The Diamond Smugglers: The True Story of an International Crime Ring and Its Downfall, Told by the Creator of James Bond
About this ebook
In 1957, as the Cold War raged, Ian Fleming took a respite from writing James Bond to craft a work of nonfiction every bit as tense as a Bond adventure. Aided by an ex-MI5 agent and International Diamond Security Organization operative going by the alias “John Blaize,” Fleming chronicled the IDSO’s infiltration of the “million-carat network”―the world’s most notorious diamond smuggling ring.
Every year, a shadowy band of racketeers pirated a fortune in diamonds out of Africa, and the majority of the stolen gems wound up in the hands of Communist nations. In response, the IDSO commissioned a private army, led by legendary British spymaster Sir Percy Sillitoe, to penetrate and topple the ring.
When the operation was complete, the Sunday Times gave the story to Fleming, who had impressed Sillitoe with his earlier Bond adventure Diamonds Are Forever. A remarkable feat of investigative journalism, The Diamond Smugglers is the thrilling true story behind one of the greatest spy operations in history.
This meticulously reported account reveals the shadow world of international diamond security:
- From the Creator of James Bond: Discover the real-life spy story that captured the attention of Ian Fleming, a tale of suspense he documented with the same tension as a 007 adventure.
- True Cold War Espionage: Go inside the covert battle against a smuggling ring funneling millions in stolen African diamonds to Communist nations during the height of the Cold War.
- An MI5-Led Operation: Learn about the private army assembled by legendary spymaster Sir Percy Sillitoe and the ex-MI5 agent, “John Blaize,” tasked with infiltrating the criminal network from within.
- Investigative Journalism: Based on Fleming’s work for the Sunday Times, this book is a masterclass in nonfiction storytelling, chronicling the downfall of the notorious “million-carat network.”
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About the author
Ian Lancaster Fleming was born in London in 1908. His first job was at Reuters news agency, after which he worked briefly as a stockbroker before working in Naval Intelligence during World War Two. His first novel, Casino Royale, was published in 1953 and was an instant success. Fleming went on to write thirteen other Bond books as well as two works of nonfiction and the children’s classic Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The Bond books have earned praise from figures such as Raymond Chandler, who called Fleming “the most forceful and driving writer of thrillers in England” and President Kennedy, who named From Russia with Love as one of his favorite books. The books inspired a hugely successful series of film adaptations that began in 1962 with the release of Dr. No. He was married to Ann O'Neill, with whom he had a son, Caspar. He died in 1964.
