About this ebook
A hijacker and his hostage escape to a very strange, very dangerous farm
Since his father died, every Saturday night has been the same for Dave and his mother. She starts by talking—aimless, weird fantasies about get-rich-quick schemes that never come to anything—but finally she goes silent, and that’s when Dave becomes afraid. Mom has a way of getting very close that is repellent and appealing all at once, and he’s terrified of where it might lead. One Saturday, a noise outside breaks the silence. A hijacker has escaped his stolen plane with a parachute, a hundred thousand dollars in cash, and one very frightened stewardess. The thief thinks he’s gotten away with it, but he doesn’t know what Dave’s mother will do for an easy payday—and a chance to make her son a happy man.
Since his father died, every Saturday night has been the same for Dave and his mother. She starts by talking—aimless, weird fantasies about get-rich-quick schemes that never come to anything—but finally she goes silent, and that’s when Dave becomes afraid. Mom has a way of getting very close that is repellent and appealing all at once, and he’s terrified of where it might lead. One Saturday, a noise outside breaks the silence. A hijacker has escaped his stolen plane with a parachute, a hundred thousand dollars in cash, and one very frightened stewardess. The thief thinks he’s gotten away with it, but he doesn’t know what Dave’s mother will do for an easy payday—and a chance to make her son a happy man.
About the author
James M. Cain (1892–1977) was one of the most important authors in the history of crime fiction. Born in Maryland, he became a journalist after giving up on a childhood dream of singing opera. After two decades writing for newspapers in Baltimore, New York, and the army—and a brief stint as the managing editor of the New Yorker—Cain moved to Hollywood in the early 1930s. While writing for the movies, he turned to fiction, penning the novella The Postman Always Rings Twice (1934). This tightly wound tale of passion, murder, and greed became one of the most controversial bestsellers of its day, and remains one of the foremost examples of American noir writing. It set the tone for Cain’s next few novels, including Serenade (1937), Mildred Pierce (1941), Double Indemnity (1943), and The Butterfly (1947). Several of his books became equally successful noir films, particularly the classic 1940s adaptations of Mildred Pierce and Double Indemnity. Cain moved back to Maryland in 1948. Though he wrote prolifically until his death, Cain remains most famous for his early work.
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