Casino Royale

In the novel that introduced James Bond to the world, Ian Fleming’s agent 007 is dispatched to a French casino in Royale-les-Eaux. His mission? Bankrupt a ruthless Russian agent who’s been on a bad luck streak at the baccarat table.

One of SMERSH’s most deadly operatives, the man known only as “Le Chiffre,” has been a prime target of the British Secret Service for years. If Bond can wipe out his bankroll, Le Chiffre will likely be “retired” by his paymasters in Moscow. But what if the cards won’t cooperate? After a brutal night at the gaming tables, Bond soon finds himself dodging would-be assassins, fighting off brutal torturers, and going all-in to save the life of his beautiful female counterpart, Vesper Lynd.

Taut, tense, and effortlessly stylish, Ian Fleming’s inaugural James Bond adventure has all the hallmarks that made the series a touchstone for a generation of readers.

The text in this edition has been restored by the Fleming family company Ian Fleming Publications, to reflect the work as it was originally published.

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"Ian Fleming has discovered the secret of narrative art...the reader has to go on reading" (John Betjeman)

"A superb gambling scene, a torture scene which still haunts me, a beautiful girl" (Raymond Chandler)

"Mr Fleming’s first novel is an extremely engaging affair...the especial charm of the book is the high poetry with which he invests the green blaize lagoons of the casino tables...Mr Fleming has produced a book that is both exciting and extremely civilized" (Times Literary Supplement)

"[Casino Royale is] lively, most ingenious in detail, on the surface as tough as they are made and charmingly well-bred beneath" (Spectator)

"One of the most original spy thrillers that has ever tickled a jaded palate" (Empire News)