of human weaknesses'

Review
'Arguably his best book since The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. A masterful portrayal of human weaknesses' (Brian Morton in Times Educational Supplement )

'Delightfully pointed and hilarious ...a well-crafted tale whose thread is studded with funny and moving episodes, as well as pointed asides' (Richard Norton-Taylor in The Guardian )

'This is a book with a momentum of its own, a romantic delirium for troubled times...The le Carré of his new book is a tough talker.' (Karl Miller in The Observer )

'Le Carré is on top form - rich, subtle and powerfully imaginative.' (Maxim magazine )

Yorkshire Post
'The tale is told with pace and verve and shows the author on top form'

Customer Reviews

Disappointing
A rather disappointing novel - not up to Le Carre's usual standard. Set in Panama, a garrulous and imaginative tailor to the great and good is recruited as a spy. His fabrications have unforeseen and tragic consequences. While sections of it are enjoyable, they are set in a mediocre whole, along with some chapters that are so dull it was a struggle to keep reading.

The principle character, Pendel the tailor, is irritating. Some of the supporting characters are more interesting but because the book focuses on Pendel they provide only brief enjoyable interludes. Although the principle behind the story is a good idea, it becomes bogged down in complex politics and I found it disjointed and hard to keep the thread of the story.

The two star rating reflects the fact that this isn't an actively bad novel, just rather lacklustre. It does have some good parts which show glimpses of Le Carre's normal quality of writing. This is probably a novel for dedicated fans of the genre only. For non-fans I'd recommend trying another of Le Carre's novels instead.

A tangled web...
Interesting spy thriller set in Panama after the collapse of the Noriega regime. Excellent sense of time and place and of the desperation of the characters making the best of a confusing time where no-one is sure of their future.

At the centre of this Pendel, the Tailor, and Osnard, a British agent, each weave lies over lies and attempt to create their own realities, that in the end must crumble despite their ever more frantic story-telling.

If you saw the movie, Do not read
The plot though rather good, could not keep my attention. Some of the characters are well written, but others, seem to drag the book down. The book does not flow and you will find yourself putting it down to do something. The story is a satire on the time when America has just handed over the Panama canal. Though I cannot believe that any agency would fall for the information that was passed on by Harry, the tailor and would be spy. Of course I read the whole book, becasue my rule is once you start ....finish it. Other wise I would have put it down. Just watch the movie.