A Murder of Quality

, #2

2012 reprint with new introduction, 176 pages

English language

Published Oct. 2, 2012 by Penguin Books.

ISBN:
978-0-14-312258-6
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3 stars (30 reviews)

“Fielding and Jebedee were dead, Steed-Asprey vanished. Smiley—where was he?”

John le Carré’s second novel, A Murder of Quality, offers an exquisite, satirical look at an elite private school as it chronicles the early development of George Smiley.

Miss Ailsa Brimley is in a quandary. She’s received a peculiar letter from Mrs. Stella Rode, saying that she fears her husband—an assistant master at Carne School—is trying to kill her. Reluctant to go to the police, Miss Brimley calls upon her old wartime colleague, George Smiley. Unfortunately, it’s too late. Mrs. Rode has just been murdered. As Smiley takes up the investigation, he realizes that in life—as in espionage—nothing is quite what it appears.

35 editions

Review of 'A murder of quality' on 'Storygraph'

4 stars

A fun George Smiley story; a classic whodunnit, not a spy story. Great writing with great characters; skewering Great British snobbery at a second rate public school. There are a couple of really nice changes of direction towards the end. I thought the mechanics of the murder plot were stretched a little thin though.

Review of 'A Murder of Quality' on 'Storygraph'

4 stars

John le Carré makes smooth writing look easy. It's not needlessly florid, nor is it noticeably sparse and hardboiled. It it very Smiley-like: unassuming but effective. 

As others have said, this isn't a spy novel, it's a mystery George Smiley happens to be in. But a good mystery! 

I enjoyed a nice meander through class politics and academic culture alongside the murder mystery. My only gripe is that the ending wrapped up a bit too quickly. All the build up was great, and then a three page "so here's what actually happened" speech and it was over. 

Excited to plough ahead to the actual spy novels!

Review of 'A Murder of Quality' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

This is the short second novel of Le Carré. While George Smiley is the main character, he's solving a murder rather than sparring with Eastern Bloc spies. Those wanting more of the espionage found in his first novel, "A Call for the Dead", will be a bit disappointed. However, this book is interesting as it develops Smiley as a character and provides an engaging murder mystery to solve. I quite liked it even though it wasn't what I expected.

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Subjects

  • Crime Fiction
  • Suspense & Thrillers
  • George Smiley (Fictitious character)
  • Mystery

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