Dr. No
James Bond series number 6
Ian Fleming

Sent to Jamaica to investigate the mysterious disappearance of an MI6 station chief, James Bond expected to spend most of his time relaxing in the Caribbean sun. But from the moment he first set foot on the island, someone's been trying to kill him.
All the evidence points to only one man: Dr. Julius No, a reclusive megalomaniac with steel pincers for hands. On his way to Dr. No's secluded headquarters, 007 taps some native intelligence in the form of Honeychile Rider, an alluring beachcomber whose natural beauty beguiles all who encounter it. Where there's beauty, there''s danger, however, as Bond discovers when he runs afoul of the good doctor's strict "No Trespassing" policy.
Now, if he's to leave the island alive, Bond must survive the deadliest gauntlet of all: a sadistic obstacle course that could only have sprung from the depraved mind of Dr. No.

This is definitely one of the better Bond novels out there, but not quite as good as From Russia With Love. The beginning of this book takes place a little while after From Russia With Love and explains how Bond is still alive after being cut with a poison that seemed to have been killing him. He's on the mend, but not entirely better. His doctor recommended easy assignments for now and M, being bothered that Bond came so close to death, wishes to punish him with an easy assignment. So, he's sent to Jamaica to investigate two disappearances that seem like nothing more than a man and a woman running off together. Unfortunately for Bond, there is more to the disappearances than meets the eye and those who made the others disappear have it in for him from the moment he lands on the island.

As with all Bond novels, there's a good mixture of action and down time and it makes a fun read. While there are some lighthearted moments (like the introduction of this novel's Bond Girl, Honeychile, nude and on a beach looking for shells) there are also some very grave moments as well (like the death of a friend of Bond's who has appeared in another of the novels).

All in all, this is one of the better Bond novels out there, but that's to be expected at this stage in the author's career. As always, I recommend you read this series in order, but I also do recommend this novel.

My rating: Four and a half out of five snails.