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Join today<\/a><\/p>\n \n Already a member? Rebus author Sir Ian Rankin<\/a> has revealed that he could have swapped the Scottish detective for Britain\u2019s most famous fictional spy, James Bond<\/a>, but turned the opportunity down. <\/p>\n The writer, whose \u201ctartan noir\u201d franchise has sold over 35 million copies worldwide, said that he was asked by the estate of Bond author Ian Fleming to write an official 007 novel \u201ca few years ago\u201d but decided against doing so as he would receive only 50 per cent of the royalties. <\/p>\n Speaking at The Times<\/a> and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival, Fleming said that he had a \u201cpretty good idea\u201d of what the plot would be, however he turned down the request for \u201cidentical\u201d reasons to Jack Reacher author Lee Child. <\/p>\n When pressed further on the topic, Rankin said: \u201cLet\u2019s not go there.\u201d <\/p>\n Child revealed in May that he was asked by Ian Fleming\u2019s estate to write a series of Bond novels in 2008, but turned them down due to the royalties. <\/p>\n \u201cWhy would I do Bond books for 50 per cent of the royalties, when I can get 100 per cent with the Reacher books? They came back and asked me a second time and I said no again,\u201d he told The Times<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cI felt ultimately vindicated because I didn\u2019t love the people. I thought they were a bit uptight and because Bond is so specifically 1950s, it doesn\u2019t work in contemporary times.\u201d<\/p>\n Rankin, 66, has published 25 novels under the Rebus brand, beginning with 1987\u2019s Knots and Crosses. <\/p>\n Speaking about whether the novels will continue after he retires, the author said that he could see himself handing the now-80-year-old inspector \u201cover to Richard Osman\u201d to include him in his series The Thursday Murder Club.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019d be good off out of town, doing all the wrong things, getting him in trouble. You know, he\u2019d slot right into the Thursday Murder Club,\u201d he said. \u201cSo I\u2019m going to mention that to him the next time I see him.\u201d<\/p>\n He added that he does not have any relatives who are keen to carry on writing the character. \u201cBut I mean, after I\u2019m gone, if you\u2019ve got a good character in literature, someone will come along and pick up the baton.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Rebus author Ian Rankin turned down the chance to write Bond (PA)<\/p>\n![\"Actor](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/25181319-51351023-2e3e-4e2f-81e9-3489256fcb53.jpg\")
Actor Richard Rankin plays Rebus in the BBC One adaptation of Ian Rankin\u2019s novels (Alamy\/PA)<\/p>\n