James Hadley Chase, born as René Lodge Brabazon Raymond on December 24, 1906, in London, England, was a renowned English author of mystery, suspense, and romance novels. His father, Colonel Francis Raymond of the colonial Indian Army, a veterinary surgeon, had intended for his son to pursue a scientific career, but Chase had other plans. After leaving home at the age of 18, Chase worked various jobs, including a children's encyclopedia salesman, a salesman in a bookshop, and an executive for a book wholesaler. It was during this time that he realized the demand for gangster stories, which inspired his writing career.
Chase's writing career took off after he began working in sales, focusing on books and literature. He wrote under several pseudonyms, including James Hadley Chase, Ambrose Grant, R. Raymond, James Docherty, and Raymond Marshall. His first novel, "No Orchids for Miss Blandish," was published in 1939 and became a bestseller. During World War II, Chase served in the British Royal Air Force and achieved the rank of Squadron Leader. He edited the RAF journal and published several stories from it after the war in the book "Slipstream". Chase's writing was influenced by his experience during the war, as well as his friendship with Merrill Panitt, who provided him with a dictionary of American slang, reference books, and detailed maps of the American underworld.
Chase was married to Sylvia Ray for 53 years, and they had one son. He enjoyed photography, reading, listening to classical music, and opera. Chase passed away peacefully on February 6, 1985, in Corseaux-sur-Vevey, Switzerland, where he had been living a secluded life since 1974. His writing career produced over 90 mystery books, making him one of the most prolific thriller writers of all time. His books have been translated into 22 languages and have sold over 50 million copies worldwide.