Double Indemnity by James M. CainNeed a little noir in your life? Of course you do. This novel brings back the time when men wore hats and toll phone calls were a huge deal. This is the time when the insurance man would come to your home to talk over your policy over drinks. Hence, the great setup for the novel. An insurance man plots with a disgruntled housewife to bump off her husband for a double indemnity accidental death life insurance policy. Of course there is even more to this story than first meets the eye.
The plot is great and as the main character, the crafty insurance guy, gets himself in deeper and deeper you marvel at the world of hurt he’s brought upon himself. It’s the style that makes this novel so enjoyable. It’s just so noir. You can see the old chromed up sedans rumble by and smell the cigarette smoke in the air.
I can’t wait to watch the film classic with Barbara Stanwyck in the next few days. The book has a zinger of an ending and I’m curious to see how the book translates to the screen.
