Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
History shows: British writers are the best authors of fascinating detective stories, James Heldy Chase was no exception and, along with Agatha Criti, took an honorable place in the world literary fund. Raymond Marshall, James Doherty, Ambrose Grant, James Heldy Chase – all these are the creative pseudonyms of one person – the English aristocrat Rene Brambazon Raymond. We present the rating of the 15 best detective stories of the author, must-read for fans of intricate criminal plots.
- Rating of the best books by James Headley Chase
- Requiem for an assassin
- Coffin from Hong Kong
- Mission to Siena
- You will be alone in your grave
- I disappeared from the place of impact
- The whole world in your pocket
- Murder of a movie star
- You are dead without money
- You better stay poor
- The smell of gold
- Lay her among the lilies
- Extra trump card in the sleeve
- Double surrender
- There will be no witnesses
- Cash payment
Rating of the best books by James Headley Chase
| Nomination | a place | composition | rating |
| Rating of the best books by James Headley Chase | 1 | Requiem for an assassin | 4.9 |
| 2 | Coffin from Hong Kong | 4.9 | |
| 3 | Mission to Siena | 4.8 | |
| 4 | You will be alone in your grave | 4.8 | |
| 5 | I disappeared from the place of impact | 4.8 | |
| 6 | The whole world in your pocket | 4.7 | |
| 7 | Murder of a movie star | 4.7 | |
| 8 | You are dead without money | 4.7 | |
| 9 | You better stay poor | 4.7 | |
| 10 | The smell of gold | 4.6 | |
| 11 | Lay her among the lilies | 4.5 | |
| 12 | Extra trump card in the sleeve | 4.5 | |
| 13 | Double surrender | 4.5 | |
| 14 | There will be no witnesses | 4.4 | |
| 15 | Cash payment | 4.4 |
Requiem for an assassin
Book Author: James Heldy Chase
Rating: 4.9
The rating opens with the novel 'Requiem for a Killer', bright and captivating, included in the collection of the same name.
The main character Nick Baxter, on whose behalf the story is being told, goes to his friend George Calllywood in Los Angeles on an important matter. But when he arrived at his villa, he did not find his friend alive – he was killed in his own room at least three days ago, and, judging by the expression on the face of the corpse, before death experienced obvious horror. Meanwhile, even before Baxter arrived at the right address, he himself was almost killed while walking down the street with a dangerous injection, the needle of which was miraculously stuck in the dense layers of clothing.
Who was disturbed by the detective of the 'lowest class', as he called himself, on what important business did the deceased friend summon Baxter and why he himself was killed: James Headley Chase guards the intrigue until the end of the novel, while not dragging out the story with dull descriptions, from which to read the work only more interesting.
Coffin from Hong Kong
Book Author: James Heldy Chase
Rating: 4.9
In second place is the cool detective novel 'Coffin from Hong Kong', which tells the story of a private detective Nelson Ryan, who was asked by a certain John Hardwicke to arrange professional surveillance of his wife while he was out of town. This was followed by inexplicable events: upon arriving at the place, the detective learns that completely different people live in the house at the specified address, waiting for the 'object' for many hours does not give results. Back at his office, Nelson finds the corpse of a pretty Chinese woman in it. Of course, Ryan himself becomes the first suspect in the murder.
Who framed the detective and why, and most importantly – who is the murderer of the Hong Kong girl? Chase has created a brilliant detective novel with a sharply twisted, unpredictable plot.
Mission to Siena
Book Author: James Heldy Chase
Rating: 4.8
“Mission to Siena” is the story of the investigation into the murder of Don Micklem's friend, in which a well-hidden organization involved in extortion of money is involved. The leader of the company, an authority called the Turtle, does not spare the 'debtors' who face reprisals for disobedience. Don Miklem cannot leave the situation and together with a friend went to restore justice to sunny Italy.
The novel Mission to Siena is atypical for Chase, but no less fascinating and mesmerizing.
You will be alone in your grave
Book Author: James Heldy Chase
Rating: 4.8
The fourth in the ranking novel “You will be alone in your grave” in old editions is also found under the titles “Everyone dies alone”, “You are alone – if you are dead” or “Don't dig a hole for another…” – all these are translation features. This is the first book in a series of stories about the detective Vic Malloy.
