Elliott Chaze

Lewis Elliott Chaze (November 15, 1915 – November 11, 1990) was an American journalist and novelist.

He was known for his crime novels, which have been classified in the noir genre. He won the Fawcett Gold Medal Paperback Award for his third novel, Black Wings Has My Angel, which has been reprinted in three editions since the original. He was also known for essays, published in popular magazines such as Life and Redbook.

Chaze served in the military during World War II, and in the Occupation of Japan. He became a journalist, working in New Orleans and Denver before settling in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. There he wrote as a reporter and columnist for the Hattiesburg American beginning in 1951. He also served from 1970 to 1980 as its City Editor.