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The Fast Buck
International jewel thief, Paul Hater, knows a secret that everyone wants to know - and will go to any lengths to uncover. How long can he remain silent?
When Hater is arrested in possession of a stolen necklace, the police use every possible means to persuade him to reveal the location of the rest of the collection. He remains silent and so begins his twenty-year prison sentence. Having exhausted all their leads, the International Detective Agency, acting on behalf of the insurers, must patiently await Hater's release before they can hope to find out more. But just as his day of release approaches, Hater is kidnapped by a ruthless international gang determined to force the secret from him and prepared to go to any lengths to do so....
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1952
19 people are currently reading
333 people want to read
About the author
James Hadley Chase
646 books1,005 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 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 15, 2025
Chase’s 1952 crime thriller “The Fast Buck” is one of his ensemble pieces where there is not a solitary lead character, but a series of different perspectives through which the story eventually coalesces. It is an effective writing style, although at first the advent of the numerous characters can be a bit confusing to the casual reader. The central focus of this novel is a jeweled bracelet stolen some twenty years earlier and now the jewel thief is finally released and everyone is watching him and waiting. Keep a notepad handy to keep track of all the characters.
As our story opens, the dangerous Verne Baird, who fascinates one the same way people are fascinated by a thief, has an emerald and diamond bracelet, the likes of which Ralph Rico has never seen before. “A little pang of greed ran through him. He had never seen anything so beautiful. Then caution edged the greed out of his mind. The bracelet was beyond his class: to attempt to handle it would be as dangerous and futile as a midget attempting to fight Joe Louis.” Although it is valuable beyond imagination, Baird is going to take whatever he can get for it. As Baird explains it, he is in a jam and the “twist might die.” Apparently, she tried to scream and he had to hit her with a prowl car nearby. Rico reluctantly takes the bracelet for five hundred after being slapped around by Baird. Moments later, Homicide Lieutenant George Olin walked in and wanted to know who had been slapping Rico around.
Chase then takes us on a detour with Ed Dallas who is watching a hotel lobby to see who is visiting the Rajah. He sees an elegantly dressed blonde (Eve Gillis) who moved gracefully, “swaying her hips in a way that made all the men in the lobby look back at her.” He makes contact with Lieutenant Olin who informs him that Jean Bruce has been knocked off in a jewelry robbery.
Dallas of the International Detective Agency is working on a fifteen-year-old robbery for the insurance companies with a value of four million for jewelry stolen from the Mahrajah’s collection which never arrived in New York. Fourteen years earlier, a jewel thief Paul Hater approached a fence with some of the stuff. Hater was caught with some of the loot and got twenty years. The pilot and the crew vanished with the plane. And all they can do is wait until Hater gets out and hope he leads them to the loot. The Maharajah’s son, the Rajah, has inherited the estate and there’s hope Hater will try to sell the loot back to the family.
Then, the action turns to Preston Kile and Eve Gillis, with blonde Eve acknowledging that Kile was broke and telling him to do something about it. Eve has a scheme whereby they would sell the missing jewels to the Rajah for half a million. Turns out though that Eve is only sleeping with Kile because he can finance her hunt for the jewels. And Dallas is following Eve. And Eve and Kile are consulting with Rico who is selling the bracelet to Adam Gillis, who is posing as Eve’s brother. So, all the disparate characters are ultimately connected. And, Dallas thinks Baird will lead them to the jewels (even though Baird has been in a shootout, leaving several dead).
As all these story strands come together, we get a story of good guys and bad guys with Baird (the villain of villains) and Rico out to bust Hater out of the prison farm to get him to tell them where the rest of the jewelry is and Dallas and his junior investigators working with Olin and against time to bring Baird to justice before Baird runs out of victims to torture and kill.
It turns out to be a solid thriller once you get beyond the confusing beginning.
As our story opens, the dangerous Verne Baird, who fascinates one the same way people are fascinated by a thief, has an emerald and diamond bracelet, the likes of which Ralph Rico has never seen before. “A little pang of greed ran through him. He had never seen anything so beautiful. Then caution edged the greed out of his mind. The bracelet was beyond his class: to attempt to handle it would be as dangerous and futile as a midget attempting to fight Joe Louis.” Although it is valuable beyond imagination, Baird is going to take whatever he can get for it. As Baird explains it, he is in a jam and the “twist might die.” Apparently, she tried to scream and he had to hit her with a prowl car nearby. Rico reluctantly takes the bracelet for five hundred after being slapped around by Baird. Moments later, Homicide Lieutenant George Olin walked in and wanted to know who had been slapping Rico around.
