Insight into the birth of James Bond? While not exactly a page turner, you are expertly drawn into the story and become invested in the outcome. Who is the protagonist? There are so many prospects presented that one is never sure until the moment he/she is revealed. It's a great spy novel with several twists and turns to keep you interested. ( )

Fans of James Bond should certainly read this WWII-era thriller which features Ian Fleming as the main character. This novel definitely has the same feel as a James Bond movie, filled with sudden deaths, betrayals, politics, and pretty ladies. Set around the meeting of Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin in Tehran in 1943, Ian Fleming, employed by British intelligence, must find a way to stop an assassination attempt on the three Allied world leaders and prevent Hitler from winning the war. The James Bond references make this novel fun and enough of the history is accurate enough to not stretch the bounds of credibility too far. A good, light read. ( )

As the blurb says
A tense and enthralling historical thriller in which British Naval Intelligence officer Ian Fleming attempts to foil a Nazi plot to assassinate FDR, Churchill, and Stalin.

I didn't find it particularly tense or enthralling. You can figure out the bad guy halfway through the book. Not as much fun as Jack 1939. :( ( )

In this fictional tale, Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, is a commander in British Naval Intelligence assigned to shadow Prime Minister Winston Churchill during the dangerous era of World War II. Fleming, as a fact, was a commander in Naval Intelligence at that time. The story finds him in Egypt as a member of Churchill’s entourage as the way is being paved for talks with Stalin and Franklin D. Roosevelt in their historic meeting at Tehran in late 1943. The secret meeting will determine the course of the war, specifically the plans for the Allied invasion of Europe. While preparing for the meet, Fleming comes across an old school chum, Michael Hudson, an American now with the O.S.S., the new American spy network. They get wind of a German plot to kill the three Allied leaders while they are meeting in Tehran. There is also a rumor that an unknown spy working for German intelligence has infiltrated the Allied camp. As Fleming gets close to discovering the spy, he is attacked and wounded, necessarily leaving him out of the planned trip to Tehran. Feeling he is closest to finding the spy, Fleming disobeys orders and hitches a flight to Tehran. He is determined to uncover the spy and stop the planned attack on the allied leaders. The book is a good read, but there are so many historical figures in the story line, that you get the feeling there are too many chiefs and not enough Indians. It is almost impossible to hide the spy’s identity from the reader, as there are so many prominent personalities of the era in the plot. This causes the plot to lose some of its impact. ( )

Having read and enjoyed Mathews' previous historical thriller Jack 1939, I looked forward to reading Too Bad to Die, and I was not disappointed. I was hooked in the prologue when I learned the origin of the book title. Too Bad to Die is an excellent blend of history, literature and cinema as it gives us the background of Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, and the importance of the meeting between Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin.

Mathews' research blends seamlessly into her narrative. Her portraits of the world leaders are at once informative and familiar. By sharing scenes from his boyhood, we can also read and smile and trace the beginnings of one of literature's most famous characters.

While the book satisfies on both history and mystery levels, it also delivers with a good solid pace and exciting action sequences-- although a scene of torture towards the end of the book may make some readers uncomfortable. My radar must be in fine shape because I did find the identity of the super spy/killer a bit too easy to guess, but there's a lot more to this book than whodunnit.

If you're a fan of well-researched, high octane historical thrillers, Too Bad to Die is too good to miss. ( )