Cet auteur s'est fait connaître pour ses récits captivants se déroulant dans le milieu du crime américain, répondant ainsi à une forte demande de romans de gangsters. Ses œuvres se caractérisent par une atmosphère brute et un rythme soutenu, reflétant les dures réalités de l'époque qu'il dépeignait. Son œuvre prolifique, comptant plus de quatre-vingt-dix romans policiers, est enrichie par une profonde compréhension de la psychologie humaine et des aspects plus sombres de la société. Cette approche a séduit un large public, lui assurant une place parmi les auteurs marquants du genre.
Voici l'histoire de Johnny Bianda, garde du corps dans un gang affilié à la Mafia, un homme dont le seul rêve était de posséder un bateau et de le louer aux riches sportifs qui pêchent au large des côtes de Floride. Pour réaliser ce rêve, il n'hésite pas à s'emparer de 186 000 dollars appartenant au gang. Il n'ignorait pas qu'un jour ou l'autre on viendrait frapper à sa porte... mais il n'avait pas prévu que ce jour arriverait aussi tôt.
Cette histoire fait suite au roman "Eso v rukávu". Helga Rolfeová se retrouve à nouveau dans une situation délicate. Épouse de l'un des hommes les plus riches du monde, elle se rend aux Bahamas, mais son séjour dans ce paradis touristique est loin d'être idyllique. Dès son arrivée, elle est surveillée. Son mari, méfiant, envisage de modifier son testament, et Helga, en raison de sa faiblesse pour les jeunes hommes séduisants, devient la cible d'un chantage impitoyable, risquant de perdre soixante millions de dollars qu'elle doit hériter. De plus, elle fait face à un dangereux culte vaudou pratiqué par certains autochtones. Bien que Helga, rationnelle, refuse de croire aux rituels sanglants et à la magie, d'autres semblent y adhérer. Elle devra faire preuve de toute son intelligence et de son ingéniosité pour se sortir de cette situation périlleuse. Qui, dans ce jeu dangereux, obtiendra le joker ?
«Quel que soit l'obstacle, nous le surmontons.» Telle est la fière devise de l'agence «Universal Services». Mais pour les deux affaires qui lui sont enfin confiées, l'obstacle à franchir est de taille. La fille de Justin Wingrove, l'un des citoyens les plus en vue d'Orchid City, s'est fait la malle. Quant à Dedrick, on l'a kidnappé. Il suffisait de raquer... apparemment. Eh bien, on a fini par les retrouver, mais dans quel état !
Le tout, c'est de leur flanquer la trouille, à tous ces grossiums de Paradise City. On en liquide trois d'entrée de jeu. Et on signe «l'Exécuteur». Après, ces cloportes se bousculent, piétinent les enfants pour venir coller leurs enveloppes pleines de fric dans les cabines téléphoniques que je leur indique : il n'y a plus qu'à ramasser la monnaie.
Le bonheur, ni plus ni moins, est ce qui attendait la très riche et très jolie Miss Blandish. Le bonheur sans tache, complet, à l'ombre d'un père milliardaire, pour une vie faite de beauté. C'était compter sans les innombrables petites frappes en manque d'argent. C'était faire abstraction de la bande de M'man Grisson et de son psychopathe de fils, mélange de débile léger et de sadique malsain. Kidnappée la veille de ses noces, son fiancé abattu sous ses yeux, Miss Blandish va basculer en enfer. Quotidiennement. Sans une seconde de répit. En proie à l'amour brutal d'un demi-fou, à ne souhaiter plus qu'une seule chose : qu'on lui donne la mort... Écrit en l'espace de six week-ends, Pas d'orchidées pour Miss Blandish est devenu, dès sa publication, un immense classique.