Chase then takes us on a detour with Ed Dallas who is watching a hotel lobby to see who is visiting the Rajah. He sees an elegantly dressed blonde (Eve Gillis) who moved gracefully, “swaying her hips in a way that made all the men in the lobby look back at her.” He makes contact with Lieutenant Olin who informs him that Jean Bruce has been knocked off in a jewelry robbery.
Dallas of the International Detective Agency is working on a fifteen-year-old robbery for the insurance companies with a value of four million for jewelry stolen from the Mahrajah’s collection which never arrived in New York. Fourteen years earlier, a jewel thief Paul Hater approached a fence with some of the stuff. Hater was caught with some of the loot and got twenty years. The pilot and the crew vanished with the plane. And all they can do is wait until Hater gets out and hope he leads them to the loot. The Maharajah’s son, the Rajah, has inherited the estate and there’s hope Hater will try to sell the loot back to the family.
Then, the action turns to Preston Kile and Eve Gillis, with blonde Eve acknowledging that Kile was broke and telling him to do something about it. Eve has a scheme whereby they would sell the missing jewels to the Rajah for half a million. Turns out though that Eve is only sleeping with Kile because he can finance her hunt for the jewels. And Dallas is following Eve. And Eve and Kile are consulting with Rico who is selling the bracelet to Adam Gillis, who is posing as Eve’s brother. So, all the disparate characters are ultimately connected. And, Dallas thinks Baird will lead them to the jewels (even though Baird has been in a shootout, leaving several dead).
As all these story strands come together, we get a story of good guys and bad guys with Baird (the villain of villains) and Rico out to bust Hater out of the prison farm to get him to tell them where the rest of the jewelry is and Dallas and his junior investigators working with Olin and against time to bring Baird to justice before Baird runs out of victims to torture and kill.
It turns out to be a solid thriller once you get beyond the confusing beginning.
February 12, 2021
Shifting perspectives is something Chase frequently does in his writing. Usually, it works. Here, in The Fast Buck, it does not come off so effectively. The cast of characters is enormous, for one, making the turn from one point of view to another more than choppy; it becomes downright distracting. There are Dallas, Purvis, Olin, Burns, Baird, Rico, Adam, Eve (yes, Adam and Eve--Gillis), Zoe, Anita, and a few more. Chase gives each of them their own private voice. As a result, the first half of the book plods along slowly, its convoluted plot dripping out like molasses. But then Chase saves himself half way through. About the time Baird and Rico go into the swamp, it all becomes vintage Chase: drama, action, and murder. Then, there is the shocking end to things, where Chase's violent, psychotic murderer manages to build a little sympathy for himself.
March 5, 2017
This is a thriller with a difference in that there is no single main protagonist; there are a number of characters each of whom take centre stage at various stages of the tale.
The character who features most often is Verne Baird and he begins the fast and furious action right at the start when he steals a $5,000 emerald and diamond bracelet from actress Jean Bruce and he takes it to the Frou-Frou Club owner and part-time fence Ralph Rico, who feels that it is too hot for him to handle. But Baird is nothing if not a bully, as well as being a well trained killer, and he brow-beats Rico into giving him $500 for it. It later turns out that Bruce and a police officer investigating are killed in the robbery so Rico is petrified at getting found out in case he is dragged into the spotlight.
Rico is especially worried when Lieutenant George Olin of the Homicide Bureau turns up in his office only 10 minutes after Baird has departed. Rico is flustered but, with the help of a couple of stiff whiskeys, he manages to keep his cool and stave off the Lieutenant. But this incident is just one of the many sub-plots that thread their way through the novel and Baird's association with Rico is to intensify as the story develops.
And develop is does, at a rapid rate, for it transpires that a jewel thief Paul Hater had stolen the Rajah of Chittabad's $500,000 jewel collection almost 20 years earlier and, despite intense police questioning, he did not give away where he had hidden the jewels. So there are a number of parties interested in finding out where they are so that they can cash in, especially as the Rajah has returned to England and is offering a substantial reward for the jewels' recovery; he has no altruistic motive, however, for he intends to defraud the insurance company if and when they are returned. The insurance company has been on the case since the jewels went missing and Harmon Purvis, the head of the International Detective Agency, with his number one operator Ed Dallas, have been leading the investigation on their behalf.
Preston Kile and brother and sister Adam and Eve Gillis, who have a volatile relationship, are all interested in getting the jewels and taking a share of the proceeds so Baird is offered $10,000 to spring Hater from the high security prison at Bellmore Farm where he is held. There are two difficulties in this plan, however. Firstly, Hater has served 18 years and has only two remaining before his release and it is thought that he will not want to jeopardise his release date by escaping. Secondly, the prison is surrounded by swamps which will not make it easy to get away once Hater has been kidnapped.
