British agent George Smiley hunts for a mole in the Secret Service and begins his epic game of international chess with his Soviet counterpart, an agent named Karla.

No doubt remains; a mole has infiltrated the highest level of the Circus, code name for British Secret Intelligence Service. Sidelined agent George Smiley is covertly tapped to root out the traitor-a task that requires an intensive dig through the labyrinths of Cold War espionage and his own past. Stellar ensemble casts bring John le Carre's thrilling tales of Cold War-era espionage to vivid life in these television classics.

The book blends two parallel narratives. Lilly is experiencing difficulty re-entering the work force after taking time out to raise her children. She learns of her father-in-law's (Alfred) astonishing history as a young Jewish boy brought up in Munich during the rise of Hitler. She decides to write her father-in-law's biography, which is both tragic and humorous. Lilly documents the terrifying arrest of Alfred's father during Kristallnacht, the family's...