James Hadley Chase books

Anthologies

Dave Fenner Reading Order

Don Micklem Reading Order

Frank Terrell Reading Order

Helga Rolfe Reading Order

Mark Girland Reading Order

Standalone Novels

Steve Harmas Reading Order

Tom Lepski Reading Order

Vic Malloy Reading Order

James Hadley Chase was the pen name of Rene Brabazon Raymond, a British writer who became one of the best-selling crime authors of the 20th century. His debut, No Orchids for Miss Blandish (1939), caused a sensation with its violence and sexual content, and he never looked back. Over the next four decades he published more than a hundred novels.

Chase set most of his books in the United States despite rarely visiting the country. He researched American slang, geography, and criminal culture through maps, guidebooks, and dictionaries, creating a convincing fictional version of America that fooled many readers into thinking he was American. His stories featured con men, private eyes, femmes fatales, and double-crosses.

His output was remarkably consistent. He created several recurring characters, including Dave Fenner, Steve Harmas, Vic Malloy, Mark Girland, Tom Lepski, Helga Rolfe, Frank Terrell, and Don Micklem, each anchoring their own short series within his larger body of work. Chase remained popular worldwide, with particularly strong readerships in France, India, and other international markets.