The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain
A remarkably short (proto?) typical noir crime story, but it packs a lot into its 100 pages. Frank is, basically, a depression era ne’er-do-well, bumming around California. He stops into a roadside diner and meets the Greek owner, Nick, who offers him a job. He also meets Nick’s wife, Cora, and they fall in lurve. So, naturally, when you fall in love with a married woman, your first thought is to off the husband, which they eventually do. Do they get away with it? Yes and no.
Lots of good twists and turns, cross and double-cross. Cain is amazingly spare with the prose, but can pack an awful lot in there. It’s only 100 pages, but would easily stretch to two or three times that with another writer. Still not sure what the title has to do with the story, though.
This is my book group’s selection for February.
