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Helga Rolfe #1
Ace Up My Sleeve
When three very different people come together, all out for the same thing and prepared to go to any lengths to get it, the stakes are likely to be high. But, for a wealthy middle-aged woman, an international lawyer and a young American, games of bluff and counter-bluff quickly develop into a dangerous and deadly battle. As the action hots up, Chase weaves a fast-moving story of blackmail, intrigue and extortion with a hair-raising climax.
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First published August 23, 1972
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About the author
James Hadley Chase
649 books1,002 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 38 reviews
April 5, 2021
Chase published three Helga Rolfe novels late in his career, An Ace up my Sleeve, the Joker in the Pack, and I hold the Four Aces. This brief series did not succeed too well and offers little for pulp enthusiasts enamored of Chase's early work. The main character, Helga Rolfe, married a wheelchair bound millionaire under the agreement there'd be no sex and no extracurricular activities. Sex-obsessed as she wanders Europe, Helga is subject to blackmail. Meant most likely as comedic, her adventures lack the snap, crackle, and pop of Chase's earlier work.
October 27, 2025
Power, Greed and Games that people play.
Reading James Hadley Chase always feels like stepping into a smoky room where everyone is bluffing, and Ace Up My Sleeve is no exception. It is a story about power, greed and the games that people play, especially when they believe they hold the winning card. At its center are Helga Rolfe, a wealthy woman with her own secrets, Steve Harmas, a gambler who thrives on risk, and a lawyer who knows how to twist the law to his advantage.
What unfolds is a tense contest of blackmail, extortion and betrayal, where every move feels like a gamble and every smile hides a knife.
When I read James Hadley Chase, while lost in my own philosophical quest with a stopover at Absurdism and the Nihilism of Nietzsche, Sartre and Camus, I try to convince myself of the absurdism in the novel.
The constant play between appearance and reality in Ace Up My Sleeve feels like a stage where meaning is slippery and certainty is always just out of reach. Watching Helga Rolfe step out of the shadows and play her own hand was both thrilling and unsettling. In that moment she reminded me of the quiet rebels in Camus or Sartre, characters who resist the systems around them not with loud defiance but with subtle, calculated moves. Her decision to act is less about victory and more about asserting her existence in a world that insists on its own absurdity.
Reading James Hadley Chase always feels like stepping into a smoky room where everyone is bluffing, and Ace Up My Sleeve is no exception. It is a story about power, greed and the games that people play, especially when they believe they hold the winning card. At its center are Helga Rolfe, a wealthy woman with her own secrets, Steve Harmas, a gambler who thrives on risk, and a lawyer who knows how to twist the law to his advantage.
What unfolds is a tense contest of blackmail, extortion and betrayal, where every move feels like a gamble and every smile hides a knife.
When I read James Hadley Chase, while lost in my own philosophical quest with a stopover at Absurdism and the Nihilism of Nietzsche, Sartre and Camus, I try to convince myself of the absurdism in the novel.
The constant play between appearance and reality in Ace Up My Sleeve feels like a stage where meaning is slippery and certainty is always just out of reach. Watching Helga Rolfe step out of the shadows and play her own hand was both thrilling and unsettling. In that moment she reminded me of the quiet rebels in Camus or Sartre, characters who resist the systems around them not with loud defiance but with subtle, calculated moves. Her decision to act is less about victory and more about asserting her existence in a world that insists on its own absurdity.
July 2, 2021
This isn't the first time that James Hadley Chase has made a woman his protagonist. It's not the first time he has written an essentially murder free (almost violence free) novel. It's not even the first time he has written what is a borderline farce. It may be the first time, however, that he has put all these things together and then packaged them in a psychological puzzle that puts two players in a story in the middle of a grand game. Helga Rolfe is a new and interesting character for JHC to develop. With his finger on the cultural pulse once again, he has brought in some elements of the women's rights movement of the early 70s into his traditional study of greedy heroes and heroines whose complex plans eventually fall apart before their and our eyes. And damned if it doesn't work.
