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    Double Indemnity
    Double Indemnity
    Double Indemnity
    Audiobook3 hours

    Double Indemnity

    Written by James Cain

    Narrated by James Naughton

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Tautly narrated and excruciatingly suspenseful, Double Indemnity gives us an X-ray view of guilt, of duplicity, and of the kind of obsessive, loveless love that devastates everything it touches. First published in 1936, this novel reaffirmed James M. Cain as a virtuoso of the roman noir.

    Performed by James Naughton

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateMay 31, 2005
    ISBN9780060854546
    Double Indemnity
    Author

    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.

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    Reviews for Double Indemnity

    4/5

    658 ratings39 reviews

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    • 5/5
      This is a very short and very quick read. Walter Neff, an insurance salesman, and Phyllis Nardlinger, a femme fatale housewife, plan the perfect murder of Phyllis' husband where they will collect double indemnity from a recently purchased insurance policy. The book is tightly written with a first person narrative by Walter Neff. The murder plans are intricately plotted and cleverly inventive. Will they get away with the murder after they begin to mistrust one another? I suggest you read this noir classic and find out. It is a page-turner with lots of twists and hard to put down. A definite masterpiece!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      The best of old fashioned hard boiled noire. An insurance agent falls for a beautiful blonde in an unhappy marriage. While it’s easy to see where that lead it’s only half the story. Maybe this was not her first murder, maybe it’s not love.

      And oh that ending…
    • 5/5
      An excellent companion to Postman.
    • 5/5
      Excellent Narration, and great story. I didn’t like it quite as well as Postman Always Rings Twice, but it’s a classic and highly recommended. If you like this go to “The Cocktail Waitress” next, which is just as good, or better.
    • 4/5
      A tightly plotted classic of crime fiction. A too smart for his own good insurance salesman plots with a murderous wife to kill her husband for insurance money, but he's outwitted even as he's tutoring her in what he believes will be the perfect scam.
    • 5/5
      This book is brutal, short and completely ingestible in one sitting. I can’t the plot twists achieved through the smallest amount of writing. Wonderful.
    • 4/5
      I don’t think I’ve ever read a full book in one sitting before, but since it was small (125 pages) and James M Cain wrote an exciting novella; it was quick easy, I needed to know what was going to happen. Double Indemnity tells the story of an insurance agent and a woman who set out to make a lot of money by claim the insurance of the accidental death of her husband. As you probably guessed; her husband’s death was not going to be an accident. James M Cain is the master of the Noir genre, where he can take a basic murder plot and make everything go horribly wrong.

