🎯 Where Should I Start?
ⓘ About James Hadley Chase
James Hadley Chase was an English author, and he was one of the best known thriller writers of all time. He was born Rene Lodge Brabazon Raymond on December 24 1906, and died on February 6 1985, at the age of 78 years. He wrote in the detective, crime fiction, Mystery, and thriller genres. He was well known by his pseudonyms which included James Hadley Chase, Ambrose Grant, R. Raymond, James Docherty, and Raymond Marshall. He was the son of a Colonial Indian Army Colonel, Francis Raymond, who was a veterinary surgeon. The Colonel wanted his son to pursue a scientific career and so educated him at King’s school Rochester, Kent. Rene or Chase left home at the age of 18 and married Sylvia Ray with whom they had one child, a son, at the age of 26.
All Book Series by James Hadley Chase
No Orchids for Miss Blandish / The Villain and the Virgin
Series opener · book 1 of 2 · published 1939
The Doll's Bad News / Twelve C----- and a Woman
Latest in the series · book 2 of 2 · published 1941
Lay Her Among Lilies / Too Dangerous to Be Free
Latest in the series · book 3 of 3 · published 1950
No Business of Mine
Series opener · book 1 of 6 · published 1947 Pen name · Raymond Marshall
There's a Hippie on the Highway
Latest in the series · book 5 of 5 · published 1970
Mission to Siena
Single-title series · published 1955 Pen name · Raymond Marshall
Lady -- Here's Your Wreath
Book 2 of 67 · published 1940 Pen name · Raymond Marshall
Make the Corpse Walk
Book 10 of 67 · published 1946 Pen name · Raymond Marshall
Trusted Like the Fox
Book 14 of 67 · published 1948 Pen name · Raymond Marshall
The Paw in the Bottle
Book 15 of 67 · published 1949 Pen name · Raymond Marshall
But a Short Time to Live
Book 18 of 67 · published 1951 Pen name · Raymond Marshall
The Wary Transgressor
Book 21 of 67 · published 1952 Pen name · Raymond Marshall
The Case of the Strangled Starlet / Not So Safe to Be Free
Book 36 of 67 · published 1958
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is James Hadley Chase?
James Hadley Chase was an English author, and he was one of the best known thriller writers of all time. He was born Rene Lodge Brabazon Raymond on December 24 1906, and died on February 6 1985, at the age of 78 years. He wrote in the detective, crime fiction, Mystery, and thriller genres.
Which James Hadley Chase series should I start with?
The best place to start is the Steve Harmas series, the earliest of James Hadley Chase's multi-book series: it opens with No Business of Mine (1947) and runs to 6 books across 1947–1968, ending with An Ear to the Ground (1968). James Hadley Chase's other series stand alone, so they can be read in any order.
How many books has James Hadley Chase written?
James Hadley Chase has 97 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1939 and 1996. 29 of them belong to 8 named series — the largest being the Steve Harmas series with 6 books — and 68 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should James Hadley Chase's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. James Hadley Chase's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are Dave Fenner (1939–1941, 2 books), Steve Harmas (1947–1968, 6 books) and Vic Malloy (1949–1950, 3 books), plus 5 more.
How are James Hadley Chase's books organised into series?
This guide splits James Hadley Chase's 97 books into 8 named series and 68 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: Steve Harmas (6 books, 1947–1968); Frank Terrell (5 books, 1964–1970); Tom Lepski (5 books, 1971–1984); Mark Girland (4 books, 1958–1980); Vic Malloy (3 books, 1949–1950), plus 3 further series.