'The Tailor of Panama' (1884) by John le Carré

'The Tailor of Panama' is a darkly comedic tale of espionage, deception, and moral corruption, set against the politically charged backdrop of Panama. The novel centers on Harry Pendel, a British ex-convict turned bespoke tailor to Panama’s elite. Harry has reinvented himself as a suave and respectable figure, complete with a fabricated aristocratic past, but his life takes a sharp turn when British intelligence comes knocking.

Enter Andrew Osnard, a cynical and opportunistic spy banished to Panama for his misdeeds. Osnard recruits Harry to be his informant, coercing him with the threat of exposing his shady past. Desperate to stay afloat, Harry fabricates intelligence about a conspiracy involving the control of the Panama Canal, feeding Osnard a tapestry of lies spun from his clients' gossip and his own imagination.

What begins as a game of self-preservation spirals into chaos, as Harry’s lies are taken seriously by London, triggering international intrigue and unintended consequences. Meanwhile, Harry’s personal life, marked by his struggling marriage and guilty conscience, teeters on the brink of collapse.

Le Carré delivers a biting satire of espionage, filled with morally bankrupt characters and scathing commentary on the follies of Western interventionism. 'The Tailor of Panama' is a sharp, tragicomic exploration of greed, deception, and the price of ambition in a world where truth is often the first casualty.