      The way Cain writes his characters is superb, you get the feeling that you know what they are thinking and when they are planning a double cross; but Cain also likes to put some unexpected twists just to keep the reader guessing. If I was going to recommend a James M Cain book to anyone, it would probably The Postman Always Rings Twice; but since this is such a short story this would also be a good book to start with. The Hardboiled & Noir genres are fast becoming my favourite of all genres, and Cain is definitely the king of Noir (from what I’ve read so far).
    • 5/5
      Fantastic!! So well read! One of the best reads I’ve heard.
    • 5/5
      Wow, I haven't read this book since the 1970's and did not remember how great it was. Cain led to Chandler led to many others, but I see now, that Cain is the true master. On a side note the movie was terrible.
    • 5/5
      Wow. Intricate murder plots. Double crosses. Pathological killer. Romance. All in 115 pages. A terrific period piece.
    • 5/5
      I can’t believe I’ve never read this one before. One murder leads to the next as this mystery unfolds. I saw the movie years ago, but as is always the case, the book is better. A wife decides to kill her husband for the insurance money and seduces the insurance agent in to helping her. Toss in a train, crutches, and a suspicious step daughter and you’ve got a good story. A must read for fans of classic noir.
    • 4/5
      A raging page-turner on the madness of sweeping, devouring attraction, Double Indemnity is an intricate murder unravelled. This temptation spiral where an insurance agent willingly and foolishly descends is more than meets the eye. The female mastermind seduces and teases. The collaboration to kill her husband, claim the accident insurance and have their happily-ever-after deliberately fall out at the doubts of the insurance company itself. And what's supposed to be an urge of carnal desire and avarice alone unveils a well-thought plan spanning years. Greed, indeed, doesn't only run in the individuals but the firm as well. A lot of decisions and arguments to circumvent a successful accident insurance claim create all sorts of imagination. It only takes a short time and a few other conflicts to discover the detail of the seemingly slick crime. What separates Double Indemnity with other noir novels is its straight-forward, unputdownable narrative. Compared to the classic film starring Barbara Stanwyck, I have never been more startled with how sinister and ruthless the ending of Cain's novel is. The final scene of fainting in the film gives at least a leeway to squeeze into other possibilities. The novel, on the other hand, ends in a very wicked, nauseating reunion. It seems if there is no heaven together, there is only eternal hell.
    • 4/5
      Pretty good until the ending, which is rather unllikely; Wilder's film's ending is much better. I prefer Chandler or Hammett and their styles to this.
    • 5/5
      so different from the movie; just as good but darker, stranger. More about humanity than about an affair between a man and a woman
    • 5/5
      A cracking hard-boiled noir.
    • 5/5
      Digital audiobook performed by James NaughtonWalter Huff is an insurance agent who heads out to a Spanish mansion in the hills above Los Angeles to renew – and hopefully upgrade – an automobile policy for Mr Nirdlinger. The client is not at home, and Mrs Nirdlinger asks Huff to return the next night, but before he leaves she also asks about accident insurance. Huff knows the woman is trouble – with a capital T – but he lets himself get reeled in and before you know it …Cain is a master of the roman noir. His writing is every bit as seductive as the temptress at the heart of his story. You just know this is going to end badly but you cannot tear yourself away, you just HAVE to continue. His short declarative sentences and first-person narrative give an immediacy to his writing, and make the novel difficult to put down. And just when you think you’ve already gone over the cliff …. You find that Cain has one or two more surprises in store for you. The ending of this one is nothing short of chilling. James Naughton does a superb job voicing the audiobook. His clipped delivery is perfect for Cain’s writing style.
    • 2/5
      The movie is SOOOOO much better than the book. The book was all right ... but Cain had to spoil it with an absolutely STUPID ending.
    • 4/5
      The book the movie with Fred McMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, and Edward G. Robinson is based upon. I liked Keyes. He called it like it was but he could not prove it. I cannot say I liked the book better than the movie. There are changes in the movie but the story line is similar. The endings are different but both are plausible endings. I'm glad I read it. It is one of the few books of which I do not hate the movie.
    • 3/5
      Easy to read book.Insurance salesman falls for a woman commit a crime but who is playing who.Short simple book wrote in the 1930s LA
    • 4/5
      It's a pretty creepy story. Want to watch the movie again. Bill Wilder.
    • 4/5
      The 1944 Billy Wilder directed film Double Indemnity has long been one of my favorite movies so I was quite excited to finally be reading the original story by James M. Cain. This hard-boiled classic tells the story of Walter Huff, an insurance salesman, and Phyllis Nirdlinger, a woman with a desire to rid herself of her husband. Water is obsessively drawn to Phyllis and before too long finds himself planning a perfect murder, one that will rid them of the unnecessary husband and also bring them a large payoff on the accident insurance policy that includes a double indemnity clause.This dark tale of obsession, guilt, suspicion and retribution is taunt and full of suspense. The intricate plot moves the story along, and the author wastes no words with his straight forward delivery. My only complaint is with the ending which I found rather convoluted and drawn out. This is one case where I believe the film version with it’s classic ending provided by Wilder and Raymond Chandler far exceeds the book. Double Indemnity was well worth the read, but I would encourage everyone to see the film which is a masterpiece.
    • 4/5
      One can't feel much remorse for the fate of a James Cain character. They are sad and pitiable, but they are also reprehensible. Another good short novel -- the action ends in a poetic, tragic irony that truly appeals to the reader. A fine book.
    • 3/5
      When I was reading Double Indemnity, I kept thinking that James Cain worked in the insurance business at some point, and this book was his fantasy about how to pull off the perfect insurance fraud scheme. The book did not do much for me. I much prefer Hammett or Chandler.
    • 5/5