La blonde de pekin. Chambre noire. Eh bien ma jolie
Farrell Brannigan, president of the California National Bank, has opened a new branch in Sharnville, a growing town on the California coast. Thanks to the work of Larry Lucas, an outstanding young expert in electronic security systems, he has successfully promoted the bank in the media, rightfully calling it "the safest bank under the sun." However, an unrelenting psychopathic enemy from Brannigan's past emerges, seeking revenge and plotting to rob the bank. Or is there something more sinister at play? Lucas has just met the girl of his dreams and envisions a happy life with her, but instead finds himself caught in a web of blackmail and murder from which there seems to be no escape.
Vingt ans ont passé depuis le kidnapping de Miss Blandish. Dans un hôpital psychiatrique retentit, en pleine nuit, un cri d'horreur suivi du hurlement terrorisé d'un chien de garde. Une jeune démente vient de s'enfuir. Aussi fabuleusement belle que dangereuse, Carol Blandish porte dans ses veines la folle hérédité criminelle de son père. Elle est aussi la plus fascinante expression de la douceur de sa mère. Un démon dans l'enveloppe charnelle d'un ange. Une proie, par ailleurs richissime, que tout le pays va traquer. Les uns pour la récompense, les autres pour le prestige, d'autres encore pour des motifs toujours plus troubles… La malédiction Blandish perdure. Comment, dans ces conditions, ne pas vendre chèrement sa peau? La chair de l'orchidée, publié après Pas d'orchidées pour Miss Blandish, est la suite de ce classique absolu.
Murder isn't a very sociabe way of getting your kicks - but then, Jay Deaney was neve a very sociable sort of guy... He was young rich, attractive and bored. He needed excitement - and he meant to get it. For months he had waited - patiently cntroling the insane urge which nagged at his mind. And then he saw hera t a film festival in the South Of France - the blonde staret who was to provide him with the biggest thrill of his life... the girl he intended to murder...
Banned in the UK! Author and Publisher Fined! Not seen in 70 Years! This is the story of Miss Callaghan. Not of any particular Miss Callaghan, but of the hundreds of Miss Callaghans who disappear from their homes suddenly and mysteriously and are seen no more by those who knew and loved them. This is also the story of Raven, who played with clockwork trains, the leader of the White Slave Ring in East St. Louis, who was responsible for the keeping to full strength the army of women for the service of men. James Hadley Chase needs no introduction now. He has established a reputation for unmitigated toughness and plain writing. Under his blunt treatment, the traffic of women in America is shown to be what it is;a loathsome, corrupt stain on the pages of American history.
Glorie Leadler's intense desire for love centers on a solitary Oriental man, igniting a passionate and tumultuous affair. Despite her allure attracting numerous suitors, it's this one connection that truly captivates her. When jealousy disrupts their romance, Glorie's emotional turmoil erupts into a fierce quest for vengeance, impacting the lives of many men in Florida. The story explores themes of love, jealousy, and the powerful consequences of unbridled passion.
The original unexpurgated versions of two of the most violent mid-century gangster novels ever published.
When Chet Carson broke jail, he thought he found a safe hide-out in a lonely filling station. But instead he found himself caught up in a dangerous threesome - an elderly owner, his gorgeous wife Lola, and a safe with a fortune inside, which Lola wanted.
A mysterious woman from the protagonist's past reemerges, bringing with her unresolved tensions and potential dangers that could jeopardize his future. As their paths cross once more, secrets unfold, and the stakes rise, forcing him to confront both his history and the implications of her return. Themes of love, betrayal, and the impact of past decisions take center stage in this gripping narrative.
A hard-boiled crime novel set in an American backdrop. The story follows the protagonist, a former boxer, who is drawn to Miami by the lure of big money. From the very beginning, he finds himself in deep trouble, becoming increasingly entangled in intrigues and dangerous situations that force him to kill. He is on the run, evading both pursuers and the law. His desire for a peaceful life remains unfulfilled due to the shadows of his past. The narrative is marked by dynamic pacing and original resolutions, reminiscent of the earlier works of this well-known English author.
