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Let me preface this by stating that Deighton is a brilliant spy story novelist. That being said, I consider this book a kind of background reference, and interesting to us who have been hooked to read the series up to this point. There is one thing missing for the most part, and that one thing is Bernard Samson.
Samson, in the previous books has been the central character. He is the MAIN THRUST this series has been built on. He is, of course, mentioned throughout this book, but his absence as an active character, to me, makes this a reference piece.

This is the 6th book in a 9-book series set during the cold war and featuring the adventures (and misadventures) of Bernard Samson, whose wife Fiona early on defects to the Russians. Bernard is never aware of the whole story -- the first five books and the last two are all written in first person, from Bernard's point of view. Spy Sinker allows a broader view, and fills in the reader on the full story. Not that living in Samson's head is any hardship. His acerbic take on everything from the British Secret Service to his colleagues and their wives enlivens every page. Of one straying wife, he remarks. "Her faithfulness would never be a subject for lyric poetry. Limericks, perhaps." These books are all wonderful. Start with Berlin Game and read straight through.

I have loved all of Mr Deighton’s books but this one is different. It seems to be everything he tries to avoid in his writing. The only character who comes out of it with any integrity is Bernard. The rest appear shallow, selfish, self indulgent. It looks as though it was written to a timeline rather than a plan. Enjoy the rest of the series and forgive this error of judgement.

Spy Sinker retells the Samson saga (as developed in the Game, Set, and Match trilogy and in the first two books of the Hook,Line, and Sinker trilogy) from the points of view of players other than Samson: notably his wife Fiona, the bombastic fellow agent Bret Rensselaer, the Director General Henry Clevemore, and the power behind the scenes, Silas Gaunt. Most of the novel centers on the Game, Set and Match time frame. It fills in gaps and provides additional insight into Fiona, but unlike the other novels, this one is more expository, more telling than showing.

Spy Sinker is essential if you've read the other five for the clarifying background it provides and for tying up loose ends (and maybe even for making sense of the whole thing, because trying to keep information straight that develops over the course of five books is challenging: this novel acts as an outline of prior events). As a stand-alone, however, it's a bit more of a yawner than other books in the series, and certainly a spoiler if you don't save it for last. Its main interest derives from the insight it provides into characters you've grown to know (and to like or dislike, depending on the character) over the course of the first five books.

Must be read as part of series, hook line and sinker. Realistic well written evocative of cold war Berlin. Been there. On the money. One the best spy book series ever, not silly like Bond.

I really have no idea. My husband read it and enjoyed it. He's read the whole series and says he's learned a lot about the history of espionage.

This is the 3rd part of a grand old spy trilogy written when the Cold war was really cold.Deighton`s(God rest his soul) 6 cold war spy novels Hook,Line & Sinker and Faith Hope and Charity all written in a series about a hard core realistic British spy are not to be missed by fans of the genre.Read them as written for a terrifically complex,exciting and enjoyable ride in reading!

Follows the Bernie Samson story. have to keep reading to see what happens next. Enjoy Deighton's books immensely