The Moneypenny Diaries

I did have a look but this series playing in the 007verse seem to be lacking in the literary section. Being halfway in the first novel I can say easily that this book is easily better than the the last two official entries in the Bond continuation series.

The Moneypenny Diaries is a series of novels and short stories chronicling the life of Miss Moneypenny, M's personal secretary in Ian Fleming's James Bond series; it is considered an official spin-off of the Bond books. The diaries are penned by Samantha Weinberg under the pseudonym Kate Westbrook, who is depicted as the book's "editor." The series is planned as a trilogy, although in 2006, Weinberg also published two short stories: "For Your Eyes Only, James" and "Moneypenny's First Date With Bond", both of which appeared in UK magazines.

Stories in the series
# The Moneypenny Diaries: Guardian Angel (2005): The first diary fills in the gaps between a number of agent 007's missions including the period between On Her Majesty's Secret Service and You Only Live Twice, but also includes an entire backstory for Moneypenny. For the first time since Fleming introduced the character alongside Bond in Casino Royale, Moneypenny is given a first name: Jane.
#"For Your Eyes Only, James" (2006 short story): Published in the November issue of Tatler, the short story tells the tale of a weekend shared between Bond and Moneypenny at Royale-les-Eaux (see Casino Royale) in 1956.
#Secret Servant: The Moneypenny Diaries (2006): Taking place around the time of The Man with the Golden Gun, the secret service is in chaos with one senior official on trial for treason, another having defected to Moscow, and agent 007 brainwashed by the Soviets.
#"Moneypenny's First Date With Bond" (2006 short story): Published in the November 11, 2006 issue of The Spectator, the short story tells the tale of Moneypenny's and James Bond's first meeting.
#The Moneypenny Diaries: Final Fling (2008): It's the mid-1960s and the British secret intelligence service is hit by a series of defection scandals. Facing considerable personal danger, Jane Moneypenny combines forces with 007 to try to smoke out a mole that she is convinced is buried deep in the heart of the Office. But as Bond is sacked and M forced into retirement, Moneypenny may have to find him alone. Forty-two years later, Miss Moneypenny's niece and heir, Kate Westbrook, starts to suspect that her aunt's death was not an accident. She is sure the clues to what happened lie in the search for the mole. But as she pieces them together, she realises that there are significant forces determined to prevent her. From the glamour of 1960s Jamaica to the treacherous beaches of the Outer Hebrides, Final Fling relates the thrilling adventures of the world's most famous secretary and reveals just how far people are prepared to go to defend -- or betray -- their beliefs.

The Moneypenny Diaries: Guardian Angel (2005)

My heart breaks for James---so begin the explosive, true, private diaries of Miss Jane Moneypenny, personal secretary to Secret Service chief M and colleague and confidante of James Bond. Bound by the Offcial Secrets Act not to reveal anything about her work, Miss Moneypenny is forced to lead a secretive, clandestine life. But, contrary to popular belief, she was not simply a bystander while James Bond saw all the action.

Miss Moneypenny’s experience with mystery stretches all the way back to her childhood in Africa, when her father inexplicably disappeared in action during World War II. Now, as a young woman in 1960s London, Miss Moneypenny unknowingly stumbles upon her father’s trail. In a position like hers, there’s no file she can’t access, and no document she can’t read. Yet Miss Moneypenny is forced to decide whether it’s worth risking everything---her job, her safety, and even international security---for the possibility of finding her father alive.

A life of espionage has personal as well as political ramifications. For Jane Moneypenny, the price is high. Romantic relationships with outsiders are necessarily built on lies, and she automatically questions the motives of every man she grows close to. For as her diary quickly reveals, Miss Moneypenny is involved in far more than office politics.

I found the effort of miss WestBrook a worthy effort in the 007 franchise as it does not try to reinvent the great 007 as written by Ian Fleming. The main character is Jane Moneypenny and she tells about her time at MI6 and about some important men in her life which includes Tanner, a certain admiral and a 00-agent. The writer puts the tale smack in the middle of real historic events. She dares to put in footnotes and they actually work pretty well. Like Higson did with Young Bond this writer does give this book an authentic flavor from the '60's a place where Flemings hero actually lived. So you get the main characters participating in real history. And it works very well in my humble opinion.
Perhaps the best grown up 007 literature in the last 8 years and it has come in under the radar of quite a few 007 fans, which is a shame because the book is well worth a read.

I agree with you St. Mark. The MP Diaries are a great read. Weinberg does a nice job working with the Fleming timeline circa OHMSS to TMWTGG and then creates her own post-Fleming history. Like the other continuation authors she tends to pay no regard to anything other than Fleming's work, although Benson did acknowledge both Pearson and Gardner. Otherwise they tend to trample all over each other's work.

It was nice to meet the old Bond living in retirement in the modern day. He's got a nice little house. Has his first drink of the day shorty after 11:00 AM. Nothing much has changed other than he's not going on missions anymore and that the old gang is long dead.

I liked the way she introduced us to this character, and slowly but surely gave us enough hints to figure out that it was actually Bond before she did the big reveal. The fact he both enjoyed his liquor and could hold it, was what tipped it for me.

If you lads are Moneypenny fans, be sure to check out my two Bond films here, we explored her and Bond's relationship - https://bondandbeyond.forumotion.com/t104-licence-revoked-a-whisper-of-love-hd

Thanks James! I 'll check those films out!

Thanks Tiff, I think you will enjoy them :)