A British special forces team and a private American defense contractor have all gathered on Gibraltar for an urgent operation to capture a known terrorist. A Foreign Office agent codenamed "Paul" is on the scene to provide eyes-on-the-ground data for London. The operation, on the whole, is a shady affair orchestrated by a dubious CIA agent and an overly ambitious Foreign Office Minister.
What exactly occurs in Operation Wildlife, though, is unknown as "Paul" is suddenly whisked away by his minders, and given a pat on the back and posh assignment to the Caribbean for a job well done. Meanwhile, in London, Toby, a rising FO star and private secretary to the Minister, questions his boss's motives and shrugs asides warnings to begin putting together pieces of the puzzle.
Three years later, a member of the British SF team from that fateful night comes forward with a shocking confession that can embarass the government and expose the dangerous influence of private defense contractors on national security operations.
John le Carré is a legend of the spy novel, having made his debut during the Cold War with the masterfully written The Spy Who Came In From The Cold. An FO agent in his own time, le Carré knows the intricacies of the British espionage apparatus, and uses his knowledge and experience to create some of the most tense moments in literature. Whereas Ian Fleming's James Bond is all action with fast cars, fast women and fancy gadgets, le Carré's characters play endless headgames while ticking down to an explosive climax.
A Delicate Truth is an outstanding novel that returns to le Carré's coldly human portrayal of espionage found in his early works. It is also a scathing criticism of the role defense contractors play in modern global politics. Le Carré shows no love to these contemporary mercenaries who put a profit over loyalty, and who can use extraordinary influence to flaunt the law. It's an excellent book for the summer with an ending that is as shocking as it is inevitable.