A crime story featuring an elderly wealthy woman and a pair of con artists who manipulate her disinherited nephew. The driver of the affluent Alice Morely-Johnson, a skilled forger, seeks to secure his future and teams up with his employer's disinherited nephew Gerald and his girlfriend. The girlfriend's task is to blackmail the elderly woman's account manager into releasing her will, which the con artists plan to alter in Gerald's favor. The situation becomes complicated when the elderly woman decides to change her will herself, prompting the frightened driver to consider eliminating her.
In a gripping exploration of grief and redemption, the narrative follows a protagonist grappling with loss and the emotional aftermath of a significant event. The story delves into themes of memory, the impact of relationships, and the struggle to find meaning in the wake of tragedy. As the characters navigate their intertwined lives, they confront their pasts, leading to unexpected revelations and personal growth. The poignant journey invites readers to reflect on the complexities of love and the resilience of the human spirit.
Crime - 14 stories. Chase wrote a note about this: My dear Cherry, Some time ago you warned me against writing short stories. You stressed that the public didn't like them, and that I would be heading for a big flop if I persisted. Your views have always proved sound, so I've laid off until now. My present activities don't permit me to tackle a full-length novel, but as I have a number of situations up my sleeve I have been tempted to turn them into shorts. Have a little flutter on the book. Personally, I think it'll go. Not because it is better written than those which have flopped, but because the stories have got enough dynamite in them to make the average guy forget the blackout and the blitz - which, after all, is what we all want to do at this moment. Anyway, here's the manuscript, and when you're not too busy - Get a load of this! Yours, JAMES HADLEY CHASE,
When a necklace is as beautiful as the Esmaldi necklace with its hundred sparkling diamonds, it is not surprising that it causes powerful emotions. It is an object that people will do anything to obtain – even murder. For Al Barney, general idler and layabout, this comes as no surprise for he knows the peculiar history that the necklace holds – an ancient story of passion, jealousy and hatred. Yet as events unfold, it becomes clear that this violent story is far from over….
Jay Benson was a top military marksman who served as a sniper in the Vietnam War, killing eighty-two enemies. After leaving the army, he opened a shooting school near Paradise City, Florida, but business was struggling until the mysterious Augusto Savanto offered Jay fifty thousand dollars to transform Savanto's timid son into a top-notch shooter within nine days. When Jay uncovers the horrifying reason behind this task, it is too late for him to back out. Additionally, his vulnerability is heightened by his young and beautiful wife, Lucy. He realizes that the peaceful Florida he envisioned could become a hell worse than the jungles of Vietnam.
The story revolves around a cunning extortionist known as the Tortoise, whose criminal activities have eluded law enforcement across Europe. His downfall begins when he targets Don Micklem, a wealthy American playboy with influential connections. As Micklem seeks revenge, the tension escalates, leading to a dramatic confrontation that uncovers the Tortoise's whereabouts. This gripping narrative blends elements of crime, wealth, and the pursuit of justice, showcasing the clash between a determined individual and a formidable foe.
A small French resistance group came to London after the war to avenge the death of their leader, betrayed to the Gestapo by one of their own members. But the traitor, Mallory, proved more than a match for them, and two corpses later, the remaining three called in outside help. They chose Martin Corridon, an ex-commando, who accepted the job and planned a neat double-cross of his own once he had the money. But it didn't work out that way: Corridon found himself trailing Mallory from the dens of Soho to the wilds of a remote Scottish island.
A James Hadley Chase thriller set along the southern California coast circa 1950. A hard-boiled detective novel with plenty of action and humor.
Former commando Martin Corridon, previously introduced in the novel "Who is Mallory?", is living in post-war London with a tarnished reputation. One day, a friend shows him a white jade ring that someone has left behind. Shortly after, she is murdered, and it appears the killing is linked to the ring. Colonel Ritchie, Corridon's former superior during the war, seeks his help. A dangerous secret organization in England is using jade rings to inflict harm on the country. Ritchie's niece, Marien, is also involved, adding to the stakes. Corridon must recall his wartime experiences and attempt to infiltrate the organization. A perilous game for survival begins, as he navigates treachery and danger to uncover the truth behind the ring and the sinister plot at play.
