Mary Goodnight

Mary Goodnight is a fictional character from the James Bond universe.

Novel biography

In the novels, Mary Goodnight is a former Wren who is now the secretary to the 00 Section, which includes James Bond. Replacing the section's previous secretary, Loelia Ponsonby, Goodnight has a less severe, more bubbly and adventuresome personality than her predecessor. Making her first appearance in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, she is described as "a honey," and there was speculation among the 00 agents as to which of them would be able to seduce her first. (Bond was tied with 006 as the favourite but backed out of the competition after becoming involved with his future wife Tracy.) She has an excellent figure and has blue-black hair, although two novels later, in The Man with the Golden Gun her hair is blond to the point that it shines almost silver in moonlight.

In You Only Live Twice, Goodnight is a bit more serious than she was in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, showing concern for Bond as he slips into a round of self-destructive behaviour following Tracy's death. Her appearance in this novel is little more than a cameo, although she is permitted to add a few lines to Bond's premature obituary.

In the final Fleming novel in which she appears, The Man with the Golden Gun, Goodnight's role is expanded to a full-fledged Bond-girl. Having transferred to the Secret Service's Kingston station in Jamaica after Bond's presumed death, she assists Bond in building a cover for...
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