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 00 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 disinterested, 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?”
quantum of menace / the q mysteries
Zaffre and Bonnier UK have won a recent bidding war to become the publishers of a brand new sidebar series of literary adventures showcasing 007’s iconic quartermaster, Major Boothroyd. And with a pop-culture wink at more than just the Bond franchise, Vaseem Khan’s Quantum of Menace will hit bookshelves in October 2025.
More globally known as Q, gadget-master and armourer Boothroyd is a vital trope of both the literary and cinematic Bond worlds. And in 2025 both will be restyled and repointed by crime author Khan (The Baby Ganesh Agency). The esteemed crime writer also behind The Malabar House mysteries has been chosen by Zaffre and Ian Fleming Publications to pen two new adventures – the first of which is already queued up for the autumn of 2025.
The first story Quantum of Menace will expand and explore the world of Q with an expertly penned mystery drama delving deep into the sidebar glories of a gadgeting genius. Whilst becoming a brief stalwart of the first Bond movie, Dr. No (1962) and played initially by Peter Burton, it was not until 1963’s From Russia with Love where actor Desmond Llewelyn took on the part and ejector seated the role and character high into movie immortality. However, it was not until Ian Fleming’s sixth James Bond novel Dr. No (1958) that Boothroyd made his literary debut.
John Cleese and Ben Whishaw have since notably followed in his onscreen wake, but actors Julian Sands, Peter Capaldi, Geoffrey Bayldon and Alec McCowen have also all rarely joked about their work and hunkered into Q’s bunker too. However, those warm beats of exposition, Whitehall fun and the frustrated benevolence of Bond’s inadvertent uncle will always be Desmond Llewelyn’s legacy.
So now Vaseem Khan feels the need for tweed as his Q navigates a new literary era of espionage, intrigue and gadgets. “I can’t think of anything more exhilarating as a writer than bringing to life such an iconic character, one that I have adored since childhood,” says Khan in the summer of 2024, “- I was the kid who watched Bond films just to see what new gadgets Q would come up with for 007. To now recreate Q in a series of contemporary mystery novels, bringing together everything I love about the genre, is the coolest assignment I could hope for. I cannot wait to share my Q with readers. Move over Bond. Q is coming.”
Vaseem Khan’s debut novel The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra was selected by The Sunday Times as one of the forty best crime novels published between 2015 and 2020. In 2021, Midnight at Malabar House won the Crime Writers Association Historical Dagger. Born in England, in 2023 Khan was elected the first non-white Chair of the Crime Writers’ Association – the oldest and largest association of crime writers in the UK.
‘We at Ian Fleming Publications could not think of a better partner to breathe new life into the beloved character of Q. Vaseem’s mystery novels have enthralled me for many years, and I am thrilled with what he is crafting for Q’s first solo missions. This is a modern and exceedingly clever crime series.’
corrine turner, ian fleming publications
The Q Mysteries’ Quantum of Menace by Vaseem Khan will be published by Zaffre / Bonnier UK and Ian Fleming Publications in October 2025.