May 12, 2013
'Ace' is the first Chase novel I've read (probably re-read) after many years. I read most of the author's works during my teens. I expected to find the book underwhelming and amateurish, reading it as an adult now. I'm happy to say that even after all these years Chase definitely gets the job done for me. 'Ace' packs an exciting plot with a whole lot of twists in a relatively short book. The story is perhaps a bit slow to start off, compared to his other books and I wouldn't say it ranks among his best novels but it is a darned good one - definitely a recommended read for Chase fans or even for those who've never known Chase magic.
September 11, 2015
This is the first Chase novel I read...and if all of his books are like this one, I would gladly read the others. This is a short one but full of suspense.
November 10, 2014
Helga Rolfe is in her early 40s, and is married to a rich man in his early 60s. She married him for his money, and to help him manage it, but he made her agree that if she had an affair she would be cast out. Maybe because of this, she seems obsessed with sex. In Europe she meets a young American, kind of a cowboy, a broke innocent abroad. She takes him under her wing, so to speak, but there is more to him than meets the eye, and she ends up being blackmailed by an investment agent who has skimmed millions from her husband. The title refers to the cordage metaphors Helga and her adversaries use.
This book is fast-pased, and the characters are interesting, though not likable. The author uses a lot of language that is not really acceptable today, and many of Helga's attitudes, especially towards homosexuality are pretty bad. Still, there's something compelling enough about this book that I read the next two. Reviews to come.
This book is fast-pased, and the characters are interesting, though not likable. The author uses a lot of language that is not really acceptable today, and many of Helga's attitudes, especially towards homosexuality are pretty bad. Still, there's something compelling enough about this book that I read the next two. Reviews to come.
November 16, 2014
An Ace Up My Sleeve is the first book in the Helga Rolfe trilogy. A quick, fast-paced novel with breathtaking twists and turns, this dark thriller was exciting and kept me hooked till the last page. The characters were all unsympathetic, but then that's the sort of people who get into the sort of mess that was the plot of the book.
I would have given it five stars, but I really did not buy the idea that Helga Rolfe, who is supposed to be a smart and steely woman, would simply fall for some random guy's story without even checking up. Helga's character itself was clearly written by a man and indicated a male fantasy of the strong woman who wants to have sex and can be fooled by men. There is a ton of homophobia in the book, but since it was a pivotal plot device, I was able to overlook it.
Overall, a great read, but contains the problems that generally go with this genre.
I would have given it five stars, but I really did not buy the idea that Helga Rolfe, who is supposed to be a smart and steely woman, would simply fall for some random guy's story without even checking up. Helga's character itself was clearly written by a man and indicated a male fantasy of the strong woman who wants to have sex and can be fooled by men. There is a ton of homophobia in the book, but since it was a pivotal plot device, I was able to overlook it.
Overall, a great read, but contains the problems that generally go with this genre.
January 11, 2018
Another gem from the Master of Suspense. Though the story starts slow, it builds up towards a great climax and with its many plot twists thrown in, the book turns out to be good read. Highly recommended to Chase's fans.
December 18, 2014
Action packed thriller, Chase really makes you chase the story.
July 6, 2020
This was a page-turner. Chase is definitely a master of suspense. I enjoyed every bit of it except for the American boy's addiction to chewing-gum.
August 19, 2024
Старо издание,но изключително добра книга. В първите 100стр.ни се представя една визия за нещата,към 90 и някоя(страница)цялата основа,на която сме се крепели като читатели се срутва,за да може на всеки един персонаж и ситуация да се даде нова маска. До последният край изпълнена с напрежения и показваща най-лошото у човешките същества. Препоръчвам!
October 16, 2021
I have read this a long time ago but rereading it was just as interesting as the first time.
May 25, 2015
This was my fourth Chase and I really DID NOT like it. Not only did it started really slowly, but also, when it got to the climax, it started to repeat itself over and over. I found the characters to be alternatively disgusting and/or incredibly stupid, making choices that someone in their position would not make.
I couldn't find the magic from other chases in this one.
