Sweet Tooth is a novel set in the early 1970s by Ian McEwan and first published in 2012. Serena Frome, a Cambridge mathematics graduate, is intelligent and beautiful. After struggling once she moves form school to university, she gets hooked on speed-reading books, and graduates with a third-class degree. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she becomes romantically involved with a Professor from the university who secures her a position with MI5, and this Serena admits to the reader is where the story really gets going. 

The relationship between artistic expression and government surveillance is central to the story. After much dull office work, MI5 offers Serena an exciting opportunity to take part in a covert programme codenamed “Sweet Tooth.” The programme aims to counter Communist propaganda during the Cold War by supporting young writers, academics, and journalists who have anti-Communist inclinations.

Serena’s task is to vet budding writer Thomas Haley and if he is deemed suitable to sign him up to the funding scheme. She is immediately captivated by his short stories and inevitably falls into bed with the writer. As their romantic affair blossoms, complications arise as Serena is unable reveal that she is an MI5 operative and that the funding she has secured for Thomas is from the government. 

The novel delves into power struggles, personal and political, and Serena navigates a world where secrets and deceit abound. The subject of artistic integrity also comes into the latter sections of the story along with the distance a writer will go to source a good story. Using the backdrop of the UK’s winter of discontent and the 3-day working week, McEwan has captured the post-60s spirit and social turmoil of the 1970s.

Sweet Tooth weaves espionage, romance, and literary intrigue into a compelling story. Whether you’re drawn to Cold War era stories or simply love a well-crafted tale, I can highly recommend this novel.