Prolific novelist René Brabazon Raymond was one of the most famous thriller writers of all time. He adopted several pen names, but James Hadley Chase is the most well-known. His debut, No Orchids for Miss Blandish, caused a sensation upon its publication in 1939, selling so well that it became one of the biggest bestsellers of the decade.
René authored numerous bestselling novels. While none matched the success of his debut, many were adapted into films and translated into various languages.
In recent years, Stark House Press has begun reprinting his works. So far, they have published eight collections, with the latest, I’ll Get You for This / The Paw in the Bottle, released this week. It is definitely worth acquiring.
Although René was born in England (on Christmas Eve, 1906), much of his writing is influenced by the American tough-guy dialogue prevalent in hardboiled crime fiction of the 1930s. I’ll Get You for This exemplifies this style. Set in California, it presents a fast-paced, no-nonsense pulp story filled with grim violence and harsh vengeance.
On the other hand, The Paw in the Bottle, set in London, adopts a very different tone that is distinctly English. René’s storytelling prowess shines through, and I would argue it is far superior to the opener—possibly his best work.
This new collection also includes my essay titled “Gore, Vengeance, Greed, and Betrayal, As Told By James Hadley Chase.” You can purchase it on Amazon using the link provided.
Additionally, you can read my verdict on the double-novel volume Eve / More Deadly Than the Male here. (Note: This review, which was originally published in the Lancashire Post and syndicated to 24 others, is an archived version of the one that appeared on September 4, 2017).