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Steve Harmas #5
Tell It To The Birds
When a small-time clerk insures his life for $50,000 and then suddenly dies ten days later, it doesn't take a genius to work out something suspicious is going on. So when Maddox, the top man in the insurance business, finds out, he is determined to get to the bottom of it. And this means trouble for someone. In fact it means trouble for the beautiful, auburn-haired Meg Barlowe, a woman with a serious past.
206 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1963
19 people are currently reading
596 people want to read
About the author
James Hadley Chase
639 books1,013 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 - 22 of 22 reviews
April 30, 2025
“Tell it to the Birds” is one of a long line of insurance fraud novels by Chase. Maddox, the Giant Brain behind Fidelity Insurance, and his crack investigator Steve Harmas, both of whom make appearances in as many as half a dozen of Chase’s novels, are quickly on this one since nothing escapes Maddox’s keen eyes. Maddox is. As always, the consummate insurance professional, calculating the risks and oddities in a policy at just a glance.
Insurance salesman John Anson is the lead character, although he has few redeeming qualities. Anson has a gambling problem and is in hock to two loan sharks, both of whom employed-pug Sailor Hogan to assist in payment collection, making Anson one tricky and desperate man. In fact, Anson is so desperate to make something happen that, without thinking too much, he grabs a gun, robs a gas station, and kills a police officer in the process.
Anson thinks he’s found a patsy in the form of married Meg Barlowe, who allegedly wants to insure some jewelry, but doesn’t scream bloody murder when Anson suggests insuring her horticulturist husband for $50,000 and then collecting on his accidental death. Meg is a pushover for the scheme and for a quick roll in the hay.
Little does Anson suspect that he’s really the pigeon, not Meg, who working with her former pimp Sailor Hogan is out to ensnare Anson in her husband’s murder. Nor do any of these three suspect that mild-mannered Barlowe is not exactly who he appears to be.
In Chase’s world, there do not appear hit be too many innocents. Rather, there are desperate as characters who are morally deficient, feel no guilt, and seem to somehow attract each other like moths to the flame.
Insurance salesman John Anson is the lead character, although he has few redeeming qualities. Anson has a gambling problem and is in hock to two loan sharks, both of whom employed-pug Sailor Hogan to assist in payment collection, making Anson one tricky and desperate man. In fact, Anson is so desperate to make something happen that, without thinking too much, he grabs a gun, robs a gas station, and kills a police officer in the process.
Anson thinks he’s found a patsy in the form of married Meg Barlowe, who allegedly wants to insure some jewelry, but doesn’t scream bloody murder when Anson suggests insuring her horticulturist husband for $50,000 and then collecting on his accidental death. Meg is a pushover for the scheme and for a quick roll in the hay.
Little does Anson suspect that he’s really the pigeon, not Meg, who working with her former pimp Sailor Hogan is out to ensnare Anson in her husband’s murder. Nor do any of these three suspect that mild-mannered Barlowe is not exactly who he appears to be.
In Chase’s world, there do not appear hit be too many innocents. Rather, there are desperate as characters who are morally deficient, feel no guilt, and seem to somehow attract each other like moths to the flame.
July 10, 2022
Maddox makes his confident appearance and working on pure instinct and logic turns the story into a gripping tale of lust and greed. Written in typical Chase style, it’s a race to the finish. You will find yourself immersed in world of typical Chase characters- A scheming sexy wife, a super confident lover, innocent helpless husband and a clever detective.
January 3, 2023
Ancora una volta Chase mi stupisce con le sue intriganti trame e i suoi personaggi unici.
May 16, 2021
About a little over a third of the way through Tell It to the Birds, I was thinking this is a slow, even subpar, James Hadley Chase thriller. Then, poof! Things exploded in unexpected directions. Chase sometimes does this, lull you to sleep before exploding fireworks on the page; other times he starts shooting from the first few pages. But, here, thinking this was a sort of routine Harmas/Maddox insurance fraud story, I got fooled. For Tell It to the Birds gives you not one, not two, not even three, but four psychopathic murderers--all blundering their way towards the gas chamber. Barlowe, his slatternly wife, Meg, Sailor Hogan, and insurance salesman John Anson all plot and murder either in an excited frenzy or with the cool detachment of an entomologist pinning down his still living collection into the pages of his collection.
Besides this, Chase does do some experimentation in shifting scenes and abrupt and dislocating effects. And, as usual, for his American set thrillers, Chase utterly disregards the Fourth Amendment and how it limits procedures in investigations. No matter, you're so wrapped up in psychopathy and greed that you never notice.