I couldn't find the magic from other chases in this one.
December 22, 2013
This one is another beauty from JHC, I think the main feature about the maestro is his attention to detail, you get the picture in your mind of the way he describes all the characters and the scenery.....
November 6, 2020
Not a whodoneit, but the plot is so unpredictable and keeps you at the edge of your seat till the end... The whiplash of going from admiration of a character to disgust and back to grudging respect.. an amazing book with gray characters and an engaging plot.
July 30, 2012
Crime plot looks good,but what's good in an incomplete journey?
October 31, 2014
The first Chase book I've read. Quick, effortless read, but I'll have forgotten it in less than a week.
Read
August 26, 2019The first volume in the Helga Roolfe series,fairly ordinary.
June 21, 2025
Ace Up My Sleeve is a no-frills, no-mercy Chase thriller that hits like a right hook to the jaw and doesn’t stop swinging till the final twist leaves you blinking at the page. It’s a tale of political corruption, ruthless ambition, and the one man who finds himself caught between power, payoffs, and a pretty face he can’t trust.
Our protagonist? Floyd Jackson, a newspaper reporter who’s seen enough filth to know that truth doesn’t sell—but scandal does. When he’s roped into helping a crooked senator sweep a murder under the rug, Floyd figures he’s just cashing in on the usual dirty deal.
But then the corpse starts talking—figuratively, of course—and Floyd realizes he’s holding an ace card that a lot of powerful people want to bury with him.
The stakes escalate fast: car chases, frame-ups, blackmail notes, a femme fatale with razor-sharp heels, and a criminal underworld that reaches straight into the halls of government. And yet, true to Chase’s style, it’s all written in tight, no-nonsense prose that doesn’t waste a syllable.
Every character in this book is running a game, and Floyd’s problem is that he’s playing in a casino where the house always cheats. He’s not a hero—just a survivor trying to stay alive long enough to figure out whose finger is on the trigger behind the curtain.
The real genius of the novel lies in the slow reveal of power dynamics: who’s manipulating whom, and what is the real “ace” that can blow the whole scheme wide open? Chase keeps his cards close to his chest until—bam!—you realize you’ve been played right along with the protagonist.
In essence, Ace Up My Sleeve is a gritty, cynical thriller about how far people will go to protect their secrets—and how dangerous it is to hold the winning hand when everyone at the table is a killer. It’s lean, mean, and completely unrepentant.
Our protagonist? Floyd Jackson, a newspaper reporter who’s seen enough filth to know that truth doesn’t sell—but scandal does. When he’s roped into helping a crooked senator sweep a murder under the rug, Floyd figures he’s just cashing in on the usual dirty deal.
But then the corpse starts talking—figuratively, of course—and Floyd realizes he’s holding an ace card that a lot of powerful people want to bury with him.
The stakes escalate fast: car chases, frame-ups, blackmail notes, a femme fatale with razor-sharp heels, and a criminal underworld that reaches straight into the halls of government. And yet, true to Chase’s style, it’s all written in tight, no-nonsense prose that doesn’t waste a syllable.
Every character in this book is running a game, and Floyd’s problem is that he’s playing in a casino where the house always cheats. He’s not a hero—just a survivor trying to stay alive long enough to figure out whose finger is on the trigger behind the curtain.
The real genius of the novel lies in the slow reveal of power dynamics: who’s manipulating whom, and what is the real “ace” that can blow the whole scheme wide open? Chase keeps his cards close to his chest until—bam!—you realize you’ve been played right along with the protagonist.
In essence, Ace Up My Sleeve is a gritty, cynical thriller about how far people will go to protect their secrets—and how dangerous it is to hold the winning hand when everyone at the table is a killer. It’s lean, mean, and completely unrepentant.
April 26, 2024
I have fond memories of this authors books. Them being the first ever novels I’ve ever read in my life! But that being said, perhaps it’s the time period or maybe I just wasn’t the target audience for this particular story, I just found it hard to finish. I found certain aspects funny, though I doubt the author was anything but serious on those parts. I’ll leave that line of reasoning at that, lest I get cancelled for some phobic or insensitivity.
