James Bond Books in Order

Ian Fleming's original James Bond novels follow British Secret Service agent 007 across twelve Cold War-era thrillers, from his debut in Casino Royale to the posthumously published The Man with the Golden Gun. Fleming also wrote two short-story collections set in the same world.

Publication order

In the order the books were originally released.

  1. Cover of Casino Royale

    Casino Royale

    1953 · Ian Fleming

    In his first mission, agent 007 is dispatched to a French casino to ruin a Soviet paymaster named Le Chiffre at the baccarat table, draining the…

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  2. Cover of Live and let die

    Live and let die

    1954 · Ian Fleming

    Bond travels to America to track Mr. Big, a powerful Harlem crime boss funneling pirate gold and possibly Soviet money through his network. The trail…

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  3. Cover of Moonraker

    Moonraker

    1955 · Ian Fleming

    When industrialist Sir Hugo Drax is suspected of cheating at his London club, Bond is asked to investigate, only to uncover something far more…

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  4. Cover of Diamonds are Forever

    Diamonds are Forever

    1956 · Ian Fleming

    Bond goes undercover as a smuggler to penetrate a diamond-running pipeline stretching from Africa through London to America. Posing as a courier, he…

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  5. Cover of From Russia, with love

    From Russia, with love

    1957 · Ian Fleming

    The Soviet murder organization SMERSH sets an elaborate trap, dangling a beautiful cipher clerk and a coveted decoding machine to lure Bond to…

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  6. Cover of Doctor No

    Doctor No

    1958 · Ian Fleming

    Sent to Jamaica to investigate a colleague's disappearance, Bond uncovers the secretive Doctor No, who guards a private island and its guano…

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  7. Cover of Goldfinger

    Goldfinger

    1959 · Ian Fleming

    Bond crosses paths with Auric Goldfinger, an obsessive tycoon who hoards gold and smuggles it across borders. After catching him cheating at cards…

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  8. Cover of Thunderball

    Thunderball

    1961 · Ian Fleming

    The criminal organization SPECTRE hijacks a NATO bomber and steals its atomic warheads, threatening to destroy a city unless a vast ransom is paid.…

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  9. Cover of The spy who loved me

    The spy who loved me

    1962 · Ian Fleming

    Told unusually from the viewpoint of a young Canadian woman, the story finds Vivienne Michel alone at a shuttered Adirondack motel when two hired…

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  10. Cover of On Her Majesty's Secret Service

    On Her Majesty's Secret Service

    1963 · Ian Fleming

    Pursuing his vendetta against Blofeld, Bond traces the SPECTRE chief to an Alpine clinic where he poses as an allergy researcher. Meanwhile 007 grows…

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  11. Cover of You Only Live Twice

    You Only Live Twice

    1964 · Ian Fleming

    A grieving and faltering Bond is given a near-impossible diplomatic mission in Japan, tasked with persuading a spymaster to share intelligence. The…

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  12. Cover of The Man with the Golden Gun

    The Man with the Golden Gun

    1965 · Ian Fleming

    Bond returns from presumed death, brainwashed and altered, before being rehabilitated and sent to the Caribbean. His target is Francisco Scaramanga,…

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Companion & related books

Short-story collections and companion titles in this series.

Frequently asked questions

What order should I read the James Bond books in?

Publication order — Ian Fleming Publications (the author's estate, via its Penguin publisher) and widely recommended by readers Start with “Casino Royale.”

How many books are in the James Bond series?

We list 12 books by Ian Fleming , published between 1953–1965.

Where can I buy the James Bond books?

Each title above links to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted an error? We continuously correct the catalog.