For those who voted for Double Indemnity -- it didn't win, but let's read!

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

I voted for Double Indemnity, but it didn't win. Who wants to read it with me?

[Helena]

I literally read it just a week ago. So i won't read it again, but I'd love to discuss it as you all read it. I'll make sure I don't post any spoilers for what happens next.

Great book. Must read for any noir fan for sure. If you've seen the film it somewhat ruins the plot, but there are still some differences and it's definitely still worth the read.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Helena wrote: "I literally read it just a week ago. So i won't read it again, but I'd love to discuss it as you all read it. I'll make sure I don't post any spoilers for what happens next.

Great book. Must read ..."

Terrific! I'll wait to see how many others want to join in. Hopefully we'll at least get the people who voted for this book in the poll.

[Stephen]

I nominated the book, mostly because James M Cain seems to get forgotten as the legendary writer he is. Both Dashiell Hammett & Raymond Chandler have been read by the group, but not James M Cain. Besides Double Indemnity Cain wrote The Postman Always Rings Twice, Mildred Pierce and Serenade. It is a hole in the group's bookshelf that is glaring.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Stephen wrote: "I nominated the book, mostly because James M Cain seems to get forgotten as the legendary writer he is. Both Dashiell Hammett & Raymond Chandler have been read by the group, but not James M Cain. B..."

So - would you care to join us in reading this book? Perhaps we can start a list of books that should be on the group's bookshelves somewhere as well.

[Stephen]

Yes I will join in. It is really a thin book with so much in it. As for another bookshelf, that seems to be a can of worms. I have had The Woman in White in my TBR pile forever as I feel it is an important book in the development of the genre, but I know no one will vote to read it if I nominate it.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Stephen wrote: "Yes I will join in. It is really a thin book with so much in it. As for another bookshelf, that seems to be a can of worms. I have had The Woman in White in my TBR pile forever as I fee..."

I would vote for it, definitely. I'd also vote for anything in the area of old noir or classic detective/crime novels.

[Skye]

This group of books really appeals to me: now I am in a quandary.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

No need for that, Skye! Just do what's right for you.

[Skye]

Yes, you are right : I have Rules Of Prey and would need to purchase the Michael Connelly novel ( it must be one of the few I don't have) however, the above list is amazing.

[Jan C]

I will probably join. I read it some years ago and didn't want to 're-buy it. But just discovered that it is available on OverDrive audio.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Excellent. The more, the merrier.

[Stephen]

Michael Connelly's book is new and so I will read that one ( being from LA Connelly always gives shout outs to really great eateries that are off the radar )

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Best restaurant in LA: Marugame Monzo, in Little Tokyo. I make a pilgrimage there every year.

[Skye]

Now, I feel like heading West!

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

I didn't even tell you about Dumpling Master in Hacienda Heights ... oh my god. To die for.

[Skye]

Please tell~~~~

[Amber]

Nancy wrote: "Stephen wrote: "Yes I will join in. It is really a thin book with so much in it. As for another bookshelf, that seems to be a can of worms. I have had The Woman in White in my TBR pile ..."

I loved The Woman in White. Highly recommend it.

[Tom]

Stephen wrote: "Yes I will join in. It is really a thin book with so much in it. As for another bookshelf, that seems to be a can of worms. I have had The Woman in White in my TBR pile forever as I fee..."

"WIM" starts off rather slowly, for nearly a hundred pgs, actually, so much so that I almost dropped it. But what an ending: last 150 pgs or so are among most suspenseful I've read. Count Fosco is one of the great villains in all of Literature. Our local book club read it as a complement to Dickens's Bleak House, and while Collins doesn't have Dickens's epic sweep and ambition of social commentary, Dickens doesn't match Collins for sheer storytelling tension. "BH" is certainly a "great" novel, but I ended up enjoying "WIW" more, a lot more. Hope to read WC's The Moonstone eventually. Stick with it!

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Count Fosco is definitely one of my favorite villains. I have read and loved that book so many times that I can almost recite it.

Anyone interested might also want to read Uncle Silas, by J.S. Le Fanu -- there's an entire house filled with nasty villains.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Tom wrote: "Stephen wrote: "Yes I will join in. It is really a thin book with so much in it. As for another bookshelf, that seems to be a can of worms. I have had The Woman in White in my TBR pile ..."