Billionaire John Franklin Cerf, a widow a few years ago, secretly married a young lady. A few months after the wedding, he suspected the newly-made wife of kleptomania, finding a suitcase with jewelry in the room, but detective Vic Melloy suggests that this could be a set-up or even blackmail. Or maybe someone is following her? Because of the found suitcase, many deaths will occur and many of the dirty family secrets of the Serfs will be revealed.
The novel is read in one breath; it will be a truly fascinating immersion in a detective story.
I disappeared from the place of impact
Book Author: James Heldy Chase
Rating: 4.8
'The case of the hitting' or 'He disappeared from the place of the hit' – these are different versions of the translation of Chase's detective novel.
Chester Scott had an affair with his boss's wife and paid for it – they began to blackmail him with photographs of romantic meetings. In addition, he becomes the only suspect in the fatal collision of a police officer with his own car. Scott did not commit this crime, therefore, in order to prove his innocence, he undertakes to investigate the case independently of the police, but finds many inconsistencies.
The whole world in your pocket
Book Author: James Heldy Chase
Rating: 4.7
The whole world in your pocket is the story of Frank Morgan, a lover of big and easy money. He served this time, but even when he was released, he did not lose interest in profit without effort. He plans to steal the monthly salary fund of a scientific organization together with his friends, inviting them to share the booty. But stealing a million is not so easy if the money is transported by a bank armored vehicle. The company is working on an 'accidental accident' along the route of an armored car.
The film adaptation of the novel 'The World in Your Pocket' is presented by the film directed by Alois Brench 'Mirage' in 1983.
Murder of a movie star
Book Author: James Heldy Chase
Rating: 4.7
The detective novel 'The Murder of a Movie Star' can be read in translation into Russian or in the original – the author's language is easy and easy to understand, as the readers note.
Lucille Balue, a rising movie star, a beautiful and pleasant woman, was the victim of Jane Delaney, the son of a famous director. He tricked her into her father's apartment to kill her – the reprisal against the victim was an experiment for a young mind, she was supposed to be a kind of test of courage and endurance. The author devotes more than one page to reprisals, you need to be prepared for this. But Jane did not take into account all the factors – on the staircase at this time a reporter armed with a camera was filming compromising evidence on the Delania family and, of course, the camera tape remembered the traces of the crime.
You are dead without money
Book Author: James Heldy Chase
Rating: 4.7
The next in the rating of readers' sympathies is the novel You Are Dead Without Money. A car accident changes the plans and life of Don Elliot – he loses a major contract, remains in debt and is ready to do anything to make up for the financial shortage, in particular, to steal valuable marks commissioned by a wealthy antiquarian. For such a dusty job, Elliot will receive $ 250,000. The possibility of easy money attracts, but Don understands the danger of the upcoming operation, so fate brings him to the same needy people. They are ready to help him get the job done.
You better stay poor
Book Author: James Heldy Chase
Rating: 4.7
'Better to stay poor' or 'I wish I stayed poor' is a book with a simple but effective plot, which can be read in one breath and does not leave heavy emotions.
The novel is about an insolvent bank manager Dave Calvin, who cannot accept a lack of money, and his position did not quite suit him. He, like many poor people, was waiting for an opportunity to get rich without much effort. Calvin is not alone in his dreams – Keith Loring, the owner of the boarding house, is also not averse to raising the standard of living. As in the classics of the genre, the best way to get rich is to rob a bank, and the couple are already preparing a plan to steal the cherished dollars. The only thing that Dave did not foresee was his friend's great passion for alcohol, which will let them down at the last moment, when the bank operation gets out of control.
The smell of gold
Book Author: James Heldy Chase
Rating: 4.6
The book 'The Smell of Gold' is part of a cycle of novels about Mark Ghirland, a 'free' CIA agent, recognized by readers as the best and brightest story of the series, because the plot twists from the first pages and does not let go to the end, it is difficult to foresee the outcome.
