The second James Bond title, scarce in such bright condition. Well received by critics at the time of publication, with the initial print run of 7500 copies selling out quickly, Live and Let Die was written by Fleming at his Goldeneye estate in Jamaica, prior to the publication of his first Bond Book, Casino Royale. Bond travels from New York to Florida and on to Jamaica in his pursuit of Mr Big who uses voodoo to scare away people interested in his smuggling ring, which supports SMERSH (the Soviet counterintelligence agency). Whilst Bond is largely unscathed as always, his US counterpart Felix Leitar loses an arm and a leg to the sharks thanks to Mr Big, and is found by Bond with a note pinned to him that reads 'He disagreed with something that ate him'.

In 1973 it became the fifth of the James Bond novels to be filmed, and the first in which Roger Moore took on the role of Mr Bond, with Jane Seymour playing the fortune-teller Solitaire.

First edition, first issue (without the two line credit on the front flap); 8vo; production flaw to p.211, else unmarked internally; publisher's black cloth, spine lettered and stamped in gilt, gilt vignette stamped on front cover, original unclipped dust-jacket printed in magenta, with price to rear flap intact, orange and black, edges of rear cover and flaps slightly browned, slight crease to upper edge, minute rubbing to head of spine and tips, else a superior copy.

Gilbert A2a (1.1).