The Ipcress File
Ratings9
Average rating3.8
15
Ratings9
Average rating3.8
Len Deighton's classic first novel, whoseprotagonist is a nameless spy – later christened Harry Palmer and made famous worldwide in the iconic 1960s film starring Michael Caine.The Ipcress File was not only Len Deighton's first novel, it was his first bestseller and the book that broke the mould of thriller writing.For the working class narrator, an apparently straightforward mission to find a missing biochemist becomes a journey to the heart of a dark and deadly conspiracy.The film of The Ipcress File gave Michael Caine one of his first and still most celebrated starring roles, while the novel itself has become a classic.
Series
4 primary booksSecret File is a 4-book series with 4 primary works first released in 1962 with contributions by Len Deighton.
Reviews with the most likes.
A classic cold war thriller. Deighton captures the sometime mundanity of life as a spy and as a result his creation is much more believable than Fleming's Uber-spy James Bond. Deighton's nameless hero (christened Harry Palmer in the film) is caught in a web of intrigue where you are not sure who is on which side or who's watching who. The plot is sometimes a bit too convoluted for its own good, but Deighton's writing is always crisp and to the point and as a result you are carried along to the last page. Well worth reading.
