Без пари си мъртъв

by James Hadley Chase, Джеймс Хадли Чейс, Андрей Субашки (translator)

Осем марки на стойност един милион долара събират странна компания в романа на Джеймс Хадли Чейс „Без пари си мъртъв". Джоуи и Синди Лък, баща и дъщеря, отявлени джебчии, Вин Пина, изпечен мошеник, и Дон Елиът, кинозвезда от Холивуд, водени от бляна за светкавично забогатяване, решават да се докопат до уникални руски марки, оценени на един милион долара. В странната банда се намесва и ексцентричната дъщеря на собственика на марките. Но както винаги става в романите на Чейс, нещата не са толкова лесни, колкото изглеждат.

Genres: Fiction, Crime, Thriller, Noir, Classics, Novels, Mystery

220 pages, Paperback

First published June 13, 1972

About the author

René 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.

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1972’s You’re Dead Without Money, Chase plies his writing craft with a comedic caper story. Told by that itinerant minstrel, Al Barney, the overweight greasy no-good denizen of Paradise City’s bar scene, we get a story of greed and misfortune as Joe, the dip, the pickpocket, and his daughter Cindy join forces with a dumb mafia wannabe Vin to rob a retired movie star, a Don Elliott, who was yo be the next Erol Flynn but fir an unfortunate accident resulting in a peg leg. Elliott is a flashy man with fancy cars and the like. Little did Joey and company know but their prime robbery target had a net worth way below zero. But the fun doesn’t end there because Elliott has a lead on a packet of eight rare stamps, and the group, now composed of four, sets out to obtain the stamps. Of course, it is not going to be quite easy and it doesn’t help that state secrets are embedded in the stamps causing the CIA to be out an all points bulletin for their recovery. A fun comedy of errors.

[Paul Cornelius · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories narrated by the drunken idler and misfit, Al Barney, are among JHC's better efforts. Barney had appeared earlier, in An Ear to the Ground, and had spun a tale of two crooks on a collision course in the theft of a diamond necklace. This time, in You're Dead Without Money, Barney is back stuffing his face with hamburgers, sausage, and beer, and all the while between swilling down suds and slurping down his grub, he gives over a story about rare stolen Russian stamps. This is one step better than An Ear to the Ground, because in this case, JHC has also included a little Soviet espionage and the CIA. But it's also a book with a relatively happy ending--except for one poor soul on the road to Hollywood. And there is very little violence. Just a fistfight or two. Chase is far, far away from his origins as a crime writer of gritty murders and soul stained protagonists. What he has done in its place is work in a little smut. But that isn't too distracting, because the practitioners of smutty love get what's coming to them, although in a karmic way and without even a hint of fisticuffs, gunshots, or knifings. This is another of JHC's stories that take place at a mythic, abstract level. The reality of the setting is unimportant. The style and the plot are all that matter. And they work out nicely.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stop marking this book as a to-read and just read it. For a British guy writing as an American Hadley Chase was brilliant. Before Grisham were authors like this: funny, fast paced and sometimes tongue-in-cheek. This was my fave author when I was a teen but I cannot remember the details of this one. Been too long ago.

[Kakha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel, published in 1972, is absolutely magnificent, well, as absolutely all works of this beloved, unmatched author. This book tells that the famous actor, crippled after a car accident, must put an end to his career but does not want to part with his usual way of life. But here's the problem, he is mired in debt... He is offered a substantial sum for the theft of certain Russian postage stamps, but he refuses. Although he will not get off so easily...
I will add that this is generally a crazy interesting detective story about stamps. I really love great stories about philatelists and about postage stamps. I have always loved it. And here, to my great joy, the great master of hard-boiled and thriller, detective stories took up this topic himself!

[Crime Addict Sifat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joey Luck and his little girl Cindy were little time hoodlums going no place fast...until they united with Vin Pinna, a solidified criminal on the keep running from Miami. They started to set their sights higher and turn their hands to capturing. However, their prisoner, ex-motion picture star Don Elliot, appeared to have changed thoughts. He needed in so they framed a 'quartet in wrongdoing' and this time the stakes were even higher - eight Russian stamps worth a million dollars.

[Al-amin Zanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Al Bernnie the man with it ear to the ground. Paradice city without Al Bernni is like a Paris without eiffle tower"

[John Hausrath · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read. Kept my interest to the end. recommended.

[Sagar Bhandare · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Hadley Chase is certainly a King of Thrilling Novels. Stunning and more realistic. Story of common Human beings.
Great Actor met with an unexpected accident and he got another opportunity to fix his financial crises. But can he really succeed? Well it's amazing thriller by JHC. Must read. After reading such novels we come to know why JHC is a king of Crime Novels.

[Zergling · Rating 4 out of 5]

No money, no nothing.

[Александра Пътова]

Корицата ме грабна :D

[Akinola Akinyemi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sizzling!

Not quite the usual sizzling story of the time but still remains one of those unputdownable books of its era. It's still a lovely read. Enjoy it!

[Luthando Plaatjie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Half the book introduces the characters snd paints the scene which was quite detailed and i liked but it came at the cost of skimming through what the book is actually about.

[Athul Raj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Money, Greed and Double-cross: the ingredients of a Chase thriller are all present in this one in the right amounts.

[Phumla · Rating 5 out of 5]

a great book!!! the writer has the ability paint a vivid picture of every scene that is presented in the book and it one of those books which you just cannot put down as soon as you start reading it!

[Rajesh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad...not bad at all. Pure Pulp Fiction, with elements that I can see the future generation of filmmakers from Guy Ritchie, Tarantino to Abbas-Mastans borrowing heavily from. Loved the confusion driving multi-character, story in a story narration. The irony in the events, the unbelievable coincidences. Its actually smart :)

[Asad ALIYU · Rating 5 out of 5]

i like it

[Tilak Raj Kaushik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read first fifty pages of the novel,can't put it down,GOD BLESS YOU JAMES!!! YOU ARE A TRUE GENIUS..

[WIE ANTHONY BATIEKA]

Read some of his books but not this one

[Ari]

My friend told me about this book and she said it was a detective story.... I was so confused because it isn't a detective story lol.