Kenway Holland, a respectable, married bank official, jeopardises his happiness and his future by one night of midsummer madness. The sudden temptation to kick over the traces while his wife is away lands Holland up to his ears in a vortex of political intrigue and murder. Set against a background of gangster politicians, blackmailers, gunmen and hard-boiled characters, the action of this explosive thriller takes place over a period of only thirty hours!One night of midsummer madness... and Ken Holland, a respectable, married bank official, jeopardises his happiness and his future. The sudden temptation to kick over the traces while his wife is away lands Holland up to his ears in a vortex of political intrigue and murder. Set against a background of gangster politicians, blackmailers, gunmen and hard-boiled characters, the action of this explosive thriller takes place over a period of only thirty hours.But what hours they are !
Why would an obscure blonde dancer who performed in a G-string - with a deadly snake for a partner - be insured for a million dollars? That was what Steve Harmas, special investigator, had to try and find out. It was supposed to be simply a publicity stunt - a trick to get Susan Gellert's name in the newspapers - but somebody stood to gain an awful lot of money if she died. And Steve was sure that whoever it was didn't intend to wait very long before collecting the compensation money...
It was the easiest three grand Nelson Ryan had ever made - but suddenly he realized he was being played for a sucker. A telephone call, seemingly innocent enough, led him to the murder of a Chinese call-girl who'd talked too much. It also pitched him straight into the teeming, sordid night life of colourful Hong Kong. From now on, Ryan would stick at nothing to get the killer who'd crossed him up...
It seemed like a good idea at the time to ex-paratroop sergeant Harry Mitchell, home after three years in the deadly jungles of Vietnam. Head south to Florida, get a summer job, soak up some sun, relax a bit. But when he got to Paradise City he found himself drawn into a lethal set-up where dumped corpses, smuggling operations, over-ambitious cops, hired killers and a sexy little double-crosser called Nina combined to make life very unhealthy. It was just as well for Harry Mitchell that he'd learned to look after himself in Vietnam...
Successful dramatist Victor Dermott rents an isolated ranch-house in the Nevada Desert. For two months all is ideal, then one bright summer morning he wakes to find his dog, his guns, his servant vanished - and the telephone dead.The terror has begun . . .'Agonising tension sustained throughout a first-rate story' Evening Standard
Comme voyage d'agrément, c'est plutôt réussi. À Venise où sous les ponts on risque de pousser son tout dernier soupir, Don Micklem vit sur les dents. Par amitié, il s'est lancé dans une course folle et, pour échapper au terrible Natzka, il emploie tous les moyens de transport à part le vélo... et le corbillard. Encore heureux !
Classic pulp detective fiction by Chase.
Raw, grisly and explosive! Reporter Nick Mason witnesses an execution and gains a clue from the condemned man, sending Nick into a network of crime and murder!
Clive Thurston is a fortunate man; he has passed off an unpublished play by a deceased writer as his own, successfully staged it on Broadway, and quickly gained fame. Riding the wave of success, he has written three novels, perhaps trivial, but all bestsellers, and Hollywood has embraced him. Confident and pursued by women, Clive finds love with a young screenwriter who understands and supports him. However, then comes Eva, mysterious, wild, and elusive. For Clive, this marks the beginning of a difficult game, the rules of which he does not know, and in which he stakes everything. Eva is more than just a hundred-dollar prostitute. From a master of the thriller genre, this novel presents a memorable portrait of a 'dark lady' in a tense, ironic, and bitter narrative, which was adapted into a film in 1962 by Joseph Losey, featuring Jeanne Moreau.
