JAMES HADLEY CHASE

The Pickup / But A Short Time To Live 

     
     Harry Ricks is a gentle, honest soul, who earns his living as a street-side photographer. He comes across Clair, a gorgeous but unscrupulous pickpocket, and surprisingly, the two fall in love with each other. But Clair's sordid past  and her weakness for the good things in life land her in trouble. By now, Harry is too committed to let her go and soon, Clair has a murder charge hanging over her. Harry decides not to leave her, even though it means running from the police, acquiring a new identity and  living in squalid conditions, with no money and no future. Clair, however, is unrepentant, and tries to return to her old ways, which bring the police to their doorstep once again....

          Chase returns to his favorite theme of a man's fatal attraction for a sluttish, fatal woman after Lady - Here's Your Wreath and Eve.  In many ways, this novel is better than Eve, as the situation and narrative are handled more sensitively.