� John le Carr�'s second novel, A Murder of Quality, offers an exquisite, satirical look at an elite private school as it chronicles the early development of George Smiley. Miss Ailsa Brimley is in a quandary. She's received a peculiar letter from Mrs. Stella Rode saying that she fears her husband-an assistant master at Carne School-is trying to kill her. Reluctant to go to the police, Miss Brimley calls upon her old wartime colleague, George Smiley. Unfortunately, it's too late-Mrs. Rode has just been murdered. As Smiley takes up the investigation, he realizes that in life-as in espionage-nothing is quite what it appears.