Thrillers
With Forever and a Day, Anthony Horowitz takes on the difficult task of stepping into the shoes of Ian Fleming. The novel serves as a prequel to the iconic James Bond stories, exploring the early days of the man who would eventually become the legendary agent known as “007”.
Set in the early 1950s on the glamorous yet dangerous French Riviera, the story begins after a British agent carrying the codename “007” is murdered. M, the head of MI6, chooses James Bond to replace him and uncover the truth behind his predecessor’s death.
Bond’s investigation draws him into a world of organized crime, emerging drug networks, and high-stakes casino games. Along the way, he meets Sixtine — also known as Madame 16 — a former Special Operations Executive (SOE) agent turned information broker and blackjack expert.
As the mystery unfolds, Bond finds himself facing Jean-Paul Scipio, a Corsican gangster hiding his criminal empire behind the façade of a chemical company.
This is not yet the polished Bond readers know from later novels. Here, he is still learning the brutal realities of international espionage and has not fully earned his “license to kill.”
It’s also important to note that Forever and a Day was officially approved by Ian Fleming’s estate and publishers. In interviews, Anthony Horowitz has spoken openly about the challenges of writing a Bond novel while remaining faithful to Fleming’s voice:
“The real challenge is capturing Fleming’s style: the brilliance of his descriptions, the pace of the action scenes, the economy of his language, and the way he viewed the world.”
The novel includes numerous references to Fleming’s original books, from Morland cigarettes to blackjack tables and classic Bond-style tension, making it feel deeply connected to the original series while still standing on its own.
For that reason, BOOKLOVERS has little doubt that Forever and a Day will appeal not only to longtime James Bond fans, but also to readers simply looking for a stylish, entertaining, and well-crafted spy thriller.
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