So, in The Smell of Gold, Mark Ghirland unravels the case of blackmail and attempts to eliminate the first US presidential candidate Henry Sherman, who asks for protection to a friend of his youth, the chief of the CIA office in France, where the hero of several books from the Chase cycle works . As you know, politics is associated with big money and secrets that have become an explanation for what is happening, in particular, the film in which Sherman's daughter Julia was shot.
The Smell of Gold is not only a detective story, it is a novel about human values in conditions of wealth.
Lay her among the lilies
Book Author: James Heldy Chase
Rating: 4.5
Another title of the novel is The Secret of the Crosby Family. The investigation is being conducted by the detective Vic Malloy, already mentioned in the rating, who works at the same Universal Service agency, which provides people with various services.
Jennette Crosby writes a letter to the specified agency stating that her half-sister Marilyn is being blackmailed by some unknown unknown stranger. But a letter from the daughter of a millionaire catches the detective's eyes only a year later, when it turns out that Jennet is no longer alive. Malloy begins an investigation into the death of the girl and raises the question: why did the humble Jennet lose her life, and not Marilyn, whose lot after the death of her sister fell great wealth.
Extra trump card in the sleeve
Book Author: James Heldy Chase
Rating: 4.5
About the adventures of a nymphomaniac and the wife of a major tycoon Helga, Rolf James Heldy Chase wrote a cycle of novels, which included 'An Extra Trump in the Sleeve'. This time, while walking around a German city, Helga meets a guy who suits her as a son. She faces a dilemma: to lose wealth and go all out with a new lover or stay with an old billionaire husband.
Throughout the novel, the author arranges various tests for Helge, from blackmailing a local detective to attempts at manipulation by a stealing husband's company manager. I must say, the heroine comes out of all the troubles with dignity. Chase, simultaneously with the unwinding of the plot, shows how complex and serious things can be looked at simply, making life easier on the rise, making decisions that are not always obvious.
Double surrender
Book Author: James Heldy Chase
Rating: 4.5
In this work, detective Steve Harms leads the investigation.
Susan Gellert, an aspiring young actress, enters into contracts with ten insurance companies for life insurance against accidents for relatively small amounts – just $ 100,000. Thus, her life became worth 1 million, which seemed strange and suspicious to a detective in the claims department of one company. To protect themselves from payments, insurers included in the contract a large list of reasons for which insurance compensation is not expected. But there was no blood loss in the lists, and it was from him that Susan died.
Steve Harms takes on a business in a company with his own wife, who is a representative of one of ten companies, which now has to pay its share of the obligations under the contract. As it turns out, what happened is a carefully planned and executed scam that the detective will have to deal with.
There will be no witnesses
Book Author: James Heldy Chase
Rating: 4.4
The novel There Will Be No Witnesses also appears under the title Shroud for Witnesses.
A detective story about gangsters and policemen is not particularly intriguing with the ending, because the name of the killer is known from the first pages, from the plot. But the intrigue in this novel is not about the investigation of the crime, but about the killer's hunt for a young girl who accidentally witnessed the murder of Hollywood actress June Arno. The police are trying to save her as a valuable witness. On the other hand, the main character is the mafia, which the author introduces not only from the outside, but also from the inside. An unexpected turn – the appearance of love in the heart of the killer for the future victim. This fact could have saved her, if not for the betrayal in the ranks of the leadership of human rights defenders.
Cash payment
Book Author: James Heldy Chase
Rating: 4.4
At the end of the rating, we present another detective novel by James Chase 'Pay in cash' or 'Only for cash'.
The story is narrated in the first person by John Farrar, a simple guy and a former boxer who dreamed of a trip to Miami from an early age, but did not have the material opportunity for it. The reason is not a desire to relax, but a dream of a chance meeting with some millionaire and the expectation of a gift from fate in the form of a lot of money, which will last for the rest of your life.
Johnny's dream is close to being fulfilled – having broken a local champion's jaw in one of the bars in Miami, he receives an offer from a shadow tycoon to participate in a boxing match instead of an injured athlete who must lose, he will receive money for this, otherwise he will be killed by a bullet.
The work is replete with disasters, fights, chases, the novel involves mafia and criminal syndicates bandits, corrupt officials, gambling business organizers and other characters in contact with easy money.
Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
