Our Kind of Traitor, John le Carré, 2010

'Dima thought you played a pretty nifty match out there, am I right, sir?'

 ... and the apparently simple invitation for a friendly tennis match between two strangers turned on one of the most interesting espionage conspiracy where the money laundry from a Russian crime organization would be the target.

Perry and Gail are a couple enjoying a formidable time in Antigua when they get involved in an odd relation with a Russian family comprehended by cousins. Yes! all of them cousins and came from the same town: Perm. The capo of this 'charming' family is called "Dima" and after a few pages, the reader will find out that the holidays of Dima, his sons, daughter and the long queue of cousins are not just for pleasure.

John le Carré is one of the most awarded writers of espionage novels and certainly this great book demonstrates why. A very complex and well drawn trama will send us from Antigua to Paris, London and Switzerland and reveal the way how some deals are pacted and sometimes never accomplished in the tricky world of spies.

Perhaps it's only right that we spies, ever our retired ones, do not take naturally to being photographed [...].

Keep an eye on: among all great details that I could mention about this book, I strongly suggest to the reader to enjoy and taste the psycology of every character, in special the British Intelligence agents. It is just fascinating.

This book is a master piece of espionage that albeit has no all the action, explotions, fights and shots; grabs the attention of the reader from the first line. Never is nice to tell the end of the story, but worths to say that it is the best one I've ever read: logic, unexpected, close to reality, surprising... simply the best.

'That's the point, isn't it? If you're going to be fucked, be fucked in a good cause'.

Very recommendable.

P.S. Thanks, Ellie for such marvelous Christmas present.

ISBN: 9780670919017