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John Gardner (British writer)

(Redirected fromJohn Gardner (thriller writer))
For the American writer, seeJohn Gardner (American writer).

John Edmund Gardner(20 November 1926 – 3 August 2007) was an English writer of spy andthrillernovels. He is best known for hisJames Bondcontinuation novels, but also wrote a series ofBoysie Oakesbooks and three novels containingSir Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional villain,Professor Moriarty.

John Gardner
John Gardner, c. 1984
John Gardner,c. 1984
Born(1926-11-20)20 November 1926
Seaton Delaval,Northumberland,England
Died3 August 2007(2007-08-03)(aged 80)
Basingstoke,Hampshire,England
OccupationAuthor
Alma materSt John's College, Cambridge
Period1964–2007
GenreSpy fiction,crime fiction
Notable worksBoysie Oakesnovels;
continuationJames Bondnovels
Spouse
Margaret Mercer
​
​
(m.1952; died 1997)​

During the Second World War, Gardner joined theHome Guardat the age of 13, served in theFleet Air Armand subsequently joined theRoyal Marines:he later described himself as "the worstcommandoin the world ".[1]After demobilisation, he followed his father into theChurch of England,studyingtheologyatSt John's College, Cambridge,and being ordained as a priest in 1953. After losing his faith, he left the church in 1958 and took a job as a drama critic at theStratford-upon-Avon Herald.

Gardner's literary career began in 1964 with the autobiographicalSpin the Bottle,which detailed his experience ofalcoholism.In the same year, he publishedThe Liquidator,a parody ofJames Bondin which the cowardlyBoysie Oakesis mistakenly recruited as a British spy. The book was made intoa film,and followed by and seven further Oakes novels and four short stories over the next eleven years. He subsequently wrote further novels centred on the characters of Derek Torry and Herbie Kruger, aScotland Yardinspector and an intelligence agent respectively. From the mid 1970s onwards, he published three novels using the character ofProfessor Moriartyfrom theSherlock Holmesseries.

Between 1981 and 1996, Gardner wrote fourteen James Bond novels and the novelisations of two Bond films, at the invitation ofIan Fleming's former production company,Glidrose Publications.Although commercially popular, his Bond novels were not a critical success:The Guardianconsidered them "dogged by silliness".[2]He ended his work on Bond following a diagnosis ofoesophageal cancerin the 1990s, and took a break from writing altogether in 1997, following the unexpected death of his wife, Margaret Mercer. In 2000, he resumed his literary work, publishingDay of Absolutionin 2001 andBottled Spiderin 2002.The latter work introduced Detective Sergeant Suzie Mountford, named after Gardner's ex-fiancée, Patricia Mountford, who resumed her engagement with him after reading the book. He published a further four Suzie Mountford novels before his death in 2007, from suspectedheart failure.

Early life

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John Edmund Gardner was born on 20 November 1926 inSeaton Delaval,a village inNorthumberland.His parents were Cyril Gardner, a London-bornAnglicanpriest who had been ordained inWallsendin 1921, and Lena Henderson, a local girl; the couple were married in 1925.[3]In 1933 the family moved to themarket townofWantagein what was thenBerkshire,where Cyril took up the position of Chaplain atSt Mary's, Wantage,and Gardner was educated at the localKing Alfred's School.[3]

During the Second World War he joined theHome Guard,despite being only 13 at the time.[4]Gardner subsequently served in the Royal Navy'sFleet Air Arm,before transferring to42 Commando,Royal Marines,for service in the Middle and Far East.[5]Gardner considered himself "the worst commando in the world"[1]and, despite being "a small-arms expert... [who] also knew a lot about explosives",[1]he admitted that "I bent an aeroplane I was learning to fly".[3]

After the war he went up toSt John's College, Cambridge,to studytheologyand was subsequently ordained as anAnglicanpriest in 1953.[6]He realised that he had lost his faith and made an error in his career;[5]he later admitted that during one sermon, "I didn't believe a word I was saying".[1]He was released from the church in 1958[1]and took up a position as a drama critic with theStratford-upon-Avon Herald.[6]It was whilst at theHerald—aged 33—that Gardner realised he was analcoholic,drinking two bottles ofgina day. He overcame his addiction and produced his first book as part of his therapy: the autobiographicalSpin the Bottle,published in 1964.[4]Critic and scholarJohn Sutherlandsays that of all the books Gardner published, it is "the one that most deserves to survive."[7]

