Customer Reviews (1)

Contents:
Historical Murder Mystery set during the Civil War on the western frontier.In it are the vintage James M. Cain ingredients: murder, what he himself always called 'the adventure of sex' and, most of all, the working out of the theme he believed to be central to all his writing, "the wish come true...which becomes reality with terrifying consequences.'" ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Night Song
James M Cain's 1937 novel "Serenade"is, as the title suggests a love story, but a very dark and devious love story it is indeed. In keeping with its musical motif, it seems to be constructed in the symphonic form, thus:Chapters I-IVAndante Chapters V-VII Allegro Chapters VIII-X Scherzo Chapters XI-XIV Adagio. The hero-narrator John Howard Sharp is suppose to be an operatic baritone, but he talks and acts like a film noir P.I. Not that opera singers can't be macho, but I have a little difficulty picturing Humphrey Bogart playing Rigoletto. Prepare yourself for a very politically incorrect tone: A homosexual is a fag, a Japanese is a Jap, and a Mexican is a "spig" -- I assume he means spick. (This is 1937 so "gay" means "happy".) The mood is quite masculine, as are 95% of the characters, so it comes as a surprise when it's revealed that the hero has indulged in what use to be coyly called the love that dare not speak its name. The only major female character is Juana, the puta whom Sharp meets in Mexico City in the opening chapter. Throughout the story she seems to be the "dumb muchacha" she describes herself as; but she abruptly becomes a femme fatale, her desperate act of hatred driving the plot to its somber conclusion. The story opens and ends in Mexico, the interim describing the hero's entertaining though somewhat implausible successes in California and New York. In the Scherzo section, when Sharp is being courted by both the Met and the movies, Cain treats the Met with deference but his contempt for Hollywood is palpable. (Ironically enough, in 1956 Warner Bros used "Serenade" as the basis for a Mario Lanza musical. One can only imagine Cain's reaction to this sudsy mess.) Incidently, Cain's novels are included in Crime and Mystery sections. Appropriate, perhaps, but don't expect Miss Marple. ... Read more

Product Description
"Jealous Woman" is set in Nevada. Jane Delavan's red hair and shapely figure immediately attract Ed Homer, but he is soon left questioning her motives. "Sinful Woman" concerns two beautiful sisters and a handsome sheriff. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
A thriller which tells of the deadly corrupting influence between love and money as one man falls desperately in love with an innocent girl who proves willing but inadequate in satisfying his overwhelming demands. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A lesser entry in the James M. Cain canon.
The plot to this latter day James M. Cain novel is similar to that of two of his early classics, Double Indemnity and The Postman Always Rings Twice.All three are tales of illicit love and murder.Except this time around, the raw, noirish feel of the earlier works is largely missing.In its place, unfortunately, is a "soap opera-like" tone wherein complexity of storyline replaces emotional truth.
As lovers, Clay Lockwood and Sally Alexis are not only ill-fated, they are completely mismatched.Sally is an unstable, selfish girl while Clay is a level headed businessman.Despite his realization that Sally's mother, not Sally, is his true soulmate, Clay inexplicably goes over to the dark side to do Sally's bidding.Needless to say, the result is disaster for all concerned.
The Magician's Wife has many passages that are skillfully written including a few which contain insightful takes on human behavior.But overall, this James M. Cain work is a very average read due to its rather contrived, noncredible storyline.A disappointing effort from an author capable of much better.

Not That Great
As another reviewer stated, sort of a blend of The Postman Always Rings Twice/Double Indemnity type story - hero immediately falls in love with and wants to marry murderous woman.Does her bidding, regrets it, ridiculous ending.I mean, do people really abandon their moral code that quickly and easily?I don't believe so, therefore the whole premise seemed outlandish.

Far-fetched rework of Cain's Classics
The Magician's Wife is a mediocre rendition of some of Cain's classic novels such as The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity. Although it starts off slowly, it does build up a head of steam and if you ignore some of the unbelievable actions of the protagonist, the charismatic meat-magnate, Clay Lockwood, it is a hard book to put down. Moreor less the plot is a fellow (this time asuccessful executive) has an affair with a married woman and after much arm-twisting chooses to helpher murder her husband for money. The magician's wife is clearly not someone worth murdering for and at the same time Clay carries on an affair with her mother, Grace, which is one of the absurd elements of this novel. Like a magician, Cain works out interesting plot twists around these incongruencies and somehow makes it a compelling read. Nonetheless he is not in great form, for a key scene where Clay scopes out the magician whom he is plotting to kill and sees him performing tricks for some kids in his neighborhood would by Cain's standards berendered in grand fashion as the potential killer feels remorse and anguish in discovering that his victim is a regular and decent guy. Somehow in The Magician's Wife this scene is barely sketched out leaving out, so to speak, The Mark of Cain.

The 'other' Magician's Wife
This 'Magician's Wife' is not Moore's story set in France/Europe. It is, instead, a story of lust, adultery, and wish fulfillment set 1940's Virginia.

A master of American noir, Cain spins a suspense-filled that reminds you to be careful what you wish for. ... Read more