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Blandish's Orchids and Dave Fenner #3
Twelve Chinks and a Woman
When a curvaceous, beautiful girl walks into your office, strips, and offers you a 6,000 retainer to help her out of the trouble she's in, it's hard to refuse. Especially it you're private eye Dave Fenner, the man who busted the notorious Blandish case. But by the time Dave had been beaten half to death and been forced to shoot his way out of a load of unhealthy situations, he realised that chivalry - even if it was paid for a hard cash - was no way to stay alive.Only one man could satisfy Glorie Leadler's craving for love and affection. And though this golden-haired bit of feminine dynamite could have had a dozen men at her feet for the asking, it was a solitary Asian who made her heart beat fast. When jealous rivals tore that midnight love from Glorie's arms, her over-heated emotions burst forth in a volcano of love-stricken vengeance that rocked Florida and left a mark on many men's souls.
260 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1941
30 people are currently reading
477 people want to read
About the author
James Hadley Chase
638 books1,012 followersRené Lodge Brabazon Raymond was born on 24th December 1906 in London, England, the son of Colonel Francis Raymond of the colonial Indian Army, a veterinary surgeon. His father intended his son to have a scientific career, was initially educated at King's School, Rochester, Kent. He left home at the age of 18 and became at different times a children's encyclopedia salesman, a salesman in a bookshop, and executive for a book wholesaler before turning to a writing career that produced more than 90 mystery books. His interests included photography (he was up to professional standard), reading and listening to classical music, being a particularly enthusiastic opera lover. Also as a form of relaxation between novels, he put together highly complicated and sophisticated Meccano models.
In 1932, Raymond married Sylvia Ray, who gave him a son. They were together until his death fifty three years later. Prohibition and the ensuing US Great Depression (1929–1939), had given rise to the Chicago gangster culture just prior to World War II. This, combined with her book trade experience, made him realise that there was a big demand for gangster stories. He wrote as R. Raymond, James Hadley Chase, James L. Docherty, Ambrose Grant and Raymond Marshall.
During World War II he served in the Royal Air Force, achieving the rank of Squadron Leader. Chase edited the RAF Journal with David Langdon and had several stories from it published after the war in the book Slipstream: A Royal Air Force Anthology.
Raymond moved to France in 1956 and then to Switzerland in 1969, living a secluded life in Corseaux-sur-Vevey, on Lake Geneva, from 1974. He eventually died there peacefully on 6 February 1985.
In 1932, Raymond married Sylvia Ray, who gave him a son. They were together until his death fifty three years later. Prohibition and the ensuing US Great Depression (1929–1939), had given rise to the Chicago gangster culture just prior to World War II. This, combined with her book trade experience, made him realise that there was a big demand for gangster stories. He wrote as R. Raymond, James Hadley Chase, James L. Docherty, Ambrose Grant and Raymond Marshall.
During World War II he served in the Royal Air Force, achieving the rank of Squadron Leader. Chase edited the RAF Journal with David Langdon and had several stories from it published after the war in the book Slipstream: A Royal Air Force Anthology.
Raymond moved to France in 1956 and then to Switzerland in 1969, living a secluded life in Corseaux-sur-Vevey, on Lake Geneva, from 1974. He eventually died there peacefully on 6 February 1985.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
September 11, 2020
Dave Fenner - intrepid investigator, and humane to boot in his own way. He can be ruthless, and takes human life every now and then. Yet the ladies always find him so attractive and nice. I found this particularly fascinating in this work. A few samples here:
Starting with him meeting the lady, Curly early on. "...She was a blonde and her big gash-like mouth was very red with paint". Soon she is saying, "I like you. You've got nice eyes". And a bit later on, we read:
"She leaned towards him, raising her face; so because he thought she was pretty good, he kissed her. She wound her arms around his neck and held him. They stood like that for several minutes... She stood looking at him, breathing hard. "I guess I am crazy" she said, colour suddenly flooding her face..."
Some time later Fenner would meet Glorie Leadler, a young, gorgeous woman men drool over. Perhaps we should not be surprised again, that from the very beginning she likes our Fenner. Hear her;
'
"I think he's marvellous. I think he is absolutely, incredibly marvellous"
And she adds for good measure, even embarrassing Fenner: "He's the most beautiful thing I've seen. Look at his arms. Look at the size of them. Look at the set of his neck - the way he holds his head..."
