John Gardner

Aug 8 2007 Liverpool Daily Post

WHEN James Bond author John Gardner suffered a heart attack, he shrugged it off, telling doctors that he would be fine.

But, sadly for the man who penned 14 of 007’s adventures he would not be. John Gardner, who died on Friday, aged 80, leaves behind him an illustrious career spanning more than 40 years and 50 novels.

Born in Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, Gardner’s father was an Anglican priest who encouraged his son to follow him into the faith. Gardner was duly ordained but after seven years decided the church was not for him. Following a stint as a marine commando, he took a job as a drama critic on a local newspaper.

Taking up writing in the ’60s, Gardner’s first published novel was The Liquidator, a story about Boysie Oakes, who is recruited as a spy but is really a coward. Coming onto the market at the height of Bondmania, it was a best-seller and was later adapted for the silver screen.

Boysie would go on to have seven more adventures before the series ended in 1976 with the novel Killer For a Song.

For the next three decades, Gardner indulged spy fans with tales of espionage and adventure and various much-loved characters before being invited in 1981 by Gilrose, owners of the literary franchise, to continue the Bond novels following creator Ian Fleming’s death.

Despite not relishing writing about a character he had not created himself, Gardner’s first Bond novel, Licence Renewed, sold well and 13 more followed.

Towards the end of his Bond period, Gardner, who was living in America, was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer. With American medical bills destroying his finances, he moved back to Basingstoke in 1997 only to be dealt another cruel blow when his wife of 45 years, Margaret Mercer, died.

His break from writing ended in 2001 with his novel Day of Absolution. This was followed with the presentation of a new character Suzie Mountford, a Second World War detective who starred in a five-novel series, the fifth volume of which is out later this year.

An alcoholic, as well as a workaholic, and even a member of the Magic Circle, Gardner's only non-fiction book was his autobiographical piece, Spin the Bottle, in 1964, in which he admitted to drinking two bottles of gin a day.

While he said he was grateful to have been selected to keep Bond alive, Gardner told friends he would rather be remembered for his own work. He is survived by two daughters and a son.

John Gardner, author; born November 20, 1926, died August 3, 2007