The Moneypenny Diaries: Guardian Angel - An Authorised Book?

An Authorised Book?

Although it has since been announced as an official book from Ian Fleming Publications, the holder of the literary rights to James Bond, there was some confusion and even deception prior to release as to whether the book was actually authorised by them.

The trilogy had originally been touted as the secret journal of a "real" Miss Moneypenny and that James Bond was a possible pseudonym for a genuine intelligence officer, the idea of which was perhaps influenced similarly to John Pearson's 1973 authorised biography of James Bond. James Bond: The Authorised Biography of 007 was based on the obituary in Ian Fleming's You Only Live Twice in which Fleming hints that Bond is perhaps a real man.

An investigation by The Sunday Times into whether or not The Moneypenny Diaries were in some way real forced John Murray publishers to admit that the novel was in fact a "spoof". Prior to the admission, Kate Westbrook was said to be niece of the "real" Jane Moneypenny and that the diaries were discovered after her death in 1990. It was also claimed that Westbrook was a fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, however, the college replied stating no such person was in employment there. In an interview, Weinberg revealed that the 'Kate Westbrook' subterfuge stretched as far as her wearing a wig and coloured contact lenses for media interviews and at the launch party.

The novel was officially recognized as an authorised book from Ian Fleming Publications on the day of the book's publication in the UK, October 10, 2005. A side-effect of the deception resulted in a delay in this book finding an American publisher.