Writing career

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In 1964 Gardner began his novelist career withThe Liquidator,in which he created the characterBoysie Oakeswho inadvertently is mistaken to be a tough, pitiless man of action and is thereupon recruited into a British spy agency.[8]In fact, Oakes was a devout coward who was terrified of violence, suffered from airsickness and was afraid of heights[9]and Gardner admitted of him that, "though I have denied it many times—he was of course a complete piss-take of J. Bond".[10]The book appeared at the height of the fictional spy mania and, as a send-up of the whole business, was an immediate success.[11]Reviewing the novel inThe New York Times,Anthony Boucherwrote, "Mr. Gardner succeeds in having it both ways: He has written a clever parody which is also a genuinely satisfactory thriller."[12]The book was madeinto a film of the same namebyMGMand another seven light-hearted novels and four short stories about the cowardly Oakes appeared over the next eleven years.[13]

Following the success of his Oakes books, Gardner created new characters: Derek Torry—a Scotland Yard inspector of Italian descent[14]—and Herbie Kruger,[15]the latter of which appeared in a series of novels published simultaneously with his Bond works.[16]In the mid-1970s Gardner also wrote the first of three novels using the character ofProfessor Moriartyfrom theSherlock Holmesseries, the last of which was published posthumously.[17]The third of this series, titled simplyMoriarty,was delayed due to a dispute with the publisher, but was finally released shortly after his death.[18]Erik Lee Premingerbought the film rights to the first of the trilogy—The Return of Moriarty—and wrote a script.Edgar Bronfman Jr.,for Sagittarius Entertainment andNat Cohen,forEMI Productionswere to produce.Donald Sutherlandwas to portray Moriarty. Funding however fell through shortly before filming was to begin.[19][20]

In 1979Glidrose Publications(now Ian Fleming Publications) approached Gardner and asked him to reviveIan Fleming'sJames Bondseries of novels.[5][21]Between 1981 and 1996, Gardner wrote fourteen James Bond novels, and the novelizations of two Bond films.[22]Gardner stated that he wanted "to bring Mr Bond into the 1980s",[23]although he retained the ages of the characters as they were when Fleming had left them.[24]Even though Gardner kept the ages the same, he made Bond grey at the temples as a nod to the passing of the years.[25]With the influence of the American publishers,Putnam's,the Gardner novels showed an increase in the number of Americanisms used in the book, such as a waiter wearing "pants", rather than trousers, inThe Man from Barbarossa.[2]James Harker, writing inThe Guardian,considered that the Gardner books were "dogged by silliness",[2]giving examples ofScorpius,where much of the action is set inChippenham,andWin, Lose or Die,where "Bond gets chummy with an unconvincingMaggie Thatcher".[2]Whilst Gardner's Bond novels received a mixed reaction from the critics, they were popular and a number appeared inThe New York TimesBest Seller list,[26]bringing the author commercial success.[27]

Gardner had an ambivalent view on being the Bond author, once saying "I'm very grateful to have been selected to keep Bond alive. But I'd much rather be remembered for my own work than I would for Bond",[16]while saying on another occasion that "I remain proud that my contribution to the Bond saga played a great part in its development".[13]In the mid-1990s, after discovering he hadoesophageal cancer,Gardner officially retired from writing Bond novels[5]and Glidrose Publications quickly choseRaymond Bensonto continue the literary stories of James Bond.[28]

His break from writing lasted for five years, following the death of his wife,[13]but after battling his illness he returned to print in 2000 with a new novel,Day of Absolution.[29]Gardner also began a series of books with a new character, Suzie Mountford, a 1930s police detective.[4]

The Globe and Mailcrime critic Derrick Murdoch said, "John Gardner is technically a highly competent thriller novelist who never seems to be quite at ease unless he is writing in the same vein as another writer. (He has workedJohn le CarréandGraham Greenethis way, and it's what makes him so well qualified to continue the James Bond saga.) "[30]

TheCrime Writers' Associationshort-listedThe Liquidator,The Dancing Dodo,The Nostradamus Traitor,andThe Garden of Weaponsfor their annualGold Daggeraward.[31]