So, Tom...you up for reading Double Indemnity with us?

[Tom]

Hmm, possibly, Nancy. Might be able to fit it in now, though I was planning on finally cracking Hillary Mantell's novel Wolf Hall, re Cromwell (a noirish figure himself, though a few centuries early; a forerunner, perhaps?). Been meaning to read more Cain since reading "Postman," which has one of great opening lines of any genre of novel: "They threw me off the hay truck around noon." If I can get a hold of a copy quickly, I'll join in. It will mean hiding Wolf Hall, which keeps whispering at me everytime I pass that shelf.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Tom wrote: "Hmm, possibly, Nancy. Might be able to fit it in now, though I was planning on finally cracking Hillary Mantell's novel Wolf Hall, re Cromwell (a noirish figure himself, though a few centuries ear..."

Oh come on! It's short. BTW - loved Wolf Hall.

[Sawyer]

I could read it a third time. What a great book!

When you get on a Cain binge, don't forget The Cocktail Waitress. Every review I have read seems to miss the unique elegance of the book. The ending can be interpreted two ways with equal logic. I love that you don't know for sure which ending is the right one. The ultimate double twist!

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Sawyer wrote: "I could read it a third time. What a great book!

When you get on a Cain binge, don't forget The Cocktail Waitress. Every review I have read seems to miss the unique elegance of the book. The ..."

Oh, Sawyer, many thanks for the title! I hope you join us -

[Sawyer]

I am in for Double Indemnity again. How does group reading work for this group? Do we post a comments / analysis thread?

FYI to all, I posted my review of The Cocktail Waitress.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Cool. Sadly for my budget, I bought a copy.

I'll look at dates, etc., and get back to everyone about getting this read off the ground.

[Helena]

Tom wrote: "Hmm, possibly, Nancy. Might be able to fit it in now, though I was planning on finally cracking Hillary Mantell's novel Wolf Hall, re Cromwell (a noirish figure himself, though a few centuries ear..."


You should join us anyway. It's a really short read. It's only just over a 100 pages long. And it's definitely worth it. that being said, Wolf Hall is amazing. But it can wait a few more days - lol.

[Tom]

Ok, with such enthusiastic encouragement, how can I resist. I've found a copy at local library ("local" being relative in these here rural lands -- 30 mins away)and will get on Friday during weekly trip for fresh books and fresh fish, both of which rarely stink simultaneously.

[Sawyer]

Double Indemnity is far from a fresh book. It is as old as the fish you forgot in the back of the pickup. However, Double Indemnity, rather than stinking from its age, is absolutely intoxicating. What a book!

If this sounds like an advertisement, it is of sorts. More people should join us in digging deep into a true classic of noir!

[Tom]

Well, at the least, I can always use the fish heads for making fish stock, seasoned with some of Cain's zingy, nippy prose.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Sawyer wrote: "Double Indemnity is far from a fresh book. It is as old as the fish you forgot in the back of the pickup. However, Double Indemnity, rather than stinking from its age, is absolutely intoxicating...."

Yes they should.

[Jan C]

Started listening to it this morning. A little disappointed in the reader. But I'll continue to listen.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Can we all get copies and read it by December 10th? We can certainly talk about it in the meantime, but without spoilers.

[Tom]

Count me in.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Cool.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Jan C wrote: "Started listening to it this morning. A little disappointed in the reader. But I'll continue to listen."

The worst book I ever listened to because of the reader was Hannibal. And guess who narrated it -- Tom freakin' Harris, the author!

[Skye]

I am so looking forward to this!!

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Skye wrote: "I am so looking forward to this!!"

So am I, Skye!

[Stephen]

Also one can stream "Double Indemnity" on Netflix. So read the book, then stream the movie and watch Barbara Stanwyck set the standard for all 'femme fatale'. Plus Raymond Chandler wrote the screen adaptation. Also I learned from the Wikipedia site that Double Indemnity was first serialized in a magazine.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Stephen wrote: "Also one can stream "Double Indemnity" on Netflix. So read the book, then stream the movie and watch Barbara Stanwyck set the standard for all 'femme fatale'. Plus Raymond Chandler wrote the scree..."

Yes definitely! But do it in that order -- we can always talk about the differences from page to screen, a great topic, but after we discuss the novel itself.