      A few weeks ago I came in late from the pub, turned on the TV and sat through a brilliant old black and white film called Double Indemnity. The next morning the film had left such an impression I decided to read up on its background, found out that is was adapted from a novel and the rest as they say, is history.I had heard of 'noir', but was never really sure of what it stood for or encapsulated. However, after reading Double Indemnity I have a much better understanding. The book is written in a way I have never encountered before. The sentences are sharp, direct and to the point. Cain wastes no words. I think this is one of the only novels I have read where I have not found any extra padding. The author says all that he needs to say and nothing more, and this shows by the novel covering barely 130 pages. The only other Author I am familiar with that even comes close to this is Cormac McCarthy. You feel every word, sentence, comma and full stop was placed there for a reason. If I had to describe the novel I would say it is like McCarthy but with little descriptive prose and less flamboyancy with the language. I know many people may disagree with this comparison, but as I was working my way through the pages I kept thinking how similar they are in the way they ensure every single word adds something to the readers experience.The plot of the novel is pretty much straightforward, an insurance salesman meets the wife of a businessman and together then conjure up a scheme whereby they can sell and then claim on his life insurance. A plan is hatched that they both consider foolproof, but as the novel progresses small mistakes begin to unravel into larger issues and the pressure mounts. Other individuals are drawn into the circle such as the businessman's daughter and the insurance mans methodical boss. The characters behave differently to how I would have imagined and I am unsure whether this is because the novel has dated slightly (rather like Neville Shute's works) or if this is a reflection of the Noir period. But what I do know is that from the first page I was gripped. Very often I will read a book and think to myself 'does that sound realistic?, and if the answer is no, a certain amount of enjoyment is taken away. Strangely this was not the case here, I just kept wanting to read further and further, especially when the characters past history slowly became apparent. For example, from the first meeting of Phyllis Nirdlinger and Walter Huff they start to bounce off each other and the bones of the scam start to fall into place. Would this really happen that quickly with no trust built between the two?Despite the lack of length I feel this book will remain with me for a long time, and like all good novels a number of questions will need to be answered such as what would I be prepared to do for a large amount of cash? Would I be able to be manipulated by a femme fatale? Could I be a Walter Huff, always on the lookout for the ideal opportunity to make a quick buck?Fans of the film will find a very different ending to the one they are accustomed to. A number of reviewers have marked the novel down in their reviews because of this. I may be in the minority but I preferred the ending Cain chose. It has a slightly disturbed ring to it, but I feel it fits more closely with the characters state of mind.I would recommend this read to anyone regardless of what genre of fiction they would usually indulge. As mentioned, the length is fairly short so why not take a chance? I did, and am glad I did so.
    • 4/5
      This book isn't a straight out mystery as originally thought. It definitely noir, but a book about murder and insurance. A bored insurance salesman get involved with bored housewife who wants a more glamorous life. The writing is short, to the point. The insurance salesman is thinly characterized. Its not that he's cardboard... just that all unnecessary details are left out. Same goes with the housewife. There isn't much to her, although we find out her history as the story goes on.The story is set in the 30's. Which is an odd time period. Women are kept more as pets... insurance salesmen go door to door. But, it is also quite modern. The scheme that is developed is quite intricate. The caution put into the plan to mislead investigators is a sign of the world of forensic science. Still on the whole, its a good book, well written, and well developed. But its a bit too dry, its hard to care about the lead characters.
    • 3/5
      OK, having read the countless reviews for Double Indemnity I’m left in no doubt that this is considered as one of the greatest books from the American noir, hard boiled genre. In many quarters it is considered a classic with James M.Cain as the master of noir. I really don’t want to argue with the majority, however, having finished the book, I do seem to be at odds. Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy it. I loved the story especially the staccato style narration which had me thinking of Spillane’s Mike Hammer every 3 minutes. I also liked the fact that it’s a short, snappy story which took me an afternoon to read. I just haven’t been left with that ‘wow’ four or five star ‘classic’ feeling. This annoys me, not least of all because I can’t explain why.According to Wiki, Double Indemnity is a novella which was initially written as an eight part serial for Liberty Magazine. Our narrator and main protagonist, Walter Huff, is an insurance salesman who has been doing the job longer than he cares to remember. One day he sets out to visit a customer in order to sell an insurance renewal. The customer isn’t at home, Huff has a chance meeting with the wife and, as is befitting for this era and style, when a man meets a woman, trouble is not far behind. From this initial meeting, the couple go on to develop a relationship which enables them to hatch and carry out an insurance scam centering around the murder of the husband.Ah, if only he’d have been at home…..“Three days later she called and left word I was to come at three-thirty. She let me in herself. She didn’t have the blue pajamas this time. She had on a white sailor suit, with a blouse that pulled tight over her hips, and white shoes and stockings. I wasn’t the only one that knew about that shape. She knew about it herself, plenty.” (p.10)Huff narrates the tale in the ‘classic’ noir style which I did enjoy. The delivery consists of short, sharp phrases and sentences which bring to mind the classic noir films. It’s very much dialogue driven rather than descriptive.I can’t deny that Double Indemnity is a great little book and definitely one of its time. It’s snappy, stylish and the 30s/40s black and white film style oozes from the pages. It’s strong on story telling and, in the usual noir style, has its corrupted and corruptible characters – unlikeable people with no redeeming features and no shades of grey. If you’re a fan of the slick, sharp, dialogue driven crime fiction tale then Double Indemnity is the one for you.I did enjoy it but the book just didn’t hit that 'wow' button for me.
    • 4/5
      There's "noir," as in, "it's-actually-hardboiled-but-that-requires-three-syllables-to-say," and then there's real "noir" as in, "this-world-is-so-dark-that-the-only-thing-that-stops-this-from-being-a-dystopia-is-that-it-supposedly-takes-place-in-the-real-world." James M. Cain was a master of the second variety. His terse, simplistic structure, vivid imagery, distinctive male gaze, and liberal use of femme fatales all had tremendous influence on the genre, especially on other landmark authors such as Raymond Chandler. Cain is probably my favorite out of the "dark noir" subgenre--probably because his books are only about 100 pages. How depressed can you possibly get from only 100 pages? You'd be surprised.

