The following version of this book was used to create this guide: le Carré, John. Silverview. Viking, 2021.

John le Carré’s novel Silvervew is written from the third person point of view. The narrative alternates between the past and present tenses. This shift occurs both between chapters and within individual chapters.

The novel opens in London. A young woman, Lily, delivers a letter from her mother to a man named Stewart Proctor. While the contents of the letter remain a mystery to Lily, Proctor expresses his assent to its message. On the same morning, a young man named Julian Lawndlsey, who recently opened a bookshop in a small seaside town after abandoning a successful financial career in London, sees Edward Avon in a café. Julian recalls the previous evening, when Edward visited his bookshop. In the café, Edward tells Julian that he had been schoolmates with Julian’s father, and he encourages Julian to open a new section of his bookstore dedicated to the work of great literary minds.

Proctor, the Head of Domestic Security for the British Secret Service, attends a party at his estate. The next morning, under the auspices of investigating a technological breach, he tours a secure strategic base used by British Intelligence. Proctor is told that, as the technology in the base comprises a completely closed circuit, a technological breach would be impossible. The only extension of the circuit had been to the home of Deborah Avon, a former analyst for the Service who is now dying of cancer.

Julian discusses the Avons with the owner of an antiques store, Celia Merridew. She tells Julian that Edward used her store and its resources as a front to sell priceless porcelain owned by his wife, Deborah. Edward paid Celia a handsome commission for this assistance. Using the store computer, Julian and Edward begin to assemble their literary collection. Julian delivers a letter to a woman in London on Edward’s behalf; Edward tells him that he is romantically involved with her.

Proctor visits two former handlers for the Service, Joan and Philip. Proctor tells them he is assembling a training course for new employees and needs details about a former agent, Edward Avon. Joan and Philip tell Proctor that Edward was a highly moral agent, driven by repulsion of his deceased father’s fascism. They reveal that Edward was heartbroken after a mission during the Bosnian War, in which he grew close to a Bosniak family only to see the father and son killed by Serbs. Proctor visits a former lover of Edward’s, and she confirms that Edward had been obsessed with the family he had met in Bosnia. She tells Proctor that Edward had been in love with Salma, the Bosnian wife whose husband and son had been killed. Salma had managed to flee Bosnia with a German worker.

Julian attends a dinner at the Avons’ estate, Silverview. He discusses the local arts scene and notices a hostility between Deborah and Edward. He flirts with their daughter, Lily, and she accompanies him to his flat. Deborah soon dies, and Lily and Julian begin a romance. As they grow closer, Lily reveals that her parents both worked for the Secret Service. Edward goes out of his way to say goodbye to Julian, although it is unclear if Edward will be leaving town.

Julian attends the funeral services for Deborah. A Service employee takes Julian to a secluded farmhouse, where he meets Proctor. Proctor questions him about his relationship with Edward, and he shows Julian pictures of the woman to whom Julian delivered a letter on Edward’s behalf. The pictures show her as an activist for Arab causes.

Proctor meets with his supervisor. They discuss Edward and reveal that he has been covertly passing classified British Intelligence about the Middle East, stolen from Deborah, to Salma. Edward had used the computers in both Celia and Julian’s stores to pass along this information. Proctor and his supervisor consider ways to minimize the political damage of the situation. Proctor is told to offer a secret deal to Edward, through which he can avoid prosecution by giving a full confession.

Proctor calls Julian and asks him to deliver the written deal to Edward. Julian does so, and passes on a message to Proctor that Edward will meet him later that day. However, Edward does not attend the scheduled meeting and he mysteriously disappears from Silverview. The local mailman visits Lily and tells her that, earlier that day, Edward hid in his mail truck in order to discreetly leave Silverview. Lily remarks that her father will now find Salma.