Shoot to Kill

In 1934, James has left Eton and briefly attends Dartington Hall in Devon, where new friendships lead to a remarkable school trip. A zeppelin journey takes him to Hollywood, where the film industry’s glamour conceals danger in Steve Cole’s first Young Bond novel.

By Does Your Duck QuackUpdated 30 September 2026

Type

Young Bond novel

Series position

1 of 4 in this author’s sequence

First published

2014

Suggested age

Older children and teenagers

Audiobook narrator

Nathaniel Parker

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Illustrated objects and scenery inspired by Shoot to Kill

AI-generated illustration inspired by Shoot to Kill; not a book cover.

The story, without spoilers

It is 1934, and James has left Eton. A brief spell at Dartington Hall in Devon leads to new friendships and a remarkable school trip by zeppelin to Hollywood. The film industry's glamour hides dangers waiting in Los Angeles.

Cole takes over after Higson's By Royal Command. The new school and American journey give his first Young Bond book a distinct starting situation while carrying forward the same teenage James rather than replacing him with an unrelated version.

Can I start here?

Read By Royal Command first for the transition from Eton. If you are new to Young Bond altogether, begin with SilverFin. This is the first of Cole's four books, followed by Heads You Die.

What stands out

The zeppelin journey and Hollywood setting make Cole's opening adventure easy to distinguish. It is the proper handover point for readers following James from Higson's school stories into the next phase.

Who wrote it

Cole, a former children’s editor and the Astrosaurs author, took over Young Bond from Higson and wrote Shoot to Kill. He began his four-book run with Shoot to Kill in 2014.

Where it fits in Bond’s life

Shoot to Kill is book 1 in Steve Cole’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. Murder, blackmail, violence and school-age characters facing criminal danger.

Setting

Dartington Hall, Devon
Hollywood and Los Angeles

Main characters

James Bond, His new school friends and enemies.