20 Greatest Spy Books Ever Written

3. "Casino Royale" (1953) - Ian Fleming

Published in 1953, "Casino Royale" is Ian Fleming's very-first novel and it features James Bond for the first time as an MI6 agent. First made into an unofficial 1967 film with David Niven as "Sir James Bond", Daniel Craig then starred as the protagonist in the 21st official film in the Bond series in 2006. Yet Fleming's first 007 adventure is also probably his best. Bond is thrust into the criminal gambling scene as he heads to the casino in Royale-les-Eaux in an attempt to bankrupt the evil Le Chiffre, the treasurer of the French union and a Russian secret agent. Supported by the gorgeous Vesper Lynd, as well as CIA agent Felix Leiter and René Mathis of the French Deuxième Bureau, Bond tries to keep Britain as one of the main players on the world stage - attempting to thwart the rise of Communism in the Western world. With this book rapidly turning from a novel about a game of cards into a spy thriller involving Marshall Aid, kidnap, torture, betrayal, love, manipulation and sacrifice, it really does have everything. Fleming at his very best.