Silverview, John le Carré, Author; Toby Jones, narrator In this, the last novel of John Le Carré, we are gifted with a beautifully written espionage tale that does not truly come together until the very end. From the beginning, the story twists and turns in many directions, leading the reader on a merry chase after the plot, perhaps requiring a second read to put it all together. Is this an espionage novel or a romance novel masquerading as one? When the story opens, a woman pushing a pram in the rain visits the home of Stewart Proctor. She delivers a sealed letter to Proctor and awaits his response which she brings back to her ailing and dying mother, Deborah Garton, who is married to Edward Avon, Lily’s father. They live in a house called Silverview, which gives the book its title and is the English translation of Silberblick, the name of Nietzsche’s home. Their relationships are complicated. While this thread of that story unfolds, another begins. Julian Lawndsley is the owner of a bookstore. He left a lucrative financial career to begin a quieter life. One day, he is visited in the store by one Edward Avon, who tells him he had once been a dear friend of his father. Edward encourages him to open a section of his store, in the basement, devoted to the classics, and they call it “The Republic of Literature”. Soon Edward asks Julian for a favor. He wants him to deliver a letter to a woman he covets outside of his marriage. Shortly afterward, Edward’s wife, Deborah, invites Julian to dinner, although she is quite ill and dying. The conversation is cryptic, that evening, but pleasant. Julian meets Lily there and they grow fond of each other. Julian learns many things about Edward besides his friendship with his father. Many years ago, Edward rescued a doctor named Salma, from the Serbs, after they murdered her husband, Faisal, and her son. He then returned to his life with his wife Deborah. When Edward asks Julian to do him a favor and deliver a letter to a woman he covets outside his marriage, Julian agrees. He has no idea who she is, but he accepts the responsibility because he is fond of Edward. He returns with a letter for Edward and a message that she is well. He tells Edward she is beautiful. In the next thread, there is a breach of security in England, Stuart Proctor becomes involved. He and Deborah worked for the British Intelligence Service. She was extremely well respected. Proctor begins to suspect Edward of treachery. Could Edward be the cause of the breach. He follows Edward’s trail and investigates all of the people he visits to find out if he is up to something or has been for years. Many questions erupt from the pages. Who is Stuart Proctor? Who is the real Julian, What part does Lily play in all of the comings and goings. Who is the real Edward? Who was the mystery woman of the letter. Several of the characters have double lives and double names, but each is an integral part of the story, filling in the blank spaces that arise. Although the book is narrated really well by Toby Jones, it might be easier to understand the novel if it is read in a print edition. Often the characters changed without notice and the thread of the story was momentarily lost. As each new event and character is introduced, the reader is forced to try to figure out what place it occupies in the underlying thread. In the end, one wonders will the real spy be identified and caught?