Anthony Horowitz to Write James Bond Novel Set in the 1950s

Posted on October 4, 2014

Anthony Horowitz, author of the bestselling Alex Ride spy series, has just signed on to write a new James Bond novel. The Ian Fleming estate invited Horowitz to pen the new book which will be set in the 1950s.

The book will include material written by Ian Fleming himself that has never been seen by the public. The BBC reports that Fleming wrote the material as an episode treatment for a James Bond television series that never made it to pilot.

Horowitz, who is best known as the bestselling author of the young adult Alex Ride series, will use the treatment as a starting point for the story which takes place in the world of auto racing. The treatment was called "Murder on Wheels,": but Horowitz said on Twitter that it will not be the name of the novel. "Murder on Wheels" is the title of one of the chapters in the book.

Fleming wrote a number of episode outlines for the failed TV show. Several of the pilot treatments were turned into short stories which eventually became the feature films Octopussy, For Your Eyes Only and The Living Daylights. The new novel will be released on September 8, 2015.

Horowitz has been a Fleming fan for many years calling the author "a profound influence" on his life. He says he simply had to take the project, "When the estate approached me to write a new James Bond novel how could I possibly refuse?" Horowitz acknowledged that the project is a "huge challenge," but said that he has been inspired by having the original Fleming manuscript to work from.

Horowitz has been keeping the secret for weeks and when the news finally broke he was overwhelmed with the response. He posted on Twitter, "In all the excitement today, I only wrote four words of the JB book. At that rate, it'll be finished in around 2017."

Horowitz is an excellent choice to pen the next Bond novel. We can't wait to see what he comes up with.