The Soft Centre is detective novel by British writer James Hadley Chase, first published in Great Britain by Robert Hale Ltd. in 1964.

Val Burnett's husband, Chris, has had a near-fatal head injury and has now been brought to the Spanish Bay Hotel, Paradise City, to lie in the sun-and-sands and recuperate.

The same day, a prostitute, Sue Parnell, is found ripped apart in a nearby motel room.

So far no connection but a cigarette lighter presented to Chris by Val, is found at the scene of the crime.

In a shabby second-rate motel on the outskirts of Florida an attractive blonde was found savagely murdered.