"Casino Royale" by Ian Fleming, starring James Bond. Withdrawn from a library. First published in 1953, this edition 2002. Average Condition; occasional minor pen marks, and some transparent tape retaining a few pages; usual library stamps on the top/bottom of the book.

“A dry martini,” Bond said, “In a deep champagne goblet. Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice cold, then a thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?” “Certainly, monsieur.”

Introducing James Bond: charming, sophisticated, handsome: chillingly ruthless and very deadly. This, this first of Fleming’s tales of agent 007, finds Bond on a mission to neutralize a lethal, high-rolling Russian operative called simply “Le Chiffre” – by ruining him at the baccarat table and forcing his Soviet spymasters to “retire” him. It seems that lady luck is with Bond – Le Chiffre has hit a losing streak. But some people just refuse to play by the rules, and Bond’s attraction to a beautiful female agent leads him to disaster and an unexpected saviour...

“A superb gambling scene, a torture scene which still haunts me, and, of course, a beautiful girl” – Raymond Chandler