Personal life

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In 1952 Gardner married Margaret Mercer[6]and the couple had two children, Simon and Alexis.[5]Gardner also had another daughter, Miranda, the result of a long affair with Susan Wright, a formerpersonal assistanttoPeter Sellers.[3]In 1989, Gardner and his family moved to the US and it was in America that he was diagnosed with cancer; firstly of the prostate and then, six years later, of the oesophagus.[32]The subsequent medical treatment in the US left him near bankrupt[3]and he returned to the UK in November 1996.[32]Shortly after his return, in February 1997, Margaret died unexpectedly.[5][32]

When Gardner returned to writing, his second book,Bottled Spider,introduced a new character, Detective Sergeant Suzie Mountford. Gardner took the surname from Patricia Mountford, an ex-girlfriend to whom he had been engaged in 1949. When she read the book Mountford contacted Gardner through his publishers,[33]and the two were subsequently engaged.[6]

Gardner died on Friday 3 August 2007 from suspectedheart failure.[4]

Works

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Autobiography

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  • Spin the Bottle(1964)[34]

Boysie Oakes novels

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Derek Torry novels

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  • A Complete State of Death(1969)[37]
  • The Corner Men(1974)[43]

Professor Moriarty novels

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  • The Return of Moriarty(1974)[37]
  • The Revenge of Moriarty(1975)[37]
  • Moriarty(1976)[44]

Herbie Kruger novels

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  • The Nostradamus Traitor(1979)[37]
  • The Garden of Weapons(1980)[45]
  • The Quiet Dogs(1982)[46]
  • Maestro(1993)[47]
  • Confessor(1995)[48]

The Railton family novels

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  • The Secret Generations(1985)[49]
  • The Secret Houses(1988)[50]
  • The Secret Families(1989)[51]

James Bond novels

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Detective Sergeant Suzie Mountford novels

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  • Bottled Spider(2002)[37]
  • The Streets of Town(2003)
  • Angels Dining at the Ritz(2004)
  • Troubled Midnight(2005)
  • No Human Enemy(2007)[37]

Other novels

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  • The Censor(1970)[55]
  • Every Night's a Bullfight(1971)[56]
  • To Run a Little Faster(1976)[57]
  • The Werewolf Trace(1977)[58]
  • The Dancing Dodo(1978)[59]
  • Golgotha(1980)[60]
  • The Director(1982) (A re-working of his 1971 novelEvery Night's a Bullfight.)
  • Flamingo(1983)[61]
  • Blood of the Fathers(1992) (as by "Edmund McCoy". Later published under his own name in 2004.)[62]
  • Day of Absolution(2001)[63]

Short story collections

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  • Hideaway(1968)[62]
  • The Assassination File(1974)[62]

