Pick Up A Pulp [31]: THE SOFT CENTRE by James Hadley Chase

Originally Published in 1964 (my edition, 1974), The Soft Centre could arguably be relevant among modern day popular mysteries, albeit with a slight slant towards the sleazier side of fiction. At its core, the premise is pure murder mystery; the mutilated body of a murdered prostitute is found in a hotel room during the same period of time in which Chris Burnett, a wealthy heir-apparent to a prosperous business, goes missing, only to be found without any memory of the past 24hrs. 

Shady bookmakers, questionable intentions, a private eye on the take, and a prime suspect without his mind make for the perfect proverbial boiling pot of a pulp.

The Soft Centre switches gears along with its characters to enhance the story; there isn't one thread which dictates proceedings nor one character at the deadly soft centre. One of the few books I've had the pleasure of reading where the point of view is equally spread among victim, suspect, and ancillary players.  

My rating: 5/5, I enjoyed this pulp from start to finish. I'll be sure to read more James Hadley Chase in the near future.