Veda Rux, a beautiful blonde, known professionally as a stripper, steals a priceless Cellini dagger from the safe in millionaire Lindsay Brett's home. Her agent, Cornelius Gorman, approaches Floyd Jackson, a private investigator and first-rate blackmailer, and asks him to return the dagger before the theft is discovered. Jackson should have known there was something wrong with the whole situation, but, blinded by the beauty of Veda and more money than he had ever seen, he agreed to the proposition. From the moment he fell in love with Veda, his doom was sealed—he was caught up in a relentless intrigue that made him a cat's-paw for murder.
Harry Barber byl celkem uznávaným novinářem v přímořském městečku Palm City v Kalifornii. Jednoho dne zaslechl náhodou v baru rozhovor dvou mužů a dovtípil se, že jakýsi podnikatelský gang hodlá doslova skoupit celé město a vybudovat v něm síť heren a veřejných domů. Do celého plánu měl být zapleten i policejní komisař....
Jeden z popredných predstaviteľov tzv. „drsnej“ americkej školy James Hadley Chase sa radí medzi autorov kriminálneho žánru, ktorí si svojím svojráznym prístupom k problematike zločinu ako produktu modernej spoločnosti vedia získať každého čitateľa. Vo svojich dielach sa sústreďuje na dnešnú spoločnosť zbavenú akýchkoľvek ilúzií a ovládanú podsvetím riadiacim sa neúprosným zákonom džungle. Chaseov hrdina, protipól supermana, zväčša jednoduchý človek, neraz poznačený pohnutou minulosťou, je nedobrovoľne strhnutý do jej obludnej mašinérie, z ktorej sa často a márne pokúša vyslobodiť. Prvý príbeh Hippie na cestách, ktorý sa dotýka znepokojujúcej otázky vývoja mladej generácie, odohráva sa na exotickom pobreží Pacifiku, zaplavenom pašerákmi, príživníkmi, prostitútkami a špekulantmi, ženúcimi sa za mocou a ziskom. V druhom príbehu Chlap na posledné slovo s ústrednou postavou mladého novinára vniká autor do zákulisia gangov podporovaných magnátmi a ich nemilosrdnou politikou. Hrdinom tretieho príbehu Prosím ťa, skap je jeden z Chaseových typických charakterov, ktorého chamtivosť privedie k zločinu a uvrhne do bezvýchodiskovej situácie. Podobne ako ostatné autorove diela všetky tri príbehy prinášajú šokujúce stvárnenie tvrdej reality, obohatené expresívnym jazykom.
I bohaté a krásně ženy mohou mít problémy! Nikdo by neřekl, že atraktivní a chytrá blondýnka Helga Rolfeová, jedna z nejbohatších žen na světě, se může něčím trápit. Avšak Helga má tajnou slabost - neuhasitelnou touhu po mužích a sexu. Její předchozí zkušenosti skončily katastrofou a dřívější milenec Jack Archer to dobře ví. Když Helga potkala okouzlujícího Christophera Grenvillea, zdálo se, že konečně našla své štěstí. Odjeli spolu do romantického prostředí Helžiny vily ve Švýcarsku a šťastná žena plánovala společnou budoucnost. Netušila však, že Grenville je profesionální gigolo a že bude brzy zatažena do sítě předstíraného únosu s požadavkem velkého výkupného. Záležitost však nabrala nečekaný obrat, když se do ní vložila místní mafie. Podaří se Helze i tentokrát vyváznout z nebezpečného soukolí?
Detektivroman aus dem Umfeld der gesellschaftlichen Elite in Florida. Der Protagonist ist ein ehemaliger Polizist, der auf einer unzugänglichen Insel die Sicherheit der unkonventionellen Tochter eines italienischen Milliardärs gewährleisten soll. Das Mädchen wurde in Rom Opfer einer Entführung, und der beschäftigte Vater möchte kein Risiko eingehen. Der Held verbindet sich mit der lokalen Mafia und entwickelt einen raffinierten Plan, um zweiundzwanzig Millionen Dollar zu erlangen. Doch unvorhergesehene Umstände stören seine Pläne, und der Protagonist erkennt zu spät die Schwächen seiner durchdachten Aktion.
