Cain, James M. (1892-1977), was an American author known for his tough, realistic crime fiction. Cain gained immediate fame with his first novel, The Postman Always Rings Twice (1934). The story deals with a drifter who stops at a roadside diner, falls in love with the owner’s wife, and conspires with her to kill her husband. The novel is recognized as a classic of “hard-boiled” fiction.
Cain’s best novels and stories are set in California. They are known for their terse prose, unsentimental depiction of sexual relationships between men and women, and frank exploration of the human potential for violence. Cain also gained praise for his ability in his novels to describe in detail the specialized workings of various businesses. Double Indemnity (1936) has an insurance background, and Mildred Pierce (1941) concerns restaurants. His other novels include Serenade (1937) and The Butterfly (1947).
James Mallahan Cain was born on July 1, 1892, in Annapolis, Maryland. He worked as a journalist for newspapers in Baltimore and New York City from 1917 to 1931. He moved to California in 1931 to become a screenwriter. Cain returned to Maryland in 1948 and continued to write books into his 80’s. Most of his later work is considered inferior to the novels of his California period. He died on Oct. 27, 1977.
