Martine Blanchaud is a SMERSH honeytrap who acts as bait in a Soviet attempt to assassinate 007. Based on Sue Vanner's minor unnamed character from the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, Blanchaud appeared in Christopher Wood's accompanying novelization, James Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me.
Biography[]
In the novelization of the film, Bond first encounters Martine Blanchaud in a Chamonix casino. An indiscreet, "lynx-eyed redhead", she readily accepts Bond's offer of a drink and befriends him. Blanchaud explains that she lives in Lyon, where her father owns a business, travelling to Chamonix every summer for the skiing. She had been unhappily married and stayed with friends when she came to Chamonix. Retrospectively, Bond notes that had never seen any of her supposed friends with her in the Casino. The girl also claims that she has a friend who works for a Heliskiing company and suggests that Bond avail of the opportunity for excellent skiing conditions on the top of Aiguille du Mort. After a day's skiing, she notes that they could spend the night in the huts up there. After suffering a convenient losing streak at the casino, he unsuspectingly agrees to her plan, leaving behind his sidearm.
While aboard the Gyrafrance helicopter, Bond becomes suspicious of the girl, his pilot and the isolated location the pair are taking him to. Upon reaching their destination, he politely gestures that the girl should descend first, lest he receive a bullet to the back. On their way to the cabin, Bond continues to watch the girl warily, carefully examining his surroundings for the presence of a trap. Finding the hut undisturbed, the spy begins to relax and the two light a fire. But his suspicions prove correct, as Bond suddenly notices the tracks of three SMERSH assassins approaching the building. Blanchaud reacts with fear, revealing her part in the plot. Searching the room, 007 discovers the body of an unknown girl stuffed in a transparent laundry bag - presumably to frame Bond for her murder. This was something Blanchaud was completely unaware of, as demonstrated by the expression of stupefied horror on her face, a look which saved her life, as Bond would have most likely killed her had she been complicit in the murder. Snatching his skis, the spy makes his escape, leaving Blanchaud behind in the cabin. On returning to London, Bond discovers that Blanchaud had been subsequently executed by SMERSH for her failure to detain him. The cabin and the bodies present had been burnt in an attempt to cover up the operation.
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