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We've all heard of Miss Moneypenny, personal secretary to 'M', confidante to 007 (The love of her life) and privy to some of the world deadliest secrets. But who was the lady behind the name? Did you know that she was born in Kenya, had a sister called Helena, a dog called Rafiki and a boyfriend called Richard and that her father served in the RNRV with Ian Fleming?

Miss Jane Moneypenny broke every rule in the book by keeping a diary; after her death in 1990 her niece Kate Westbrook decided to publish it. She chose to start with the year 1962. The Moneypenny Diaries begin on 1 January with the death of Tracy Draco-di Vicenzo (Bond's wife) and end on New Year's Eve with Jane sitting at her boyfriend's hospital bedside.

The diary covers all the events of 1962, but deals mainly with the Cuban Missile Crisis and Miss Moneypenny's part in it, including accounts of a visit to the White House to meet with the then-Attorney General Robert 'call me Bobby' Kennedy. She also recounts a meeting with JFK by saying, 'He was so charismatic that he could give lessons in how to treat women to the 00 Agents'. It also recounts personal problems that Jane encountered.

The diary also give as few more details about some of the faces behind the names. For instance, Q actually has a name, Major Godfrey Boothroyd, and M has a knighthood as well as a name: Admiral Sir Miles Messervy. Mary Goodnight doesn't just hop into bed with 007, she's also Jane's number two and closest friend. Bill Tanner features more in this book than he does anywhere else, he seems to be a close friend and confidant to everyone.

The story itself centres around Bond's obsession with finding Ernst Bloefeld and Irma Bunt to make them pay for killing Tracy, as well as dealing with the aforementioned Cuban Missile Crisis. Jane's personal life is just as thrilling as Bond's: boyfriends with hidden agendas, information that comes at too high a price and stalkers who want to kill her.

All in all I really enjoyed this book, it gives a good account of the other side to Bond's adventures.

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