Hurricane Gold

The story, without spoilers

James is left with former pilot Jack Stone's children when thieves target a safe and its valuable contents. The pursuit takes him through the Mexican jungle and towards Lágrimas Negras, an island refuge for criminals. Surviving requires more than discovering what the thieves want.

The fourth Young Bond adventure leaves the school setting for a dangerous chase in the Americas. Greed, betrayal and the isolation of a criminal hideaway supply the pressure, while the young characters have to navigate a world controlled by violent adults.

Can I start here?

Follow the first three Higson novels before this one. Its chase is easy to grasp separately, but the five-book sequence lets you follow James's development before the changes in By Royal Command.

What stands out

The jungle chase and criminal island give this book its character. It is the choice for an established Young Bond reader wanting an adventure far from Eton before the final Higson instalment.

Who wrote it

Higson, a novelist and co-creator of The Fast Show, was commissioned for the Young Bond books before writing Hurricane Gold. His official Bond work covers both childhood adventures and adult missions.

Where it fits in Bond’s life

Hurricane Gold is book 4 in Charlie Higson’s Young Bond run. These adventures take place during Bond’s youth, before his adult career and Casino Royale.

Content notes

Older children and teenagers. Violent robbery, criminals threatening children, pursuit and survival peril.

Setting

• Mexico
• Lágrimas Negras, Caribbean Fictional

Main characters

James Bond, Jack Stone, Stone’s son and daughter, The thieves.