A Perfect Spy Audiobook By John Le Carré cover art

A Perfect Spy

Preview

Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

A Perfect Spy

By: John Le Carré
Narrated by: Shaun Evans
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $54.59

Buy for $54.59

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

a splendid book… [le Carré] is a perfect spy novelist.” — The New York Times

The most autobiographical of John le Carré’s works, A Perfect Spy follows two narratives: the manhunt for the double agent Magnus Pym, and the makings of the man in question—told in his own words.

Referred to as le Carré’s best work and one of the best English novels of the 20th century by the likes of Philip Pullman and Philip Roth, this mesmerizing drama captures a man living more than one life, and the inevitable betrayals that result.

©2011 John Le Carré (P)2024 Dreamscape Media
Espionage Genre Fiction International Mystery & Crime Literary Fiction Mystery Spies & Politics Suspense Thriller & Suspense Exciting

What listeners say about A Perfect Spy

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    24
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    3
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    27
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    22
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    5

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Meh…

I thought that the narration was substandard. So many mispronunciations and the rendering of German names was especially annoying. For example, “her” instead of “Herr” led to confusion.

The story was overly complicated. I know that the book is highly regarded but I’m afraid it was lost on me.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful narration

A must listen for fans of Shaun Evans. Le Carre weaves an intricate portrait of the heartbreakingly perfect spy and Evans brings him to life.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A masterful cold war story

LeCarre at his finest. A complicated story about the life and times of a British spy. How he landed in the service of 2 countries and reconciled his destiny.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great story, awesome narrator.

I love le Carre, and this is one of his finest works. The narrator is great. He can't do a great American accent, but even that adds to the buffoonish American characters in the book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Mesmerizing triumph of language and thought

Fantastically well-narrated, great understanding of the text and characters, with only a little to be desired in differentiating the female voices from each other and from the men. My favorite of all the LeCarre novels so far. I’ve read about 6 including Tinker Tailor. Great study of one man’s psychology—based on the author and of 4 men’s psychology (Rick, Pym, Axel, and Brotherhood) and how they and class and borders and politics, ambition, necessity, betrayals, and lies interplay. I just kept saying to myself, "this is so good." So good.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Complex, but brilliant

Best spy novel of all time. Absolutely incredible, but a warning. You have to be fully engaged while listening to this book or you will be lost.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

This is real literature. Not the crap out now. This is the bench standard.
—Jason Blum

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

An engrossing tale well read

LaCarre’s story and language are rich and compelling. The reading was first-rate and added much to the story. Time well spent.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

An award winner for some -- but not for me

This audiobook has many positive reviews (which is why I purchased). After multiple hours of listening, I was (still) not invested (and not interested) in any of the characters. I enjoy stories that take time to develop -- but, between the narrative and the narrator, I was unable to sustain my interest in the book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Rambling story

just was never coalescing around a story - on and on - if aanybody got through this thing let me now.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!