Richard & Judy Introduce With a Mind to Kill by Anthony Horowitz

Horowitz’s excellent new James Bond story opens with a funeral – that of the iconic spymaster, ‘M’. But is ‘M’ really dead? Or is the ceremony just an elaborate cover for yet another thrust against Soviet secret services behind the Iron Curtain? And what is Bond’s role in all this? He’s supposed to have murdered ‘M’ in a brainwashed fog of confusion. But did he really? Questions pile upon questions in a thoroughly readable, hugely exciting spy novel. Thank you, ‘H’!

Richard's Review:

If you’d told me as a schoolboy that when I was in my 60s it’d still be thrilling to read James Bond stories – brand new ones, mind you – I’d have thought you were mad. ‘Go on then,’ I’d have said. ‘Tell us about one of these James Bond stories of the future.’

I think you’d have enjoyed that.

Anthony Horowitz’s excellent With a Mind to Kill picks up where Bond creator Ian Fleming left off: remember where that was? Yup, it was with The Man with the Golden Gun, and now we are at M’s funeral: the secret service chief was shot by… James Bond. Not when 007 was entirely in his right mind, of course. Because he’s been brainwashed by Smersh not only to carry out the hit on their dastardly behalf, but to carry their evil plans still further forward.

OR HAS HE?

Judy's Review:

Of course he hasn’t. Bond’s still one of the Britgang. But if he’s expecting gratitude or respect for his incredibly risky decision to help M smash Smersh, it’s in short supply. Having said that, Bond’s not the man he was.

He’s older now. He’s almost exhausted by torture and the endless double-game. You’re never sure what someone’s going to say to him next. Take this, from a younger spy. ‘Whatever you were is gone. There are no heroes any more, you’re just the lowest of the low.’ There’s thanks for you.

Horowitz can really do this. He’s already got two Bond novels under his belt and he’s not remotely intimidated by the Fleming legacy. Enjoy this stylish new one. We did.