All fiction writers lead double lives. There’s the life they lead among friends, and the life led on the page. English writer John le Carré has made a career of creating compelling fictions from disturbing facts. His troubled childhood undoubtedly serves as inspiration for much of his work—the kind of deep distrust that stems from abandonment and suffering at the hands of those who are supposed to protect you.

John le Carré (born David Cornwell in 1931) was introduced to the dark side of humanity at an early age. His father, later a known collaborator of London’s Kray Twins, was sent to jail for fraud and embezzlement charges when le Carré was just two. Not that the absence of his father was necessarily a bad thing. According to Adam Sisman’s 2015 biography of the author, Ronnie Cornwell was worse than a bad seed—he was a drunk and wife-beating philanderer who stumbled home, crawled into bed with his kids, and molested them.

Related: In from the Cold: 11 Thrilling Books for John le Carré Fans

Le Carré’s mother Olive abandoned the family when he was five; he would not see her again until he was 21. Ronnie resurfaced from time to time after this departure. With Olive out of the picture, there was now no buffer between the old man and his kids. Le Carré’s older brother Tony points out that despite his disgusting behavior, Ronnie had the charm of a seasoned con man, even with his sons. “He could put a hand on your shoulder and the other in your pocket,” Tony once said, “and both gestures would be equally sincere.”

Man of Mystery: The Dark Truth of John le Carré

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