Charles Ardai, founder of Hard Case Crime just announced that after a 9-year search, Hard Case Crime has “located and secured the rights” to a never-before published James M. Cain novel. The book is called The Cocktail Waitress. Here’s a quote from Charles:
It’s the story of a beautiful young widow whose first husband died under suspicious circumstances and who finds herself pursued by two new men, each of whom has something she wants. But she can’t have both of them…or can she? It’s steamy, gritty, suspenseful, and altogether worthy of the legacy of this great writer. We can’t wait to show it to you.
And I can’t wait to read it.
In the meantime, after a short hiatus, HARD CASE CRIME is back! So crime fans, let’s make sure they stay. Here’s the autumn line up:
Quarry’s Ex by Max Allan Collins
Getting Off by Lawrence Block
Choke Hold by Christa Faust (a follow up to Money Shot)
The Consummata by Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins
I’m not sure I really understand what a find it is but I trust you.
Suggestive covers: it’s the least I can say.
Cain wrote Mildred Pierce, Double Indemnity, The Postman Always Rings Twice. To find a lost novel by an author of this calibre, from the classic noir period, is the equivalent, for me, of finding a lost t0mb of the pharoahs.
The covers are retro style modelled on the 50s pulp era dimestore novels.
I’m happy for you. I know him by name but I haven’t read him yet. I’m only starting to read Noir books.
I had recognised the covers’ style. Littérature de gare, that’s what it was (unfairly) called here.
One of my links under resources: Bookscans which is a catalogue of the covers from these pulp lines.
I think I read The Postman Always Rings Twice and something with Mexico in the title. Is that possible? I thought it was remarkably sparse, not one word too much.
Serenade features a Mexican bullfighter’s daughter
An unpublished Cain? Wow, that’s quite a coup. Where was the book hiding all this time, I wonder? “Incredible” sums it up though, thanks Guy.