James Hadley Chase is a pseudonym for British author Rene Brabazon Raymond. Chase wrote most of his books (more than 80 novel) using a dictionary of American slang, detailed maps, encyclopedias and reference books on the American underworld. Most of the books were based on events occurring in the United States, even though, he never really lived in the United States, save for two brief visits to Miami and New Orleans. He was wildly popular in Asia and Africa. He also enjoyed success in France and Italy where more than twenty of his books were made into movies.