But Baird takes up the challenge and with a timid and frightened Rico alongside, and with some inside help he has managed to secure by dint of a bribe, he sets out to do the business. But Dallas has some insider information from one of the starlets at the Frou-Frou Club, Zoe Norton, whose thin-walled dressing room is next to Rico's office. Zoe duly passes on all the tit-bits she gets but in the end she meets a sticky end once Baird discovers that she is passing on information.
The climax of the story is terrific as Olin and his men, and Dallas and his colleagues try to track down Baird, who does get severely injured early on in a shoot-out, but a certain Anita Jackson, who turns up with surprising information at the end, allows him to hole up in her apartment until the heat dies down. So he finally makes it to Bellmore Farm where the action is certainly fast, furious and edge of the seat stuff.
'The Fast Buck' is typical James Hadley Chase, who deserves top marks for putting so much thrill into 'thriller'!
The character who features most often is Verne Baird and he begins the fast and furious action right at the start when he steals a $5,000 emerald and diamond bracelet from actress Jean Bruce and he takes it to the Frou-Frou Club owner and part-time fence Ralph Rico, who feels that it is too hot for him to handle. But Baird is nothing if not a bully, as well as being a well trained killer, and he brow-beats Rico into giving him $500 for it. It later turns out that Bruce and a police officer investigating are killed in the robbery so Rico is petrified at getting found out in case he is dragged into the spotlight.
Rico is especially worried when Lieutenant George Olin of the Homicide Bureau turns up in his office only 10 minutes after Baird has departed. Rico is flustered but, with the help of a couple of stiff whiskeys, he manages to keep his cool and stave off the Lieutenant. But this incident is just one of the many sub-plots that thread their way through the novel and Baird's association with Rico is to intensify as the story develops.
And develop is does, at a rapid rate, for it transpires that a jewel thief Paul Hater had stolen the Rajah of Chittabad's $500,000 jewel collection almost 20 years earlier and, despite intense police questioning, he did not give away where he had hidden the jewels. So there are a number of parties interested in finding out where they are so that they can cash in, especially as the Rajah has returned to England and is offering a substantial reward for the jewels' recovery; he has no altruistic motive, however, for he intends to defraud the insurance company if and when they are returned. The insurance company has been on the case since the jewels went missing and Harmon Purvis, the head of the International Detective Agency, with his number one operator Ed Dallas, have been leading the investigation on their behalf.
Preston Kile and brother and sister Adam and Eve Gillis, who have a volatile relationship, are all interested in getting the jewels and taking a share of the proceeds so Baird is offered $10,000 to spring Hater from the high security prison at Bellmore Farm where he is held. There are two difficulties in this plan, however. Firstly, Hater has served 18 years and has only two remaining before his release and it is thought that he will not want to jeopardise his release date by escaping. Secondly, the prison is surrounded by swamps which will not make it easy to get away once Hater has been kidnapped.
But Baird takes up the challenge and with a timid and frightened Rico alongside, and with some inside help he has managed to secure by dint of a bribe, he sets out to do the business. But Dallas has some insider information from one of the starlets at the Frou-Frou Club, Zoe Norton, whose thin-walled dressing room is next to Rico's office. Zoe duly passes on all the tit-bits she gets but in the end she meets a sticky end once Baird discovers that she is passing on information.
The climax of the story is terrific as Olin and his men, and Dallas and his colleagues try to track down Baird, who does get severely injured early on in a shoot-out, but a certain Anita Jackson, who turns up with surprising information at the end, allows him to hole up in her apartment until the heat dies down. So he finally makes it to Bellmore Farm where the action is certainly fast, furious and edge of the seat stuff.
'The Fast Buck' is typical James Hadley Chase, who deserves top marks for putting so much thrill into 'thriller'!
August 29, 2025
James Hadley Chase's "Fast Buck" is a classic crime story that shows why he's such a great author. The book is a fast and exciting trip into a world where people are only motivated by greed, and trusting someone is a mistake.
The story is about Paul Hayter, a famous international jewel thief. He gets out of prison knowing a dangerous secret: where to find a hidden fortune in stolen gems. This secret sets off a chain of events full of violence and betrayal. Paul's mission to find the treasure—which is hidden in a dangerous swamp—gets more dangerous when other ruthless people find out about it.
The book's main ideas are serious and interesting. It shows how powerful greed can be, how revenge can create a cycle of violence, and the harsh truth that everyone can be bought. Chase does a great job building suspense until the end, which is both shocking and feels like it was bound to happen.
