James M. Cain
The Postman Always Rings Twice (1934)
Author: James M. Cain
Genre: Mystery/Suspense (Hardboiled Crime Fiction)
Plot Summary:
A drifter, Frank Chambers, wanders into a roadside filling station and cafe where he is offered a job by the owner, Greek immigrant Nick Papadakis. Frank quickly becomes involved with Cora, Nick's sexy wife, and the lovers decide to do away with Nick before they hit the road together. Things, however, do not go as planned, and the two find themselves behind bars. The plot begins to twist and turn as Frank and Cora become pawns in a bitter rivalry between an overzealous DA and a mysterious defense attorney. Spoiler: The two are able to evade being convicted of murder, but can they live happily ever after? Or will betrayal, mistrust, and guilt rip the two apart?
Geographical Setting: Outskirts of Los Angeles
Time Period: 1930's
Appeal Characteristics:
Expect the unexpected in this classic of the hardboiled crime fiction genre. Cain is a master of suspense and this short, easy read will keep you wondering what will happen next. The prose is stripped bare. Do not expect much description of the scenery or character development. Still, despite a lack of characterization, you will become emotionally invested in the lives of the two main characters and hope that they will find a way to
survive together. The story is told through the eyes of the anti-hero, and the reader gets a dose of dramatic irony as it becomes apparent that he is not as wily as he thinks he is. At times the plot twists can seem a little contrived, and realism is sometimes sacrificed in order to keep the story jumping. However, the story is so engrossing that you will not have time to sulk.
Similar Authors:
Fans of this book should try other novels by the author, such as Double Indemnity, Mildred Pierce, and Serenade. Other writers in the hard boiled genre would also be of interest. Dashiell Hammett, Mickey Spillane, and Raymond Chandler will give you similar reads, but from a detective's perspective. For more tales told by the criminal, see After Dark, My Sweet; Savage Night; or A Hell of a Woman by Jim Thompson.
Red Flags:
Violence and sex are prevalent throughout the novel, although neither are depicted graphically. Casual racism and mysogyny are also present.
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