The criminals and conspiractors he had been fighting all his life were becoming superannuated as time moved on, and another decade, youger and brasher than any that had gone before, imposed itself.
With a Mind to Kill, written by British crime author Anthony Horowitz, is the latest James Bond novel published by Jonathan Cape and the Ian Fleming Estate in 2022.
Taking place after the events of Fleming’s final Bond novel, The Man with the Golden Gun, Bond is sent back to Soviet Russia to infiltrate Stalnaya Ruka, an organisation of rogue USSR soldiers to carry out a mission that that could significantly alter the power struggle in the Cold War between the East and West…
Anthony Horowitz completes his James Bond trilogy – begun in Trigger Mortis (2015) and Forever and a Day (2018) – by exploring the end of his career as a secret agent for MI6. Beginning after the events of The Man with the Golden Gun, it starts at M’s funeral, in which Bond is the murderer, having been brainwashed by the Russians and turned into an assassin figure. From there he returns to Russia as a pawn to be recruited for a top secret mission that could alter the course of history.
The novel itself is divided into three sections covering three European cities – London, Moscow, and Berlin, all which are depicted authentically in a 1960s time period and environment. This mirrors the three act structure of most films and helps to develop the characters, location and events of the novel. The opening, in London, is a pretty standard affair akin to most Bond novels and films in which the mission, objectives and targets are explored and discussed. Bond is given a mission to infiltrate a rogue organisation of Russian soldiers and figure out what they’re up to. The middle, which takes up the majority of the book, details Bond’s investigations and relationships with the various perfidious Russian soldiers and assassins in Moscow, but also explores Russian society, governance and culture at the time. Finally, the conclusion and denouement in Berlin is thrilling and intense with some excellent action sequences for an explosive finale and ending.
The overarching theme permeating throughout the novel is Bond’s weariness, tiredness, and disillusionment with his job and life, themes which were also explored previously in You Only Live Twice. This is a Bond that is at the end of his career as a secret agent and Horowitz absolutely nails his aging, vulnerable and weaker character, given all the events and losses he has suffered in previous books. Yet there is also an internal struggle in that Bond would find retirement or an ordinary job meaningless and boring – highlighted in the following quote – “Bond needed death, or the threat of death, as a constant companion. For him, it was the only way to live.” Complementing this are several continuity ‘Easter eggs’ sprinkled throughout the book referencing characters and events of previous novels, which is a delight for eagle-eyed Bond readers. In particular, there are several references to the characters and events in The Man with the Golden Gun, which help to shape some aspects of the storyline, with the novel taking place two weeks after the events of the previous book. Different readers will have varying opinions on whether this improves the novel, but it does remain faithful to the Bond timeline established in Fleming’s novels. Thus, whilst not essential, an understanding of the events of TMWTGG is highly beneficial.
Supporting characters overall are well developed and written throughout the book. The main antagonist, Colonel Boris, is a ruthless soldier and politician who remorselessly uses anyone and anything to achieve his objectives, and gives a strong ‘evil doctor’ character type akin to Josef Mengele. Whilst he was mentioned in TMWTGG, here he really comes alive as a constant presence and threat throughout the novel. Bond’s psychologist, Katya Leonova, experiences significant character development and change as she assesses and evaluates him, educating him on Russian history, society, culture and politics, whilst also questioning her loyalty to the state. In particular, the scenes in Moscow are well depicted with various tourist buildings, landmarks, food and drink written authentically and vivdly. The rest of the Russian soldiers and agents are generally more thinly written with several reappearances but are not central to the narrative.
Finally, the action sequences littered throughout the book are excellent. An escape from London on Tower Bridge and the Thames. An onvernight journey on a train to Moscow. An outstanding fight sequence on the Moscow Underground. And an excursion to East Berlin with a thrilling Le Carre-ian finale and ending.
In terms of weaknesses, the chapters in Moscow do tend to drag a bit as Bond and Katya go on an extended ‘first date’ learning about Russian history and culture, which feels somewhat disconnected to the rest of the novel and slows down the pacing and threat. Some of the twists and reveals may also seen predictable and uninspiring, compared to the high of Fleming’s masterpiece From Russia, with Love. Nonetheless the novel overall is a fast paced read and manages to engage the reader for most of the time.
With a Mind to Kill is a sombre and grim novel, written by an author with a deep affection and understanding of the literary character James Bond. The story, locations and events throughout are depicted with vivid authenticity, detail and realism in a style that pays homage to Fleming’s writing. It is a fitting homage and tribute to the character of 007 that has been in print for over 70 years, and is a fantastic novel with an intriguing sense of finality.
Rating: 8/10
Further reading:
https://www.penguin.com.au/books/with-a-mind-to-kill-9781787333499
https://anthonyhorowitz.com/books/title/with-a-mind-to-kill
https://www.ianfleming.com/exclusive-extract-from-with-a-mind-to-kill/
Andrew Reviews 