The AI Shelf · UK · Week 41, 2026
Smiley's People
by John le Carré
On one list this week. Here is how often ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini recommend it, and the reader questions that bring it up.
- #7Spy thrillers15%
11 of 72 answers · first week of this list
- Live shelf
- 8%
- Memory shelf
- 29%
It came up when readers asked:
- “What are some underrated spy novels that don't get talked about enough? Happy to read something a bit lesser-known.”
- “I need a book for my dad's birthday, he's 65 and loves Cold War stuff and old-school spy films. What spy thriller would he enjoy?”
- “I just finished Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and absolutely loved it. What other books are like that?”
- “What are the best spy thrillers by British authors? I like that understated, gritty MI6 kind of feel.”
- “Is there a spy thriller series worth getting into from book one? I like having a long run of books to work through.”
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The badge shows the book's best place in an AI Shelf top 10 and updates itself every week. It links back here, so readers can see the chart.
<a href="https://bookscore.publishing.co.uk/shelf/book/smileys-people--carre"><img src="https://publishing.co.uk/bookscore-api/api/badge/smileys-people--carre.svg" alt="Named on the AI Shelf: Smiley's People" width="240" height="72"></a>
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