Not too surprisingly, she finds her way to Fenner’s room, and bed. He does not seem to like her much, though she assures him that she would "grow on him". Certainly not for want of trying on her part, as we find out:
"She lay with her red-gold head on the pillow and looked up at him. She looked suddenly very young and defenceless. She said, 'I want to whisper'.
Fenner shook his head. 'Try another one. That one has whiskers on it.'
She reached up her two arms. 'Please!'
He bent his head and she kissed him. Her lips felt very soft against his. It was just a youthful kiss, and Fenner quite liked it..."
Lucky bloke! lol.
April 5, 2021
The Doll's Bad News was Chase's fourth novel and the second in his Dave Fenner private eye series. It is more generally known by the original title ("Twelve Chinks and a Woman"), which probably wouldn't get published under such a title today for obvious reasons. After a fast and furious beginning featuring a demure young lady and six thousand dollars and a corpse or two, it actually becomes more of a gangster novel than a private eye novel as the action heads down to that gangster heartland of Key West. Chase, a British writer, who later lived in Switzerland, didn't visit the U.S. till late in life and sometimes (like here) his lack of geographical expertise showed. Key West couldn't have supported two warring syndicates and a giant casino, but that's why it's fiction.
Fenner, upon heading to the Keys, goes undercover as a hoodlum, joining one of the syndicates. From there, he learns about the cruelty of human trafficking and the viciousness of the hoods. Violent, nasty, brutal, but above all, unrelenting, Chase offers us a solid volume of excitement. Just don't expect the focus to stay like a laser beam on one riddle.
Fenner, upon heading to the Keys, goes undercover as a hoodlum, joining one of the syndicates. From there, he learns about the cruelty of human trafficking and the viciousness of the hoods. Violent, nasty, brutal, but above all, unrelenting, Chase offers us a solid volume of excitement. Just don't expect the focus to stay like a laser beam on one riddle.
January 2, 2021
It gets off to a great start for the first fifty pages or so.After that,it isn't all that great.
A crooked woman,a racket involving the smuggling of Chinese by a gang and lots of violence.Private eye Fenner single handedly takes on the gang to emerge triumphant.
But the violence is overdone and this isn't among Chase's best books.
2.5 stars,rounded down.
A crooked woman,a racket involving the smuggling of Chinese by a gang and lots of violence.Private eye Fenner single handedly takes on the gang to emerge triumphant.
But the violence is overdone and this isn't among Chase's best books.
2.5 stars,rounded down.
April 27, 2022
Loved it. Terrific for the first 20-40 pages.
More later
More later
May 28, 2022
A typical chase thriller with lots of booz, woman, guns and racketeering. Fast paced, the plot is gripping and leads you through the thrill of chase.
May 31, 2015
12 Chinks and a Woman by James Hadley Chase
Hardboiled fiction?
This fiction is so hard that it is fossilised.
This guy's speech is so clipped and to the point that he doesn't use adverbs, adjectives, nouns or verbs.
He shoots prepositions on sight.
This guy is so tough that he irons his shirts by laying in the road and getting run over by trucks, big trucks.
But it is a ripping good yarn with morals. The bad guys all die and in the end the whole story is unfolded so we are not left in the dark. Some poor lunks get it before their time and some dames are just too hot for their own good.
Yes, it really was like that in 1941 when this was written. Now it seems cliched and tired but it makes me wonder how much of our current crop will also seem cliched in 75 years time. Jo Nesbo? Ian Rankin? How will they fare?
This is how it starts:
"Only one man could satisfy Glorie Leadler's craving for love and affection. And though this golden-haired bit of feminine dynamite could have had a dozen men at her feet for the asking, it was a solitary Oriental who made her heart beat fast. When jealous rivals tore that midnight love from Glorie's arms, her over-heated emotions burst forth in a volcano of love-stricken vengeance that rocked Florida and left a mark on many men's souls"
Could you beat that?
Hardboiled fiction?
