Len Deighton, the British novelist who created the spy character Harry Palmer immortalized by Michael Caine, died at 97. Palmer's gritty novels and the 1965 film adaptation made Caine a star, but Deighton's lesser-known illustrated cookbooks also left a mark. His recipes, featuring newspaper clippings pinned above stoves, helped normalize cooking for British men during a time when domestic skills were uncommon. The Ipcress File established Deighton as a master of the spy genre, blending realism with culinary detail that resonated beyond espionage.

His dual legacy—in both literature and home economics—shaped cultural perceptions of both intelligence work and domestic life.