Dr. No

Another one of Ian Fleming's James Bond 007 novels set in Jamaica.
Bond has just recovered from the injuries he got in his previous mission and to give him a relaxed atmosphere, M sends him to investigate a disappearance case, which is already determined to be closed. Although Bond doesn't want to take up the case, he does it nevertheless.
On reaching the spot, he thinks he has made many mistakes cause he was very visible with his assistant, Quarrel. But he continues to do his job and suspects that the disappearance of the previous officials was actually murders by Dr.No.
Dr. No was known to be a rich private owner of an island which was known to be abundant with a precious type of bird dropping, that was in high need by the market. Although the market went up and down, the need for the dropping stayed high enough for him to continue the business.
Bond and Quarrel now train to go to the island. When they reach the island, Bond finds a woman, Honeychile Rider, with whom they continue the rest of the adventure. Honey tells them more about the island and her own life.
Supposedly there is a dragon on the island that burns things that Dr. No doesn't want. They have an encounter with this dragon, which turns out to be a machine. Bond loses Quarrel in the fight and he and Honey are captured to be led to Dr. No.
Their place of capture seems very odd and strange with high tech hotels and polite matrons, with prompt and awesome room service. Although Bond is puzzled, he plays along. Finally he meet Dr. No, who seems to be a bald, hairless man, with machines attached to him, in his glorious aquarium.
Dr. No, who had a inaffectionate childhood, resorts to illegal ways of survival and in one of his adventures, loses his limbs and almost his life. But he survives and makes enough money to buy the island and believes that his power lies in his secrecy and discretion. He tells how he has used his previous victims for scientific tests, which is also the end for Bond and his girl.
Bond and Honey are split apart to be put in different tortures. Two chapters chronicle all the tortures and pain that Bond goes through. Finally, he manages to meet again with Honey and together they decide to hunt down Dr. No. Hunting him down, Bond injures him fatally.
Bond and Honey escape from the island, which is now almost destroyed. When they return, Bond tries to get Honey a good life by recommending her to a job that would help her to use all her skills. And he also keeps her promise to 'play' with her.
A good novel that was well paced. The tortures and escapades of Bond were a little squeamish with the talk of flesh burning and tearing, but it moved along with the flow of the story and was representative of the character of the villain.