George Smiley book 1 · 1961
Call for the Dead
George Smiley interviews a Foreign Office official about an anonymous accusation, and the next day the man is dead. Smiley does not believe the official story.
Spoiler-free summary written for The Recurring Cast.
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Book facts
- Author
- John le Carré
- Series
- George Smiley, book 1 of 6
- Published
- 1961
- Setting
- Set in London
- Characters charted
- 4
- Chart confidence
- High
Call for the Dead on screen
- The Deadly Affair (1966, film, Cinema). James Mason plays a security officer, renamed Charles Dobbs, who doubts that a civil servant’s death was suicide.
Who is in Call for the Dead
4 recurring or key characters from John le Carré’s chart. Introduces George Smiley, Peter Guillam, Ann Smiley and Hans-Dieter Mundt.
Lead 1
- George SmileyFirst appearanceIntelligence officer of the Circus
Major 2
- Peter GuillamFirst appearanceSmiley’s loyal lieutenant
- Hans-Dieter MundtFirst appearanceEast German security officer
Minor and cameo 1
- Ann SmileyFirst appearanceSmiley’s unfaithful wife
Also featuring these characters
Other John le Carré books that share the most characters with Call for the Dead.
- The Spy Who Came in from the Cold1963 · George Smiley · 3 shared charactersBuy on Amazon
- Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy1974 · Karla trilogy · 3 shared charactersBuy on Amazon
- Smiley’s People1979 · Karla trilogy · 3 shared charactersBuy on Amazon
- The Honourable Schoolboy1977 · Karla trilogy · 2 shared charactersBuy on Amazon