Brian James Smith reports from the London launch of The Hook and the Eye

By: Brian James Smith

Published:
2025-10-21

The Hook and the Eye, Raymond Benson, London, launch, report

On 7th October 2025, Raymond Benson and Ian Fleming Publications (IFP) hosted a gathering to celebrate the publication of Benson’s Felix Leiter adventure The Hook and The Eye (2025) at The Black Horse, Rathbone Place, London.

Once the favourite haunt of writer Julian Maclaren-Ross (the inspiration for Graham Greene’s vacuum cleaner salesman in Our Man In Havana), Rathbone Place was part of North Soho until Tom Driberg coined the name Fitzrovia in the late 1930s. Upstairs in The Black Horse, the atmospheric speakeasy-style cocktail bar was the perfect venue to celebrate the new adventures of our favourite CIA agent-turned private detective.

James Bond’s past, present and future were represented. Raymond Benson and the IFP team were joined by Samantha Weinberg (The Moneypenny Diaries) and M W Craven, author of next year’s James Bond And The Secret Agent Academy. Also there to raise a glass were members of the wider literary James Bond community including Matthew Field & Ajay Chowdhury, Simon Firth, Mark O’Connell, Paul Duncan, Jon Gilbert and Fergus Fleming, and Bond commentators Calvin Dyson, Andrew Muskat and David & Antony Lowbridge-Ellis.

The Hook and The Eye, Ajay Chowdhury, Raymond Benson, London, launch

The Hook and The Eye, Ajay Chowdhury, Raymond Benson, London, launch

Raymond Benson signs copies at the London launch of The Hook and The Eye. © 2025 Ian Fleming Publications. All rights reserved.

In his opening remarks Simon Ward, publishing director for IFP, paid tribute to Benson, their longest serving writer, forty-one years after Benson’s exploration of the literary and cinematic 007 in The James Bond Bedside Companion. He explained how Benson’s idea for a Felix Leiter spin-off novel was unanimously green lit when he presented the idea to the IFP board of directors.

The Hook and The Eye, Simon Ward, Raymond Benson, London, launch

The Hook and The Eye, Simon Ward, Raymond Benson, London, launch

Benson elaborated on the project: ‘I wanted to put Felix in a world of adventures of his own. Flesh him out. Elevate him to more than just a second banana. And that’s how The Hook and The Eye kinda came about.’

Benson spoke affectionately about his collaborators over the years. ‘I’m eternally grateful to the Ian Fleming estate, his family, and the board of directors of Ian Fleming Publications, for once again trusting me to play in Fleming’s sandbox. I again acknowledge the mentorship of the late Peter Janson-Smith. I’m sorry he’s not here to celebrate with us because I think he would have gotten a kick out of my Felix.’

The Hook and The Eye, Raymond Benson, London, launch

The Hook and The Eye, Raymond Benson, London, launch

Author Raymond Benson talking about his work on The Hook and The Eye. © 2025 Ian Fleming Publications. All rights reserved.

Janson-Smith, who passed away in 2016, invited Benson to succeed John Gardner as the official author of the Bond novels in 1995. Zero Minus Ten (1997) was the first of his six original Bond adventures published between 1997 and 2002. He also wrote three film novelisations and several short stories. Last Year, IFP published a new edition of Zero Minus Ten.

Following the formalities, everyone mingled and enjoyed each other’s company.

The Hook and The Eye, Randi Frank, Raymond Benson, London, launch

The Hook and The Eye, Randi Frank, Raymond Benson, London, launch

Raymond Benson's wife Randi Frank also attended the London launch of The Hook and The Eye. © 2025 Ian Fleming Publications. All rights reserved.

My thanks to Raymond and Ian Fleming Publications for a splendid evening. The gathering reflected the strong attachment we have for the for the world created by Ian Fleming and our deep appreciation and admiration of Raymond Benson for his hard work and continued association with that world.

The Hook and The Eye can be ordered direct from Ian Fleming Publications.

Tags:

#articles

#brian_james_smith

#ian_fleming_publications

#raymond_benson

#raymond_benson_novels

Tag Cloud

Brian James Smith reports from the London launch of The Hook and the Eye

Benson elaborated on the project: ‘I wanted to put Felix in a world of adventures of his own. Flesh him out. Elevate him to more than just a second banana. And that’s how The Hook and The Eye kinda came about.’

Tag Cloud