References

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  1. ^abcdeWeil, Martin (9 August 2007). "Novelist John Gardner; Reimagined Fleming's James Bond".The Washington Post.Washington. p. B07.
  2. ^abcdHarker, James (2 June 2011)."James Bond's changing incarnations".guardian.co.uk.Retrieved26 December2011.
  3. ^abcdeWilson, Arnie (7 August 2007). "John Gardner; Thriller writer who revived Bond".The Independent.London. p. 35.
  4. ^abcd"Obituary: John Gardner".The Times.London. 9 August 2007. p. 65.
  5. ^abcdefRipley, Mike (2 November 2007)."John Gardner; Prolific thriller writer behind the revival of James Bond and Professor Moriarty".The Guardian.London. p. 41.
  6. ^abcdFox, Margalit(29 August 2007). "John Gardner, Who Continued the James Bond Series, Dies at 80".The New York Times.New York. p. 21.
  7. ^Sutherland 2011,p. 226.
  8. ^Britton 2005,p. 107.
  9. ^McCormick 1977,p. 84.
  10. ^Sutherland 2011,p. 89.
  11. ^"Obituary: John Gardner".Liverpool Daily Post.Liverpool. 8 August 2007. p. 13.
  12. ^Boucher, Anthony(18 October 1964). "Criminals at Large".The New York Times.New York. p. BR46.
  13. ^abc"The Past".John Gardner.Estate of John Gardner. Archived fromthe originalon 31 October 2016.Retrieved20 June2012.
  14. ^Hubin, Allen J. (5 October 1969). "Criminals at Large".The New York Times.New York. p. BR36.
  15. ^Binyon, T. J.(26 December 1980). "Criminal proceedings".The Times Literary Supplement.London. p. 1458.
  16. ^ab"Gardner, whose thrillers include 14 Bond books, dies at 80".CBC News.30 August 2007.Retrieved21 June2012.
  17. ^Cohen, George (4 January 1976). "Guess who didn't really kill whom at Reichenbach Falls".Chicago Tribune.Chicago. p. G3.
  18. ^Anderson, Patrick (24 November 2008). "Lord of the Lurkers and Dollymops".The Washington Post.Washington. p. C08.
  19. ^Hirsch 2011,p. unknown.
  20. ^Kilday, Gregg (8 September 1976). "A Dream Movie From Altman".Los Angeles Times.p. E10.
  21. ^Adrian 1991,p. 418.
  22. ^"John Gardner (1926–2007)".The Books.London:Ian Fleming Publications.Retrieved21 June2012.
  23. ^Black 2005,p. 185.
  24. ^Benson 1988,p. 61.
  25. ^Benson 1988,p. 149.
  26. ^Clymer, Adam(20 August 2007). "John Gardner, Bond novelist".International Herald Tribune.Paris. p. 4.
  27. ^Panja, Tariq (30 August 2007). "John Gardner, prolific British writer who authored 14 James Bond novels, dies at 80".Associated PressWorldstream.London.
  28. ^"Raymond Benson".The Books.London:Ian Fleming Publications.Archived fromthe originalon 27 December 2010.Retrieved21 June2012.
  29. ^"Gardner, John: Day of Absolution".Kirkus Reviews.15 August 2000.
  30. ^Murdoch, Derrick (24 December 1983). "It's a Crime: At home with Bogart, Bergman and Cuddles".The Globe and Mail.Toronto. p. E.13.
  31. ^Sobin 2011,p. 1869.
  32. ^abcPukas, Anna (6 July 2002). "Writer Who Took on the Bond Mission".Daily Express.London. p. 51.
  33. ^"Writer dates his character".The Sunday Times.Johannesburg. 24 October 2004. p. 3.
  34. ^"John Gardner".28 March 2019.
  35. ^Benson, Raymond (2012)."The James Bond Bedside Companion".
  36. ^"Understrike".WorldCat.Retrieved11 August2024.
  37. ^abcdefg"Obituary: John Gardner".TheGuardian.2 November 2007.
  38. ^"Madrigal".WorldCat.Retrieved11 August2024.
  39. ^"Founder member".WorldCat.Retrieved11 August2024.
  40. ^"Traitor's Exit".WorldCat.Retrieved11 August2024.
  41. ^"The Airline Pirates: A New Boysie Oakes Adventure".WorldCat.Retrieved11 August2024.
  42. ^"A Killer for a Song: A Boysie Oakes Entertainment".WorldCat.Retrieved11 August2024.
  43. ^"The Corner Men".WorldCat.Retrieved11 August2024.
  44. ^"Moriarty".WorldCat.Retrieved11 August2024.
  45. ^"The Garden of Weapons".WorldCat.Retrieved11 August2024.
  46. ^"The Quiet Dogs".WorldCat.Retrieved11 August2024.
  47. ^"John Gardner".28 March 2019.
  48. ^"Confessor".WorldCat.
  49. ^"The Secret Generations | Kirkus Reviews".
  50. ^"The Secret Houses".WorldCat.Retrieved11 August2024.
  51. ^"The Secret Families".WorldCat.Retrieved11 August2024.
  52. ^Benson, Raymond (2012)."The James Bond Bedside Companion".
  53. ^abcde"Continuation Bond Archives - Page 3 of 4".Ian Fleming Publications.Retrieved11 August2024.
  54. ^abcdefghij"Continuation Bond Archives - Page 2 of 4".Ian Fleming Publications.Retrieved11 August2024.
  55. ^The censor.New English Library. 1970.ISBN9780450006098.OCLC59253369.
  56. ^"Every Night's a Bullfight".WorldCat.Retrieved11 August2024.
  57. ^"To Run a Little Faster".WorldCat.Retrieved11 August2024.
  58. ^"The Werewolf Trace".WorldCat.Retrieved11 August2024.
  59. ^"The Dancing Dodo".WorldCat.Retrieved11 August2024.
  60. ^"Golgotha".WorldCat.Retrieved11 August2024.
  61. ^"Flamingo".WorldCat.
  62. ^abc"Gardner, John".Oxford Reference.Oxford University Press.Retrieved11 August2024.
  63. ^"In his own words – John Gardner".

Bibliography

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