Casino Royale

Casino Royale was Ian Fleming's first novel, and the book that launched the global, iconic, legendary action adventure, espionage franchise that is James Bond/007.
JAMES BOND PLAYS A DEADLY GAME OF CHANCE IN IAN FLEMING'S UNFORGETTABLE FIRST NOVEL
“Le Chiffre” is a ruthless operative and the money-man for a Soviet cell in France, but he's on the verge of disaster after gambling away his client's money. Taking the last of his stash to the casino, he lures a dozen wealthy players to a high-stakes game, hoping to hustle his way whole.
The British Secret Service would like to see this red thorn plucked from the hide of Europe, and sends their best card sharp, James Bond, to the baccarat table to bankrupt Le Chiffre for good.
With the cards running against him and SMERSH operatives threatening to kill him and his beautiful counterpart, Vesper Lynd, 007 needs his luck to turn before he loses their lives to the mission.

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 which 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.