The Dave Fenner series consists of two novels: No Orchids for Miss Blandish (1939) and The Doll’s Bad News (1941). Fenner is a hard-nosed private investigator in the American hardboiled tradition, though created by a British author who had never set foot in the States.
No Orchids for Miss Blandish was Chase’s debut and remains his most notorious book. It drew comparisons to the work of James M. Cain and William Faulkner, and its depiction of violence sparked a heated public debate in Britain.
There are two books in the Dave Fenner series, published between 1939 and 1941.
The first book in the Dave Fenner series is No Orchids for Miss Blandish / The Villain and the Virgin, published in 1939.
No Orchids for Miss Blandish (1939) follows Dave Fenner as he investigates the kidnapping of a wealthy heiress. The book was controversial for its time due to its graphic violence and became Chase’s most famous novel. George Orwell wrote a well-known essay criticizing the book’s morality.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We may receive commissions for purchases made through links on this site.