James M. Cain Books in Order

James M. Cain is a renowned American novelist and journalist, celebrated for his contributions to the hard-boiled school of American crime fiction and the creation of the "roman noir" genre. Born into an Irish Catholic family in Annapolis, Maryland, Cain's love for music was instilled by his opera-singing mother, although his own aspirations to become a singer were dashed due to his lack of a suitable voice. Cain graduated from Washington College in 1910, where his father served as president, and began his career as a journalist for The Baltimore Sun. He later worked for The New York World and American Mercury, also serving briefly as managing editor of The New Yorker. Cain's transition to fiction led to the publication of his breakthrough novel, The Postman Always Rings Twice, followed by multiple critically acclaimed works, solidifying his position as a master of the crime fiction genre.