British author John le Carré dies aged 89

"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" author John le Carre has died at age 89.

The novelist was known for casting a critical eye on Cold War spies after his own spell in the British Intelligence Service.

Le Carre, born David Cornwell, died on Saturday (December 12) evening in southwestern England after a short bout of pneumonia, his family announced in a statement.

He was survived by his wife, Jane, and four sons.

Le Carre's agent said in a statement, "His like will never be seen again, and his loss will be felt by every book lover, everyone interested in the human condition."

In his spy novels, le Carre challenged common views about the Cold War by depicting corruption and incompetence in the British intelligence service.

Characters symbolised relationships between nations; there were no heroes but rather betrayals between Washington, D.C., Moscow, Berlin and London.

One of le Carre's characters said in his most famous works, the Karla trilogy, "It's not a shooting war anymore. That's the trouble… It's grey. Half angels fighting half devils. No one knows where the lines are."

His later works took aim at the United States-dominated world order, particularly the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Le Carre was credited by the Oxford English Dictionary with introducing spy terms such as "mole", "honey pot" and "pavement artist."

His novels garnered a wide audience, even unexpectedly former spies and Cold War leaders.