From the opening novel in the series, the theme of treachery was strong. Bond's target in "Casino Royale", Le Chiffre, was the paymaster of a French communist trade union, and the overtones of a fifth column struck a chord with the largely British readership, as Communist influence in the trade unions had been an issue in the press and parliament, especially after the defections of Burgess and Maclean in 1951. The "traitor within" theme continued in "Live and Let Die" and "Moonraker".