John le Carre is a British author known for his espionage novels. His most famous character is George Smiley, a British intelligence officer and spymaster. Smiley is often accompanied by his trusted assistant, Peter Guillam, who is also a SPY. The other main character in le Carre's works is the MOLE, a double agent working for both sides of a conflict. All three characters are integral to le Carre's stories, and have become iconic figures in the world of espionage fiction.