It can only be someone at the very highest level. First, it's gradually become clear that there is a mole in his department. In TTSS, the main character, George Smiley, is being betrayed in two different ways. At best, you'll be able to cut your losses, and move on. Things used to be good, and now they're not, and you know that even if you do figure out what's happened you'll never be able to put it right. The thing about betrayal is that you're generally aware that it's happening before you know how, or why, or who. He's gone much further than that, and written a book that's not just about espionage, which most people never come into contact with, but about betrayal, which we see all the time. What makes it great is that the author isn't content with giving you a realistic account of what it's like to be a spy. So, even if there were nothing more to it, I'd still say that this book was very good. The greater part of it is routine and office intrigues, though every now and then something unexpected and dramatic happens. It feels 100% authentic, and you see that spying is like most other jobs. Also, having worked in espionage himself, le Carré is able to get the atmosphere right. Unlike most examples of this genre, it's extremely well-written. I'm one of many people who think that Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is the greatest espionage novel of all time.
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