Come on a Secret Mission with Vaseem Khan

Come on a Secret Mission with Vaseem Khan

Your Mission Should You Choose to Accept it……

My latest novel, The Man with the Golden Compass, is the second in a mystery series featuring Q – aka Major Boothroyd – from the James Bond universe. It’s not spy fiction but rather a ‘clever cosy crime’ novel aimed at fans of Richard Osman, Mick Herron and Janice Hallett.

(c) Vaseem Khan

In the first in the series, Quantum of Menace, a fifty-year-old Q finds himself kicked out of (modern day) MI6. He returns to his hometown to investigate the mysterious death of his childhood friend, quantum computer scientist Peter Napier. In the book we get to understand Q’s backstory – filling in the blanks that Fleming’s books left to our imagination. We meet Q’s estranged father – Mortimer Boothroyd, a surly, retired Roman historian. We also meet his even more estranged former fiancé, now the detective in charge of the original investigation into the death Q is re-investigating.

MI5:

In the second instalment, The Man with the Golden Compass, Q has been hired as a civilian contractor by the local police force in his hometown to look into the unsolved murder of a tech millionaire turned antique dealer. Murdered in his stately home, Lawrence Noble’s body is found with a circular, gold-plated object covered in strange runes… And Q is off!

There’s dry humour, cryptic clues, and further insights into Q’s life. As with the first book, Commander James Bond gets to make a cameo appearance.

Q is based in a fictional town set in the Home Counties called Wickstone-on-Water, a mishmash of various medieval market towns that I’ve pottered around over the years.

The book continues my theme of exploring modern technology – in an era where rampant technological advance is bringing many positives but also the potential for negative consequences. Q is a man steeped in tech and understands those dangers. Now he must use his experience to solve a gruesome murder.

MI5:

In this novel, we look at the ‘metaverse’, which refers to virtual 3D environments that often mirror the real world and which can be accessed via the internet and using technology such as headsets, haptic suits and gloves. These allow us to ‘experience’ the environment via digital versions of ourselves (known as digital avatars) and even ‘feel’ some tactile sensations. So, for instance, with a headset on, I recently walked around the inside of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt as it was in ancient times. The recreation was quite lifelike and will only get better over the coming years, especially with the advent of AI.

It is not difficult to think of ways the metaverse might be abused, particularly given that these immersive environments are often shared spaces where people can hide their real selves behind their digital alter egos.

At any rate, The Man with the Golden Compass is, first and foremost, a murder mystery that blends the modern world with an intriguing historical narrative. I hope you give it a go!

Thanks so much Vaseem!

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