Crime fiction books read and reviewed
Double Indemnity (Orion, 2005) First published in serial form for Liberty magazine in 1936, by James M. Cain (A+)
The Human Flies (Mantle, 2014) Translated from the Norwegian by Kari Dickson. Originally published in 2010 as Menneskefluene, by Hans Olav Lahlum (B)
The Hummingbird (Arcadia Books, 2014) Translated from the Finnish by David Hackston. Originally published in 2013 as Kolibri by Kati Hiekkapelto (A)
The Postman Always Rings Twice (Orion, 2005) First published in 1934 by James M. Cain (A)
The Silence Of The Sea (Hodder & Stoughton, 2014) Translated from the Icelandic by Victoria Cribb. Originally published in 2011 as Brakid by Yrsa Sigurðardóttir (B)
And The Game’s Afoot pick of the month is James M. Cain’s Double Indemnity.
“I stared into the darkness some more that night. I had killed a man, for money and a woman. I didn’t have the money and I didn’t have the woman. The woman was a killer, out-and-out, and she had made a fool of me. She had used me for a cat’s paw so she could have another man, and she had enough on me to hang me higher than a kite. . . . I got to laughing, a hysterical cackle, there in the dark.”
A true roman noir classic in my view and a must read.
A Crime is Afoot 
Double Indemnity is a great book, and the film would make my all-time favourites list. What a story.
Agree, Jacqui!
I’ve not read Double Indemnity…yet…it’s on my “must read” list. I’ve seen the film a few times thanks to my mother’s love of Edward G Robinson but need to get to the book one day
No one can read all but am glad you have it on your “must read”, Bernadette.
I read Double Indemnity at the end of April and agree, it is a “must read.” Can’t say it is an enjoyable read but good writing. It was my first James M. Cain book and quite an experience.
Tracy I enjoy a good written book even if the issue is not enjaoyable, it depens on your definition of enjoyable. It might not be pleasant but can give you pleasure to read a good book, Does it make sense?
That does make sense, Jose Ignacio, I know exactly what you mean. I just (last night) had the same experience reading Ride the Pink Horse. Very noir, and a new experience to me. But glad I read it, so I guess that makes it pleasurable. I stayed up late to finish it.