This fiction is so hard that it is fossilised.
This guy's speech is so clipped and to the point that he doesn't use adverbs, adjectives, nouns or verbs.
He shoots prepositions on sight.
This guy is so tough that he irons his shirts by laying in the road and getting run over by trucks, big trucks.
But it is a ripping good yarn with morals. The bad guys all die and in the end the whole story is unfolded so we are not left in the dark. Some poor lunks get it before their time and some dames are just too hot for their own good.
Yes, it really was like that in 1941 when this was written. Now it seems cliched and tired but it makes me wonder how much of our current crop will also seem cliched in 75 years time. Jo Nesbo? Ian Rankin? How will they fare?
This is how it starts:
"Only one man could satisfy Glorie Leadler's craving for love and affection. And though this golden-haired bit of feminine dynamite could have had a dozen men at her feet for the asking, it was a solitary Oriental who made her heart beat fast. When jealous rivals tore that midnight love from Glorie's arms, her over-heated emotions burst forth in a volcano of love-stricken vengeance that rocked Florida and left a mark on many men's souls"
Could you beat that?
June 21, 2014
Take a private detective so tough even the police get out of his way, toss a dead Oriental in his office, then send in some glamorous dame with $6,000 and a cockamamie story about a dozen Chinamen and a missing (later dead) sister, who then vanishes under mysterious circumstances, and you have the opening to "Twelve Chinamen and a Woman," not a very PC-friendly title for the warm-and-fuzzy non-judgmental age in which we live, but positively cozy compared to its original title.
The detective in question is Fenner, who previously made a name for himself in Chase's controversial ultra-noir "No Flowers for Miss Blandish," which gained fame when it was dissected (and dissed) by no less a literary light than George Orwell. Obligated to take the case even though the client has vanished (he took $6,000, equal to about two year's pay for the average joe in 1939 so he has to do what he has to do to earn it), he follows the trail to Florida, meets a lot of unsavory characters, runs into a few hard-bitten but good-looking dames, and uncovers a human-smuggling ring.
The "Twelve Chinamen" of the title and the term dropped on him to peak his interest refers to the maximum number of Chinamen that can be smuggled per trip by boat via Cuba. Once the cargo is on US soil, assuming they don't get dumped at sea to avoid the Coast Guard (they're chained together so if one goes in they all go in, nice and neat) they get sold to businesses around the country as slave labor, not unlike what is done to poor Mexicans and other nationalities coming up through the southern border these days. The whole racket sickens Fenner and he decides to smash it and anyone who gets in the way, which is when things get really interesting.
To say the violence is over the top is to understate its intensity. Once started, the shootings, knifings and bombing do not stop until nearly every player in the book has a bullet between the eyes, a knife in the back, is stitched up by a tommy gun, or is blasted by one of the many homemade bombs tossed in at the end. The violence reaches, and probably surpasses psychotic levels, and yet Fenner does not himself become one of the psychotics. He has a goal and a plan to reach that goal, and he does exactly what is necessary to reach that goal. Despite his rage, he maintains his humanity, decency and honor, and when the job is done, so is he.
Even fans of noir fiction may find this crime book a bit too much to handle. Though Fenner does not engage in gratuitous violence, many of his associates and certainly his enemies do, relishing it as they gun each other down. And other readers may not like the book because the narrative and dialogue impinge upon our programmed social guilt centers. But, for all that, it is a very well-written non-stop adventure, soaked in blood and dripping with cynicism and yet possessing at its heart a code of honor, the very American idea of doing the right thing, no matter the personal cost, then walking away without animus when the job is done.
The detective in question is Fenner, who previously made a name for himself in Chase's controversial ultra-noir "No Flowers for Miss Blandish," which gained fame when it was dissected (and dissed) by no less a literary light than George Orwell. Obligated to take the case even though the client has vanished (he took $6,000, equal to about two year's pay for the average joe in 1939 so he has to do what he has to do to earn it), he follows the trail to Florida, meets a lot of unsavory characters, runs into a few hard-bitten but good-looking dames, and uncovers a human-smuggling ring.
