Carte Blanche Reviews
“Deaver, as fans of his Lincoln Rhyme and Kathryn Dance thrillers would expect, has clearly done his homework. . . . The most impressive feature of Carte Blanche is the ingenuity of the breathless, blood-thirsty plot. A master of misdirection, Deaver manufactures more surprises than anyone flogging an old warhorse can be expected to produce. . . . Kingsley Amis, John Gardner and Sebastian Faulks are among those who have tried to bring Bond back to life. Deaver, though, is in a class of his own: nobody’s done it better.”
—The Evening Standard (London)
“Fleming was a master of succinct plotting and deft characterization, his books deceptively slim but containing so much. Deaver too is a genius and this publishing marriage was truly made in heaven. Bond fans will enjoy Deaver’s slightly mischievous take on Ian Fleming. Deaver fans will enjoy the taut plotting and the action scenes and, by the way, it is going to make a great movie.”
—The Sunday Express (London)
“There have been other Fleming impersonators, including Kingsley Amis and Sebastian Faulks, but the author of The Bone Collector is the biggest international name to take the job. He is also one of the world’s smoothest, most devious, thriller writers – a far better craftsman than Fleming, in fact. So could he assume Fleming’s identity rather than write another Jeffery Deaver novel only with a hero called Bond? And could he, for that matter, resist thriller publishing’s current obsession with relentless action inspired by the success of the Bourne movie franchise – and indeed Quantum Of Solace? The answers are emphatically “Yes.” Deaver preserves his book’s timeless feel by largely ignoring modern geopolitics and pitting Bond against a traditionally barking villain . . . [and] adds a series of twists that reveal a Bond with more Sherlockian intelligence than Fleming’s.”
—The Telegraph (London)
“Crucially, the novel proves itself worthy of the 007 logo on its spine by presenting us with one of the most bone-chillingly creepy bad guys in history. …Deaver’s immaculate sense of pace comes into its own. While giving Bond fans enough of the trinkets they deserve in an official novel, he also keeps the narrative pacey throughout and still allows our hero a few crucial moments of modern self-reflection. …It’s hard to imagine anyone not being impressed by this novel…”
—The Independent (UK)
“After 28 suspense novels, there is no doubt that Deaver knows his way around a thriller plot, and Bond fans should be satisfied with the rollicking pace of 007’s new adventure…. Deaver is a master of the twist in the tale and he deploys it here with cinematic verve, keeping the reader biting their nails until the last minute…. But the author’s affection for Bond and for all the tropes that surround him is abundantly clear, so that Carte Blanche reads like a lovingly crafted homage rather than deliberate pastiche. Deaver’s Bond is quite recognisably Bond, but a new, streamlined incarnation for a new generation of global fears.”
—The Guardian (UK)
“It’s a tightrope walk, balancing the tradition with the requirements of contemporary life, and Deaver handles it with panache. …But what the Fleming aficionado will inevitably notice here are the differences, which turn this latest escapade into what feels, and should feel, like one of those things that are very popular these days: a reboot.”
— Olen Steinhauer, author of The Tourist, The Nearest Exit, The Bridge of Sighs, and Victory Square
“His creator may be long gone, but James Bond (with his gadgets, women, and suave lines) lives on in the skillful hands of a suspense superstar.”
— Malcolm Jones, Newsweek Magazine, 10 Must-Read Summer Books
“Deaver’s enthusiasm for Bond comes through on every page and he puts the gift for plotting that has garnered him such massive popularity to superb use here. So Carte Blanche is excellent fun, a great read and Jeffrey Deaver has breathed new life into an old favourite.”
— Angela Mcgee, Sunday Express UK
“The story’s a corker: Bond must find out who’s planning to murder thousands of British citizens, and why, before time runs out. Deaver never tries to imitate the style used by Bond creator Ian Fleming but despite the book’s modern setting and paraphernalia (Bond still carries a Walther pistol, but he also carries a cellphone), it feels just right.”
— David Pitt, The Chronicle Herald (Canada)
“What follows is a magnificently manic, impeccably researched and at times gory plot, with Deaver’s trademark misdirection and twists flying.”
— Matthew Dunn, Washington Post
“Carte Blanche is a fantastic book. It happens to feature the world’s most famous gentleman agent as protagonist, but doesn’t depend on that.”
— Dell Deaton, AnnArbor.com
