Q is out of MI6 . . .
. . . and into a new world of deceit and death
After Q (aka Major Boothroyd) is unexpectedly ousted from his role with British Intelligence developing technologies for MI6’s OO agents, he finds himself back in his sleepy hometown of Wickstone-on-Water. His childhood friend, renowned quantum computer scientist Peter Napier, has died in mysterious circumstances, leaving behind a cryptic note. The police seem uninterested, but Q feels compelled to investigate and soon discovers that Napier’s ground-breaking work may have attracted sinister forces . . . Can Q decode the truth behind Napier’s death, even as danger closes in?
]First a confession; although I've seen several of the Bond films, I've never really been a fan of them. However, as a teenager my uncle gave me his collection of James Bond paperbacks published by Pan and I credit them with sparking my lifelong love of spy fiction. Q never appears as a character in Fleming's stories which means that, putting aside the on-screen portrayals, most notably by Desmond Llewelyn and Ben Whishaw, Vaseem Khan has a blank canvas in bringing Major Boothroyd to the page. His Q has recently been forced out of MI6, a victim of restructuring following the appointment of a new M and has to adjust to life outside British Intelligence.
It gives Vaseem Khan the opportunity to really flesh out the character and as much as Quantum of Menace is a murder mystery, it's also a fascinating, often humorous, sometimes poignant exploration of a middle-aged man who doesn't quite know who he is any more. When he receives an enigmatic note from his childhood friend, Pete Napier, he heads back to his quiet hometown, Wickstone-on-Water, where as well as investigating Pete's death, he has to confront his memories of the place – and come face-to-face with some people from his past too.
Quantum of Menace is not a spy novel, nor is it an action thriller; this is not a Bond story told from the perspective of a different character. With its small town setting and wry humour, it leans towards cosy crime but Vaseem Khan always excels when it comes to adding a sharp edge to his mysteries and there's a dark, disturbing side to the story, as well as moments of real pathos. Pete had been a leading quantum computing scientist and his recent death has been concluded to have been due to accidental drowning. Q isn't so sure – and considering the note he received foretold of Pete's death – 'If you're reading this, I'm dead.' – and included a cryptic cipher, he has just cause to be suspicious.
Some of the most unsettling scenes come less from the drama – although there are some tense moments – and more from the frankly terrifying implications of what the advances in quantum computing could mean for us in the near future. As it transpires that Pete was on the cusp of achieving quantum supremacy, it's not surprising to learn that others were desperate to get their hands on the technology.
As well as following Q's investigation, there are also chapters which give us an insight into the lives of some more nefarious characters but although they are clearly villains, Vaseem Khan takes pains to ensure they aren't mere cardboard cut-outs and it's impossible not to feel some sympathy for them at times.
It wouldn't be right, of course, to set a book in the Bond universe without ever mentioning the man himself. He and Q are still in contact and Q often reminisces fondly about 007's adventures (and misadventures), while also, on occasion, wondering what Bond would do in a similar situation. Quantum of Menace isn't a fast-paced novel but the time spent with the various characters and the gradual unfolding of the truth behind Napier's murder means it is an intricately plotted, deeply satisfying mystery. There are some surprising twists and a fine balance is struck between the humour and the high stakes considerations, genuine sense of danger and the emotional heft which permeates throughout the book. Quantum of Menace is an excellent introduction to Q as a main character and with a tantalising excerpt from the next book in the series, The Man With the Golden Compass, included in the back of the book, I'm already eagerly looking forward to more. Very highly recommended.
Quantum of Menace is published by Zaffre, purchasing links can be found here.
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