Ian Fleming Publications marked Ian Fleming’s birthday on 28th May with the announcement of three new publishing projects arriving in 2026, each expanding a different corner of the Bond literary universe.
The newly announced titles include an audiobook edition of Raymond Benson’s The Hook and the Eye, a paperback reissue of Charlie Higson’s Danger Society: The Young Bond Dossier, and the first widely available trade edition of John Pearson’s long sought-after Ian Fleming – The Notes.
Leading the announcements is an audiobook release of Raymond Benson’s Felix Leiter adventure The Hook and the Eye, following the success of last year’s paperback and eBook editions. Narrated by Stuart W. Howard, the audiobook will be released worldwide on 5th August 2026.
Set in 1952, the novel finds Felix Leiter dismissed from the CIA and working for the Pinkerton Detective Agency. What begins as a routine surveillance assignment soon spirals into murder, espionage and conspiracy in Manhattan. Charged with escorting the mysterious Dora from New York to Texas, Felix is drawn into a dangerous cross-country journey filled with deception, violence and intrigue. Combining elements of spy thriller, noir mystery, romance and Americana road-trip adventure, the novel has been widely praised as one of Benson’s strongest continuation works.
Young Bond fans are also set to receive a new edition of Danger Society: The Young Bond Dossier on 3rd September 2026. Originally published alongside Charlie Higson’s hugely successful Young Bond series, the full-colour companion book will return in paperback form, offering readers an expansive guide to the world of the teenage James Bond.
The release comes ahead of Big Finish Productions’ forthcoming audio drama adaptation of SilverFin, expected later in the autumn. Featuring a short story by Charlie Higson, the dossier explores the characters, locations, gadgets, vehicles and adventures from the Young Bond novels, accompanied by photographs, maps, statistics and illustrations by Kev Walker. For long-time readers, it serves as both a nostalgic companion piece and a detailed reference guide to Higson’s celebrated reimagining of Bond’s formative years.
Perhaps the most intriguing announcement, however, is the first ever trade hardback edition of Ian Fleming – The Notesby John Pearson, due for release on 18th November 2026.
Previously available only in an extremely limited edition, the book presents the original research notes compiled by Pearson while preparing The Life of Ian Fleming, the first published biography of Fleming and still regarded as one of the most important works on the Bond creator.
Pearson occupies a unique place in Bond literary history as the only authorised biographer of James Bond himself, having later written the fictional biography James Bond: The Authorised Biography of 007. Ian Fleming – The Notes offers a fascinating insight not only into Fleming’s life, but also into Pearson’s own experiences researching him during the mid-1960s. The volume includes unpublished details, letters, interviews and observations that never appeared in the final biography, painting a vivid and often highly personal portrait of Fleming and the world around him.
Together, the three releases continue Ian Fleming Publications’ recent efforts to expand and preserve Bond’s literary legacy across multiple generations of readers and listeners, from classic Fleming scholarship and continuation fiction to the enduring popularity of Young Bond.
Ian Fleming Ian Fleming Publications Raymond Benson
Last modified: 19 July 2026
