Casino Royale, Ian Fleming's debut novel (1953), introduces James Bond, Agent 007, on his first mission. Tasked with bankrupting Le Chiffre—a Soviet agent who has lost SMERSH's funds—Bond travels to the casino at Royale-les-Eaux to defeat him at the baccarat table. Accompanied by Vesper Lynd, a beautiful liaison from the Treasury, Bond wins the high-stakes game but is subsequently captured and brutally tortured by the desperate Le Chiffre. Though rescued, Bond faces further betrayal when he discovers Vesper is a double agent. Her tragic suicide leaves the nascent spy hardened, shaping his future cynicism toward love and trust.
