James Bond First Editions

Assassin of Secrets.

MARKHAM, Q.R.

London: Mulholland Books / Hodder & Stoughton, 2011. [Spy thriller]. FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.278; [2]. Publisher's illustrated softcovers. A paperback original. Fine/as new. Published on 3rd November 2011, this scandalous debut novel had been withdrawn by 8th November after readers recognised several plagiarised sections. After much scrutiny, it was found that this Frankenstein's monster of a novel was a stitched-together patchwork of passages from acclaimed spy writers such as Charles McCarry, Robert Ludlum, and James Bond authors John Gardner and Raymond Benson, with very little original material. A scandal ensued, the New Yorker, Wall Street Journal, and Guardian all gave the charlatan his fifteen minutes of fame/notoriety, an apology letter was issued by the scolded 'author' [real name Quentin Rowan], who duly settled into hiding, as cockroaches do. Item #64298

Price: £55.00