The Man with the Golden Compass
The new mystery for James Bond favourite Q to solve
Will be published approx. on 22. October 2026
Book
Hardback
352 pages
978-1-80418-869-9 (ISBN)
Description
The exciting new cosy mystery featuring the former head of MI6's Q Branch, Major Boothroyd, from the James Bond universe.
'A FIVE-STAR BONDVERSE MYSTERY' JANICE HALLETT
'COMPELLING, TIMELY AND LAUGH-OUT-LOUD FUNNY' CLARE MACKINTOSH
Fresh from successfully reinvestigating his childhood friend's mysterious death, Q is hired as a civilian contractor by the police in his sleepy hometown to look into the unsolved murder of tech millionaire turned online antique dealer, Laurence Noble. Six months ago, Noble was tortured and killed, a circular object made of gold and inscribed with mysterious runes found in his pocket. As Q investigates, he finds himself dragged into a chilling conspiracy where past and present meet in a way he could not possibly have imagined.
'SMART AND STYLISH ... WILL DELIGHT BOND AND CHRISTIE FANS ALIKE' TOM HINDLE
'PAY ATTENTION, THRILLER FANS ... HUGELY ENTERTAINING' SARAH HILARY
'A FIVE-STAR BONDVERSE MYSTERY' JANICE HALLETT
'COMPELLING, TIMELY AND LAUGH-OUT-LOUD FUNNY' CLARE MACKINTOSH
Fresh from successfully reinvestigating his childhood friend's mysterious death, Q is hired as a civilian contractor by the police in his sleepy hometown to look into the unsolved murder of tech millionaire turned online antique dealer, Laurence Noble. Six months ago, Noble was tortured and killed, a circular object made of gold and inscribed with mysterious runes found in his pocket. As Q investigates, he finds himself dragged into a chilling conspiracy where past and present meet in a way he could not possibly have imagined.
'SMART AND STYLISH ... WILL DELIGHT BOND AND CHRISTIE FANS ALIKE' TOM HINDLE
'PAY ATTENTION, THRILLER FANS ... HUGELY ENTERTAINING' SARAH HILARY
Reviews / Votes
Compelling, timely and laugh-out-loud funny; this is an unmissable series for Bond fans old and new. I can't wait to read the next one * Clare Mackintosh * Vaseem Khan is on fire with this enchanting series of Bondverse adventures. The charismatic, if somewhat curmudgeonly, MI6 inventor Q is back and in searing form. The Man with the Golden Compass is a lively, sharply observed small-town murder mystery, in which Q finds himself working alongside his ex, and the result is a breathless romp where past and present collide in the most delicious of ways! Five golden stars! * Janice Hallett * Tremendous fun! Smart and stylish, with all the wit and ingenuity you'd expect from Q Branch. The Q Mysteries will delight Bond and Christie fans alike * Tom Hindle * Pay attention, thriller fans. Vaseem Khan has delivered another hugely entertaining tale of Q's adventures beyond MI6. A dastardly plot involving evil treasure hunters is the engine that powers the story but the stars are Q, his endearing oddball family, and his arsenal of devices, not least of which is his own utterly disarming charm * Sarah Hilary *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bonnier Books Ltd
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 153 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-80418-869-9 (9781804188699)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Vaseem Khan is the author of two award-winning crime series set in India, and the Q Mysteries, beginning with Quantum of Menace, the first in a murder mystery series featuring Q from the James Bond franchise. His debut, The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra, was selected by the Sunday Times as one of the 40 best crime novels published 2015-2020 and is translated into 17 languages. In 2021, Midnight at Malabar House, the first in the Malabar House novels set in 1950s Bombay, won the CWA Historical Dagger. Vaseem was born in England, but spent a decade working in India. In 2023, Vaseem became the first non-white Chair of the UK Crime Writers' Association. In 2025, his first psychological thriller, The Girl in Cell A, was published, set in small town America.