
Quantum of Menace
The must-read new James Bond spin-off mystery series to gift this Father's Day
Vaseem Khan(Author)
Zaffre (Publisher)
Published on 23. October 2025
Book
Hardback
384 pages
978-1-80418-865-1 (ISBN)
Description
Charming, drily humorous and intelligently crafted, Quantum of Menace, the first in a brand-new James Bond spin-off series, will appeal to Bond fans and readers of Murder Before Evensong, The Thursday Murder Club and Slow Horses.
'A thrilling addition to the 007 universe .... worthy of Fleming himself' THE EXPRESS
'Excellent. An entertaining mash-up of Fleming, Le Carre and the best of British detective fiction' CHARLIE HIGSON
Q is out of MI6 . . .
. . . and in over his head
After Major Boothroyd (aka Q) is unexpectedly ousted from his role with British Intelligence developing technologies for MI6's Double O agents, he is adrift, unsure of his place in a world where the stakes aren't always life or death. But when he learns that his childhood friend, renowned quantum computer scientist Peter Napier, has died in mysterious circumstances, Q is drawn back to his sleepy hometown of Wickstone-on-Water.
Frustrated by the police, who consider the case closed, Q is compelled to investigate, starting with a cryptic note Napier sent him on the day of his death. Q soon discovers that Napier's ground-breaking work may have attracted sinister forces . . . but can he decode the truth before danger closes in?
'Fast, wise, funny, suspenseful and highly recommended' LEE CHILD
'A cunning and propulsive thriller brimming with wit. A sparkling addition to Bond's literary universe' MARK BILLINGHAM
'Clever, cunning and quirky ... Quintessential Khan' MICK HERRON
'A wonderful novel, escapist and playful, but with moments of deep tenderness and serious comment' ANN CLEEVES
'Punchy, witty, smart and thrilling' JANICE HALLETT
'An irresistible cocktail of thrills, wit, and style ... Fans of Slow Horses will LOVE this' WILL DEAN
'An original idea, brilliantly executed; shaken not stirred' RAGNAR JONASSON
'Only one man could bring a fan favourite 007 character to life with such wit and skill: the name's Khan, Vaseem Khan' BENJAMIN STEVENSON
'A thrilling addition to the 007 universe .... worthy of Fleming himself' THE EXPRESS
'Excellent. An entertaining mash-up of Fleming, Le Carre and the best of British detective fiction' CHARLIE HIGSON
Q is out of MI6 . . .
. . . and in over his head
After Major Boothroyd (aka Q) is unexpectedly ousted from his role with British Intelligence developing technologies for MI6's Double O agents, he is adrift, unsure of his place in a world where the stakes aren't always life or death. But when he learns that his childhood friend, renowned quantum computer scientist Peter Napier, has died in mysterious circumstances, Q is drawn back to his sleepy hometown of Wickstone-on-Water.
Frustrated by the police, who consider the case closed, Q is compelled to investigate, starting with a cryptic note Napier sent him on the day of his death. Q soon discovers that Napier's ground-breaking work may have attracted sinister forces . . . but can he decode the truth before danger closes in?
'Fast, wise, funny, suspenseful and highly recommended' LEE CHILD
'A cunning and propulsive thriller brimming with wit. A sparkling addition to Bond's literary universe' MARK BILLINGHAM
'Clever, cunning and quirky ... Quintessential Khan' MICK HERRON
'A wonderful novel, escapist and playful, but with moments of deep tenderness and serious comment' ANN CLEEVES
'Punchy, witty, smart and thrilling' JANICE HALLETT
'An irresistible cocktail of thrills, wit, and style ... Fans of Slow Horses will LOVE this' WILL DEAN
'An original idea, brilliantly executed; shaken not stirred' RAGNAR JONASSON
'Only one man could bring a fan favourite 007 character to life with such wit and skill: the name's Khan, Vaseem Khan' BENJAMIN STEVENSON
Reviews / Votes
Excellent. An entertaining mash-up of Fleming, Le Carre and the best of British detective fiction * Charlie Higson * Pay attention, 007 ... this is the story we always wanted, and Vaseem Khan tells it like the master he is - fast, wise, funny, suspenseful and highly recommended * Lee Child * Clever, cunning and quirky ... Quintessential Khan * Mick Herron * A thrilling addition to the 007 universe ... A cracking tale worthy of Fleming himself * Matt Nixson, The Express * Khan has crafted a cunning and propulsive thriller brimming with wit. A sparkling addition to Bond's literary universe * Mark Billingham *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bonnier Books Ltd
Dimensions
Height: 239 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 36 mm
Weight
596 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-80418-865-1 (9781804188651)
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.