John le Carré (1931–2020), born David John Moore Cornwell, was a British novelist and former intelligence officer whose psychologically complex espionage novels helped redefine modern spy fiction. Before becoming a full-time writer, he worked for both MI5 and MI6, experiences that informed the morally ambiguous world of novels such as The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. He created the enduring intelligence officer George Smiley and continued writing beyond the Cold War, exploring espionage, political corruption, and betrayal throughout a career spanning nearly six decades.