Books like Le Carre's 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy'

Love top-notch spy thrillers?  Filmgoers who have seen the new award-winning movie Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy might have (re)discovered John Le Carré's 1974 novel of the same name.  In this classic suspense story, British agent George Smiley hunts for a Soviet double agent within the ranks of the Secret Service.  And if you're similarly on the hunt for a good read-alike, try these three books, recommended by Novelist:

1. Secret Asset by Stella Rimington - Secret Asset portrays agent Liz Carlyle's attempt to thwart a terrorist attack and root out a mole in British intelligence. Rimington's eye for the details of life in a secretive community conveys a contemporary upgrade of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. 
2. Morning Spy, Evening Spy by Colin MacKinnon - In Morning Spy, Evening Spy, a CIA agent investigates the death of a fellow agent during the year leading up to 9/11, uncovering ineptitude, almost willful blindness, and scrambled priorities reminiscent of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy's portrayal of Britain's MI5.
3. The Eighth Dwarf by Ross Thomas - Set in war-torn Germany in the late-1940s, The Eighth Dwarf features more action than Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, and the pacing is faster than Le Carré's. However, both portray a world-weary cynicism and an equally compelling cast of minor characters.  

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