Besides this, Chase does do some experimentation in shifting scenes and abrupt and dislocating effects. And, as usual, for his American set thrillers, Chase utterly disregards the Fourth Amendment and how it limits procedures in investigations. No matter, you're so wrapped up in psychopathy and greed that you never notice.
April 21, 2016
My first pulp fiction and first James Hadley Chase. Despite his staggering reputation I'm still surprised at how well crafted the book is. It hooks you on the first page and doesn't let you go until the very end. True, this is no great lit but it must be accepted that the author must've been very talented in his own right to write such engrossing stuff. It's fantastic entertainment and though I don't want to be overselling it, I'd like to compliment it by comparing it a McDonalds meal- guilty-pleasure, yes; innutritious, yes; but also gets you out of the blues, engrosses your senses, and perfect when stoned.
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August 26, 2019Fairly interesting thriller featuring Maddux,the insurance investigator.
October 7, 2019
Le dark ladies di Chase sono diverse da qualsiasi altro prodotto preconfezionato più o meno lussuoso che ci possa capitare in mano.
December 15, 2013
Another thriller from the maestro, Anson in debt and desperate gets suckered in to sell life insurance to the wrong man, as usual he has a greedy wife with a very shady past, a typical page turner with a not so predictable ending JHC at his brilliant best.....
March 10, 2021
Interesting!
I recommend this to anyone willing to spend a couple of hours to enjoy this scintillating piece of drama. I enjoyed every little bit of this book as it ranks among the best of JHC suspense thrillers.
I recommend this to anyone willing to spend a couple of hours to enjoy this scintillating piece of drama. I enjoyed every little bit of this book as it ranks among the best of JHC suspense thrillers.
May 2, 2013
It was a very quick read. But it was not as exciting as other novels by Chase.
February 4, 2023
James Hadley Chase is a phenomenal thriller writer with a flair for creating lurid characters with extraordinary wit and will. All the books of his that i have read (8 till now) have been laced with a deep level of subversion, it makes you question what side of the law you are on.
#5 in the Steve Harmas series, this one features one of the salesmen of the mammoth National Fidelity Insurance Corporation, to get involved in an insurance swindle himself by the very ‘innocent’ vamp, Meg, who does indeed ‘turn the heat on’. Little does the salesman know that meg has the ‘hots’ for someone else entirely, who is the actual brains behind this fraud.
What follows is a murder and a gruesome rape (or maybe not) , a fifty thousand dollar claim, and iron clad alibis- that bust out wide open once Steve Harmas is on the scene, on the instructions of our very famous favourite Maddox, who has a supernatural instinct to smell out phony claims!
What i felt missing in this one was less viciousness by the woman in lead. I like it when women in a JHC novel acts like a damsel in distress but turns out to be more dangerous than a black mamba!
Also, the title drop was missing from this one! I swear before i started reading the book that surely at some point Maddox would have said in his arrogant and irritated voice, “Tell it to the birds!!”
#5 in the Steve Harmas series, this one features one of the salesmen of the mammoth National Fidelity Insurance Corporation, to get involved in an insurance swindle himself by the very ‘innocent’ vamp, Meg, who does indeed ‘turn the heat on’. Little does the salesman know that meg has the ‘hots’ for someone else entirely, who is the actual brains behind this fraud.
What follows is a murder and a gruesome rape (or maybe not) , a fifty thousand dollar claim, and iron clad alibis- that bust out wide open once Steve Harmas is on the scene, on the instructions of our very famous favourite Maddox, who has a supernatural instinct to smell out phony claims!
What i felt missing in this one was less viciousness by the woman in lead. I like it when women in a JHC novel acts like a damsel in distress but turns out to be more dangerous than a black mamba!
Also, the title drop was missing from this one! I swear before i started reading the book that surely at some point Maddox would have said in his arrogant and irritated voice, “Tell it to the birds!!”
November 1, 2019
Another catchy thriller from James Hadley. The book keeps you engross till end. The investigation of crime descibed is very interesting and detailed.
August 27, 2021
This one is quite predictable compared to the other JHC novels. There were no characters that I actually liked, except for Maddox to some extent.
September 9, 2023
জেমস হ্যাডলির চেজের পড়া এটাই প্রথম বই। থ্রিলিং, ক্ষুরধার পর্যবেক্ষণ, কাহিনির ধারাবাহিকতায় ডুবে গিয়েছিলাম...
টাকার জন্য মানুষ কতরকমই না ফন্দি আঁটে! এই বইয়ের গল্পও ঠিক সেরকম। জন অ্যানসন, একটি বীমা কর্পোরেশনের সেলসম্যান। কাজের খাতিরেই মেগ বারলোর সাথে পরিচয় হয় তার– ফিলিপ বারলোর স্ত্রী।
ঘটনা গড়াতে থাকে ফিলিপকে ঘিরেই। অ্যানসন এবং মেগ পরিকল্পনা করে, যেকোনোভাবে ফিলিপের নামে ৫০০০০ ডলারের বীমা করাতে হবে। কেন... সেটা কী বুঝতে পারছেন?
