Felix Leiter (Bond's American friend from the CIA), Moneypenny (now in her mid-30s and a former Royal Navy Commander), M (the Admiral who recruited James three years previously) and Q (the gadget guru) are all prominently and accurately included. Unlikely names such as Bond's new secretary Mary Goodnight to whom James comments "Good Morning, Goodnight," his new analyst Ophelia "Philly" Maidenstone, and Felicity Willing are included. There is even a specialty drink (later to be named the Carte Blanche). 

When British Intelligence decrypts an electronic message ( known as Incident 20) regarding a possibility that will kill thousands and impact British interests, Bond is dispatched to Serbia to observe a clandestine meeting. Bond notes that an "Irishman" (Niall Dunne) is about to derail a train with hazardous materials. In typical Bond fashion, James saves the train and Dunne escapes (of course he does, he has to face James down in the denouement).

Dunne is traced to the north of London and upon his return, James is advised that he must work as a consultant with Division III since his authority is limited in England and he no longer has "Carte Blanche" (instead of "License to Kill") to do whatever is necessary to protect the realm.

Driving 100 mph in his Bentley, James follows a clue from the original intercepted message to the town of March where he once again narrowly escapes Dunne and his colleague Severan Hydt, the owner of Greenway Recycling, whose penchant for all things dead and decaying makes him the ultimate 20th century villain. From England, it is off to Cape Town where Bond impersonates a mercenary so that he can penetrate Hydt's evil empire.

James Bond was created in 1953 and Jeffery Deaver does an amazing job of bringing him into the 21st century. Carte Blanche takes place over one week and includes multiple plots all of which are resolved by the novel's end. I enjoyed this book immensely and can only hope this is the first of many more Bond adventures penned by Jeffery Deaver. Bravo!

--Jerry Solot