James Hadley Chase is known as a king of thriller novels. From the 1970s to the 1990s, his books were hugely popular in Europe, Asia, and Africa. He wrote nearly 90 books and changed the crime and spy thriller genres for readers everywhere.
The story is about Paul Hayter, a famous international jewel thief. He gets out of prison knowing a dangerous secret: where to find a hidden fortune in stolen gems. This secret sets off a chain of events full of violence and betrayal. Paul's mission to find the treasure—which is hidden in a dangerous swamp—gets more dangerous when other ruthless people find out about it.
The book's main ideas are serious and interesting. It shows how powerful greed can be, how revenge can create a cycle of violence, and the harsh truth that everyone can be bought. Chase does a great job building suspense until the end, which is both shocking and feels like it was bound to happen.
James Hadley Chase is known as a king of thriller novels. From the 1970s to the 1990s, his books were hugely popular in Europe, Asia, and Africa. He wrote nearly 90 books and changed the crime and spy thriller genres for readers everywhere.
March 28, 2024
Unexpected ending.....
March 17, 2014
Although the plot is rather typical of those times, with jewels stolen from some Raja in India, I suppose it was ok for the time it was written - way back in 1952 !
What James Hadley Chase is skilled in, is in the intricate story he weaves around this cliched plot, using his superlative skill in the creation of characters - the psycho killer Baird, the greedy 'fence' Rico, the 'honest' cop Olin (can such a person exist today ?) - although one can generally predict the course of events, his masterly skill keeps one engrossed...
What James Hadley Chase is skilled in, is in the intricate story he weaves around this cliched plot, using his superlative skill in the creation of characters - the psycho killer Baird, the greedy 'fence' Rico, the 'honest' cop Olin (can such a person exist today ?) - although one can generally predict the course of events, his masterly skill keeps one engrossed...
November 24, 2020
Ο Chase εδώ βρίσκεται στα ντουζένια της συγγραφικής του δεινότητας, πατώντας τα 30 χρόνια στο κουρμπέτι, και θέλει να κάνει την υπέρβαση.
Βάζει στην πλοκή όχι δύο ή τρεις, αλλά οχτώ(8) πρωταγωνιστές!
Αυτό είναι ένα εξαιρετικά δύσκολο εγχείρημα για ένα τόσο μικρό αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα των 194 σελίδων.
Κι έτσι, δυστυχώς , η οχλαγωγία θα δηλητηριάσει τη ροή.
Βάζει στην πλοκή όχι δύο ή τρεις, αλλά οχτώ(8) πρωταγωνιστές!
Αυτό είναι ένα εξαιρετικά δύσκολο εγχείρημα για ένα τόσο μικρό αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα των 194 σελίδων.
Κι έτσι, δυστυχώς , η οχλαγωγία θα δηλητηριάσει τη ροή.
March 19, 2024
Fast moving thriller. Usual James Hadley Chase book with Murder, chase, action and sending with some suspense. May be the plot is suitable for 1950's not now. Presently the plot is not suitable. A one time read if you are interested in old thrillers.
September 28, 2023
Great, amazing plot and personally my favourite was the sick description of one of the main character's bitten hand rotting
I felt all his fatigue
You won't want to put this book down
I felt all his fatigue
You won't want to put this book down
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2013
This was a difficult rating for me because I think the book may have been worth more than three stars but I didn't really enjoy it. The characters were too harsh for my taste, I think that is more a sign of the times of when it was written than any thing else. Dallas the private detective is the only nice guy in the book and the two main girls are alright but not really filled out as characters.
The story follows the different angles of the private detective, the professional jewel thief/killer, small time crook and stock broker gone bad who are all after a big pay off with missing jewels.
The story follows the different angles of the private detective, the professional jewel thief/killer, small time crook and stock broker gone bad who are all after a big pay off with missing jewels.
August 20, 2015
What another ripsnorter storyline from the maestro yet again, his ability to be able to have his readers enthralled with what is happening, he gives the reader, the sense, that they're involved. I realise, that I keep repeating myself, however the maestro's attention to detail is astonishing, without a doubt, the best writer of all time.....
January 30, 2014
What another crackerjack of a storyline from the maestro yet again, his ability to be able to have the reader picture what is happening throughout his plots is astonishing, without a doubt the best writer of thriller, mystery, suspense, etc.......
April 26, 2010
"It's soo greeeaaaaT!!"
August 18, 2013
Somewhat ok from the rest of J.H.Chase
August 15, 2013
A nice book depicting Chase's typical style.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews