Ian Fleming Publications Ltd., The Ian Fleming Estate, the Orion Publishing Group, and HarperCollins US and Canada are delighted to announce that international bestselling and award-winning writer Anthony Horowitz is at work on an official new James Bond novel. Currently dubbed Project One, the novel is due for worldwide release on 8th September 2015.
The new book by Horowitz – a lifelong fan of Ian Fleming – will be set in the 1950s and will be unique among the modern James Bond novels, in that a section will contain previously unseen material written by Fleming to which Horowitz has had exclusive access.
Jessie Grimond, great-niece of Ian Fleming, said:
“In the 1950s Ian Fleming wrote several episode treatments for a James Bond television series. But it never came to be made and he ended up turning most of the plots into the short stories that are now in the collections For Your Eyes Only and Octopussy and The Living Daylights. However, there are a few plot outlines which he never used and which, till now, have never been published, or aired. Given that Anthony is as brilliant a screenwriter as he is a novelist, we thought it would be exciting to see what he would do with one of them.”
The treatment chosen by Horowitz, which will serve as a starting point for his novel, is entitled Murder on Wheels, and follows Bond on a mission into the world of Formula One motor racing, which sees Bond on a mission at the Nürburgring racing circuit in Germany. Familiar characters in the TV treatment include ‘M’ and Miss Moneypenny currently known as Project One
One of the country’s most prolific and successful writers, Horowitz has over 40 books to his name. His recent Sherlock Holmes novel, The House of Silk, sold in more than 35 countries, whilst his bestselling teen spy series, Alex Rider, has sold more than 19 million copies worldwide. As a TV screenwriter he created both Midsomer Murders and the BAFTA-winning Foyle’s War.
Horowitz said:
“It’s no secret that Ian Fleming’s extraordinary character has had a profound influence on my life, so when the estate approached me to write a new James Bond novel how could I possibly refuse? It’s a huge challenge – more difficult even than Sherlock Holmes in some ways – but having original, unpublished material by Fleming has been an inspiration. This is a book I had to write.”
Horowitz is a known fan of Goldfinger, so it will be interesting to see where he pitches his Bond. Will it be Blunt Instrument Bond, Suffering Bond or Tortured Bond? His knowledge of WW2 as series creator of Foyle’s War could provide some nice nods to SOE, of which Fleming was part of and he’s shown he was up to the task taking another iconic fictional character in Sherlock Holmes.
Lucy Fleming, niece of Ian Fleming, said:
“We are thrilled that Anthony has taken on the Bond mantle, and can’t wait to read his novel.
Anthony is a brilliant writer, as his millions of fans around the world demonstrate. He has an exceptional skill for writing spy thrillers in particular, and it is this coupled with the original Fleming material and his knowledge of and enthusiasm for Bond, which makes for a really exciting proposition.”
The book will be published by Orion Publishing Group in the UK, and by HarperCollins in the United States. The book rights were sold in the English language by Jonny Geller of Curtis Brown, on behalf of Ian Fleming Publications Ltd and The Ian Fleming Estate. International rights will be offered at the forthcoming Frankfurt Book Fair on October 6.
Further announcements about the project will follow in 2015. We await with relish.
Incidental Intelligence
Anthony Horowitz is one of the country’s most successful writers, working across many media forms, including books, TV series, films, plays and journalism. His most recent novel, The House of Silk was a Sunday TimesTop 10 bestseller and will be followed up by his new Sherlock Holmes novel Moriarty, publishing on 23rd October 2014 in the UK and on 9th December 2014 in the US.
He has also written extensively for television, contributing numerous scripts to ITV’s Agatha Christie’s Poirot and Midsomer Murders. He was the creator and principal writer of the ITV series Foyle’s War, Collision and Injustice. Horowitz has recently joined the board of the Old Vic and regularly contributes to a wide variety of national newspapers and magazines. In January 2014 he was awarded an OBE for his services to literature.
He lives in London.
Artistic Licence Renewed 
At last IFP have come to their senses and listened to the fans. For different reasons the last three Bond books have failed to excite some aficionados, and many pundits have called for either Higson, Cumming or Horowitz to get the gig. Now, with Anthony I think we have a real chance of critical and commercial success. He did an absolutely brilliant job on Holmes and I’ve every confidence he can put the literary 007 back where he belongs. I’m also delighted that he is making it a period piece and not trying for a modern day reboot.
Bring it on – I can’t wait!
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