      Walter Huff, a hardworking and practical insurance man, stops by an acquaintance's house and receives a proposition from the man's wife: help her murder her husband.

      I know that I'm supposed to be horrified by the sociopathic femme fatale who cynically uses her sexuality to enthrall the hapless insurance man. From the first moment he sees her, Huff is entranced by her appearance, and every description is an accusation. The way he tells the story, her clothing, her eyes, her mouth, her curves are to blame for the relationship, not Huff. She was "asking for it." Yet if you examine the actual events, Huff is the one who initiates a relationship; when he kisses her, she freezes and then capitulates. Maybe our oh-so-wicked femme fatale was thinking about it, but despite Huff's surety, she still wavers: "Please, Walter, don't let me do this. It's simply insane." Huff is the one who brings up murder. Huff is the one who actually states that they need to go through with it. Huff is the one who suggests double indemnity. hover for spoiler So maybe Phyllis is as diabolical as Huff paints her. But how is he any better?

      Cain's characters do not live in a world of greys; they have strayed far past the threshold between good and evil. It is a book firmly rooted in its time, where Huff's Filipino "houseboy" is not even given the dignity of a name and is repeatedly referred to as "the Filipino." My fascination stems from horror; the way the characters can casually and matter-of-factly speak of such atrocities is both repulsive and riveting. As Huff says, "There comes a time in any murder when the only thing that can see you through is audacity." It is this audacity, the thrill of the heist, the "prestige," as Christopher Priest would say, that makes this book difficult to put down. It is also hard to turn away from the inevitability of the tragedy. As Huff says, "That's all it takes: one drop of fear to curdle love into hate."

      It turns out that 100 pages can be very depressing indeed.
    • 5/5
      Yes, believe it or not but I'd never read this -- even though I've owned it for many years, bringing it across with me from the UK a decade ago: it still has its Oxfam Bookshop "30p" sticker on the front. The story is known to all from the great Barbara Stanwyck movie . . . except that it isn't, not really. The story in the novel is quite a lot more complex, both plotwise and emotionally; and I was startled to find myself wishing very much that Billy Wilder/Raymond Chandler had bloody well stuck to it, because it's actually far more satisfying. (I must try to get hold of the 1973 tv-movie remake to see what they did with it.) If, like me until just a few weeks ago, you've always been meaning to read the book but never gotten around to it, hearken to my strong recommendation.

      Now, where have I shelved my almost equally vintage copy of Mildred Pierce . . .?
    • 5/5
      Wonderful crime noir novel & the ending is even better than the classic movie with Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurrey!
    • 5/5
      Noir perfection. Every word, character, and moment in this book are right.