Krásná rusovláska Ginny nabídla Franku Morganovi a jeho partě plán na vyloupení moderního pancéřového kamionu převážejícího milion dolarů. Mohla však tak mladá dívka takový plán vymyslet sama? Čtyři muži a dívka se krok za krokem pečlivě připravují na přepadení kamionu, přičemž každý z nich má přesně vymezené úkoly. Pak přichází dlouho očekávaný okamžik, kdy se má do všech detailů promyšlený plán uskutečnit. Neselže někdo z pětice v rozhodujícím okamžiku? Přepadení bude obtížné, ale uniknout s kořistí bude zřejmě ještě složitější...
Jerry Stevens, nezaměstnaný herec vedlejších rolí v hollywoodských westernech, dostává nabídku na neobvyklou práci s platem tisíc dolarů denně. Na veřejnosti má vystupovat - důkladně namaskovaný a převlečený - jako John Merrill Ferguson, jeden z nejbohatších a nejmocnějších mužů na světě. Jerrymu je vysvětleno, že Ferguson má uzavřít důležitý tajný obchod, a protože novináři nepřetržitě hlídají každý jeho krok, nutně potřebuje dubléra. Jerry nabídku přijímá. Od tohoto okamžiku je však vtažen do víru intrik, vražd a hrůzy.
Drsný kriminální příběh z Floridy, kde v opuštěném rybářském srubu zabiják drží jako rukojmí filmového scenáristu.
Harryho zásadou bylo nikdy nezastavovat stopařkám. Když však spatřil krásnou dívku, jak bezmocně stojí u porouchaného auta, rozhodl se učinit výjimku. Tou dívkou byla bohatá a atraktivní Gloria Selbyová. Když zjistila. že Harryho firma je ve vážných potížích, nabídla mu možnost vydělat si více peněz, než si kdy představoval. Přes všechna rizika se Harry rozhodl její nabídku přijmout. Tohoto rozhodnutí měl později vážně litovat, neboť netušil nic o tom, s jakými lidmi se zaplétá, ani o důmyslném plánu, v němž měl on sám sehrát důležitou úlohu. Harry však i přes lásku ke své ženě neměl nejmenší šanci ubránit se pokušení, protože Gloria věděla úplně všechno o věcech, které muži dělají. . .
Ein begabter Fotograf in London liebt die falsche Frau, die für ihre Beziehungen einen hohen Preis fordert. Gleichzeitig versucht er, seine schwangere Mutter vor dem Henker zu retten, der jedoch Zeit hat.
Dobrodružný příběh s kriminální zápletkou se odehrává v Jižní Africe. Nechali se najmout majitelem jisté nezákonné agentury k tomu, aby odcizili historicky cenný prsten Borgiů z nedobytného sídla podivínského milionáře.
Pod názvom Formula strachu ponúkame dva príbehy, ktoré spája rovanký motív-túžba po bezprácnom zisku.
Hrdina tohoto románu, mladý bankovní úředník Ken Holland, je sympatická, kladná postava; jeho jediným hříškem je, že se po dlouhém váhaní rozhodne využít manželčinu nepřítomnost a vyhodit si z kopýtka.
Jay Delaney, syn prominentního hollywoodského producenta, náhle zešílí. Uprostřed filmového festivalu v Cannes zavraždí mladou herečku. Ačkoliv se zpočátku domnívá, že spáchal dokonalý zločin, brzy pochopí, ze se přepočítal. Celá událost se totiž neobešla beze svědků. Jedním z nich je i Jayova nevlastní matka – Sophia. Pokusí se snad Jay zavraždit i ji? A co druhý svědek novinář Joe Kerr? Policie zahajuje pátrání a mladý vrah prchá z místa činu. Zatím je volný. Volný a nebezpečný! (www.pitaval.cz)