মেগ ও জনের পরিকল্পনার খসড়া, সেই মাফিক এগোনো, অন্যদিকে কর্পোরেশনের পক্ষ থেকে ম্যাডক্স ও হারমাসের তদন্ত... এককথায় গড়গড়িয়ে শেষ করার বই। লোভে পাপ, আর পাপে কী হয়– তা আবার জানতে বইটা নিয়ে বসে পড়লেই হবে!
আর হ্যাঁ, এই বইটার বাংলা অনুবাদটাই আমি পড়েছি। যেটা 'দি প্যাশনেট গার্ল' নামে পৃথ্বীরাজ সেন অনুবাদ করেছেন। সবমিলিয়ে খারাপ না... চলনসই।
টাকার জন্য মানুষ কতরকমই না ফন্দি আঁটে! এই বইয়ের গল্পও ঠিক সেরকম। জন অ্যানসন, একটি বীমা কর্পোরেশনের সেলসম্যান। কাজের খাতিরেই মেগ বারলোর সাথে পরিচয় হয় তার– ফিলিপ বারলোর স্ত্রী।
ঘটনা গড়াতে থাকে ফিলিপকে ঘিরেই। অ্যানসন এবং মেগ পরিকল্পনা করে, যেকোনোভাবে ফিলিপের নামে ৫০০০০ ডলারের বীমা করাতে হবে। কেন... সেটা কী বুঝতে পারছেন?
মেগ ও জনের পরিকল্পনার খসড়া, সেই মাফিক এগোনো, অন্যদিকে কর্পোরেশনের পক্ষ থেকে ম্যাডক্স ও হারমাসের তদন্ত... এককথায় গড়গড়িয়ে শেষ করার বই। লোভে পাপ, আর পাপে কী হয়– তা আবার জানতে বইটা নিয়ে বসে পড়লেই হবে!
আর হ্যাঁ, এই বইটার বাংলা অনুবাদটাই আমি পড়েছি। যেটা 'দি প্যাশনেট গার্ল' নামে পৃথ্বীরাজ সেন অনুবাদ করেছেন। সবমিলিয়ে খারাপ না... চলনসই।
February 3, 2013
A VERY FOOLISH AND STUPID NOVEL FROM THE LEGEND JAMES HADLEY CHASE.CALLING IT 'PREDICTABLE' WOULD BE AN INSULT TO THE NOVELS WHICH ARE PREDICTABLE.
Reader has been told everything about the whole plot to begin with,now its the detectives job to find out what author has already told the readers(....YAWN..). Question is why people should keep reading when everything is crystal clear to them.This novel insults peoples intelligence.
Entire novel is the series of events already happened without any twists and turns.seems like a documentary on how detective Steve harmas thinks and works as he is supposed to be too smart.whats the use,reader already knows everything.
Reader has been told everything about the whole plot to begin with,now its the detectives job to find out what author has already told the readers(....YAWN..). Question is why people should keep reading when everything is crystal clear to them.This novel insults peoples intelligence.
Entire novel is the series of events already happened without any twists and turns.seems like a documentary on how detective Steve harmas thinks and works as he is supposed to be too smart.whats the use,reader already knows everything.
June 17, 2015
When a small-time clerk insures his life for $50,000 and then suddenly dies ten days later, it doesn't take a genius to work out something suspicious is going on. So when Maddox, the top man in the insurance business, finds out, he is determined to get to the bottom of it. And this means trouble for someone. In fact it means trouble for the beautiful, auburn-haired Meg Barlowe, a woman with a serious past.
Love all James Hadley Chase books - this one although somewhat predictable in parts was a good read to while away the early morning hours. Good old fashioned american ganster stuff.
Love all James Hadley Chase books - this one although somewhat predictable in parts was a good read to while away the early morning hours. Good old fashioned american ganster stuff.
October 11, 2012
Okay ! Initially it doesn't look like a JHC but later on it does and grips in the same way . .
September 9, 2016
This was my first James' novel and I thought that it might be a good read. Unfortunately, for me, it was a complete waste of time.
November 23, 2014
Not the exact edition I read as I know mine was the UK edition with the black cover.
February 6, 2015
Easy to read, time killer, but very interesting plot.
March 31, 2017
Easily read. Rich in different slang expressions. The plot is in the spirit of Chase)
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July 26, 2017A book you can't put down. For the love of James Hadley Chase.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews