March 2022 Group Read: The Postman Always Rings Twice, by James M. Cain

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Emma wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Finally found my book. Yay.
The ending was right for the story ... and given that they never really explained the title, even more appropriate."

When I finished the book yesterday, ..."

"grittiness with a deeper meaning.." You might enjoy Dorothy Hughes' work ... that's pretty much it right there.

[Bruce]

I just read Nightmare Alley which is also a deeper gritty novel, and the basis for an academy award nominated film this year, and an earlier noir version with Tyrone Power.

The very very end of the book is the most brilliant I’ve read since Murder of Roger Ackroyd.

[Lisa]

Nancy wrote: "Emma wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Finally found my book. Yay.
The ending was right for the story ... and given that they never really explained the title, even more appropriate."

When I finished the boo..."

I just added In A Lonely Place, by Dorothy Hughes to my TBR. Are any of her titles particularly good?

[Randy]

I also liked Hughes' Dread Journey. I have others of her novels in Mount TBR.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Lisa wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Emma wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Finally found my book. Yay.
The ending was right for the story ... and given that they never really explained the title, even more appropriate."

When I fi..."

Dread Journey is really good (or at least I thought so), and I also enjoyed her The Expendable Man. On the last one, don't read anything about it before reading it.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Bruce wrote: "I just read Nightmare Alley which is also a deeper gritty novel, and the basis for an academy award nominated film this year, and an earlier noir version with Tyrone Power.

The very very end of th..."

Nightmare Alley is a terrific book, for sure.

[Emma]

Nancy wrote: "Emma wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Finally found my book. Yay.
The ending was right for the story ... and given that they never really explained the title, even more appropriate."

When I finished the boo..."
Thanks Nancy. In a Lonely Place is actually on my TBR

[Emma]

Bruce wrote: "I just read Nightmare Alley which is also a deeper gritty novel, and the basis for an academy award nominated film this year, and an earlier noir version with Tyrone Power.

The very very end of th..."

Thanks Bruce, I need to check this closer

[Lisa]

Thanks, guys! I’ve added all of these to my list.

[Jack]

I liked it. Old school noir, lean and spare. The writing style took a little getting used to. I'm going to pick up another book or two by Cain. I hadn't read him before.

[Bruce]

I finished it yesterday. Wow! It was good in that I didn’t see the exact end coming.

I love his writing as well. Probably the most sexual I’ve read from that period, although it’s well written, and the story and characters are well fleshed out enough, that it’s not just including it for the sake of it, like a lot of today’s are.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Jack wrote: "I liked it. Old school noir, lean and spare. The writing style took a little getting used to. I'm going to pick up another book or two by Cain. I hadn't read him before."


I agree with you. It's not just anyone who could pull of the story like he did using the "lean and spare" style -- I actually prefer books written that way.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Bruce wrote: "I finished it yesterday. Wow! It was good in that I didn’t see the exact end coming.

I love his writing as well. Probably the most sexual I’ve read from that period, although it’s well written, a..."

"most sexual" from that period -- I've read a lot of novels from the 30s and you may be correct on that one.

[Randy]

Nancy wrote: "Bruce wrote: "I finished it yesterday. Wow! It was good in that I didn’t see the exact end coming.

I love his writing as well. Probably the most sexual I’ve read from that period, although it’s w..."

I believe that was part of what drew his readership, as it was also with Erskine Caldwell.

[Bruce]

I mostly meant for mysteries, as this was a tad racier than Hammett and Chandler, who had similar content.

[Randy]

Oh, yeah. That's probably true. But then I don't think Cain was ever classified as a mystery writer in spite of what he wrote. He was considered more in line with a John O'Hara, who also wrote some about crime but wasn't lumped in genre.