New tale for ageless superspy

• Published date: 29 September 2022
• Publication title: Te Puke Times

by Anthony Horowitz, Penguin, $37

The name’s Bond, James Bond. Ian Fleming’s first 007 novel Casino Royale was published in 1952, unleashing what would become a hugely successful book series, and a film franchise that continues nearly 70 years on. Fleming died way back in 1964 but the Bond legacy continues as the Fleming family have passed the baton on to younger writers.

With a Mind to Kill is Anthony Horowitz’s fifth 007 novel and finds a middle-aged Bond recovering from a brainwashing episode by the Russians. Their plan is for James Bond to return to London and assassinate his longtime boss and mentor M. Initially it appears that he has been successful as a funeral and graveside ceremony send off M. The reality is more complicated than that, as Bond has been reprogrammed and is allowed to...