It is 1969 and James Bond is about to go solo, recklessly motivated by revenge.

A seasoned veteran of the service, 007 is sent to single-handedly stop a civil war in a small West African nation. Aided by a beautiful accomplice and hindered by the local militia, he undergoes a scarring experience which compels him to ignore M's orders in pursuit of his own brand of justice.
Bond's renegade action leads him to Washington DC, where he discovers a web of geopolitical intrigue and witnesses fresh horrors.

Even if Bond succeeds in exacting his revenge, a man with two faces will come to stalk his every waking moment.

Written by William Boyd, who is the author of one work of non-fiction, three collections of short stories and thirteen novels, including the bestselling historical spy thriller Restless - winner of the Costa Novel of the Year - and Any Human Heart, in which the character of Ian Fleming features. Among his other awards are the Whitbread First Novel Prize, the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize, the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and the Prix Jean Monnet. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and an Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. In 2005 he was awarded the CBE.

Solo - a James Bond novel written by William Boyd. Copyright Ian Fleming Publications Limited 2013

Reader: Paterson Joseph
Abridged by Libby Spurrier

Producer: Joanna Green
A Pier production for BBC Radio 4. Show less