The Tailor Of Panama

by John Le Carre (1996):

Harry Pendel is a British expatriate living in

Panama, who specialises in supplying suits to the wealthy. He is actually an ex-convict who learnt tailoring in prison – a fact he keeps secret through a web of fabricated lies. This attracts the attention of Andy Osnard, a young agent with British spy service MI6, who has been sent to recruit agents in Panama; Andy decides to use Harry for his own gains. This novel was also made into a 2001 film with Pierce Brosnan.