Goldfinger

This is gold, Mr. Bond. All my life I've been in love its colour, its brilliance, its divine heaviness. But, above all I love the power that gold alone gives to its owner.

James Bond meets the deceptive Auric Goldfinger over the gambling table. Operatives at MI6 suspect the man is a gold smuggler and Bond has been tasked to investigate. But as Bond contrives meetings and tails the billionaire, he realises the plot runs much deeper than ever believed. Operation Grand Slam must be stopped, before Goldfinger's factotum Oddjob can cut Bond down with his razor-rimmed bowler hat.

Later made into the hit film starring Sean Connery, this thrilling novel remains one of Ian Flemings most celebrated works.