We'll Share a Double Funeral

by James Hadley Chase

Chet Logan, known as the Axe Killer, escapes from custody while being escorted to jail. Disguised as a police officer, he meets up with movie writer Perry Weston and persuades him to drive to Weston's remote fishing lodge. Once there, and somewhat to Weston's surprise, Logan agrees to talk about his life and how he came to murder six people.The police become suspicious and put a watch on the lodge. Then Weston's wayward wife visits him and promises a fresh start. Logan wants money and a chance to start again . . .Can either of them deliver or will Weston and Logan share a double funeral?

Genres: Crime, Thriller, Mystery, Novels, Fiction

Paperback

First published May 1, 1982

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

[Paul Lothane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chet Logan - epitome of unthinkable monster, unconscionable, brutal killer. He is incredible strong, moves like lightening, and is cunning and calculating to boot. He wreaks havoc on a particular community and proceeds to hold a well known playwright to ransom in his own house. Chet - although wanted by law for six exceedingly brutal murders, actually boasts to his "host" that he has committed other more heinous murders. "I hate being put under pressure" this animalistic sadist stresses. Chet gets his just deserts in the end via a woman ... Hmmm, well, at least even a dolt like me gets to know what an opossum is...

[Βρόσγος Άντυ]

Ένας σεναριογραφος που ψαχνει την εμπνευση πρωταγωνιστει σε ένα φρικτό σεναριο που του σκαρώνει η μοίρα. Θα μπορούσε να είναι μια υπέροχη νουαρ ταινία.

[Paul Cornelius · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scripted almost like a film treatment, We'll Share a Double Funeral is fast paced enough, and equally supplied with repeated moments of tension. Chase even takes a clue from Hitchcock and Psycho and kills off a character you appear to be investing your reading into. Not only that. But the first emotional investment and killing comes off early in the book so Chase has time to build up yet another, which lasts almost until the book's end. Then, that character gets killed off, too. Meanwhile, the overall ending is satisfying, albeit too predictable. Otherwise, the main problem is with the utterly unbelievable setting the story takes place in. The circumstances of the siege simply are beyond the paltry explanation Sheriff Ross and his deputy, Hank Hollis, give to set them up.

[Kakha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the later works of our beloved author, a master of hard-boiled detective stories.
At the insistence of his boss, one nice screenwriter goes to the bosom of nature to write a script for a new film and think about the future of his marriage, which has a very detrimental effect on his career. There he is met by terrible weather and a criminal person... who has just killed six people... and whom he puts in a car, thinking that he is a patrol policeman. Now he will have to put all his caution and all his will to just keep his life.

[Joydeep · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of JHC's best.

[Subhashini · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual an entertainer. Chet Logan's ( the badass of the book) character strong as an ox and a killer with no conscience and a sad childhood- was built up well enough to conjure a shape in your head. The final melee of characters under the same roof was a movie going on in my head. A racy end just as always.

[Akinola Akinyemi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A double funeral!

No words to describe the fun and excitement of reading this book. Perry Weston has got himself a brilliant idea for a movie script. Certainly a blockbuster and of course, a box office. Pick up the book and you find out, you hardly can put it down. I have read many of its kind, this tops them all.

[Matawan Sridhar · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual most thrilling. Chase never fails. Reading his books since chlild hood

Non stop thriller. Being a hard core Chase fan could guess what is going to happen. I could not keep the book down without finishing it

[Lusuko · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book

[Lector45 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una novela de suspenso entetenida hasta el final, pese a sus huecos y dilataciones. Bien ambientada y personajes convincentes. Para pasar un rato está perfecta!

[Samuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

perry weston couldn't help but accomodate Chet Logan who was a hard core criminal but his script writing skills was of great help to him his wife Sheila was more or less a whore.
"For a full night i usually charge a Thousand dollers but seeing it's you..." was her favourite words to men.
The inspiration of the name a double funeral never occured to me until the last verses of the book it's a pure suspence, a total use of one's talent in saving his life. The criminal Jim was also a brillant charater.

[Al-amin Zanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I think perry weston tried he really follow the rules give by chet Logan. Chet Logan promise them that their going to share a double funeral he fulfilled his promise on that wore Sheila i think from now on Perry weston life will be idyllic without her bcos she get a hot pants."

[Mark Vickers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just another ripsnorter by the maestro, his usual characters the blackmailers, the classic screenwriter, the wanted killer and the beautiful woman, just another page turner......

[jaroiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parádní klasická detektivka. Má hlavu i patu, zajímavou zápletku, uvěřitelné schopnosti vyšetřovatelů... jo, doporučuji.