Jennie Jacques Instagram – #ourgame #johnlecarre – swipe for my attempt to get a selfie with yet another cheeky doggy 😂 It’s set just after The Cold War (early 90s) & ex secret agent Tim Cranmer (late 40s, British) has retired to the tranquil English countryside with his young “musician” Emma, where he intends to chomp on cheese & make lots of wine (private vineyard) & sweet love, I guess… however, Dr Lawrence Pettifer (his so-called best mate, aka Larry) visits most Sundays & just causes chaos… their relationship isn’t healthy, it’s odd & I wouldn’t want to play their game… not only does Larry steal Emma (Cranmers young bird) BUT it’s quickly revealed that he also fleeces 37 million pounds from the Russian government, with the help of some former soviet spy. I should clarify Emma cops off with Larry willingly; although arguably brainwashed… he’s extraordinarily enigmatic, dangerously charming. Le Carre’s writing style is so engaging that the plot (& the characters) could have been little or nothing & I’d have read it to the end! I heard (& read) some mixed reviews… some people found it boring?! I confess I did find the odd few chunks a bit of a slog here & there, but mainly because I needed google to fully understand the narrative/conversation & historic references, during those points 😂 😂 Without giving too much away, Tim Cranmer tells the story in the first person & upon “understanding” Lawrence & Emma are “missing” he takes it upon himself to find them… that’s when we learn lots of dirty little secrets. Checheyev (actually Ingush, NOT Russian) is the one who has been working closely with Larry to get the money together for the arms with motive to uprise against the Russian oppressors. Believe it or not this is a story about love more than it is war, friendship, loyalty – & the frightful lack of. With a sprinkle of murder, deceit & a bit of an identity crisis… I was hooked. Embarrassingly, I knew very little of the Western involvement with Russia over the years, so not only did I get a magnetic story, but also an education. Gripping. Suspenseful. And eye opening. 4.8/5 💪 * #bookreview #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #booklovers #bookaddict