The story itself had a good enough premise, but for me it felt like the woman just kept on edging herself and me along with her the entire book, and payoff wasn’t exactly moneys not worthy! But good effort though!
The story itself had a good enough premise, but for me it felt like the woman just kept on edging herself and me along with her the entire book, and payoff wasn’t exactly moneys not worthy! But good effort though!
March 31, 2023
On m'a dit beaucoup de bien des ouvrages de cet auteur. Malheureusement, cette histoire, pour une première, m'a beaucoup déçue. A commencer par la protagoniste: écervelée, sans tacte, avec des envies lui font perdre la tête et renforce son caractère déplorable.
Personnellement, je n'ai pu apprécier que des éclairs de lucidité de Helga, qui n'arrivent qu'au milieu du livre. Mais la suite fait vite déchanter en décrivant une femme riche et dont la (sur)vie dépend des autres. La fin est d'autant plus décevante.
Hâte de lire d'autres livres de l'auteur pour effacer cette première impression.
Personnellement, je n'ai pu apprécier que des éclairs de lucidité de Helga, qui n'arrivent qu'au milieu du livre. Mais la suite fait vite déchanter en décrivant une femme riche et dont la (sur)vie dépend des autres. La fin est d'autant plus décevante.
Hâte de lire d'autres livres de l'auteur pour effacer cette première impression.
June 28, 2022
Helga the narrator and Archer the antagonist are both easy to hate, Larry the man caught in the middle is sympathetic (and gets roasted the entire time by both parties; not to his face but in narration and dialogue between other characters) but it's not enough to save an overly padded cheap feeling blackmail yarn.
And what kind of American would ever ask "To watch a football match on the telly?"
And what kind of American would ever ask "To watch a football match on the telly?"
January 17, 2021
Like many this was my first foray into the works of the popular author.
At the beginning I was wondering what the fuss was all about him. Not so captivating as I expected but trudging on page after page I suddenly got it and couldn't look back.
Wonder who will read my own review when there have been many better older reviews here. I'll barely be repeating that's it's a great work.
At the beginning I was wondering what the fuss was all about him. Not so captivating as I expected but trudging on page after page I suddenly got it and couldn't look back.
Wonder who will read my own review when there have been many better older reviews here. I'll barely be repeating that's it's a great work.
September 28, 2023
Well, the author certainly left me to think if the backstories given by the chew-gum guy is true or not! An explanation would have been better. The author also could have taken time to explain what happened after Larry leaves!
October 20, 2020
Beautiful missed this kind of thriller, the gum boy has Principles at the end.
Read
September 24, 2023sounds awesome
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2024
I enjoyed reading this book! I wasn't expecting the plot twist, but of course it's a James hadley chase book!! What is it without a plot twist! This is a fantastic read and I enjoyed every page of it!
January 8, 2022
Checkout my review here : https://tabreader.blogspot.com/2022/0...
June 29, 2015
I had long ignored Chase as kitsch and consistently looked past a shelf full of his novels in a library. Now that i have read one, i must admit it makes for a real interesting read. Racy would be an understatement but then again, he seems to have mastered the art of twists and turns, just when you think you have got the hang of it.
Formulaic, potboiler-ish et al but nevertheless a very interesting read.
Formulaic, potboiler-ish et al but nevertheless a very interesting read.
November 2, 2015
As one of the characters of this novel used to say,I can explain this novel in that line - "story started off at the square A and at the end,it's still at the square A".
While the first half was good,with twist and shock,the 2nd half was a bore!! Complete predictable and plain plot... 2 stars.
PS - As there is a series of 'Helga Rolfe' covering two more novels,I wonder whether those are even worse than this or better?
While the first half was good,with twist and shock,the 2nd half was a bore!! Complete predictable and plain plot... 2 stars.
PS - As there is a series of 'Helga Rolfe' covering two more novels,I wonder whether those are even worse than this or better?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews