Book cover for The Cocktail Waitress by James Cain

The Cocktail Waitress

2012 Released
272 Pages
5-6 Hours
Paperback Unavailable
Hardback Unavailable
Hard Case CrimeISBN 9781781160350

Discover the lost crime novel by the noir legend behind Mildred Pierce, Double Indemnity, and The Postman Always Rings Twice—now published here for the first time!

Following her husband’s death in a suspicious car accident, beautiful young widow Joan Medford is forced to take a job serving drinks in a cocktail lounge to make ends meet and to have a chance of regaining custody of her young son.

At the job, she encounters two men who take an interest in her—a handsome young schemer who makes her blood race and a wealthy but unwell older man who rewards her for her attentions with a $50,000 tip and an unconventional offer of marriage . . .

Now published for the very first time, The Cocktail Waitress is the last, lost crime novel of James M. Cain—the legendary noir author who wrote some of the greatest classics of the genre, including Mildred Pierce, Double Indemnity, and The Postman Always Rings Twice.

James Cain

One of the most celebrated and notorious crime writers of all time, JAMES M. CAIN launched his career with the publication of two back-to-back masterpieces—The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity—selling millions of copies worldwide and inspiring classic movies. Cain continued with an unmatched run of noir novels including Mildred Pierce which inspired both the Academy Award-winning film starring Joan Crawford and the Emmy-winning HBO miniseries starring Kate Winslet. Cain died in 1977.

More by James Cain

Why Readwise Books?

Readwise Books is an ebook & audiobook platform that automatically logs how much you and your friends read, making it fun and easy to read more. Learn more →