LEN Deighton has died aged 97 after almost half a century as one of Britain’s most beloved spy novel authors.
The writer died today having penned 39 books in a much celebrated career which “changed the nature of British spy fiction”.
Len Deighton died today aged 97Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd
The writer’s first novel The Ipcress File was recently adapted in 2022 for an ITV seriesCredit: Rex Features
Len shot to fame with his first book in 1962 which was turned into a BAFTA-award winning film starring Michael Caine.
In March 2022 the thriller was brought to life again with an ITV series which saw Peaky Blinder’s Joe Cole playing the unnamed spy.
In 1940, when Len was 11, he saw one of his neighbours in Gloucester arrested for spying.
It later emerged at her trial that she was a German spy having an affair with a cipher clerk working at the American Embassy.
The spectacle sounds like a plot he would go on to write in one of his bestselling thrillers.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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