The "Twelve Chinamen" of the title and the term dropped on him to peak his interest refers to the maximum number of Chinamen that can be smuggled per trip by boat via Cuba. Once the cargo is on US soil, assuming they don't get dumped at sea to avoid the Coast Guard (they're chained together so if one goes in they all go in, nice and neat) they get sold to businesses around the country as slave labor, not unlike what is done to poor Mexicans and other nationalities coming up through the southern border these days. The whole racket sickens Fenner and he decides to smash it and anyone who gets in the way, which is when things get really interesting.
To say the violence is over the top is to understate its intensity. Once started, the shootings, knifings and bombing do not stop until nearly every player in the book has a bullet between the eyes, a knife in the back, is stitched up by a tommy gun, or is blasted by one of the many homemade bombs tossed in at the end. The violence reaches, and probably surpasses psychotic levels, and yet Fenner does not himself become one of the psychotics. He has a goal and a plan to reach that goal, and he does exactly what is necessary to reach that goal. Despite his rage, he maintains his humanity, decency and honor, and when the job is done, so is he.
Even fans of noir fiction may find this crime book a bit too much to handle. Though Fenner does not engage in gratuitous violence, many of his associates and certainly his enemies do, relishing it as they gun each other down. And other readers may not like the book because the narrative and dialogue impinge upon our programmed social guilt centers. But, for all that, it is a very well-written non-stop adventure, soaked in blood and dripping with cynicism and yet possessing at its heart a code of honor, the very American idea of doing the right thing, no matter the personal cost, then walking away without animus when the job is done.
January 1, 2021
Detective Dave Fenner is back again, after No Orchids for Miss Blandish. But this time, in 12 Chinks and a Woman, he's meaner, deadlier, and more bloodthirsty. Another good one from JHC. Starting in New York City, where Fenner has moved to from Kansas, once on the case, the detective soon finds himself in the Florida Keys. I wonder if Key Largo was the inspiration. The movie was yet to be made, but the stage play had already run on Broadway. You might see the surprise at the end coming from far earlier in the novel. But if you do, it's not quite the one you're expecting. Chase has things fully in stride with this novel. Fun read.
October 24, 2011
I downloaded this randomly after searching for some pulp fiction titles after seeing some great art on the pulpcovers.com site and then searching for electronic versions.
Yes, the cover and title can invoke some negative aspects of the era, but that aside I thought the story and story telling were classic detective noir. Really tight writing at times, not terse- but tight. I had to look up Hadley Chase- I didn't know he was so prolific. I'd definitely look for more titles from him.
And if I were a writer I'd spend some time studying the economy of the language in this story.
Yes, the cover and title can invoke some negative aspects of the era, but that aside I thought the story and story telling were classic detective noir. Really tight writing at times, not terse- but tight. I had to look up Hadley Chase- I didn't know he was so prolific. I'd definitely look for more titles from him.
And if I were a writer I'd spend some time studying the economy of the language in this story.
Read
January 14, 2023अनुवाद करते वक्त इसे काफी बार पढ़ा था। अब पाठक पढ़कर बताएँगे कि यह प्रयास कैसा रहा है। उम्मीद है जितना मज़ा मुझे इस उपन्यास का अनुवाद करते हुए आया उतना ही आपको भी इसे पढ़ते हुए आएगा। आपके विचारों की प्रतीक्षा रहेगी।
June 12, 2017
A whirlwind mystery, which rushes the reader along and is over before you know it. Loads of violence and gore, beautiful women, thugs and treachery. The hero does not shy away from using any means to gain his end, even inciting a gang war in a small one horse town in the Florida Keys. Not as good as most Chase novels, but definitely readable.
May 10, 2025
egh, it just wasn’t anything special. fast read, lowkey prerictable, but also kind of a mess and it didn’t give me anything really.
October 26, 2012
Hahaha. Totally fun book. I love the way the action was described , helped me form scenes easily! Heard the book was at first ' doll's bad news' but i somehow like 'twelve chinks and a woman' better. Gives it a mysterious air :P Fenner is more a fighter than a detective and i lie it done that way :D Thank god the version i read doesn't have the spoiler filled blurb. So till almost the end there was the suspense wth this mystery was even about!