[Sawyer]

Read 2/3 of it yesterday. It's a very quick read. How this guy can get so much character development in so few pages is remarkable.

Everyone join in on the Cain appetizer! The "train" is leaving the station! You'll get the pun soon enough...

[Stephen]

You are so right, this is what you learn in ten pages. Walter Huff is no fool. Wise to the game & knows the angles. Keyes in claims is a bulldog, but causing problems in the firm. And Mrs. Nirdlinger can get a guy talking to himself with one sidelong look. Ten pages!

[Tom]

Stephanie wrote: "Can't wait to start. Got the book yesterday from Amazon with a couple of his others in one volume. Noticed the short page count!!"

We may have the same edition. I have Three Complete Novels: The Postman Always Rings Twice/Mildred Pierce/Double Indemnity.

[Helena]

Tom wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "Can't wait to start. Got the book yesterday from Amazon with a couple of his others in one volume. Noticed the short page count!!"

We may have the same edition. I have [book:Thre..."

That edition looks great. Kinda regretting having bought Double Indemnity on its own since I plan on reading the other two. (shame I've already seen the films for both. I expect they'll still be amazing like DI was, but I wish I could be totally unspoiled when reading them)

[Tom]

Stephanie wrote: "Weird -- it sounds like the same with a slightly different title!! Have you read any of the others??"

I read and lovedThe Postman Always Rings Twice. I've seen both versions of Mildred Pierce but haven't been inspired to read it. Double Indemnity, though, has been on my TBR list for a long time.

[Sawyer]

I finished Double Indemnity earlier today. I am looking forward to discussing and analyzing with you folks!

I am interested in business and law, so I had to go look up whether double indemnity policies still exist. In fact, they do! Here is a description of one from the web:

"An Accidental Death Benefit Rider is a provision in a Life Insurance policy that can provide an additional payment if your death occurs as the result of an accident, often double the amount of money."

I think ordinary life insurance already provides all kinds of strange motives, both for suicide and murder. I am a little surprised to see that double indemnity riders are still available. You would think that the lure of foul play would be a real problem.

Another area where I see strange motivations involving business insurance is in the area of "key person" insurance. A business can buy a policy that will pay off in case a key person passes away so that the business cannot complete its mission, or is at least seriously set back. If a business is foundering anyway, and investors are getting nervous, there is a real worry by the "key persons" that they are going to get knocked off. There is occasionally some dark humor around the Board room about whether the key person is worth more to the company dead or alive. It is really pretty unnerving.

For those of you who have also read Mildred Pierce, I noticed some interesting thematic parallels with the mother and the daughter here. I will not add any spoilers or non-spoilers. I didn't notice the parallels last time I read D.I. because I hadn't read Mildred Pierce yet.

When authors weave these recurring threads through their books, I often wonder how the issue became so significant for the author. Sometimes, it is pretty obvious, like with John Irving and his wrestling. Other times, it makes you wonder, especially when the common threads are very noir-like.

[Sawyer]

Stephanie wrote: "Tom wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "Can't wait to start. Got the book yesterday from Amazon with a couple of his others in one volume. Noticed the short page count!!"

We may have the same edition. I hav..."

I have read all three, plus the Cocktail Waitress. Cain is definitely one of my favorites. It's very hard to pick a favorite among the four, but I would rank (1) Postman, (2) Cocktail Waitress, (3) Mildred Pierce and (4) Double Indemnity. Considering how great Double Indemnity is, you can imagine my insane ravings about the other three...

[Tom]

Sawyer wrote: "An Accidental Death Benefit Rider is a provision in a Life Insurance policy that can provide an additional payment if your death occurs as the result of an accident, often double the amount of money."

My employer-paid term life insurance policy will pay double if my death is the result of an accident. The beneficiary of this policy is my family.

What unsettles me about the key person coverage is that the person insured my not even know the policy exists.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Tom wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "Weird -- it sounds like the same with a slightly different title!! Have you read any of the others??"

I read and lovedThe Postman Always Rings Twice. I've seen both ..."

The HBO version is the truest to the novel. The Joan Crawford one was good, but let's just say that the screenwriter used a lot of literary license. I had my book group read it, and someone made the comment that she didn't have time to read the book so she watched the movie -- and had no idea the book was so different. Another person accidentally picked up the book Mildred Pierced.