by James M. Cain
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Product Description
Tautly narrated and excruciatingly suspenseful, Double Indemnity gives us an X-ray view of guilt, of duplicity, and of the kind of obsessive, loveless love that devastates everything it touches. First published in 1935, this novel reaffirmed James M. Cain as a virtuoso of the roman noir.
Amazon.com Review
When smalltime insurance salesman Walter Huff meets seductive Phyllis Nirdlinger, the wife of one of his wealthy clients, it takes him only minutes to determine that she wants to get rid of her husband--and not much longer to decide to help her do it. Walter knows that accident insurance pays double indemnity on railroad mishaps, so he and Phyllis plot frantically to get Nirdlinger on--and off--a train without arousing the suspicions of the police, the insurance company, Nirdlinger's dishy daughter, her mysterious boyfriend, or Nirdlinger himself. This brief but complex novel is a perfect example of the ordinary-guy-gone-disastrously-wrong story that Cain always pulls off brilliantly.
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Average Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 It Always A "Dame", Right?, 2008-09-06
I am more familiar with the work of James M. Cain via the movies as the basis of such films as The Postman Always Rings Twice and one of the works under review here Double Indemnity. For classic noir films I like to read the works they are based on to see how true they are to the literary efforts. Thus, I picked up this book for Double Indemnity but along the way I got into the other two. The common theme here is the role of women in bringing a man down (or building him up, if that seems appropriate to her designs). You know the old Adam and Eve tale in the modern setting. If Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, Cain's near contemporaries, had the hard-boiled, no nonsense detective down Cain has the bewitching femme fatale and `gullible' smitten guy down in the same way. This little three story volume, moreover, has the virtue of an introduction by Cain himself where he essentially dismisses out of hand positive critical comments about the hard-boiled outlook on the world expressed in his work, his commanding sense of language and his deft craftsmanship with the twists and turns of a story. Ya, right.
Cain identifies Career in C Major as the story that he liked the best of the three presented here and the one that would hold up over time. I did not get that feeling mainly because the story line gets a little too bogged down by the narrator's efforts to become a male opera singer. The tension between his gratitude (if you can call it that) to his operatic paramour/muse and his catty, headstrong and over demanding wife (who also had musical ambitions) is what drives this little work. In the end, there is basically a Mexican stand-off between hubby and wife. I do not believe that either the theme or the moral hold up today. Let me point out that despite Cain's predilections for this little piece Double Indemnity, with a very much darker theme, is still remembered as a classic tale of murderous impulse. This one you can take or leave.
The Embezzler is, however, one you had better take, as its plot structure leads straight to the classics. This little sleeper of a story points to the fine twist and turns that Cain is rather noted for. The plot revolved around the complicity of a bank executive and the wife of a bank clerk to try to stave of family disaster (her's) by trying to "fix" the books of her philandering husband held in thrall by his fellow female employee, an accountant (go figure, right?). The twist and turns center, of course, around the attraction of the bank exec for the wronged wife who may, or may not be, on the up and up. Christ, this thing had me guessing for a while whether that exec was really going to take the tumble for a wrong "dame". Read this one. You will be glad.
I mentioned above that one of the things I want to read the original story of a film noir classic for is to see how close it is to the film version. Double Indemnity runs fairly close except as to the fates of the two lovers, if that is what they are. The plot here revolves around that old standard- life insurance- or rather more properly `death' insurance, for the insured. One hulky insurance agent meets one drop dead beautiful yoing wife of an insured older client. Said wife merely inquires about accident insurance for dear hubby. You know, he is in a dangerous business, producing oil in L.A. The rest is history- hubby is a goner. The double indemnity part? Oh, if you die in an accident on a train you get double. Get it? You will.
The core of the story goes to the compulsive nature of the actual murder once the wheels are set in motion, its cover-up and the falling out among thieves. Along the way we get an entanglement with the deceased insured lovely daughter, her `boyfriend' and enough duplicity to fill up the jails of 1930's California to capacity. No problem. Except the ending of this story doesn't match up with the film. Yes, the moral of both is that men (and women) must not do evil things to their fellows. Okay, but in the movie it is a straight proposition- the bad guys must pay back society for their crimes. They must die. In the book not only is that true but the bad guys had to feel guilt-ridden about it as well. So, instead of getting away with their nefarious deeds they must kill themselves. Moreover, as it turns, wifey didn't tell dear old insurance man that she had a little prior history of psychopathic behavior. So all of society's books are cleared on this one. Nice. I'll take the darker book ending, thank you.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 excellent -- a definite no miss, 2008-08-23
I can't help it...reading through Cain's novel the voices in my head were those of Barbara Stanwyck, Fred McMurray and Edward G. Robinson.
