Editing Harry Palmer (section)

===Later novels and discrepancies===
In 1974, the novel ''[[Spy Story (novel)|Spy Story]]'' was published, followed by ''[[Yesterday's Spy]]'' (1975), and ''[[Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Spy]]'' (1976) (also known as ''Catch a Falling Spy'' in North America). As the protagonist also remains anonymous in these novels, it is still open to debate whether the narrator of these last three novels is the same as in the earlier books. There is conflicting evidence for either view. Despite this, and despite the lead protagonist being unnamed, all eight books have been unofficially called the ''Harry Palmer novels'', based on the protagonist's name given in the subsequent film adaptations of ''The IPCRESS File'' and its sequels.

Evidence for this narrator being different from the earlier novels comes from Deighton himself, who is quoted as saying that the narrator of ''Spy Story'' is not the same character as the narrator of ''The IPCRESS File''; in fact, for most of ''Spy Story'', the narrator is named and addressed as "Patrick Armstrong" – although, as another character says, "We have so many different names." Additionally, he is reported to be in his late 30s,<ref>{{cite book | last = Deighton | first = Len | title = Spy Story | publisher = [[Harcourt Brace Jovanovich]] | year = 1974 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/spystorydeig00deig/page/127 127] | url = https://archive.org/details/spystorydeig00deig/page/127 | isbn = 0-15-184838-6 | url-access = registration }} ''"... he turned for a better view of me,... late thirties, spectacles, clean shaven, dark hair, about six foot..."''</ref> whereas the narrator of ''The IPCRESS File'' was born in 1922 or 1923<ref name="IPCRESS p25">''The IPCRESS File'', p. 25. ''"For example; take the time my picture appeared in The Burnley Daily Gazette in July 1939, when I won the fifth form mathematics prize"''</ref> (making him in his 40s), and thus implying that this protagonist is different from that of the earlier novels.

Encouraging the unitary concept – that the later novels feature the same narrator – is the 1974 dust jacket to the Harcourt, Brace & Jovanovich American edition of ''Spy Story'', in which the cover blurb states, "He is back, after five long-years' absence, the insubordinate, decent, bespectacled English spy who fought, fumbled, and survived his outrageous way through the best-selling ''Horse Under Water'', ''Funeral in Berlin'', and the rest of those marvellous, celebrated Len Deighton spy thrillers." Likewise, on the 1976 edition dust jacket to ''Catch a Falling Spy'', the novel features "Deighton's familiar hero, our bespectacled Englishman". A number of minor characters from the earlier novels also appear in ''Spy Story'', further connecting the books.