New release: Trigger Mortis. The US paperback edition of the newest James Bond novel, Trigger Mortis, by Anthony Horowitz (Alex Rider series) was published by HarperCollins in September. Using unpublished material by Ian Fleming, and bringing back Goldfinger heroine, Pussy Galore, the story is set in the 1950s and was quite a 007 event last fall! The spectacular new paperback cover was created by illustrator Patrick Leger, who worked to bring in vintage elements to further root the book in the past. Ian Fleming Publications recently interviewed Leger, who commented that he was actually inspired by the Robert McGinnis posters of the 1960s, rather than purely by the early book jackets. Looking at his characters and composition, however, I think the new cover fits nicely in the world of illustration of the late 50s/early 60s, as Spy Vibe has shown in the rare On Her Majesty's Secret Service edition I discovered and in mystery paperbacks of the era, as seen on Spy Vibe here. The publisher supplied scenes for Leger to work from and we can see some of his roughs below. Read the full interview at IFP here. Story continues below.
About the book (UK version): "It's 1957 and James Bond (agent 007) has only just survived his showdown with Auric Goldfinger at Fort Knox. By his side is Pussy Galore, who was with him at the end. Unknown to either of them, the USSR and the West are in a deadly struggle for technological superiority. And SMERSH is back. The Soviet counter-intelligence agency plans to sabotage a Grand Prix race at the most dangerous track in Europe. But it's Bond who finds himself in the driving seat and events take an unexpected turn when he observes a suspicious meeting between SMERSH's driver and a sinister Korean millionaire, Jai Seong Sin. Soon Bond is pitched into an entirely different race uncovering a plan that could bring the West to its knees. Welcoming back familiar faces, including M and Miss Moneypenny, international bestselling author Anthony Horowitz ticks all the boxes: speed, danger, strong women and fiendish villains, to reinvent the golden age of Bond in this brilliantly gripping adventure. Trigger Mortis is also the first James Bond novel to feature previously unseen Ian Fleming material. This is James Bond as Fleming imagined him." More below.
Just for fun, let's compare that to the US description: "James Bond won his battle with criminal mastermind Auric Goldfinger, but a whole new war is about to begin. With glamorous Pussy Galore by his side—and in his bed—Bond arrives home from America to the news that SMERSH, the deadly Soviet counterintelligence agency, plans to sabotage an international Grand Prix. He must play a high-speed game of cat and mouse on the track to stop them, but a chance encounter with a mysterious Korean millionaire, Jason Sin, warns him that the scheme is only the Soviets’ opening move. This dashing and seductive narrative of fast cars, beautiful women, and ruthless villains has all the hallmarks of an Ian Fleming original, including familiar faces such as M and Miss Moneypenny. Trigger Mortis pits Bond and American adventurer Jeopardy Lane against a cold-blooded tycoon determined to bring America to its knees—with the help of SMERSH, who will pay any price to secure Soviet victory in the space race now driving the Cold War. The clock is ticking as the scheme unfolds, culminating in a heart-stopping New York City showdown that will determine the fate of the West."
Find the new US paperback on Amazon. Read about the new Robert McGinnis/Neil Gaiman project on Spy Vibe here. Related Spy Vibe posts: Fergus Fleming Interview, Fleming's Typewriter, Rare Fleming, Fleming's Music, Ian Fleming's Japan, Ian Fleming: Wicked Grin, Ian Fleming Memorial, Thai Bond Design, Bond vs Modernism, The Goldfinger Variations, Double 007 Book Designs, Double 007 designs II, rare Ian Fleming edition, Book Design Dopplegangers, Turkish Bond design, Erno Goldfinger, Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview, Double 007 Designs, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, David Tennant Reads Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Spy Vibe's Ian Fleming archive on Pinterest.
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