Jerry Westerby

Jerry Westerby is the son of a famous newspaper magnate and a journalist in his own right. Upon his father's death, Jerry learned that he was penniless but continues to pretend otherwise in order to protect his father's reputation as well as his own. When the novel opens, Jerry is living in Tuscany attempting to write a novel. The townspeople call Jerry the Honourable Schoolboy because he often carries around a bag full of books and has received correspondence addressing him as the Honourable Gerald Westerby. While in Tuscany, Jerry receives a telegram requesting his services to the British Secret Service. Jerry travels to London where he meets with George Smiley, the new head of the service and one of Jerry's close friends. Smiley is working on a case and he wants to send Jerry to Hong Kong.

Jerry arranges to work for a local newspaper covering...