Quantum of Menace is the forthcoming first installment in The Q Mysteries, a new spin-off series from the James Bond universe, penned by acclaimed crime writer Vaseem Khan. Scheduled for release in October 2025, the novel reimagines the iconic character Q, MI6's gadget maestro, as the central figure in a fresh mystery narrative.

We were beyond giddy when we first heard about Quantum of Menace. Tell us about the journey thus far and how it all came about.

This book came about by ambush. In the summer of 2023 I was invited by Ian Fleming Publishing Limited (IFPL), the publishing arm of the Ian Fleming estate, to a meeting. I thought we were simply saying hello but halfway through I was asked a simple question: Would I be interested in writing a mystery series featuring Q? Fair to say that I was stunned. It’s not every day you get invited to take on one of the most iconic characters in fiction! The rest, as they say, is history. Or mystery, in this case. 

What does it mean to you as a lifelong Bond enthusiast to be bringing Q to life on centre stage for once?

My connection to James Bond goes all the way back to first watching Roger Moore in Live and Let Die as a teenager. My father was a huge fan of Moore – as Bond. My mother, not so much. She would insist on me averting my eyes whenever Mr Bond became amorous – which was a lot – fearful that 007 might corrupt my malleable teenage brain. I’ve always had a soft spot for Q. He never appeared much in the books – everything we know about him comes from the films. But I always believed him to be a serious man, a scientist who takes himself – and his mission – safeguarding the civilised world – as a sacred trust. That’s the Q I have brought to life. A real man with a complex back story. This isn’t a Bond-style thriller, but a traditional mystery with the tone somewhere between Mick Herron’s Slow Horses and Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club. If you like those books, you will like this. (Mick Herron has already read and endorsed it, so there’s a recommend if you need it!)

This book has been developed in collaboration with Bonnier Books and Ian Fleming Publications, ensuring authenticity within the Bond canon. How has that been working closely with them?

Writing a book is an intensely individual process. This was the first time I have had so much input. It could easily have gone wrong, if anyone involved had turned out to be a bit of an arse – including me. Luckily that wasn’t the case! Honestly, I couldn’t have hoped for a better experience. The others offered incredibly useful feedback, but then left me to work my author magic. The end result is a book we hope everyone can enjoy: Bond fans, traditional mystery fans, and just fans of a good read.

Give us a taste of what we can expect from Q and Quantum of Menace please.

Quantum of Menace will, for the first time, give Bond fans a flesh-and-blood person to put beside the Major Boothroyd (Q’s actual name) legend. Q finds himself kicked out of MI6, at odds with the future, and so returns to his hometown to investigate the mysterious death of his childhood friend, a quantum computer scientist who had been on the verge of a major - and possibly very dangerous - breakthrough. We also get to meet Q’s estranged father – Mortimer Boothroyd – a surly, retired ancient Roman historian. This book is for those who love a solid mystery, in the company of a protagonist who transcends the genre. There's dry humour, cryptic clues, an insight into Q's life at - and post - MI6, and, yes, Commander Bond puts in an appearance. How could he not!

Luckily you have spent two decades working at University College London’s Department of Security and Crime Science, and help manage the Dawes Centre for Future Crime. That sounds like something out of Bond’s world. Has your day job helped your writing?

You bet it has. You might say the plot of Quantum of Menace is directly inspired by a research project that some colleagues of mine have been considering at the Dawes Centre for Future Crime. We look at how criminals might use emerging technologies to commit crime. It sounds very Minority Report but I assure you Tom Cruise had nothing to do with writing my book – though he does get a one line mention in it!

A little birdy tells us that readers can anticipate a guest appearance by James Bond himself, adding a layer of excitement for franchise fans. Tell us about that.

What would a Q novel be without a dash of Bond? I can’t tell you too much as it would give things away. All I can say is that you will see the relationship between Q and Bond in a way that extends what we’ve learned from the films. The best books teach us things we didn’t know. Personally, I think it’s worth reading the book just to see the interactions between Q and Bond.

You wear many hats and are currently serving as the Chair of the CWA. How important is the CWA for writers such as yourself? It seems to have such a sense of community.

The Crime Writers Association has been around for over 70 years. It’s the oldest and biggest organisation for crime and thriller writers in the UK. Leading it has been an honour. Crime fiction is now the most popular genre in the world – it seems that everyone, even the most urbane of us, loves a good old fashioned murder.

And as well as Quantum of Menace, you have another book out this year. You’ve been busy! Tell us more about this title too.

In May, The Girl in Cell A, my first psychological thriller came out, set in small town America, following a woman who is convicted at age seventeen of murdering the heir to a ruthless mining dynasty.  But Orianna has always maintained her innocence. She can't remember what happened. Forensic psychologist Annie Ledet is tasked with unlocking the truth. Orianna grew up in Eden Falls, ruled by the insular Wyclerc dynasty and its ruthless patriarch, Amos. As their sessions progress, Annie reaches into Orianna's past to a shattering realisation....

And next for Q?

I am busy writing the second in the series: The Man With The Golden Compass. Q is hired by the police service of his home town to investigate the cold case of a retired tech millionaire turned antiques dealer. The man was found murdered in his mansion with a ‘golden compass’ . . . 

LoveReading's View on Quantum of Menace.

We cannot recommened Quantum of Menace enough. We've all absolutely adored it here at LoveReading. Liz Robinson, comments in her review:"While pacy, witty, and punchy, this sits on the more cosy side of crime fiction and the investigation ruled with gusto. Q was just as I would have imagined him to be, more at home in a library and laboratory than out in the field, yet he holds an important ace or two up his sleeve.

Khan’s humour transfers brilliantly to the world of MI6 spy craft, either in your face like a sledgehammer or slicing and sly as it creeps up on you from behind. This novel slides into the LoveReading Star Book collection and also sits as a Liz Pick for its publication month.

The series promises much more, and I can’t wait to become a devoted follower. Quantum of Menace is a fabulous addition to the James Bond franchise, it’s smart, intriguing, and gloriously and fiendishly entertaining." 

Well, what are you waiting for, pre-order your copy now, and purchase with purpose, by donating 25% of your order to a school. At no extra cost to you.