April 17, 2010
"Dave Fenner the private investigator he deeply fascinate me bcos he's not interested in sex he only concentrate on his duties they offer but he refuse. "One woman and Twelve Chinks."
Read
July 25, 2013very fast moving..action thriller movie stuff..should have been made into a movie..very interesting climax..all in 1940s amazing..
January 23, 2021
This is a very early book by the master of the literary word, the author of cool crime detective stories. This is the third book written by James Hadley Chase. It was published in 1940. And it's brilliant. I love this book. It was always like this – I started reading the very first sentence of any book by Chase and it was hard for me to stop reading. So it was with everyone, with relatives, with friends, with acquaintances whom I introduced to the works of this author of ours. Everyone, without exception, fell in love with these extraordinary books.
February 1, 2020
Action packed, the hardest of the hard-boiled.
This is my first book by Chase, but it won't be the last.
Once again, you have to set aside today's sensibilities of racism and misogyny to truly enjoy the story in the spirit of which it was written. But damn, if you used half the lines he said to his receptionist at work you'd be gone before lunch.
This is my first book by Chase, but it won't be the last.
Once again, you have to set aside today's sensibilities of racism and misogyny to truly enjoy the story in the spirit of which it was written. But damn, if you used half the lines he said to his receptionist at work you'd be gone before lunch.
November 8, 2022
Я люблю Чейза, він пише цікаво, захоплююче, але ця книжка тримала мене в напрузі, там мова про іспанських гангстерів, які тримали в страху ціле місто (До чого тут китайці в назві, спитаєте ви, але то треба читати, бо все пов 'язано)
July 27, 2018
I like JHC just for the language. I am re-reading several books I read during summers of late 60s when I was studying in the College of Engineering, Guindy (#CEG).
April 13, 2020
I have managed a few JHC novels over the years starting around the early 70's, He is quite addictive. The first real "pulp fiction" writer I enjoyed. Truly the king of PULP.
November 3, 2022
One of the worst.
April 6, 2025
Самая слабая пока книга из Чейза. К середине книги всё полностью понятно. Безвкусно и картонно.
January 3, 2026
It was a good book, Fenner is an intelligent man and a good investigation, he solved everything during the end. I had no idea that Noolen was Leadler until Fenner said it. Good book.
February 8, 2021
Started out alright but then lost its pizazz. It wasn't for a lack of action: the plot simply got messy and uninteresting.
March 8, 2013
Дуже надто вже “американська” книжка. Все таке напищене.
Дія відбувається в Америці кінця сорокових років. Приватний детектив Фіннер береться за розслідування справи про викрадення молодої жінки. Попутно він перетряхує одне містечко на Флоридщині: перестрілює десяток бандитів, підриває бомбами шість катерів, бухає, грає в казино і зваблює світських молодиць.
Головний герой просто убер-крутий. Всі дівки від нього просто пісяють кип’яточком. Любого гада він валить відразу по морді і той більше не встає. Проти нього такі ж топорні главгади — типові американські гангстери. А якщо десь в творі з’являється жінка, то це обов’язково буде блондинка секс-бомба, яку головний герой кличе не інакше ніж “дєтка”.
Автор взагалі упускає будь які описи пейзажів чи душевні переживання героїв. Головна сюжетна лінія проста й невибаглива. Хоча доволі таки стрімка і без зайвих деталей, скучати не доводиться взагалі. Але я приблизно вже через 10 сторінок знав, що буде потім і як воно все закінчиться.
Загалом не дуже то й сподобалось, думати ні над чим не довелось. А головне — ця книга мене нічому не навчила.
Дія відбувається в Америці кінця сорокових років. Приватний детектив Фіннер береться за розслідування справи про викрадення молодої жінки. Попутно він перетряхує одне містечко на Флоридщині: перестрілює десяток бандитів, підриває бомбами шість катерів, бухає, грає в казино і зваблює світських молодиць.
Головний герой просто убер-крутий. Всі дівки від нього просто пісяють кип’яточком. Любого гада він валить відразу по морді і той більше не встає. Проти нього такі ж топорні главгади — типові американські гангстери. А якщо десь в творі з’являється жінка, то це обов’язково буде блондинка секс-бомба, яку головний герой кличе не інакше ніж “дєтка”.
Автор взагалі упускає будь які описи пейзажів чи душевні переживання героїв. Головна сюжетна лінія проста й невибаглива. Хоча доволі таки стрімка і без зайвих деталей, скучати не доводиться взагалі. Але я приблизно вже через 10 сторінок знав, що буде потім і як воно все закінчиться.
Загалом не дуже то й сподобалось, думати ні над чим не довелось. А головне — ця книга мене нічому не навчила.
August 19, 2013
A tough-talkin' dick, busty dames, crooks 'n wiseguys slug down double shots of rye, then slug 'n shoot it out on the waterfronts of Key West, in this gripping, entertaining 1941 hardboiled detective novel. The Chinamen of the title (previous title: "12 Chinks and a Woman") refer to a human trafficking ring smuggling Chinese laborers into America, but serve only as background to a multiple murder mystery.
Written by a British author who had never visited the USA at the time, with the help of a dictionary of American slang, one or two Britishisms slip through, but he compensates by laying on the hard-guy lingo extra-thick, like much American pulp fiction of the time. The prose wouldn't have won any awards, but is tightly woven and does the job. The story seized me from page one and never let go.
This novel went through several titles (in order):
The Doll's Bad News
12 Chinks and a Woman
12 Chinamen and a Woman
Written by a British author who had never visited the USA at the time, with the help of a dictionary of American slang, one or two Britishisms slip through, but he compensates by laying on the hard-guy lingo extra-thick, like much American pulp fiction of the time. The prose wouldn't have won any awards, but is tightly woven and does the job. The story seized me from page one and never let go.
This novel went through several titles (in order):
The Doll's Bad News
12 Chinks and a Woman
12 Chinamen and a Woman
August 1, 2016
Про принцип обожавам криминалетата от 50-те и 60-те, но "12 жълти и една жена" малко ме разочарова. История която не грабва, без запомнящи се персонажи с главен герой, който е по-скоро досаден отколкото пленяващ. Сама история е по-объркваща отколкото трябва и класическия криминален сюжет го няма.
Накратко в кантората на Фенър пристига жена, която го наема да открие сестра ѝ. Момичето обаче изчезва. Фенър я открива мъртва и тръгва по следите на нейните убийци, които го отвеждат в Маями. Там той той се среща с две опасни красиви жени, гангстер и неясен брой злодеи. Същевременно по него стрелят, бандитите са дяволски наивни, а жените безнадеждно влюбчиви.
Накратко в кантората на Фенър пристига жена, която го наема да открие сестра ѝ. Момичето обаче изчезва. Фенър я открива мъртва и тръгва по следите на нейните убийци, които го отвеждат в Маями. Там той той се среща с две опасни красиви жени, гангстер и неясен брой злодеи. Същевременно по него стрелят, бандитите са дяволски наивни, а жените безнадеждно влюбчиви.
September 3, 2015
There was a time when I used to love these pulpy novels by James Hadley Chase. This book, I simply found tiresome. So either, my memories of finding them interesting are coloured by nostalgia (or) this book simply sucked. With a lot of misogyny and racism (normal for the period when this was written), I didn't enjoy this book one bit. The hero was an annoying character - a know-all, who treats women like crap, speaks like Humphrey Bogart in his heyday and manages to wipe out a large crime syndicate on a single night! I just wanted the book to end from the beginning!
October 4, 2015
Фіннер — такий-собі провінційний Бонд. Чимось нагадало Флемінга — прочитати і забути. Доки читаєш, допоки й цікаво, але не нудно в жодному разі. Проте не чіпляє. Фіннер — приватний детектив, важкий на підйом, але як підніметься, зупинити важко. Його лупцюють, по ньому стріляють — а він відлежиться і далі всіх розкидає по сторонам, зверхньо відноситься до правил. Кулі пролітають мимо нього, а він попадає в ціль. Від смерті спаса випадковість. І звісно ж файні дівчата.
January 13, 2014
This one's another ripper from the maestro, one hard boiled private detective, his usual beautiful busty women, human trafficking of chinamen labourers and of course the murderous gangs leads to just another page turner...
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