diamond diamond non fiction work published united_kingdom united_states book based weeks interviews undertook member headed sir chief worked exclusively diamond company formed combat smuggling diamonds africa estimated million pounds worth gems smuggled south_africa year book expands articles wrote sunday_times better known author series books super spy creation james_bond diamond non fiction books wrote broadly received reviewers commented stories new synopsis diamond account meeting member book takes form background narrative men met interspersed interview introduced pseudonym john relates recruited sir head worked book goes look activities end operation closed april job complete explained set chairman sir report stated million diamonds smuggled south_africa year additional amounts portuguese west_africa providing history operations relates number concerning diamond smuggling cases organisation dealt background interested diamond smuggling reading article sunday_times concerning sierra diamond industry old friend senior arranged visit diamonds polished introduced sir head working investigating illicit diamond trade met research background material fictional bond novel diamonds forever retained interest subject suggested editor sunday_times paper want write story hamilton offered story offered deputy retired officer liaison interview world war assisted planning operation overlord joined war end whilst played major role capture conviction atomic spy approached work met april considered reluctant hero like britain best secret agents pair spent weeks discussing issue diamond smuggling explaining happened south_africa average words day secretary drafts books shown objected number areas threatened injunction sunday_times resulted material removed sunday_times book weeks starting september finishing october release reception diamond published november pages long cost shillings book published cost reviews book received largely positive reviews writing sunday_times considered exciting richly fascinating account thought authored book ringing true fact time highly entertaining fiction times literary supplement obtained services earl review book noted book skill expect leads entertaining reading reviewing observer thought book adding difficult remember listening old hero james_bond noted book included worthy best spy stories reviewer economist enjoyed book considered stories good reading new new_york_times thought foray non fiction produced mixed results found subject interesting basis interview resulted book interim report attempted film adaptation shortly publication offered pounds film rights book accepted telling write story outline extra contemporary newspaper reports referred project diamond spy british producer subsequently obtained rights book rank tried film actor eventually commissioning screenplay australian writer finished script october remained faithful spirit book featuring elements familiar james_bond films hired story consultant letter author december wrote having horrible time writing outline bill author screenplay hired work script point film director involved despite interest early project shelved later year
The Diamond Smugglers