# Nick Harkaway Expands John le Carré’s Spy Universe in 'The Taper Man' The author continues his father’s legacy with a new Cold War thriller featuring George Smiley. - **Source:** [The Independent – News](https://www.independent.co.uk/news) - **Published:** 2026-11-07 - **Topic:** [culture](https://brifing.si/c/culture) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/81a0a38e-4b1e-49e8-906b-5b98c70cf490 ## Expanding the Smileyverse Author Nick Harkaway has released his second novel set within the iconic spy universe created by his late father, John le Carré. Titled The Taper Man, the thriller follows the legendary British spymaster George Smiley during a 1965 mission to the United States, navigating complex geopolitical tensions and deep-cover agent operations. ## Reflecting Modern Parallels Harkaway describes the process of writing Cold War narratives in 2026 as writing in a mirror. He observes that many global anxieties from the mid-20th century, including Russian interference and strained international relations, remain alarmingly relevant today. The novel explores these historical echoes while maintaining the gritty, realistic tone of the original. ## The Mouse-Eye View Set two years after The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, the story transports Smiley to California. This setting allows Harkaway to present the methodical British spy with a mouse-eye view of Los Angeles, where the landscape and aggressive American intelligence culture feel entirely alien to his traditional, shadow-based operational style. ## Moral Murkiness and Depth Editor Edward Kirke notes that the new novel successfully captures the signature moral murkiness of le Carré’s work. Harkaway utilizes minor characters from his father’s previous books, such as Roy Bland, ensuring that every figure possesses a rich interior life, consistent with the detailed characterization that defined the original Circus series. ## Demystifying Espionage Work Harkaway emphasizes his father’s commitment to demystifying intelligence work, stripping away the glamour often associated with fictional spies like James Bond. He portrays intelligence officers as flawed individuals who are frequently hungover, divorced, or prone to errors, framing the reality of espionage as a messy, unpredictable lottery rather than a heroic endeavor. ## Legacy of the Chair Writing from his north London home, Harkaway composes his manuscripts while sitting in his father’s original, notoriously uncomfortable chair. This physical connection to the past accompanies a deep familiarity with the material, as Harkaway spent his childhood listening to his father read drafts of the Smiley novels aloud for hours daily. ## Future of the Franchise The expansion of the le Carré universe continues beyond literature, with the author’s brothers managing film and television adaptations, including an upcoming series starring Matthew Macfadyen. Harkaway confirms he is currently writing at least one more Smiley novel, keeping the 1960s setting that defined the character’s most iconic literary appearances. ## Opening the Literary Door While the family is currently managing the property, Harkaway acknowledges internal discussions regarding inviting other authors to contribute to the series in the future. He suggests that potential successors should possess exceptional prose skills and a critical perspective, noting that it would be refreshing to see a woman take the pen. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.independent.co.uk/news/john-le-carre-american-britain-mi6-cia-b3080890.html — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._