Although this is a small book (128 p.) and a quick read, don't underestimate this little gem. It is perfectly written and packs an unexpected punch at the end. Highly recommended for anyone who likes noir fiction. And don't expect the movie ... Hollywood couldn't have possibly done it the way the author intended. A basic summary of the plot: Walter Huff is an insurance investigator who is able to smell a scam a mile away. But sadly, Walter isn't thinking with his brain when he meets Phyllis Nirdlinger, the wife of a customer. She wants to know about accident insurance; he knows without anyone even saying anything why she wants it. Walter is convinced that with his knowledge of the industry and how it works come paying out claims time that the two of them could plot the perfect murder and insurance scam. But the story's not over yet. During a period of time when the two have to cool their heels and avoid each other, Walter has time to sit back and think about things and realizes that there's more to the story here and that he must take some action before his company puts two and two together. That's the bare bones outline (I don't want to spoil the story). The book's ending is vastly different than that of the movie -- and I think more poetically just (if not a little strange). Cain's characterizations are well drawn and the writing is superb. A must for any fan of noir.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
A KILLER PLOT..., 2008-06-07
This book, more novella than novel, is intricately plotted and a very quick read. Wholly plot-driven, the book is a classic morality tale. A seductive woman, Phyllis Nirdlinger, desires to kill her wealthy husband. An otherwise intelligent insurance agent, Walter Huff, falls under her spell. Together they put together a seemingly failsafe plan to do the dastardly deed, making it appear as if it were an accident, so that the double indemnity clause in an insurance policy will kick into play. The problem is that all is not as it initially seems.
Written as a first person narrative by the insurance agent, the writing is tight, spare, and lean. No word is wasted. Yet, the minimalism works to the advantage of the story, as it makes the intricacy of the plotting clear to the reader. Having seen the film with Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck in the lead roles, I kept hearing Fred MacMurray's voice in my head as I read the book. While the film deviates from the book in a number of ways, it is classic film noir at its best and well-worth viewing. Likewise, the book is a classic in its own right, and those who like hard-boiled crime fiction will not be disappointed.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
A Step Up From "Postman" -- Plot and Writing are Improved, 2008-03-27
Maturation of James Cain's writing between "The Postman Always Rings Twice" to publication of "Double Indemnity" is obvious. To this reader, "Double Indemnity" is richer in text, more completely written, and truly incorporates a more deceitful and thoughtful murder(s).
"I know it's not true. I tell myself it's not true. But there's something in me. I don't know what. Maybe I'm crazy. But there's something in me that loves Death. I think of myself as Death, sometimes in a scarlet shroud. . .it doesn't seem terrible. It seems as though I'm doing something . . . Do you understand me, Walter?" Walter Neff, our protagonist narrator easily responds, "No."
By the book's end, in the last 15 pages, we learn a great deal about the meaning behind every word of every sentence of that paragraph. This paragraph explains Mrs. Phyllis Nirdlinger to us.
Like "Postman", the wife - Mrs. Nirdlinger - in this book is younger than her husband, she is pretty, came from Iowa and moved to then edenistic California. And, like "Postman", the protagonist is a gun for her to hire. Unlike "Postman", the woman is a black beauty incarnate. Walter does not know what to think of her. As he matures and learns more about her, the more he becomes perplexed. "I loved her like a rabbit loves a rattlesnake."
Eventually, like "Postman" each enters a "Prizzi's Honor" code of conduct - do unto the other as you would never allow the other to do unto you. Walter sets up a trap of the widow Nirdlinger, he thoughtfully sets her up for the kill and discovers, "I wasn't the only one that figured the world wasn't big enough for two people . . . I had come there to kill her, but . . . "
The next 10-15 pages outline who that woman is, where she has been and what she has done. Walter understandably acknowledges having been used, fesses up to his conduct and expects to be escorted to the electric chair. But like "Postman" the insurance company acquits evil - not with perjury, but in a manner as artful as the trial in "Postman." And, then. . . Cain delivers an ending which deciphers the second paragraph of this review - at that time we and Walter now can respond to her question in the affirmative. Oh, what a great ending.
Having read this book back-to-back with "Postman", each twists the plot like an all star mystery, but the more thorough and intellectual approach to murder described in this novel enticed this reader. And, the writing is more mature - not just dialogue as done in "Postman." Each is fun, each is great. I would never hesitate to recommend this book to anyone looking for a good mystery to read.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Classic Noir From a Master, 2007-10-31
DOUBLE INDEMNITY is a noir classic, one of a handful of must-read noir books from the "hardboiled" school. Like his earlier book, THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE, another must-read, DOUBLE INDEMNITY gets into the action quickly. Both books are short because Cain doesn't waste words. He's a master of crime noir, and DOUBLE INDEMNITY is a great noir novel. Read this book. I've read it several times and I never get tired of it.
Rather than recount the story and plot, which too many reviewers here have already done, I'll say this: the movie is terrific, but the book is better. And the more I read the book, the more I like it better than the movie. So if you've seen the movie, read the book. If you haven't seen the movie or read the book, do both. It doesn't matter which you do first.
Also, spend a few more dollars and buy the Everyman's Library volume, THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE, DOUBLE INDEMNITY, MILDRED PIERCE, AND SELECTED STORIES. This high-quality hardcover volume weighs about as much as the typical Vintage Classic paperback, but includes Cain's three best novels, an appropriately-blood-red cloth cover, acid-free paper, and a chronology of Cain's life and works. This volume is one of the best book deals you'll ever find.
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